///M3 Side Mirrors for ZHPs...details and info

[webster]

so lately i've seen a few people talking about M3 mirrors, either posting shots of projects in progress or talking about plans for the future. i guess i've caught the bug as well, case i've decided that i really want to get M3 side mirrors for my ZHP. i hate the bulky square look of our mirrors. the M3 ones are so much sexier!

the problem is i don't know much about the types of mirrors for our various types of cars. i've inferred from discussions in other threads that there are different requirements for types of mirrors for different years of the E46 (pre/post-facelift?), as well as for coupes v. sedans. i've found the primed, ready-to-paint kind for sale on a few sites like ddm tuning (http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/E46-M3-Style-Side-Mirrors-00-03-Pair), but i'm not sure they will fit my specific car. i have an 04 coupe and want to find the right type to fit.

so i thought this would be a good thread for general info on this subject to be posted by those who know...i'm sure there are a bunch of people on this board who have undertaken this mod. if you guys could clear up what we need to do to retrofit M3 style mirrors to ZHP sedans and coupes, that would be awesome.

anyways thanks in advance and cheers.

[cakM3]

The mirrors you see on the DDM Tuning web site are actually M3-reps, not OEM M3 mirrors. They are actually M5 mirrors in size. Nothing like OEM M3 side mirrors. Since you have a coupe, the OEM M3 side mirrors should mount w/o any baseplate modification. The only thing you will have to do is transfer the motors from your old mirror onto the M3 side mirrors assuming your mirrors have ribbon cables. If so, then you need to transfer the motor. If not then you should be able to use your motors but need to determine if you have a 6-pin or 12-pin setup.

When I owned my 323i, I ran with M3 reps but didn't really like them after installing them because they did not work with the 3-series line in my opinion. Here is a pic showing this...
http://photos.performanceIX.com/viewPhoto.php?PhId=047543effbadc21276544aa4801b45f d

The M3 reps will look similar to this but on your coupe. If you are looking to replace your mirrors then I would recommend the OEM M3 side mirrors. The work you will put into these to get them to fit/work properly will be well worth the effort :thumbsup

[webster]

awesome info...good to hear about not having to do the baseplate modification. have just a few follow ups:

- where can one find OEM M3 mirrors for sale?
- is there a way to find out (production date, etc) if i have ribbons or 6/12 pin setup? or is disassembly required...

i'm happy to spend the time/money to do it right, i just want to know what i'm doing lol

[nike001]

I want M3 mirrors so bad. As webster said, Where can M3 mirrors be acquired?

[zhp43867]

I'd imagine eBay and car-part.com might be a way to go to find some on the cheap.

You can buy them new at getbmwparts.com under the E46fanatics!! Accessories section.

[az3579]

eBay is the place to get them.


Charlie,
The reason that you thought the M3 rep mirrors didn't work on your 323i was because they weren't M3 reps. Looking at the picture, those are M5 style mirrors. ;)

I see them advertised as M3 reps. I don't know why the sellers think this. IMO the M3 mirrors look better than the M5 ones.


Sent from my iPhone 4S from Tapatalk

[cakM3]

eBay is the place to get them.


Charlie,
The reason that you thought the M3 rep mirrors didn't work on your 323i was because they weren't M3 reps. Looking at the picture, those are M5 style mirrors. ;)

I see them advertised as M3 reps. I don't know why the sellers think this. IMO the M3 mirrors look better than the M5 ones.


Sent from my iPhone 4S from Tapatalk

BP,

That was my point. I mentioned in the first part of my post that the M3 reps were not the same size as the OEM M3 mirrors. That they were actually the same size as the M5 mirrors. This is why I posted pics of my 323i with the "M3 Reps" installed so OP could see how big they look mounted on the 3-series. As I said, they don't look good to me. Too big.

[zhp43867]

There is a vendor somewhere who started selling "correct" replicas- maybe last year? I can't remember which one...

[cakM3]

That vendor was based in Australia and is no longer selling these so if you want to install M3 mirrors the only option, at present, is to get OEM ones and make the necessary modifications to get them to mount and work on your car.

For sedans, it requires more effort to get them to mount perfectly and then work. Not sure about coupes but I can say that sedan ZHPs have ribbon motors so you have to be more careful not to damage the ribbon when taking them out from the old motors and then installing them in the new mirror housings. A lot more work required, but as I said, well worth it in the end :thumbsup

[zhp43867]

Right now it's not my thing, but maybe later I'll grow into it.

Car-part.com has the mirrors for $100-$250 per side, I'm sure some of the places that have both a left and right would make a deal.

Cak- any information on retrofitting power fold in conjunction?

[cakM3]

Cak- any information on retrofitting power fold in conjunction?

Not planning to do this in the ZHP at the moment...

[MrMaico]

When I installed the aspherical drivers mirror on my 04 coupe the power for the heating element was a ribbon cable so I'm guessing the rest of the wiring is ribbon as well. I could be wrong though.

I was surprised at how thin/fragile those ribbons are.

It would sure be nice to find a used set of Imola M3 mirrors but I'd bet they sell pretty quickly.

[cakM3]

When I installed the aspherical drivers mirror on my 04 coupe the power for the heating element was a ribbon cable so I'm guessing the rest of the wiring is ribbon as well. I could be wrong though.

I was surprised at how thin/fragile those ribbons are.

It would sure be nice to find a used set of Imola M3 mirrors but I'd bet they sell pretty quickly.

You sir have ribbon as well. Yes, if you are not careful, you can break the ribbon which will suck....

I got a set of carbon black mirrors and had them prepped, primed and painted Imola. Well actually the mirror housings are Imola. I'm painting my base plates glossy black to stay with the theme my ZHP already has. :)

[MrMaico]

You sir have ribbon as well. Yes, if you are not careful, you can break the ribbon which will suck....

I got a set of carbon black mirrors and had them prepped, primed and painted Imola. Well actually the mirror housings are Imola. I'm painting my base plates glossy black to stay with the theme my ZHP already has. :)

Thanks for the confirmation Charlie. Gonna keep a lookout for a set but honestly I don't think the coupe mirrors look too bad, definitely better looking than the sedan ones. There are other things higher up my priorities list. Like a Shark, or a set of 8 1/2" rear wheels for a squared setup or........or......:-)

Glad to finally get CF srtutbar off my list so I can quit kicking myself for not buying one when they were on sale.

Barry

[webster]

Thanks for the confirmation Charlie. Gonna keep a lookout for a set but honestly I don't think the coupe mirrors look too bad, definitely better looking than the sedan ones. There are other things higher up my priorities list. Like a Shark, or a set of 8 1/2" rear wheels for a squared setup or........or......:-)

Glad to finally get CF srtutbar off my list so I can quit kicking myself for not buying one when they were on sale.

Barry

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bmw-E46-M3-OEM-Door-Mirror-Imola-Red-Pair-Driver-Passenger-01-02-03-04-05-06-/200729001946?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item2ebc617fda&vxp=mtr

[danewilson77]

Will need new glass as well.

[MrMaico]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bmw-E46-M3-OEM-Door-Mirror-Imola-Red-Pair-Driver-Passenger-01-02-03-04-05-06-/200729001946?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item2ebc617fda&vxp=mtr

Hmmm.....thanks Webster. I see though that a new, primed mirror is only $207. Not sure if they come with the glass but even if they don't these Ebay ones both need new glass. My brother could paint them for the cost of paint and like Charlie, I think I'd prefer the stock look of gloss black bases.

Still kinda tempting though. If they would bolt right on without any wiring mods they would be even more tempting, just throw some new glass in and bolt them on.

[cakM3]

Problem is that you have ribbon connectors so you will have to transfer the old motors from your existing mirrors over to the OEM M3 mirrors. Then following Jon's DIY for them, you can make up motor baseplates to mount on the modded mirror housing baseplate to install your old motors on. I did this and everything fit perfectly. Not hard to do just so you know :)

At least you don't have to mod the mirror baseplaes that mount to your door like us "sedan" owners have to :p

[webster]

Hmmm.....thanks Webster. I see though that a new, primed mirror is only $207. Not sure if they come with the glass but even if they don't these Ebay ones both need new glass. My brother could paint them for the cost of paint and like Charlie, I think I'd prefer the stock look of gloss black bases.

