I'd like to swap the heated guts in a pair of mirrors a set of unheated mirrors. (Heated ones are the wrong color). The other option is to have the heated ones painted to match this car, but if I can avoid that, it would be better.

Anyone done this and have any hints or difficulty ratings? Anything permanently attached inside there that won't want to swap?

What are the odds that the car I'm swapping in to ('98 SE) has the wiring harness installed for them?

 

Got to an automotive paint supply house, have them make you a rattle can of base and one of clear. Sand, paint, polish, install. Should be under 20 bucks.

 

That's what I did 11 years ago when I installed a new passenger side mirror. I smashed that mirror while reversing out of a friends tiny garage for the first time. The can's texture won't be as smooth as you'd get from an air powered paint gun but with these mirrors separate from the body it'll only catch your eye if you do a good job.

 

Should I interpret that to mean that "guts swapping" is a PITA?

I always prefer factory paint if I can get it, but I can paint them if I have to.

Thanks,

 

yeah, f rattle can. i tried that on my front bumper after a $hitty body shop half ****ed a repaint and it never looks as good as stock or getting it repainted. ding ding ding, hey, call the dealer!!!

 

I can't say for the heated mirrors but gut swapping the non-heated mirror is easy. When I removed the driver's mirror for the very first time in 14 years the 3 heavily rusted mounting bolts broke. I got a broken side mirror from another member for $10 and swapped my exterior pieces with no hassle.

 

Is the housing change an obvious job once I get in there? Any tips?

 

You first need to remove the door trim to get to the wire connector. After popping off the triangular cover on the inside you need to remove the 3 mounting bolts. If they've never been loosened before then flood them with PB blaster. After you get the sideview mirror separated from the door you pop out the mirror with a screwdriver and cloth for padding. On the bottom side of the triangular piece that hold the mounting bolts are 3 screws that need to be removed. I had to use PB blaster on those also. For the painted body piece there's 3 screws holding that on. The interior section is obvious to work with after you get the body and mounting pieces removed.

 

OK, just one more question... when you "pop out the mirror", you're saying to pry under the glass and it pops out? Sounds a little edgy :-)

 

That's all there is to it. Just use a cloth for padding to avoid scratches.

 

Thanks.

When you did yours, was the extra wiring for the heaters there in the doors? Or should I expect to be adding that in?

 

I don't recall seeing extra mirror wires within the door panel? Just 3 used for the mirror moving motor.