Need your input....

[das boots]

Have any of you guys seen this? Very tempting. Dunno if they are compatible to a sedan.....

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=936627

[danewilson77]

Have any of you guys seen this? Very tempting. Dunno if they are compatible to a sedan.....

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=936627

They are on a sedan in the pics though....right?

[cakM3]

They're different and wouldn't work with your ZHP since your ZHP will have ribbon wires from the mirror motors. You will have to retrofit the original motors into these housings. Personally, I like the OEM M3 side mirrors since they seem to flow better with the 3-series lines. These mirrors will add a very different look to the 3-series if this is what you are going for.

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

OEM M3 side mirrors mounted on sedans
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ZHPMirror.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/DSC_0022-1.jpg

Pics were posted to show comparisons. I'm guessing that the Schmiedmann mirrors will mount directly to the touring/sedans whereas you will have to modify the mirror baseplates for OEM M3 side mirrors for them to fit onto sedans. Swapping out mirror motors will be the same for both the Schmiedmann and OEM M3 side mirrors though.....either way you will have to put in some work to get them to fit/work on our ZHPs...

[echo46]

I'm likin' those M3 mirrors.

[das boots]

They're different and wouldn't work with your ZHP since your ZHP will have ribbon wires from the mirror motors. You will have to retrofit the original motors into these housings. Personally, I like the OEM M3 side mirrors since they seem to flow better with the 3-series lines. These mirrors will add a very different look to the 3-series if this is what you are going for.

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


OEM M3 side mirrors mounted on sedans
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ZHPMirror.jpg
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/DSC_0022-1.jpg

Pics were posted to show comparisons. I'm guessing that the Schmiedmann mirrors will mount directly to the touring/sedans whereas you will have to modify the mirror baseplates for OEM M3 side mirrors for them to fit onto sedans. Swapping out mirror motors will be the same for both the Schmiedmann and OEM M3 side mirrors though.....either way you will have to put in some work to get them to fit/work on our ZHPs...

Thanks. I keep forgetting about the ribbon wire connectors of the ZHP. And also I don't know about the direct mounting without punching any new holes. Still looking for something with plug & play.

[az3579]

I quite like them, but still not 100% E46 correct. The M3 mirrors are the best option.
I can't put my finger on it, but I think it may be because they just don't look like they're from a BMW.

[cakM3]

Here's another angle showing how the Schmiedmann mirrors line up and how the OEM M3 side mirrors line up...

The Schmiedmann mirrors
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/image_29280_big.jpg

The OEM M3 mirrors
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/CarWash.jpg

[Hornung418]

You know, I've often wondered if you can take the M5 base and add the M3 housing to fit the sedan better and with less invasive mounting points. Also, I don't like how the coupe mirror bases hover over the door slightly.

Charlie, can you please get a close up picture of the point where the door and mirror base meet?

[cakM3]

You know, I've often wondered if you can take the M5 base and add the M3 housing to fit the sedan better and with less invasive mounting points. Also, I don't like how the coupe mirror bases hover over the door slightly.

Charlie, can you please get a close up picture of the point where the door and mirror base meet?

This Justin?
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ScreenShot2012-08-22at25633PM.png
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ScreenShot2012-08-22at30005PM.png
http://i395.photobucket.com/albums/pp37/macdctr/ScreenShot2012-08-22at30117PM.png

Justin regarding the M5 mirror housings, no they won't work with the OE M3 base plates. The angle of both the base plate and mirror housings are different and as a result the mirror housings won't have the right angle to look right. It will look worse actually...and the mirror housings are too big for the 3-series lines in my opinion...

[M3TA5IN]

I feel like I'm watching two scientist are discussing the greatest invention ever.


I love car people :wub


Sent from my fancy city machine.

[JupiterBMW]

Justin regarding the M5 mirror housings, no they won't work with the OE M3 base plates. The angle of both the base plate and mirror housings are different and as a result the mirror housings won't have the right angle to look right. It will look worse actually...and the mirror housings are too big for the 3-series lines in my opinion...

I too thought that perhaps the E39 M5 mirrors might be more of a direct bolt on to our ZHP sedans than the E46 M3s. The mirror housing looks the same, and the base might be more of a direct fit, no?

I do still want to convert to folding mirrors, just not sure when it'd get done. Its way down on the list.

[Hornung418]

Yeah, those gaps at the base are really distracting.

I don't want M5 mirrors, but I was wondering if the M5 base plate would mate with the M3 Mirror.

[cakM3]

Jon,

You can ask Ryan and Kyle to take pics of the M3rep mirror housings and OEM M3mirror housings side by side so you can actually see how much bigger the M3rep mirror housings are. They are not the same mirrors.

@ Justin, no. The mirror base plates from the M3 reps are shaped differently from the mirror base plates of the OEM M3 mirrors. The angle where the base plate meets with the mirror housing won't be the same since they are two different types of mirrors (one being from the E46 M3, and the other from the E39 M5). Attaching the mirror housing to the wrong base plate won't allow the housing to line up correctly although I have never attempted doing this. Perhaps Ryan and Kyle can confirm when they retrofit their OEM M3 side mirrors to Lucy?

[danewilson77]

I kind of like the Schmeidman mirrors TBH. Especially with power fold and led. I think they'd be sick.

http://i1015.photobucket.com/albums/af278/nicee46/Funny/Haters-gonna-hate-1.jpg

Sent from Williamsburg, VA USA

[cakM3]

I like the LED and power fold option, both of which can also be retrofitted to the OEM M3 side mirror if someone desired. I admit that the LED lighting looks cool :)

[das boots]

I kept on wondering why Schmeidmann never went to the extent of making ribbon connectors since their website pics show a sedan, and yet their website selections only specifies mirrors are for coupes and verts.....?

@Charlie....Justin mentioned something concerning M3 & M5 being interchanged baseplates....now, since M3s would require extensive mods to make them fit....did someone mention if there are no other way...would an OE E39 M5 fit to the ZHP without mods....as in plug & play? I'd take an M5...but no reps tho.

[Hornung418]

Lawrence, the base plates are not the same. The M5 mirrors apparently fit with no modding aside from probable wiring differences.

[danewilson77]

I kept on wondering why Schmeidmann never went to the extent of making ribbon connectors since their website pics show a sedan, and yet their website selections only specifies mirrors are for coupes and verts.....?

@Charlie....Justin mentioned something concerning M3 & M5 being interchanged baseplates....now, since M3s would require extensive mods to make them fit....did someone mention if there are no other way...would an OE E39 M5 fit to the ZHP without mods....as in plug & play? I'd take an M5...but no reps tho.

Have they been contacted to ensure they don't?

[das boots]

Affirmative. The sales tech are not familiar with ribbon connectors. They do not know why there are different connectors. Sales are sales. Minimum technical knowledge. They only work with what they got.......

In the meantime, anybody know what type of wiring connectors for an E39 M5?