Getting fed up with getting dazzled by the pratts with HIDs (the merc audi etc lot) and people with badly adjusted headlights and am thinking about fitting an auto dimming mirror. How hard is it to do and what parts would i need? I know some people dont like them but i think i wouldn't mind having one

Get limo tint on your rear window that helps

Get limo tint on your rear window that helps

Could do as i do have reversing sensors but then i'd need the rear side windows doing, then something else and the next thing is i've spent loads lol

True that's how it goes.

Interested in what's involved in fitting an auto dim mirror. Presumably you just need the part itself and a power supply to it. But I'm guessing.

Get limo tint on your rear window that helps

Oh and are you feeling ok Rob?? Just that there wasn't a pic of the rear of your car or something in that post!!

Oh and are you feeling ok Rob?? Just that there wasn't a pic of the rear of your car or something in that post!!

Haha :p

Mine are 80% tinted so not quite limo tint!

This is off the mkiv for sale section but haven't a clue whats involved in fitting it.

Black Mirror

Black Mirror clips

Loom

Black Loom clips

Relay

Looks like alot of wire there and doesn't say where it goes or if it will fit an octy as don't auto dimming mirrors have a different mounting?

You will need to retro fit it anyway so iwould get one from an E36 BMW you could probably pick one up for next to nothing, iirc it is quite a simple system and wont require much wiring.

To fit one you require a different bracket for the mirror as it is bigger to accomodate the wiring and in most circumstances the rain sensor.

Other than that it literally is three wires that might be in the headligning if not then you would pick them up in the pillar or side kick panel.

It is just a live, neutral and a live from the reverse switch (to turn the dim off when you reverse).

I am currently sourcing the bits I need.

I have the mirror that I got for a few quid and hoping to get the different windsreeen bracket, rain sensor, wiring covers, relay 192 (for rain sensor) and the wiring.

Here's some info relating to Golf MK4's but pretty much all transferrable to other platforms etc:

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/p/200674/1300398.aspx

Phil

To fit one you require a different bracket for the mirror as it is bigger to accomodate the wiring and in most circumstances the rain sensor.

Other than that it literally is three wires that might be in the headligning if not then you would pick them up in the pillar or side kick panel.

It is just a live, neutral and a live from the reverse switch (to turn the dim off when you reverse).

I am currently sourcing the bits I need.

I have the mirror that I got for a few quid and hoping to get the different windsreeen bracket, rain sensor, wiring covers, relay 192 (for rain sensor) and the wiring.

Here's some info relating to Golf MK4's but pretty much all transferrable to other platforms etc:

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/p/200674/1300398.aspx

Phil

Thanks Phil, might try and get one off an audi with a compass as having a rain sensor will just annoy me lol

My old octy had a dark tint on the rear windows - tailgate, light tint on the front windows and an even lighter tint on the windscreen. It was a joy to drive it at night never got blinded. Shame it’s not allowed now.

I'll be interested to hear how you get on, and of course I'll give you a hand fitting if you want?

I will give you the whole story as it happens m8 and will ask for your help when the time comes. If you want we can do your car first so if I bugger it up my cars ok lol

The bracket from an Audi won't fit, your best bet is to use a mk4 golf / bora one or a passat b5. But the bracket on your windscreen is actually part of the glass, ie when you get a new windscreen it comes with the mirror boss ( bracket ) on it. You need special glass to metal glue to refix one too your screen if you manage to get your bracket of without cracking your screen. In my honest opinion this is a right pain in the arse to get right. The way around this is so simple. Remove your mirror by twisting the part of the mirror that go's to the screen. Then you will see that the mirror has a ball joint fixing on the rear of it. Split this in to two pieces, then the same for auto dim mirror. Use the auto dim mirror part with your arm that go's to the glass. Gentle lube the ball joint up and press back in get presto all done.

Sounds a good idea m8 plan is to have a good look round a decent scrap yard and have a look at all the cars with a auto dimming mirror and see if any have the same ball size as an octy then get two and try it out on Martin's octy that way if I break the windscreen fitting it its not my problem lol

cheers m8!

You're welcome its what mates are for lol

Morning all, just checking the correct part no is as follows: Part No. 3B0 971 411 A Is this correct?

Also is there a diagram, even if it's like something out of Sesame St., of how to do this as my level of electrical ability is wiring a plug!

Any mirror from a MK4 golf, Ibiza, Toledo, Leon, Beetle, Passat should do the trick!

There are different colours and shades too so be careful which you get.

I currently have for my retrofit:

Mirror from Seat Toledo (light grey)

Wiring Harness from a Bora that has rain sensor and dimming mirror

The top and bottom parts of the tube that hides the cables to the mirror and holds the rain sensor

Rain sensor with wiring connector for sensor and mirror

Wiper relay number 192

The my options are to either break my windscreen and get one with the correct bracket on or try to remove the current one and glue the correct one on.

If you can get hold of the wiring then that might be easier than splicing into wires etc.

Phil

If you have a mk1 octavia then you can not get a screen with the correct bracket on so please don't break yours. You will have to remove your mirror boss and re glue the new 1 on.

Found that regluing don't usually work. Very hard to get a mirror to stick properly

The closest i got at the scrappers was a vw sharen, the hole was too big :( would of been a simple fit otherwise as no rain sensors just a few wires with a ball fitting

I am very sensitive to light and the first thing I did when I got my new car was to fit a Gentex auto-dimming rear view mirror in my Fabia II. I'm not sure if this will be of any use to you as I don't know if your windscreen has the same mounting boss glued to it as my Fabia does. mine has one of these:. I bought one of These it comes with an adapter:

the brown horseshoe shaped piece (it's made of copper) -It was a little over sized, so I had to grind it down a little with my Dremel. I then painted it matte black as you can just see it from the outside of the windscreen. The wiring has just two connections: 1 that needs to get connected to an earth point point anywhere on the vehicle and the other that needs to go to a 12volt live supply that goes on and off with the ignition. The unit comes with Scotchlocks for tapping in to the wiring. I know nothing about vehicle electrics and not wanting to upset the can-bus. I arranged for my Skoda dealer to connect up the electrics, once I had done all of the install work and ran the cables. They connected it to the fuse box for me in to one of the spare slots with it's own fuse (not using the Scotchlocks). They charged me minimum labour charge for doing so. -£40 and they washed the car as well.

Edited 16 December, 201114 yr by greenstripe

Was that under the arm for the normal mirror? Was it a arm with a ball at the end for the mirror to plug into?

That's removing the entire mirror assembly from the windscreen -the boss is a small silver bit of metal (looks black in that picture -not mine) a bit bigger than the size of a 50p coin bonded to glass. To get to this you need to get hold of the base of the mirror where it joins the windscreen and twist the base it until the mirror pops off at around 90 degrees. DO NOT wrench, pull or use any tools to try and prize it off as there is a risk of breaking your windscreen.

Provided that you don't have to grind down the adapter like I did the new mirror slides down over that boss and locks in place with a grub screw and you should be able to swap the mirror inside of 2 minutes.

Edited 16 December, 201114 yr by greenstripe