Still kinda tempting though. If they would bolt right on without any wiring mods they would be even more tempting, just throw some new glass in and bolt them on.

where do you see this?

[MrMaico]

where do you see this?

Get your part number here......

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BL93&mospid=47714&btnr=51_4233&hg=51&fg=07

Enter it here......

http://www.thebmwpartstore.com/index.php?i=2&type=parts&multiple=yes

I see the non-memory ones are even less........$191.68

I've never done business with them but I have with Husker BMW and they're only a few dollars more there.....

http://www.bmwmercedesparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=215771

Husker BMW has very reasonable shipping rates. My last order was only $9.00.

[johnnyrad]

Try calling these guys. They have some m3's for parts.

http://www.theeurodepot.com/view_car.php?idc=13&id=235

[webster]

Get your part number here......

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=BL93&mospid=47714&btnr=51_4233&hg=51&fg=07

Enter it here......

http://www.thebmwpartstore.com/index.php?i=2&type=parts&multiple=yes

I see the non-memory ones are even less........$191.68

I've never done business with them but I have with Husker BMW and they're only a few dollars more there.....

http://www.bmwmercedesparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=215771

Husker BMW has very reasonable shipping rates. My last order was only $9.00.

thanks!


Problem is that you have ribbon connectors so you will have to transfer the old motors from your existing mirrors over to the OEM M3 mirrors. Then following Jon's DIY for them, you can make up motor baseplates to mount on the modded mirror housing baseplate to install your old motors on. I did this and everything fit perfectly. Not hard to do just so you know :)

At least you don't have to mod the mirror baseplaes that mount to your door like us "sedan" owners have to :p

so basically i can buy 2 OEM M3 mirrors from one of the sites posted above, get them painted silver grey, and DIY the rest using what i already have from my stock mirrors? i know i will need glass for the new mirrors as well.

[MrMaico]

thanks!



so basically i can buy 2 OEM M3 mirrors from one of the sites posted above, get them painted silver grey, and DIY the rest using what i already have from my stock mirrors? i know i will need glass for the new mirrors as well.

Sounds like that should do it. Chad mentioned in this post about making an adapter mount to make things easier.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?2221-What-did-you-do-for-your-ZHP-BMW-today&p=162705#post162705

[webster]

oh man that would be awesome. i PM'd him about the adapters.

[webster]

bumping this...i found a pair of complete OEM Silver Grey M3 mirrors on Ebay, parted out from a totalled M3. the cherry on top is that the seller is a local body shop in the houston area.

i gave them a call and the guy said $350 would probably take them home on Make an Offer...so i submitted one. what do you guys think of that deal? i figured it's pretty good since they're already the right paint color AND are complete with glass etc. he says they are in excellent condition...here's the listing:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130715362845

[cakM3]

webster,

If you can get this set then you won't have to worry about painting them. They will mount to your coupe. :thumbsup

All you will have to do is transfer the internals (mirror motors/ribbons) from your original mirror to the new ones.

[webster]

offer submitted...hoping it gets accepted before someone pays full price on buy it now.

[cakM3]

Good Luck! :thumbsup

[webster]

bah...apparently the passenger side mirror got sold. the guy agreed to sell me the pair verbally around 3:30, but i guess wasn't at the body shop. he said he would accept the offer when he got back later that day. i called around 7 and he says he's just walking in, let him go check inventory. he comes back saying only the drivers side is there. he thinks the other one got sold already.

so now i'm wondering if i should buy just the one or hold out for a pair...one mirror does me no good...he also said he's got a passenger side but it's not silver grey, diff color...grr

[MrMaico]

I think if I were you and you do buy the one I'd go pick it up in person. Not the best feedback, mainly negs about not shipping the parts.

I see they have a right side Imola M3 mirror but the auction doesn't have any close up pics of it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-BMW-M3-RED-RIGHT-PASSENGERS-SIDE-MIRROR-E46-S54-PARTING-3-SERIES-PERFECT-/130716983606?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item1e6f56e136

They also have a radio head unit they claim is out of an 06 but according to the part number on it it is a July 02 to Jan 03 build date. I was hoping it was a newer one that played MP3's. No wonder the price was only $95.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006-BMW-M3-Series-Single-Disc-CD-Radio-OEM-E46-S54-PARTING-OUT-3-SERIES-/130700542951?pt=Car_Audio_Video&hash=item1e6e5c03e7

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=722025

Too bad they didn't have both Imola mirrors.....I might have took a chance and picked them up.

[webster]

what about this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-E46-M3-SilverGray-Exterior-Mirrors-Without-Base-Pair-/160812153373?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3AM3&hash=item257126ba1d&vxp=mtr

it's a listing for only the mirrors, without the base. could i just attach those to my existing bases? i kinda like the idea of keeping the black base w/ the silver mirror...

[webster]

well...today was interesting. i ended up buying the driver side M3 mirror which is silver grey. i got to the body shop to pick it up and the guy said he's also got a passenger side M3 mirror but it's black. it was complete and in decent shape so i ended up getting both for $375 out the door. i figure i can either get it sprayed silver grey or find someone who needs to trade. at the very least i should be able to sell it and get my money back...

so now i've got two complete OEM M3 mirrors. that's the first step in getting them retrofitted. expect a lot of questions for me in the near future guys...here's the first one: how much for a decent spray of a side mirror? :D

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k433/wtolson/ZHP%20Pics/20120626_162444.jpg

http://i326.photobucket.com/albums/k433/wtolson/ZHP%20Pics/20120626_161946.jpg

[cakM3]

Wes,

PM Au2bahn (Jon) about how to retrofit the motors from your old mirror into your new ones. He has the best solution....iirc, he posted how he did his in his project thread with pics. I basically followed what he did and got mine to work fairly well although I have some slight adjustments to complete on my driver's side. Overall very pleased with my retrofit....several of the Mafia members got to see my ZHP at the reunion this year...:)

You're lucky in that all you have to do is mod the interior of the M3 enclosures with an additional baseplate to fit the old mirror motors from your OE mirrors. One thing to keep in mind....when taking apart your mirrors, take your time. Make sure you factor plenty of time to do this because you don't want to rush any part of the retrofit. Key is to take your time and not pull or force the ribbon cable when taking them out of the OE mirrors. They will come out....I did this retrofit for another forum member (E46F) and he had a vert....wasn't too hard for me to do...:thumbsup

[danewilson77]

You are "winning" my friend.

[webster]

Wes,

PM Au2bahn (Jon) about how to retrofit the motors from your old mirror into your new ones. He has the best solution....iirc, he posted how he did his in his project thread with pics. I basically followed what he did and got mine to work fairly well although I have some slight adjustments to complete on my driver's side. Overall very pleased with my retrofit....several of the Mafia members got to see my ZHP at the reunion this year...:)

You're lucky in that all you have to do is mod the interior of the M3 enclosures with an additional baseplate to fit the old mirror motors from your OE mirrors. One thing to keep in mind....when taking apart your mirrors, take your time. Make sure you factor plenty of time to do this because you don't want to rush any part of the retrofit. Key is to take your time and not pull or force the ribbon cable when taking them out of the OE mirrors. They will come out....I did this retrofit for another forum member (E46F) and he had a vert....wasn't too hard for me to do...:thumbsup

thanks for all the info, it really is appreciated. first thing to do is get the damn black one silver...

[webster]

did some research and found a reputable European paint/body shop here in Houston. called 'em up and got a $65 quote to paint the mirror OEM A08 (silbergrau). turnaround time of a couple days. not too bad. thinking i'll drop it off next week....

