18 replies to this topic

[jeffro]

hi
looking to get some torpedo mirrors, i see they come with flat glass or convex.

whats best?

thanks

[TfcIan]

I think when I was in mini spares they said flat glass was best for drivers side and convex for the other side. Sadly, they didn't have convex left mirrors, so I had to go with flat glass. I'd definitely go with convex passenger side if I was you, it's difficult to see anything out of them, and if my passenger side one gets knocked even a slight bit, it might as well drop off for all I can see out of it. They look good but they are so impractical for a daily drive.

[MiniMonty]

Bullet mirrors are OK if mounted on the wings but next to useless on the doors.
Maybe think about getting some chrome Tex mirrors if you want them on the doors ?

[Retro_10s]

Everybody always buys WING mirrors and then complain when they can't see out of them because they've fitted them to the DOORS. Unfortunatley the distinction between the two is still not being advertised well enough with the product...

You can get both Wing and door mirrors in the bullet/torpedo style, make sure that if you want them to fit to your doors you buy the correct type with arms and a mounting plinth for the doors which raises the mirror and allows full adjustment, Other wise (as MONTY says) i can predict the following frustrating events will occur to yet another member on here:

* Purchase New Wing mirrors
* Struggle fitting New Wing mirrors to Doors
* Struggle to see anything through Wing mirrors because they're not made to go on Doors.
* Complain on TMF
* Realise it's too late because you've drilled the doors now and they were so hard to fit you'll just leave them there.
* Stop using mirrors.

That would really annoy Mr T....... don't annoy Mr T.

[drewsargent1980]

Apologise for hijacking this thread but im currently decideding what wing mirrors to go for and the idea of chrome bullet style appeal, was curious if any one had any pictures of the bullet style ones mounted actually on the wings rather than on the doors.

[jeffro]

are these the correct one?

http://www.minispare...=...7060&title=

[drewsargent1980]

yeah they where the style i was looking at, but was specificly looking to see if any one had any pics of them mounted on their wings rather than their door.

[drewsargent1980]

actually just been digging through google and found this picture what are people's views on having the mirrors here

[TfcIan]

Everybody always buys WING mirrors and then complain when they can't see out of them because they've fitted them to the DOORS. Unfortunatley the distinction between the two is still not being advertised well enough with the product...

You can get both Wing and door mirrors in the bullet/torpedo style, make sure that if you want them to fit to your doors you buy the correct type with arms and a mounting plinth for the doors which raises the mirror and allows full adjustment, Other wise (as MONTY says) i can predict the following frustrating events will occur to yet another member on here:

* Purchase New Wing mirrors
* Struggle fitting New Wing mirrors to Doors
* Struggle to see anything through Wing mirrors because they're not made to go on Doors.
* Complain on TMF
* Realise it's too late because you've drilled the doors now and they were so hard to fit you'll just leave them there.
* Stop using mirrors.

That would really annoy Mr T....... don't annoy Mr T.

I have bullet door mirrors, fitted on the doors, I can't see much out of them. Why? Because they are tiny and therefore the field of view is small on them. Convex mirrors wouldn't help too much; they'd increase the field of view but everything would be tiny in them. They give you a massive blindspot compared to normal mirrors, I can't join a dual carriageway/motorway off a sliproad without having to check over my shoulder and I have to be very careful that I know a cyclist is not passing me on the left when I go to make a left turn, because it's doubtful that I'd see them - The mirror is pointing out so I can see into the lane next to me to move back over after overtaking and therefore, because of the rubbish field of view, I can't see anything close to the side of the car. They look good, but they are horrible for use on a road car and I've been tempted to get some normal mirrors to replace them.

[dcfoster83]

I have the bullet mirrors and they may be the wrong type because I can't really see much of anything out of them ... luckily the great thing about the Mini is all I have to do is turn my head you have a pretty good 360 degree view in the Mini!

[drewsargent1980]

also like the idea of the clip on style
 094_336_1_.jpg   73.09K   8 downloads


would i just require 1 on the drivers side to pass an MOT or do you require 2 Mirrors to pass

http://www.holden.co...;pCode=094.336#


aaah just found this quote, can any one confirm this is correct

"If your car was registered before 1st August 1978 you only need 1 mirror, either a rear view or a side mirror.

If you car was registered after this you MUST have a driver side mirror and either a rear view or a passenger side mirror."

Edited by drewsargent1980, 17 April 2011 - 08:32 AM.

[TfcIan]

also like the idea of the clip on style
 094_336_1_.jpg   73.09K   8 downloads


would i just require 1 on the drivers side to pass an MOT or do you require 2 Mirrors to pass

http://www.holden.co...;pCode=094.336#


aaah just found this quote, can any one confirm this is correct

"If your car was registered before 1st August 1978 you only need 1 mirror, either a rear view or a side mirror.

If you car was registered after this you MUST have a driver side mirror and either a rear view or a passenger side mirror."

I'd say the second part is correct, my '90 city e only had a drivers side mirror and rear view mirror, no passenger door mirror and it has a dozen or so MOT certificates to prove it passed. Imagine picking it up, driving a mini for the first time in the dark without a passenger door mirror and lights like candles because it didn't even have halogens First thing I did was buy new mirrors and halogen headlights. How do those clip on ones fit on (Don't be smart and say they clip on...)? Would they stay on with the doors closed or could somebody just walk up and pull them off?

[drewsargent1980]

i have submitted a few questions to Holden regarding these points, will let you know what they say when they get back to me.

[MiniMonty]

Ooops - tgried to get that clip on mirror picture in here but failed

These are generally referred to as an "overtaking mirror".
Very retro. I hear they're not much use in the real world.

As for the MOT I don't know what the situation is with a clip on mirror - I have a feeling the MOT requires a drivers' side mirror
and not much else (think van with no rear view available) but my experience is that two good (usable) door mirrors are not
only best but essential (motorbikes weaving in and out of traffic, blue lights behind you either side, angry cyclists trying to be superhuman)....
If you want stylish mirrors go for the genuine chrome Tex originals (pricey but excellent and deeply cool).

It's a (very low) old car in a modern world - if you can't properly see what's going on behind you're asking for trouble and
I definitely don't want to be the one who says "I didn't see it coming"...

Edited by MiniMonty, 18 April 2011 - 01:36 AM.

[Retro_10s]

I have bullet door mirrors, fitted on the doors, I can't see much out of them. Why? Because they are tiny and therefore the field of view is small on them. Convex mirrors wouldn't help too much; they'd increase the field of view but everything would be tiny in them. They give you a massive blindspot compared to normal mirrors, I can't join a dual carriageway/motorway off a sliproad without having to check over my shoulder and I have to be very careful that I know a cyclist is not passing me on the left when I go to make a left turn, because it's doubtful that I'd see them - The mirror is pointing out so I can see into the lane next to me to move back over after overtaking and therefore, because of the rubbish field of view, I can't see anything close to the side of the car. They look good, but they are horrible for use on a road car and I've been tempted to get some normal mirrors to replace them.

That's a shame, because the ones I used to have were just great, huge area of glass and i could see just fine out of them, it maybe that we have two different makes.

I can't join a dual carriageway/motorway off a sliproad without having to check over my shoulder

but you're supposed to do a final B/S check over the shoulder anyway

I also have one of those Overtaking mirrors,... Originally i just bought it for looks but more and more i find myself using more simply because it's at head height and covers all the area that the door mirror would anyway.