Will It Be Expensive to Replace My Car Side Mirror?

[Teresa T]

Hi Everyone,

This morning I finally did it. Backing out of my apartment carport I hit the passenger side mirror on the pole. Cracked the mirror, pulled the outer part away slightly. The mirror is electric and still works.

I'm wondering if they can just put a new mirror in and then seal the covering back on since it's not damaged, just detached.

I drive a Corolla. It's 3 1/2 years old and still looks like new so I hate this.

Should I take it to the local Toyota Dealer or another auto parts place? The dealership I bought it from is over an hour away. I went there because they have a better reputation than the local one. (and I found it to be true) Maybe the drive would be worth it.

I'm a bit car ignorant so any help would be great. Thank you.

[Palooka]

I did this years ago pulling out of our garage. It cost me 90 bucks to replace it and I did take it to the local dealer if I recall.

Not sure about a Corolla though. Sorry not much help.

[mek42]

Take it to a parts store first. Maybe you can get by with replacing the glass and filling cracks with silicone for $20 - 30. I suffered a turkey strike and needed to replace the entire mechanical side mirror assembly of my 2000 Toyota Echo back in 2002 and the collision shop charged either $150 or $250.

Even if you have the whole assebly done later, getting by like this now may let you save money by being able to wait for a sale / being willing to walk while negotiating, etc.

[dcompton]

If you have to replace the whole thing, it is expensive. I had to do it 5 or 6 years ago. May you can find a stop gap fix, at least until car inspection.

Those apartment poles are fierce (though that's not how I wrecked my mirror) I'm expecting the same thing though, any day now, since I now have, for the last month or so, one of those enormous pickups next to me, and I squeeze in as near the pole as I dare.

I hope it doesn't cost you too much.

[nadine64]

Great thread! I did almost the same thing a few months back to my Kia van. Been driving around with 1/2 a mirror, but the electric works still like yours. Don't have the $$ to replace it right now. Good luck with yours Teresa!

[Teresa T]

We don't have car inspections in California. The part that surrounds the actual mirror is not damaged. It is just pulled away from the car. It's soft plastic and must have bent against the pole but the mirror cracked. I'm hoping only the mirror can be replaced and then the cover part can be glued back to the side of the car.

[Greebo]

Do you have comprehensive coverage, and what is your deductible?

[Hamada]

This basically happened to me when I got my first car. I was looking at the dashboard and ended up narrowly escaping an accident with a telephone poll. Never did that again! lol

Went to an autoparts place and they gave me a replacement mirror to put on, just the actual mirror itself. I am sure it was really cheap. When you are there just ask them what you can do to fix the outer part. They can probably tell you what to buy. Me I would try gluing it with an epoxy, you just need to be really careful when you do it. Cover up everything before you you start gluing. Then again if it ever had to be removed, could be a problem.

Let us know how it works out.

[mek42]

When I had my turkey strike I elected not to file a claim. I think I would have received $3 from the insurance company and didn't want to risk a rate increase.

[mndtrp]

These are usually very, very easy to replace yourself. You can get a new assembly and everything for less than $50 from a parts store.

To replace, there is a plastic cover on the door, right behind the mirror. Pop that off with a screwdriver, remove the screws/bolts, unhook any wiring harness, and the mirror assembly will come right off. Put the new one in place, reconnect any wiring harness, screw back in, snap the cover back on.

This was actually how I solidified a relationship with my fiancee, by replacing her broken mirror a few days after I met her.

Here's a video that will give you an idea:




One of my friends actually took a small mirror, and glued it to his broken one. He's been using this for years. On his own Corolla, actually.