[webster]

okay so the very first step in this project is to get the m3 mirrors disassembled. the first step in THAT regard is to get the glass off. and sure enough, i'm having trouble with it. i've found a few threads on various forums where others have had the same problem. after seeing some pics it seems there are clips on the OEM M3 glass that fit into the mirror housing. but for the life of me i can't see them or get the glass to pry off. i've used quite a bit of force to this point and i'm worried if i use any more i will break the glass and have to shell out another hundy for that.

so to those who have done the M3 mirror mod, what is the best way to get the glass off the M3 mirror? thanks!

[webster]

welp...just cracked the pass side mirror glass. splintered the entire mirror. and i still have no idea how to get the glass out...so frustrated

where's the best place to buy oem m3 side mirror glass?

[cakM3]

Wes,

Give me a call this evening and I will talk to you about your mirrors if you haven't figured them out yet. My number is in the members section. :thumbsup

I'm at work at the moment and won't get back home until around 4pm EST...

[webster]

thanks charlie. i think i need to take a break and cool off. i'll give you a call later.

[cakM3]

Sounds good Wes....when you replace your mirrors, order them from ECS Tuning and get the Euro clip on types. It is a lot easier and once you have them you will always want them...;)

I'm waiting for my mirrors to get that rust spot so I can order the euro clip on types for my ///M. I have them on my ZHP and love them!

They are about $200 for the set but well worth it...here's the link:
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-M3-S54_3.2L/Exterior/Mirrors/ (http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-M3-S54_3.2L/Exterior/Mirrors/)

[danewilson77]

welp...just cracked the pass side mirror glass. splintered the entire mirror. and i still have no idea how to get the glass out...so frustrated

where's the best place to buy oem m3 side mirror glass?

They just pop off, and pop on.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[cakM3]

The OEM ///M3 mirrors don't just pop on and off DW. They have a retaining ring that you have to rotate first before taking them off. When I get home I will take pics and post to show how they look like. If you try to take them off without rotating the retainer ring, you will damage the motor as well. Just saying....

[danewilson77]

The OEM ///M3 mirrors don't just pop on and off DW. They have a retaining ring that you have to rotate first before taking them off. When I get home I will take pics and post to show how they look like. If you try to take them off without rotating the retainer ring, you will damage the motor as well. Just saying....

Oops. Thanks for backup Chuck.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[cakM3]

No problem Dane! :thumbsup That's why I prefer the euro clip on design over the OE mirrors. I will have them on the ///M before next year's SIGFest ;)

[webster]

Sounds good Wes....when you replace your mirrors, order them from ECS Tuning and get the Euro clip on types. It is a lot easier and once you have them you will always want them...;)

I'm waiting for my mirrors to get that rust spot so I can order the euro clip on types for my ///M. I have them on my ZHP and love them!

They are about $200 for the set but well worth it...here's the link:
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-M3-S54_3.2L/Exterior/Mirrors/ (http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-M3-S54_3.2L/Exterior/Mirrors/)

those look awesome. but i see there are two options, one set of glass for vehicles w/ production date up to 7/2004 and one set after 7/2004. A) what's the difference? and B) how do you know the production date of the mirrors if you don't have the VIN for the car they came off of?

the mirror that i cracked did have a little brown scuff that i couldn't get rid of, so replacing it is not really that big a deal. i just want to get the glass off without doing any more damage. definitely in for detailed pics of the retainer ring and how to rotate it!

[cakM3]

Okay as promised I have pics of the OE mirrors with said rings that need to be rotated...they are righty lock, lefty unlock.
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/Screenshot2012-07-30at92025PM.png

Looking at the top mirror you see at the bottom center where it is highlighted. This is the bit that is at the lower center portion of the mirror that you use a narrow screw to rotate the ring to the "unlock" position so that you can pull off the mirror (shown in the unlock "centered" position). There is still 3M tape so you will have to pull the mirror slowly with even force to get the tape to let go and the mirror will come out.

The Euro clip on type mirrors. Much easier to put on and take off. They won't fall off :)
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/usmirrors2.jpg

If you force the mirrors off, you wil end up breaking the mirror...BTW it happens occasionally so plan to buy replacement mirrors when taking off the OE ring type mirrors...the ring type mirrors lock on the 4 tabs (little things protruding with holes in them) on the mirror motor (shown below)
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/IMG_4529.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/IMG_4530.jpg

Here is the motor mounted inside the M3 mirror housing
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/Screenshot2012-07-30at92333PM.png

Since you're not reusing the ///M mirror motors, there's nothing to worry about regarding breaking the tabs but if you don't need to break anything, it's better not to :)

[UdubBadger]

charlie why don't you start making kits for us and selling them? :p

[cakM3]

charlie why don't you start making kits for us and selling them? :p

Seth... at least I'm sharing knowledge so others can do this retrofit to their sedans as well.

It costs money and time to do this and it only works for a select few I'm afraid...

I will add that it does look awesome! :drool

[UdubBadger]

Oh I know but you're the go to guy on this. I'd gladly pay you to make a "kit" with all the necessary parts swapped and such so all I had to do was paint and install.

Just sayin you could easily make some $ by offering your services to me and others and kick back a few bucks to the site for hosting you.


- Goin' H.A.M. Mobile

[webster]

charlie i see no pics :(

[cakM3]

Okay Wes....hang on. I'll get to the bottom of this!

edit: Okay Wes! Go back to post #47. Got the pic situation sorted out. Sorry about that! Didn't think there would be a problem and I got into working on both my bimmers this evening....cleaning the interior...:) Let me know if you still have questions! :thumbsup

[webster]

i think it's a tapatalk issue...i'll be here patiently waiting :) thanks for the effort!

[cakM3]

Wes,

you have PM sir :thumbsup

[das boots]

I was browsing through Umnitza's website and I noticed they are also selling M3 style side mirrors for sedans....anybody have any experience with the aftermarket mirrors????? I dunno if they are guaranteed for a true fit for a facelift sedan.

[cakM3]

Be careful Wes! Lots of places claim to sell M3 side mirrors but they are M3 reps (aka M5 mirrors). Not the same....

[das boots]

Would anybody have close-up side-by-side photos of an M3 & M5 mirrors for comparison?

[cakM3]

Would anybody have close-up side-by-side photos of an M3 & M5 mirrors for comparison?

Here are the "M3 Reps" I got and put on my 323i when I had it...
http://photos.performanceIX.com/viewPhoto.php?PhId=047543effbadc21276544aa4801b45f d

http://photos.performanceIX.com/viewPhoto.php?PhId=808f37dab042af5795ce90a6266d5a4 0

You can see how big these mirrors are when looking at them against the 3-series line. They are too big in my opinion....don't look right. Now with that said... here are the OEM M3 side mirrors I retrofitted to my ZHP :thumbsup

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/LowLight02.jpg

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/LowLight.jpg

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/CarWash.jpg

As you can see... the OEM M3 side mirrors are more porportioned to the lines of the 3-series. They, in my humble opinion, look much better. The problem is you have to modify the base plates to these mirrors for them to fit properly to the 3-series sedans. For coupes and verts, they are a direct bolt on. For all three, you will have to swap out the mirror motors for them to be completely funtional but that's not hard to do... :thumbsup

After doing the M3 Reps on the 323i I vowed that if I ever have another 3-series sedan I would do this the proper way by retrofitting the OEM M3 side mirrors. Even with all the work that is involved in doing this, it was well worth it in the end for me...I really love the look of my modded ZHP even more now...:)

[UdubBadger]

we all do Charlie :)

[cakM3]

we all do Charlie :)

thank you sir! :)

[das boots]

You did a wonderful job on the conversion....BZ.

I do see the difference. Reps look like they are 'taller' then the OE which looks slicker and form conforming. When you vowed to never go return to reps, was the reason due to the style or installation?

[cakM3]

You did a wonderful job on the conversion....BZ.

I do see the difference. Reps look like they are 'taller' then the OE which looks slicker and form conforming. When you vowed to never go return to reps, was the reason due to the style or installation?

