Nov. 15, 2006 - Mirror FAQ...sort of
To my surprise, I've actually had a handful of people inquire about my mirror modification in the last month. So, in no particular order, here is some more information that may be useful if you want to swap out your driver side mirror glass.
Part Number
I'm almost positive the part number is 51 16 7 058 059. Just in case I am wrong, here is a picture of the box.
Removal and Installation
As shown in the picture below, you basically take a flat-head screwdriver and pop the glass off from the side. If you are nervous about scratching the mirror shell, then I recommend putting something (tape, foam, a rag, etc.) between the screwdriver and the mirror shell when you pry the glass off. Then, if you have heated mirrors, carefully pull the two wires off of the heater terminals. I recommend firmly grasping both the wire and the base of the heater terminal and slowly pull them apart using a rocking motion. Kind of like removing a cork from a bottle of wine.
The installation is more or less the reverse order of the removal. First, reconnect the heater wires to the terminals. I made it a point to note which wire went to which terminal, but in theory, it shouldn't matter since the heater element is basically a big, flat resistor. Now, here comes the only tricky part: reinstalling the glass. Center the glass in the mirror shell "hole" and, using even pressure with both of your thumbs, press firmly in the center of the glass. The glass should snap into place, with an actual "snapping" sound. The problem is that with most mirrors, it's almost impossible to be 100% certain the glass is fully seated after it is reinstalled. The MINI glass attachment design seems to be more "all or nothing" (it's either attached correctly or it just falls off), but best way to confirm this is to drive on your favorite bumpy road. If the glass is not fully seated, there will be a lot of glass vibration (you should notice this almost immediately).
Which part can I use?
As you can see from the picture below, the mirror glass is symmetrical both up and down as well as side to side, EXCEPT for the heater terminals. Knowing this, here are your options for replacing the driver side glass:
For heater mirrors:
1) Use the Euro spec driver side glass
2) Use the US spec passenger side glass, and have the "OBJECTS IN MIRROR..." text shown upside down.
For non-heated mirrors
1) Use the Euro spec driver side glass
2) Use the US spec passenger side glass
An issue you may encounter when trying to order the Euro spec part
Since this part is not officially approved for use in the US, some dealers either can not, or will not order the part. This is similar to the situation with the recently discontinued Euro parcel shelf. I was able to order my mirror glass from Knauz MINI in Chicago with no problem.
One last item
During the removal and installation of the glass, you will end up "adjusting" the mirror glass by hand (instead of by using the switch inside the car). This is perfectly OK. There is a clutch mechanism in just about every outside mirror made in the last 20 years to allow this to happen. Some mirrors make a clicking sound when you adjust them by hand, but the MINI mirror does not for some reason.
P.S. Thanks to the members of the MINI club in Dallas for some good feedback.
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I need somewhere to document my car modifications. Who knows where it will go from there.
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