Cab rear view mirror - universal? How to fit?

[alexdejonghe]

Hi guys,

Quick question on convertible rear-view mirrors;

Are the mirror arms and small metal fixing universal on every E30 cab? Ive the metal fixing and two mirrors (as below), both look different. Neither mirror screws onto the metal fixing when i try...should i glue the fixing to the windscreen tgen try screwing the rear view mirror on?

[Quaser]

it looks like it just pushes on - not screws!

[alexdejonghe]

It fits on quite easily to both mirrors (as below)but is very loose and will certainly fall off as soon as the meral fixing is glued to my windscreen, sigh..

Should the mirror be glued onto the metal fixing? Ive seen others talk of twistibg these mirrors until they 'lock' in place...is this easy to do? does the metal fixing in my picture exactly match others you've seen from other E30 cabs? This was bought online so im worried it could be from a different car!

[daimlerman]

The windscreen fitting is moulded to the 'screen....

[alexdejonghe]

The windscreen fitting is moulded to the 'screen....

Unfortunately my screen is one from a touring or saloon replaced in its past life...quite common from what I've seen on searches.

Should the metal fitting quite easily & loosely slot into the mirror arm? Or, does this show that the spring system inside the mirror arm has become misaligned and it's therefore buggered...

I'd rather not bodge this with glass resin if possible

[daimlerman]

At a guess your mirror is buggered,the arm should be a snap fit onto the mount.
Once fitted,the mirror should not move.

The correct 'screen is available from BMW,of course,but it is a lot more expensive than the pattern part that 'screen installer's try to fob you off with.

I had to complain to my insurer to get a 'like for like' replacement when a rook tried to fly through mine a couple of years back,they tried,without success,to superglue the mirror on!

[alexdejonghe]

At a guess your mirror is buggered,the arm should be a snap fit onto the mount.
Once fitted,the mirror should not move.

The correct 'screen is available from BMW,of course,but it is a lot more expensive than the pattern part that 'screen installer's try to fob you off with.

I had to complain to my insurer to get a 'like for like' replacement when a rook tried to fly through mine a couple of years back,they tried,without success,to superglue the mirror on!

Nice work!

Thanks very much Daimlerman, you're probably right, my mirrors are probably buggered, should 'stick' in the there with a little help though.

Are all the E30 windscreen fitting thingies completely standard or do only some fittings fit some mirrors?

[jmec]

My rear view windscreen mirror fell off about 20 minutes after I brought the car! After numerous attempts at refitting it with Summit sticky pads etc I gave up realising it wasn't a proper cab screen & the mirror was too heavy, the sticky pads too spongy. The mirror shook itself into a blur. Eventually I got an after market lighter mirror & fitted it with a pad from a Ford KA which is thinner. All is well now with the mirror and my vision.

[alexdejonghe]

If you find this in a search....

For fellow cab owners that run into this problem (i.e mirror not clipping on tight to the button & falling off/vibrating) try this;

Use Loctite rear view mirror glue to stick silver button onto (non-cab-specific) windscreen, then use pliers/long flat screwdriver to widen/contract mirror spring-mounted arms within mirror so it clips loosely onto button (doesn't fall off when u don't fiddle with it), then remove, coat mirror arm in CHEMICAL METAL (available in Halfords -devilishly strong stuff), re-clip on (quickly) - hold it for 30seconds or so, go have a cuppa tea and revisit in a few hours. Drive it the next day with a stable non-wobbly OEM mirror which can be tilted to your hearts content with the top down this summer.