Thanks for the complements :thumbsup

The issue I had regarding M3 reps was that they were too big for the 3-series form. They reminded me of dumbo ears when you look at the car dead on. Doesn't look right if you ask me. Installation however was very easy. A direct bolt on. It really depends on what you are going after. Do you want a set of mirrors that look right or do you want a set of mirrors that don't look right?

For me, it was an obvious choice and I knew that it would take lots of work to do it right. I had help regarding how to fit the OE mirror motors from Au2bahn (Jon), without which I would have been guessing how to get this done. All in all it was what I had wanted and I'm much happier for doing this...;)

Since I have used M3 Reps (on my '99 323i) and now have OEM M3 side mirrors on my ZHP, I can tell you that it is well worth the extra effort and costs to do this right. Unless you don't mind the bigger side mirrors on your 3-series....

[das boots]

In truth, I still could not comprehend the size of the dumbo ears since I have not seen one on the flesh...LOL. Photos are nice...but one of these days..I will be able to compare the sizes.

[Pip]

Anyone in the San Diego area want to help me out and check up on DDM Tuning M3 rep mirrors. I'm confused by the pictures and can't quite tell if they are the dumbo ears or more like the euro-division proper m3 reps (too bad euro-division doesn't sell them anymore). The reason I ask is because DDM also sells M5 reps so I'm wondering if they've gotten better or still the same ol' dumbo ears. I asked customer service if they had any customer photos with the M3 reps and they just replied with "no and they make all non-M cars look like M cars" - not good enough for me.

[cakM3]

All M3 Rep mirrors are actually M5 mirrors in size and dimension. They are not the same as OEM M3 side mirrors. Unless they are selling OE M3 side mirrors I feel you are just taking chances with your money.....just my opinion.

You may not notice any difference until you park next to one with actual OEM M3 side mirrors. When you compare M3 Reps side by side to OEM M3 side mirrrors, you will see a noticeable difference and then realize what I mean by dumbo ears....

[S85FTW]

I actually have a set of OEM M3 mirrors for sale. I can let them go to a mafia member for $250 shipped. Just throw your oem motors in here and you are good to go. They will not come with glass either.

[Hornung418]

Just stay clear away from DDM. And the only way to get M3 mirrors is to find a totaled M3 and get them off of it, or go to the dealer. If it says Replica, don't buy it, its a waste of your money if you are looking for the real thing.

Horney...via TT.

[cakM3]

Just stay clear away from DDM. And the only way to get M3 mirrors is to find a totaled M3 and get them off of it, or go to the dealer. If it says Replica, don't buy it, its a waste of your money if you are looking for the real thing.

Horney...via TT.

^
+1

[Pip]

Thanks guys for the feedback.


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[Pip]

I've been trying to search but don't have access to the mafia on work connection. Can the non-m motor be used in the m assembly? If so I'm interested.


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[cakM3]

I've been trying to search but don't have access to the mafia on work connection. Can the non-m motor be used in the m assembly? If so I'm interested.


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If you look at my project thread on page 30 at post #300 you will see exctly how you need to modify the M3 side mirror baseplate enclosure to fit non-M mirror motors. This is exactly how I did it with my original ribbon cable motors and they work perfectly! :thumbsup

[Pip]

Damn Charlie you're a beast. Down to the post number. Helps a lot. Thanks!


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[cakM3]

anything to help out a family member...:thumbsup If you have any questions feel free to ask. You can also PM Jon (Au2bahn) for more info. Jon sent me some pics, which is how I figured out how to do mine...;)

[webster]

i'm still up in the air on the DIY...seems pretty intense. might ask my shop how much for the job.

at least i don't hate the stock coupe mirrors in the meantime...

[cakM3]

Wes, for your coupe... all you have to do is bolt on the ///M3 side mirrors. The only mod that needs to be done are the mirror motor mounts inside the mirror housings. That's it. You can reuse your original mirror motors from your existing side mirrors and mount them onto the modded mirror motor baseplates. I did this for a forum member on E46F for his vert and it all worked perfectly. :thumbsup

Not really intense since Jon sent me pics of his modded mirror motor baseplates....

[Pip]

Charlie I pulled the trigger so I'll be PMing you after I do a little research.




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[cakM3]

Charlie I pulled the trigger so I'll be PMing you after I do a little research.


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Not a problem! :thumbsup

Keep in mind you will need this to mod the mirror baseplates. For my set, I took them to a body shop and had them do the mod...

I used Rogue Engineering's baseplate retrofit guide for this: http://www.rogueengineering.com/bmw/E46M3MIR.html (http://www.rogueengineering.com/bmw/E46M3MIR.html)

You will also need this retrofit to properly line up the retrofitted baseplates to your door. http://www.diymybmw.com/e46/m3-oem-mirror-retrofit-diy-for-e46-sedan/ (http://www.diymybmw.com/e46/m3-oem-mirror-retrofit-diy-for-e46-sedan/)

Take the time to review both of these retrofit guides. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help! :thumbsup

Looking forward to seeing pics of the install and finished product!!! ;)

[UdubBadger]

for sale
http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=937872

[das boots]

Not a problem! :thumbsup

Keep in mind you will need this to mod the mirror baseplates. For my set, I took them to a body shop and had them do the mod...

I used Rogue Engineering's baseplate retrofit guide for this: http://www.rogueengineering.com/bmw/E46M3MIR.html (http://www.rogueengineering.com/bmw/E46M3MIR.html)

You will also need this retrofit to properly line up the retrofitted baseplates to your door. http://www.diymybmw.com/e46/m3-oem-mirror-retrofit-diy-for-e46-sedan/ (http://www.diymybmw.com/e46/m3-oem-mirror-retrofit-diy-for-e46-sedan/)

Take the time to review both of these retrofit guides. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help! :thumbsup

Looking forward to seeing pics of the install and finished product!!! ;)

Charlie....if a member supplies the mirrors...are you willing to do the mods for a fee????

[UdubBadger]

I've been trying to get him to agree to that for a while.


- Goin' H.A.M. Mobile

[cakM3]

Charlie....if a member supplies the mirrors...are you willing to do the mods for a fee????

Based on the info I supplied you should be able to take the mirror baseplates to a reputable body shop and do this mod.

I am not willing to do this because I myself am not comfortable with performing this procedure and don't feel right taking the responsibility for modding mirror base plates. Just to be clear on my abilities to personally mod the mirror base plates, I took my base plates along with the Rouge Engineering DIY to a body shop near me to have it done.

Cost-wise it is not worth it for me to pursue this because it would drive up costs for the person wanting to do this, which I don't feel is fair to that person. The alternative then is to supply the necessary information provided in this thread so others can do this from their location. If you still have questions about doing this retrofit by all means contact me (info in members section) or send me a PM :thumbsup Not trying to make anyone mad....just being honest...

[das boots]

Charlie....no worries. Your honesty is what brings out the best of you.

[danewilson77]

No one here would get mad anyways.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[webster]

update on my end: i picked up the M3 mirrors yesterday from the shop, i had them remove the glass. the tech actually was having problems with it so he had to download the service bulletin for the glass removal. they were nice enough to do it for free. last night i cleaned up the mirror housings in preparation to do the motor mods so i can retro fit the stock ZHP mirror motors to the M3 mirror...progress on this is sloooow

[webster]

Sounds good Wes....when you replace your mirrors, order them from ECS Tuning and get the Euro clip on types. It is a lot easier and once you have them you will always want them...;)

I'm waiting for my mirrors to get that rust spot so I can order the euro clip on types for my ///M. I have them on my ZHP and love them!

They are about $200 for the set but well worth it...here's the link:
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-M3-S54_3.2L/Exterior/Mirrors/ (http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-M3-S54_3.2L/Exterior/Mirrors/)


those look awesome. but i see there are two options, one set of glass for vehicles w/ production date up to 7/2004 and one set after 7/2004. A) what's the difference? and B) how do you know the production date of the mirrors if you don't have the VIN for the car they came off of?

the mirror that i cracked did have a little brown scuff that i couldn't get rid of, so replacing it is not really that big a deal. i just want to get the glass off without doing any more damage. definitely in for detailed pics of the retainer ring and how to rotate it!

bump...i'm ready to buy the glass for the M3 mirrors. looking at ECS website...trying to answer the question in bold above...Charlie?

