29 replies to this topic

[jayare]

The mirror boss is bonded on to the windscreen when the screen is made on the MPi's, and from previous experience, the sticky pads that are meant to refit the boss normally fall off when you go over the first bump!

JR

[CharlieBrown]

A while ago I had my front windscreen changed so I bought some stick pads, they wernt good enough and the mirror just fell off after a while. (HAd a stick on one rather than the proper one that I founf was too low, due to me being tall)

Then got some of the halfrauds sticky pads but you need to heat the windscreen to make them stick well.

So in the end I got the suction type mirror from halfrauds and got mini throught MOT fine

(It does wobble a bot but I think my old one did as well)

[Jammy]

Cool, I think I'm going to pop up to halfords at lunch. Depending on how high I finally decide to mount my seat, I'll either put the mirror on the windscreen or the top of the dash.

[The Matt]

I don't think you need an interior mirror if you've got 2 exterior ones.

Nail on head! You don't need it if you've got the two other rear view wing/door mirrors.

BUT if you do want it, try a secondhand Vauxhall mirror, they're just bonded to the screen and use a little rectangular sticky pad that you can get from Halfords. Works best if you clean the screen, scratch the back of the mirror where the pad contacts and then heat it up with a hairdryer! Stick the pad to the mirror first (where you've just scratched it), then peel off the other backing pad and apply to the screen. Hold for 20 seconds and SHAAAAAZZZAM!

[bert998]

I don't think you need an interior mirror if you've got 2 exterior ones.

Nail on head! You don't need it if you've got the two other rear view wing/door mirrors.

BUT if you do want it, try a secondhand Vauxhall mirror, they're just bonded to the screen and use a little rectangular sticky pad that you can get from Halfords. Works best if you clean the screen, scratch the back of the mirror where the pad contacts and then heat it up with a hairdryer! Stick the pad to the mirror first (where you've just scratched it), then peel off the other backing pad and apply to the screen. Hold for 20 seconds and SHAAAAAZZZAM!

a genie appears?

[dklawson]

a genie appears?

No... SHAAAAAZZZAM... a mirror falls in your lap.

I've never seen the sticky pads but I can't imagine they last very long. Over here Loctite and a couple of other suppliers make kits with super-duper cleaners, activators, and adhesives sealed in breakable vials to bond the metal pads to the glass. I've had those last for years... and I've had those fail after 6 months. Just like with painting, a lot of the success lies in the prep work.

[The Matt]

The pads we used to use at el garage were made by Loctite IIRC. They were very good to be honest and did last. As DK said though, prep work is the important bit.

[Jammy]

Well I got a cheapo £5 mirror from Halfords. Its not magnified, so the back of the car looks miles away! It sticks to the windscreen though.

[Dan]

Interior mirrors aren't magnified anyway. It may be convex like some exterior mirrors which is done to increase the field of view but makes everything look smaller / further away.

[Jammy]

Hmmm, possibly, but its really is a cheapo of cheap mirror (packaging was in Chinese), I doubt they would have made the glass convex due to cost. I thought some (non Mini) mirrors were magnified, especially those that say 'Objects in the mirror appear closer than they are'?

[CharlieBrown]

Jammy, jammy, jammy..

Thats only on the side mirrors, did you learn nothing from Jurassic park?

[Guess-Works.com]

For an MOT you only need reward vision, I've had cars MOT with only a screen review, and only a wing mirror, as long as there's something does not matter where it is....

[The Matt]

Does depend on the age, but I think Jammy's will HAVE to have a drivers side wing mirror, plus one other rearward facing mirror for Mr MOT.

[Jammy]

That might be true, but for my own use I'd prefer to have a rear view mirror inside too. I have a wing mounted side mirrors, but the passenger side is partially obstructed by the wiper blade.

Personally I'd prefer not to cut down on my view of whats happening around me, but thanks, I know now in future I only need the two mirrors for MOT should it be an emergency.

[Ethel]

Interior mirrors use that crappy pad as a safety feature so the mirror breaks off if you happen to nut it one in a bump. I think it's a vehicle construction regulation issue which is why I doubt that MPI's have permanently bonded mirror bosses.

If you can't make one stick the screen needs degreasing to get a decent bond.