How much to fix a side mirror and how much do side-mirrors cost?

 

Vehicle side mirror is an essential part for driving safely. The average replacement cost is around  $190 to $650 and if you want to replace it by yourself, this will save you almost $100.

however, this is completely depending on the type of your vehicle and what type of side mirror is compatible with your vehicle.

Did you know the fact that the most damaged exterior part of a car is its side mirrors. So, if on one fine morning you came to realize that your car’s side mirror is broken/damaged or it is not functioning, don’t worry this will not cost you too much, there are several options for you to get it fixed or replaced, and in some cases, you can even change it yourself.

As you know driving without side mirrors is not allowed as per law and you may be fined. So, it is better to immediately replace your broken or damaged side mirrors.

Read further to get complete guidance related to side mirrors, their types, and how to replace them and how to reduce cost of fixing side mirrors.

 

How many types of Side view mirror are there?

First, you need to know how many types of side mirrors are available on the market and which one is suitable for your vehicle, you can go through the owner manual for details about mirror fittings and replacement procedure.

 

There where two types of side view mirrors being installed in older cars.

Manual Side Mirrors, Manual adjustable side view mirrors from inside cabin, however the Power mirrors are rarely seen in old models and found only in super luxury cars at that time.

but these days almost every vehicle has power mirrors, yes there are several features in power mirrors which eventually  increase the value of the car.

The basic side mirrors without any electric power will cost from $50 up to $180

So basically, there are three most common types of power side mirrors available which are as follows.

• Heated Mirrors

Most of the vehicle owner doesn’t even know that their vehicle has the heated side mirror functions, The heated mirrors are a great comfort in cold and snowy weather as due to snow the side vision become blind due to fogginess on mirrors in cold weather.

 

To solve this issue most of the vehicles made for use in colder regions are installed with heated mirrors.

Before changing side mirror check if it has heat symbol on side of the mirror that means it is a heated mirror.

 

• Mirrors with memory

If you and your spouse are driving the same vehicle then the first thing any of you will do after sitting into the vehicle is to adjust the side mirror as per your vision field, to overcome this problem the car manufacturers offer vehicles with memory mirror in which multiple drivers can save the mirror settings as per their requirement.

 

 

•  Mirrors with Signal indicator light.

This is the type of side mirrors in which the direction indicator lights are installed. These lights are very much helpful for some blind spots on curvy roads where the other drivers could not be able to see the side light installed the side fender of car instead this mirror light can easily be seen on these spots.

 

What are the reasons of variation in cost of side mirrors?

The prices of side mirrors depend on the make and brand of your vehicle the more luxurious your car is the most expensive your side mirrors are, another important variable which affects the side mirror price is whether you are going for OEM or Aftermarket part.

The genuine part will always cost higher due to its brand and built quality, however if you want to save a good amount of money you can go for aftermarket products, there are several aftermarket products available you can go for any of them which suits your budget.

The aftermarket product also depends on the type and brand of your vehicle.

There are also some price differences observed between the driving side and other side mirror.

Other features like heating, memory and directional lights could inflate  the cost of your mirror.

 

 

How to reduce cost of fixing side mirrors?

The side mirror is a combination of few parts, the main assembly, mirror glass and any other additional items like heating and light options.

It always depends on your car brand as in some brands the complete set needs to be replaced which will cost higher as compared to other models which allow to replace parts like covers are available separately and mirror glass is also available as a separate piece.

Basically, there are two options available to replace your mirror.

• Visit to your nearby dealer ship and get the genuine replacement which will cost you much higher.
• The other cost-effective option is to go for aftermarket products which are easily available online on different ecommerce portals.

 

How to check if you need the replacement of your side mirror

During a periodic checkup of your vehicle in which you must check the lubricants, coolant, other fluids, and inspection of all lights, you should have to add one more point in your checklist which is the inspection of your side mirrors, they are as important as the other key checkpoints of your car.

The question is how I know if the mirror needs the replacement or need maintenance, here we guide you on how to do checkup.

• Inspect the outer body of the mirrors and look for any little cracks appearing on its body. If you find even a very thin crack, then it will be better to change the mirror as it may deteriorate very fast and may be broken soon.
• Check for small cracks on mirror glass as well, if it is cracked you must have to replace it with new aftermarket glass which are easily available in the market.
• If your mirror is not folding to close while you park your vehicle, its time to replace it as within few days it may become loose even in unfold position.

 

Can I replace side mirror by myself?

It depends upon the availability of basic tools and your technical skill, if you have both you can easily change the mirror at home this will save you a good of money, most of the mechanics will charge you around $100 for installation, so you will be going to save this amount

Steps for replacing side mirrors at home

• Make sure that you have all the basic tools ready.
• Roll down the window glass all the way down, in some cars you need to open the door side-cover to remove the inner part the side mirror, so make sure that you can do this with ease.
• Open the door and you will find a triangular plastic panel on the edge of the door now remove the panel and you will find screws on the body of the mirror unscrew them and carefully detach the wires socket.
• Now detach the assembly carefully and once again make sure that you have detached all the wires.
• Put the new mirror on the place and attach with the door with same angle as the previous one, now tighten all the screws and attach all the wire sockets.

but if you think that you cannot perform  the above procedure to change the mirror, it is always a better idea to visit a professional who can do it without any hassle.

 

Conclusion

In this article we  learned that the side mirror replacement cost is mainly dependent on the vehicle make and model, but whatever cost it may have, it is better to go for safety first, no matter the cost of that safety. The side mirrors replacement it is a must in any case,  you a number of options to select either genuine product from a car dealership or getting it as an aftermarket product having in consideration that they come in different quality and durability.