[cakM3]

Wes,

I went with the ones up to 7/2004 since my ZHP is 2003. No problems....

[webster]

ok cool. the guy at ECS got really confused when i tried to explain it all. he kept asking me for the production date of my ZHP, and i told him it was 4/04, but then i was curious if it matters what year the M3 was that the mirrors came off of...whatever.

[webster]

notice: thanks so much in advance for all your help!

ok ok so i'm getting ready to tackle this project. got my fancy Euro glass in yesterday so all parts are now complete. i understand that since i have a coupe all i need to do is transfer the mirror motors/ribbon cables from my existing stock mirrors to the OEM M3 ones that will bolt right on to my coupe's body.

the questions i have are...how exactly do you "mod" the M3 mirrors to accept the stock 330ci motors/ribbons? do you have to completely remove the M3 motors (and if so, how?) or do you simply modify them to accept the shape of the stock mirror motor? charlie, from looking at your pics in your project and jon estrella's thread it seems a rectangle is cut into the M3 mirrors...am i off here or what lol.

also, from looking at the M3 mirrors, they have 12 pin connectors. do i need to remove and/or discard that cable that runs from the 12 pin connector to the M3 motor?

part of my problem is i haven't seen what the stock 330ci mirrors look like under the glass. but i don't want to dismantle my stock mirrors until i know exactly what i need to do.


(charlie, i tried to pm you but it said you have exceeded your PM count)

[webster]

bueller...bueller :shift

well my pleas for help via PM and posts have gone unanswered, so i went ahead and started tackling this on my own. i took apart and cleaned up the M3 mirrors last night. i have them broken down as such:

- mirror housings
- mirror base w/ foam and cable/connector
- black plastic piece that houses M3 motor (screws into the mirror base w/ T10 torx)
- M3 motors with black plastic clip-on piece that attaches to the mirror glass (screws into black plastic piece listed above) (uses T15 torx)
- mirror glass

i can take pics when i get home later. i'm assuming i need to remove all the foam from the base piece so that i can remove the M3 cable/connector? Then i assume i would replace that with the ribbon cables/connectors from the ZHP mirrors, then put the foam back in?

i see from jon estrella's thread that he had to "shave down" the black plastic piece that houses the M3 mirror motor, in order to fit the ZHP mirror motor. do i also need to do this? it seems he fabricated a little circular plastic thingamajiggy??

any clarification from the guys who have done the M3 mirrors would really help!!

[johnrando]

I'll text Charlie for you.

[webster]

more homework being done:


Followed Jon's M3 mod he listed in his ZHP ESS project thread. It was very helpful and I sincerely appreciate all of Jon's help. :thumbsup
Here are my motor baseplates installed. I did test fit them and everything lined up just like in your pics Jon :thumbsup
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/Mirror1.jpg

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/Miror2.jpg




so from those pics it seems:
- i need to fabricate a semi-circular piece of plastic that is the same diameter/circumference as the clips on the back of the actual mirror glass.
- this semi-circular piece also must have a rectangular opening that's the right shape to house the ZHP mirror motors.
- this semi-circular piece must also be drilled with 3 holes to line up with the screw holes on the black plastic piece that attaches to the mirror base.
- this semi-circular piece must also be shaved on one side to conform with the shape of the black plastic piece where there is the opening for where the ribbon cables slide through from the base piece into the mirror housings.

whew. okay. so i need a dewalt tool case? lol. what else can i use? and i need what kind of tool do i need to cut the circular piece...dremel? hmmmm

[cakM3]

Wes,

To answer your question, you do not need a dewalt tool case to do this. For another forum (E46F) member we used a plastic toilet seat cover from a port-a-pottie to fabricate this piece to mount his mirror motors on. Worked perfectly. Hard thin plastic won't work....you will need plastic that is similiar to the dewalt tool cases....that texture...

For cutting the plastic I used my dremel and it worked like a charm :thumbsup

If you have any other question Wes my contact info is in the members only section. feel free to call :thumbsup

[webster]

Wes,

To answer your question, you do not need a dewalt tool case to do this. For another forum (E46F) member we used a plastic toilet seat cover from a port-a-pottie to fabricate this piece to mount his mirror motors on. Worked perfectly. Hard thin plastic won't work....you will need plastic that is similiar to the dewalt tool cases....that texture...

For cutting the plastic I used my dremel and it worked like a charm :thumbsup

If you have any other question Wes my contact info is in the members only section. feel free to call :thumbsup

thanks man. "that texture"...NOT hard thin plastic? hmmm...i will have to do some rummaging at home.

did you have to sand down the screw holes on the black plastic piece?

[cakM3]

Wes,

I didn't have to sand down anything....just pull the extra plastic from where I cut and drilled... not too bad....besides I wasn't too worried for neatness because with the mirror motors mounted you wouldn't see the mounting plate. :)

[webster]

Gotcha. So now the biggest obstacle is finding a Dremel tool or something that can simulate its functionality...

[webster]

well it looks like i'm going to home depot tomorrow to buy a Dremel (and possibly some not-too-thin, not-too-thick plastic lol)

[cakM3]

Don't forget Lowe's as well if you don't find what you're looking for at Home Depot :thumbsup

[Pip]

I have to go buy some plastic as well. Tomorrow is the day I get down and dirty with the mirror DIY. Euro mirrors...check.

5808




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[cakM3]

Awesome Sean! Looking forward to seeing progress :thumbsup

[Pip]

Well...one mirror looks great. The other not so much. Gunna wake up early and fix it. I bought Lexan (plexiglas) for my mirror motor swap and it works great. Getting a good fit with the housing is somewhat challenging though. Had to get creative with a hot glue gun as well.

5817
Glue holding the nuts in place for the mirror motor.

5818
Good mirror

5819


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[webster]

So did you have to supply the nuts for the mirror motors? If so what size are they?

[Pip]

I just went to the hardware store and bought bolt nut combo pack #4 bolt in the same length as the original bolt. Make sense?

Good: mirrors look great.
Bad: mirrors don't work because I ripped the driver side ribbon.

Sean = not happy.

This all happened about 10 min from buttoning up the job.


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[webster]

I just went to the hardware store and bought bolt nut combo pack #4 bolt in the same length as the original bolt. Make sense?

Good: mirrors look great.
Bad: mirrors don't work because I ripped the driver side ribbon.

Sean = not happy.

This all happened about 10 min from buttoning up the job.


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damn! sorry to hear about the ribbon cable. part of me wants to just mount the mirrors without the motors and have old school manual mirrors (weight savings omgz) but then the other half says "this is a BMW, do not ghetto rig your BMW" and i decide it's better to have complete working-ness.

[Pip]

Do it right the first time. I ripped my ribbon cable out of haste. I was extremely careful the first day, but was on a time crunch trying to get everything back together and dropped the mirror motor while it was attached. routing the ribbon cable is a PITA because you pretty much have to do it with the whole mirror together without it being screwed together if that makes sense. It took two people to hold the parts, push the ribbon through the motor mounting plate, through the external mirror housing, and then through the arm that mounts to the base plate, and finally through the base plate. Now you can start screwing things together and make sure you use loctite (blue is what I used) on the screws due to rattling.

note: make sure the little bullet nub on the ribbon cable is beyond the base plate so it isn't in the housing. I'll post pictures later showing some tips, but I really needed a third person doing photography because my dad and I were tied up holding things.

Also make sure to mark the ribbon near the connectors that you remove to know which one they go to on the drivers side door. The drivers side door has two connectors (red and white) so you'll need to understand which ones they go to once you take the connectors off.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8172/7996192900_45d85a599c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996192900/)
IMG_2028 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996192900/) by seanpippin1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/71101842@N08/), on Flickr

Driver side ribbon cable.

Tips: This is getting long, but important. When I was creating the motor plate for the mirror motor I kept wondering how to do it correctly and have the mirror glass line up with the mirror housing. Cheap trick - drill the holes for the motor plate (3 of them) and then without screwing them in, line them up. Once lined up attach the mirror glass to the mirror motor (this can be hard to remove once you do so and probably need two people so do it at your own risk). Take some double sticky tape and place it on the bottom of the mirror motor. When you place the mirror motor with glass down in the housing like you want the tape will catch the plexi glass allowing you to see where you need to cut the opening for the rectangular section on the bottom of the mirror motor.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8457/7996191694_db38e0bdec_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996191694/)
IMG_2029 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996191694/) by seanpippin1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/71101842@N08/), on Flickr

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8316/7996178103_231cc12fb2_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996178103/)
IMG_2017 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996178103/) by seanpippin1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/71101842@N08/), on Flickr

This is why plexi glass was easier to deal with and get a good fit for the glass once I figured out a good method.

Once I had the motor fitting in the hole I just took a small drill bit and twisted by hand to create a pilot hole for the 3 bolts I needed to hold the motor to the plate. Then the hot glue came in handy. I'm a little concerned about the hot glue not holding over time and I need to come up with a better option including a lock washer, but didn't have any this weekend.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8176/7996183060_2570e45610_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996183060/)
IMG_2020 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996183060/) by seanpippin1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/71101842@N08/), on Flickr

I DID NOT use loctite on the bolts going into the nuts in case the hot glue came loose because I figured they would just spin if something went wrong and wanted a plan of action.

[Pip]

This is a picture of the mirror I did by guessing the placement of the glass and it worked out fairly well. Well enough to not notice at first, but it is off slightly and I'll have to fix it later. Had I been able to guess well twice I would have been done with the job very quickly, but I couldn't and had to figure out a logical way of doing it which took some time because my brain wasn't functioning. Would've been even more difficult if it were see through plexi.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8181/7996226395_688cd887d8_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996226395/)
IMG_2032 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996226395/) by seanpippin1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/71101842@N08/), on Flickr

See how it is tilted towards the bottom right?

And here is the placement using the double sticky tape idea:

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8035/7996227271_12b045c2f9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996227271/)
IMG_2033 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/71101842@N08/7996227271/) by seanpippin1 (http://www.flickr.com/people/71101842@N08/), on Flickr

[Hornung418]

Looks real good, Sean. Sorry about your Ribbon cable though :(

[Pip]

It's cool. I'm going to see if I can repair it first and then worry about shelling out the cash later since they are functional and I'm basically the only driver. Funny thing is the passenger mirror now goes into reverse mode every time I put the car in reverse lol. I always hate that so it is just extra motivation to get the job finished. I also notice that I need to paint the inside parts black because they had a little white paint on them which is extremely noticeable. If they were black it would make the whole job look much cleaner and more professional.

All in all for a job I did it looks great and professional. I did find out that car modification is tough and you definitely have to use the engineering side of the brain to figure things out.

[cakM3]

Excellent job Sean! Looks great! :thumbsup

[webster]

making list for home depot:

- dremel tool
- plexiglass
- #4 bolt/nut pack
- loctite
- double sided sticky tape

missing anything? sean, your pics so far have been awesome. thanks!!!

[Pip]

Do you have all the hardware from the m3 mirrors?

#4 bolt pack - you'll need 6 bolts. 3 per mirror.

I wish I could measure the thickness of my plexiglas to let you know. I'll try and do it when I get home. The thickness will directly affect how far the mirror glass sticks out of the housing. You don't want super thick because the mirror glass will look funny but you want thick enough to be sturdy.


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[webster]

Do you have all the hardware from the m3 mirrors?

#4 bolt pack - you'll need 6 bolts. 3 per mirror.

I wish I could measure the thickness of my plexiglas to let you know. I'll try and do it when I get home. The thickness will directly affect how far the mirror glass sticks out of the housing. You don't want super thick because the mirror glass will look funny but you want thick enough to be sturdy.


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thanks in advance. i have everything that came with the original M3 mirrors (all screws etc) as i bought them complete and in tact.

[Pip]

.093" thickness. I bought one sheet of the Lexan which was 8"x10". It worked perfectly. I was lucky and had the tools to create 3" circles very easily, but a dremel would work as well.

[///Maniak]

Ooh, look what I found! The famous (infamous?) M3-shaped M3 replica mirrors for sedan fitment!

http://bit.ly/Uk0G0g

[danewilson77]

Link is broken?

[webster]

Ooh, look what I found! The famous (infamous?) M3-shaped M3 replica mirrors for sedan fitment!

http://bit.ly/Uk0G0g

$250 per mirror w/ $125 shipping...and it's not even painted. yikes.

[///Maniak]

$250 per mirror w/ $125 shipping...and it's not even painted. yikes.

Yikes, yes. But I think it just might be worth avoiding the hassle of sourcing M3 mirrors and going through all that trouble.

[danewilson77]

So....for $625.00 + Paint....say $50.00 per mirror.....and it's done?

[webster]

Yikes, yes. But I think it just might be worth avoiding the hassle of sourcing M3 mirrors and going through all that trouble.

per that ebay ad, you still have to transfer the mirror motors over though. so you still have to do a lot of the same work.

[Hornung418]

Yikes, yes. But I think it just might be worth avoiding the hassle of sourcing M3 mirrors and going through all that trouble.
You don't want those.

Those are M5 reps and they look hideous on a 3 series.

If you want M3 mirrors, get M3 mirrors. There is no substitute for the real deal.

[Pip]

I paid $270 with shipping of the mirrors, had them painted for $350, misc supplies $15 and did the work myself. Totaled $635 and a lot of time. That was cheap for this mod, but I was hoping to do it for $400-500 but painting was more expensive with the two tone and all the prep work needed with my mirrors.

It might cost me roughly $860-900 if I can't repair the ribbon cable. Doing it right is well worth it because of the look, but make sure you're willing to get down and dirty or know a reputable shop that you trust working on your car. There are a lot of mods you need to do for the sedan fitment and the mirror motor swap is tedious. Now if I had found someone to do the mirror motor swap at least they would've paid for the damage to the ribbon.

[S85FTW]

I paid $270 with shipping of the mirrors, had them painted for $350, misc supplies $15 and did the work myself. Totaled $635 and a lot of time. That was cheap for this mod, but I was hoping to do it for $400-500 but painting was more expensive with the two tone and all the prep work needed with my mirrors.

It might cost me roughly $860-900 if I can't repair the ribbon cable. Doing it right is well worth it because of the look, but make sure you're willing to get down and dirty or know a reputable shop that you trust working on your car. There are a lot of mods you need to do for the sedan fitment and the mirror motor swap is tedious. Now if I had found someone to do the mirror motor swap at least they would've paid for the damage to the ribbon.

This may help you pip... I just googled how to repair electric ribbon cables
http://stcwk.blogspot.com/2010/03/how-to-repair-broken-ribbon-cable.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_7602367_repair-broken-ribbon-wire.html

[///Maniak]

You don't want those.

Those are M5 reps and they look hideous on a 3 series.



Are you sure? These don't look like all those other replicas that are the shape of M5 mirrors. I agree that original M3 mirrors would be ideal, but they're such a hassle.

[S85FTW]

Are you sure? These don't look like all those other replicas that are the shape of M5 mirrors. I agree that original M3 mirrors would be ideal, but they're such a hassle.

I got OEM M3 mirrors off of ebay from two different auctions. One I paid $135 and the other I paid $150. With shipping came to about $300. Much cheaper than replicas, it doesnt need to be a set and you can save a ton of money.

[das boots]

Anybody posted a question to the seller if the mirror prices are for each or selling in pairs? I notice that his descriptions are not very specific of either of the two....Just in case, if the price are for each mirror....the seller the go pound sand. And that is stating it nicely.

[cakM3]

Ooh, look what I found! The famous (infamous?) M3-shaped M3 replica mirrors for sedan fitment!

http://bit.ly/Uk0G0g

Ben, I agree with Justin....these are M5 mirrors in size.....not the same shape as the actual OEM M3 mirrors.

Yes, you will have to do more work to get the OEM M3 side mirrors to fit properly on sedans but in my opinion, it's well worth the effort :thumbsup



Are you sure? These don't look like all those other replicas that are the shape of M5 mirrors. I agree that original M3 mirrors would be ideal, but they're such a hassle.

All M3 rep mirrors are the same as M5 mirrors in size and proportions....when compared side-by-side to OEM M3 side mirrors the difference is evidently clear.....

[///Maniak]

All M3 rep mirrors are the same as M5 mirrors in size and proportions....when compared side-by-side to OEM M3 side mirrors the difference is evidently clear.....

I've seen tons of the M3 replicas that look like M5 mirrors, but don't you think these two look different? In the ad, it says "Please note that the shape of the side mirror is the same as the original E46 M3 not like other that look loke E39 M5." (pardon their English)

http://i.imgur.com/FcqSQ.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/MIsM5.jpg

[cakM3]

Ben,

It's hard to tell by the photo. Perhaps if there were more shots from different angles then it would be easier to tell. From my experience, I would rather get the legitimate article, so to speak, than get reps of any kind regarding side mirrors, which is why my ZHP rocks OEM M3 side mirrors :)

If you feel this is right for you then by all means go for it. Just post pics from different angles so others can see as well :thumbsup

[danewilson77]

I would rather get the reps...if they were identical to ///M3 mirrors.

Not having to mess with all the mounting/base plate bullshit would make me happy. And if I have to relocate my motors, and have the mirrors painted....I don;t see how you get more oem than that....

[Pip]

I'd get the reps if they truly are OEM spec. Same opinion as Dane. I tried looking and contacting the Australian company that made them a few years back but no luck. These seem ok but not identical based on the mirror glass photo.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pip]

In the spirit of being helpful. See if you can get the seller or company to provide shots of them on a car and I'll try and provide identical shots of the m3 mirrors to help you make the decision.


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[///Maniak]

They had this one on the ad, what do you think?

http://i.imgur.com/6fkSl.png

[cakM3]

They had this one on the ad, what do you think?

http://i.imgur.com/6fkSl.png

One way to find out Ben.... someone pick these up and get them mounted ;)

[///Maniak]

It's between these and some ACS reps, we'll see...

[///Maniak]

We had an M3 in at work today, so I thought I'd take some comparison shots of the NVD mirrors and OEM M3 mirrors for you guys. I tried to get the angles as close as possible.

NVD:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/76007949/mirrors/bmw-e46-coupe-m3-mirror1.jpg
M3:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/76007949/mirrors/Photo%20Oct%2015%2C%2011%2058%2017%20AM.jpg

NVD:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/76007949/mirrors/bmw-e46-coupe-m3-mirror2.jpg
M3:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/76007949/mirrors/Photo%20Oct%2015%2C%201%2040%2008%20PM.jpg

NVD:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/76007949/mirrors/bmw_e46_m3_side_mirror_big2.jpg
M3:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/76007949/mirrors/Photo%20Oct%2015%2C%2011%2053%2024%20AM.jpg


I'm pretty sure I'll be pulling the trigger on these mirrors. If not, I'm thinking ACS reps or the EVO II's, by Schmiedmann.

[cakM3]

Ben,

Those NVD mirrors look pretty awesome!

[danewilson77]

Look pretty damn close to me.

[328ioc]

Look pretty damn close to me.

Same. I might need to look into these.

Is there any motor swapping issues or are these plug and play unlike the OEM's.

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[cakM3]

Delvin, I'm guessing that the motors will not be compatible with your ribbon motors.....

[328ioc]

Delvin, I'm guessing that the motors will not be compatible with your ribbon motors.....

So it sounds like these would be just as complicated to install as the OEM versions?

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

[///Maniak]

Right. Except for the custom fabrication.

[danewilson77]

Right. Except for the custom fabrication.

So....no....they wouldn't be as complicated.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[cakM3]

DW, that depends on whether the NVD mirrors are a 1:1 reproduction of the OEM M3 side mirrors.

If so then you still have to mod the base plates for sedan fitment and most likely have to swap over the ribbon mirror motors as well.

Also, the sedan doors will require slight modification (as shown in my project thread) so the mirrors can be mounted and secured.

TT + iPhone4

[danewilson77]

In that case "price" is the only advantage. Thanks Chuck.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Hornung418]

These were supposed to be an M3 mirror on a custom base made fir sedans...that's what I've understood so far.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[danewilson77]

These were supposed to be an M3 mirror on a custom base made fir sedans...that's what I've understood so far.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

That's what I was thinking. An easier swap option.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[///Maniak]

Exactly.

[cakM3]

These were supposed to be an M3 mirror on a custom base made fir sedans...that's what I've understood so far.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

Justin, I just saw where NVD autosport advertised that their M3 side mirrors were for coupes and sedans. In this case, the base plates should work but I'm still guessing that you will have to swap out motors for cars with ribbon cabling...

At least that's one less thing to worry about...I feel that swapping out motors is easier than modding the mirror base plates. :thumbsup

Still... I have OEM M3 side mirrors...still worth it for me...;)

Someone....get these so we can do a comparison between OEM M3 side mirrors and the NVM M3 side mirrors :thumbsup

[webster]

where are the NVD listed for sale?

[cakM3]

where are the NVD listed for sale?

look here :thumbsup

http://www.nvdautosport.com/side_mirror/side_mirror_e46_m3.html (http://www.nvdautosport.com/side_mirror/side_mirror_e46_m3.html)


I think you have to use the "contact us" link and inquire for this product.

[elric]

I emailed them .... their prices are ....

- Primer color @ $250u.s./pair
- Carbon fiber @$450u.s./pair

plus shipping.

[cakM3]

I emailed them .... their prices are ....

- Primer color @ $250u.s./pair
- Carbon fiber @$450u.s./pair

plus shipping.

okay.....now let's get someone on these so we can do a side-by-side comparison to the OEM M3 side mirrors :thumbsup

[das boots]

Still would require a set of guinea pig side mirrors from a sedan for the motors.

[cakM3]

Still would require a set of guinea pig side mirrors from a sedan for the motors.

When I got my M3 side mirrors, I used the motors from my original mirrors. I didn't have guinea pig side mirrors...

[///Maniak]

I've never seen a guinea pig with mirrors.

[cakM3]

just use the motors from your original mirrors...:thumbsup

[danewilson77]

^WERD^

[webster]

if someone test fits the NVD mirrors successfully, i'm tempted to get a set from them and sell my OEM M3 set. the baseplate modification is less than appealing.

[cakM3]

Wes, if done correctly shouldn't be any issues....that's why I had mine modded by a body shop I trusted locally. They did a great job. All I had to do is print out the Rogue Engineering M3 mirror DIY and they followed it. I had no issues mounting my "modded" base plates to my ZHP afterwards (as you can see in my build thread) ;)

[Hornung418]

OEM M3 mirrors are a direct swap, Wes...the motor swap is necessary with any body style.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[cakM3]

Justin is correct, the OEM M3 mirrors are a direct swap to your coupe....why I didn't notice this I don't know why...

[johnrando]

By direct, you mean no ribbon connector issues or anything? Just rip and replace?

[Hornung418]

Direct means you don't have to mod the baseplate.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[Hornung418]

Also got an email from NVD. It reads backwards. Start from the bottom :)

On Oct 17, 2012 1:08 AM, "Justin Hornung"
>
> I would love to see the baseplate comparison between the coupes and the sedans. I'm well versed in the coupe to sedan retrofit and I just don't like the amount if work required to fit the baseplate and even then, it looks out of place.
>
> Are you able to share the construction process with me? I'm interested how you make the sedan base mate to the M3 mirror housing.
>
> Regards,
> Justin
>
> On Oct 16, 2012 10:31 PM, "Nvdautosport"
>>
>> Dear: justin
>>
>> Thank you for the e-mail. Please find prices below:
>> - Primer color @ $250u.s./pair
>> - painted color @$330u.s./pair
>> - Carbon fiber @ $450u.s./pair
>>
>> The shipping charge to N.America/Europe is $125u.s.
>>
>> For the base plates, we have for both sedan and coupe (they are different). These base plates are direct fitment.
>>
>> For the side mirror, you will need to use back the electrical motors from the stock side mirror that you have to place into the new side mirror then put the mirror on the car. Everything will work as normal
>>
>> Please let us know.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Prapan
>> Www.NvdAutoSport.com
>> The excellent craftmanship in carbon fiber and car styling.
>>
>> Justin Hornung
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I'm contacting you regarding the fitment of your mirrors for the e46 sedan. Is it necessary to modify them like we do with OEM M3 Mirrors or do you make the base plate from the sedan and mold it for the M3 mirror? I've determined that while the M3 mirrors are awesome, modding the base plate and the door frame is not and it doesn't sit flush with the window trim.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Justin

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[cakM3]

Since I have already mounted OEM M3 side mirrors on my ZHP.....someone get these and do a detailed DIY w/ pics so people can see the differences of using the NVD mirrors compared to the OEM M3 mirrors......

My read Justin is that the NVD mirrors will mount directly to sedan as they have mirror base plates for sedan fitment so people worrying about having to mod the mirror base plates no longer have that issue to worry about.

The only thing I think you will have to do then is to fabricate the motor base plates to mount inside the mirror housing like this:

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/Mirror1.jpg

http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/MotorAlign.jpg

To mount the original mirror motors. This part is relatively easy once you find the right plastic panel to make the motor base plates from :thumbsup

@ John, I hope this clears up your questions :thumbsup

[webster]

=Hornung418;210632]OEM M3 mirrors are a direct swap, Wes...the motor swap is necessary with any body style.




=Hornung418;210680]Direct means you don't have to mod the baseplate.



i mis-typed. i didn't mean the baseplate modification, i meant the mirror faceplate modification w/ the plexiglass and dremel and jb weld and all that stuff, so that the stock 330Ci motor will fit securely in the M3 housing.

it looks like the NVD mirrors are already sculpted to fit the stock ZHP mirror without any modification. just transfer the ribbon cables and motor over directly...that's what i'm really curious about.

also, what's with the "this post brought to you by...." at the bottom of every post? kinda annoying lol.

[danewilson77]

it looks like the NVD mirrors are already sculpted to fit the stock ZHP mirror without any modification. just transfer the ribbon cables and motor over directly...that's what i'm really curious about.

This I would hope.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[danewilson77]

also, what's with the "this post brought to you by...." at the bottom of every post? kinda annoying lol.

This is his Sig.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Hornung418]

That's my tapatalk sig. Deal with it ;)

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[webster]

how many sig's do you guys need?! :P

[danewilson77]

how many sig's do you guys need?! :P

5

[Hornung418]

> Dear: Justin
>
> For the base plates, we have the specific base plates for both sedan and coupe. I will send the picture of the base plates to you shortly. They are direct fitment.
>
> Well for making it since our other company also own the aluminum moulding production, then making the new base plates in aluminum is not a problem
>
>
> Best regards,
> Prapan

Disregard all the Greater than signs...why wont tapatalk recognize special signs like that from the phone? Annoying.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[webster]

if we can get confirmation that the stock ZHP mirror motors will transfer over to the NVD M3 reps, with no modications to the mirror motor housing (ie, dremel/plexiglass the motor housing), i might order a couple painted silver grey, and sell my stock M3 mirrors...i'm sure they would sell. as they are painted and complete.

[Hornung418]

Shipping is $125...that's outrageous!

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[webster]

not if i can get $450 for the OEM ones...

[das boots]

Shipping is $125...that's outrageous!

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

Shipped from where?????

[danewilson77]

Shipped from where?????

Mars.

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[Hornung418]

Asia.

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[cakM3]

I'm happy I mounted OEM M3 side mirrors :p

[Hornung418]

We know, Chuck...

This post brought to you by Uncle Clark's Anti-gravity Cream. Put some on your Super Collider just before the Big Bang.

[cakM3]

Sorry Justin...not trying to rub things...it just seems there are more snags here to get better side mirrors installed.

For me, it was so much easier to get a set of OEM M3 side mirrors.... that's all.

[webster]

Sorry Justin...not trying to rub things...it just seems there are more snags here to get better side mirrors installed.

For me, it was so much easier to get a set of OEM M3 side mirrors.... that's all.

so much easier than what? it seems like it actually wasn't easy for you at all. even in Jon Estrella's build thread, of all the mods he's done to his ZHP he said the M3 mirror mod was the most intense and lengthy DIY he had done....jus sayin'

[cakM3]

Wes,

For me it wasn't that hard because I had a body shop I trusted (no stress there)... they did the Rogue Engineering mod to my mirror base plates flawlessly. Obtaining the OEM M3 side mirrors was also easy because I have a friend who parts out wrecked ///Ms at his father's body shop so he has access to M3 parts on a fairly regular basis... again easy...

Taking my OE side mirrors apart wasn't too hard for me and I took my time doing that so I wouldn't damage the ribbon cables. Not very hard to do. The most difficult part of the whole mod for me was fabricating the mirror motor base plates and even that wasn't too hard since I had access to the same material that Jon used in his DIY. ( amazing when the body shop you're using to mod your mirror base plates have several DeWalt cases laying around :) )

So with that said I found the difficulty rating was a 4 out of 10. :thumbsup I would do this mod again if I had to get another saloon...;) Just sayin'

You're lucky in that you have a coupe. There's no mirror base plates to mod in your case....mounting these mirrors are straight forward for you....all you have to do is mod your mirror motor housing baseplates which consist of cutting off the three posts and then fabricating new motor base plates to screw in. That's it....talking about easy....then all you have to do is align your old motor once you have it out and mount it. This is not difficult Wes....just take your time :) Damn! If I were in your location I would do this for you...:thumbsup

[danewilson77]

Wes,

For me it wasn't that hard because I had a body shop I trusted........

Key

[webster]

thanks for the pep talk Charlie. i need to get motivated to just freakin do it. that helped. i'm thinking the next weekend that i can devote the full 2 days with no other plans...

[cakM3]

Wes... As Dane posted, having a body shop I trusted was the key to the easiness of installing OEM M3 side mirrors on my ZHP sedan.

Since I already own an ///M, I knew I had to have this on my sedan. Doing this is time consuming and you have to take your time to do this. I did the retrofit for a vert owner this summer and the mirrors mounted to his car w/o any issues. The work, in his case was modding the mirror motor base plates (just like in your case).

I followed Jon's project thread and fabricated mine similarily to his and got my mirror motors mounted. I can add that your ribbons are much more durable than the ribbon cables from a sedan.

Remember to just take your time when taking apart your OE mirrors and take off the connector plugs at the end if the cable before trying to take out the cable from the mirror :thumbsup

[330i ZHP]

if the sale that is pending on my sedan falls through and there is someone with a jet black sedan with mirrors in very good condition that wants to trade for a set of modified OEM M3 mirrors ready for ribbon - fully functioning, memory, heat, movement, (no folding) and new lenses

Just trade me the mirrors and some cash/paypal

I will update if the sale dies

[BCS_ZHP]

Chris & John,
One of you two guys needs to be all over Stuart's mirror offer. When he was here yesterday I joked that if we were to call Chris, he could be up here in just over 3 hours. An extremely nice car and it's owner is a great enthusiast of the breed too.
Bruce

[Vas]

if the sale that is pending on my sedan falls through and there is someone with a jet black sedan with mirrors in very good condition that wants to trade for a set of modified OEM M3 mirrors ready for ribbon - fully functioning, memory, heat, movement, (no folding) and new lenses

Just trade me the mirrors and some cash/paypal

I will update if the sale dies

Any updates? I have a feeling the car is sold.