Do you prefer simple or fancy rear-view mirrors?

[CharlesInCharge]

I've been persuaded to some degree by the feedback/comments. I can understand it in specialty applications. Thanks for the polite non-condescending dialogue.
However, having just looked up the price differential it's bigger than I expected at about 10x the cost of normal mirrors. Paying thousands of dollars extras for fancy mirrors is bananas IMO.

 

[Speedy3861]

Hondas no longer have the compass in the mirrors, that being a given, I'll never own another car without an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, just wish the side mirrors did too.

 

[RhondaHonda]

This thread made me realize it has been a long time since I’ve even driven a vehicle with the old style manual flipping mirror. I’m all for auto dimming but I also tint the glass in all my vehicles so it’s not quite as important.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

auto-dimming mirrors are awesome

I thought they were a gimmick until I actually got a car with one

 

[PimTac]

Paying thousands of dollars extras for fancy mirrors is bananas IMO.

Thousands??

 

[FZ1]

Low tech mirrors are plain mirrors that allow you to flip a switch to "dim" them. They tend to not have a compass. These are also inexpensive and light weight. These seem to have excellent manual "dimming" feature.

Higher tech mirrors have a compass, and "auto-dimming" feature. These are expensive, heavier, and I personally have never found the "dimming" feature to work adequately or as well as the manual style. I do appreciate the compass, however.

Apparently, newer models that I do not have experience with use a rearward facing camera to digitally feed the image, and other fancy options. Sounds heavy and expensive to replace and overly complicated for the needs of a mirror. I wonder if rain, fog, snow, or bird droppings could block the mirror camera lens?

I'm very much in camp and prefer the "simple, cheap, reliable" category of the low-tech mirrors. What do you prefer and why?

I'm just driving, here, so I drive with ,whatever, mirror comes with the car.

 

[CharlesInCharge]

As someone who is paid on commission for selling car parts, the more fancy and complex the better. Some of the Super Duty mirrors are up to and over $1,500 each.

Thousands??

Apparently yes, for some. Whatever the price, they aren't free and they are more expensive to make than a simple mirror.

 

[PimTac]

I thought the topic was about the rear view mirror?

 

[CharlesInCharge]

I thought the topic was about the rear view mirror?

Do you think they are free, more expensive, or less expensive than a simple RVM?

 

[bdcardinal]

I thought the topic was about the rear view mirror?

Misread. FWIW the inside mirror on my mom's 2014 Fusion lists for $1304. Ford calls it an "Image Processing Module" since the camera for the lane keeping system is part of the inside mirror.

 

[PimTac]

Misread. FWIW the inside mirror on my mom's 2014 Fusion lists for $1304. Ford calls it an "Image Processing Module" since the camera for the lane keeping system is part of the inside mirror.

That is much more than a mirror then. I have a similar setup.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Auto dimming for me. Wish I had side mirrors that did it too. I’ve almost driven off the road before because I can’t see because of the reflection of the lights in my mirrors. So yes for rear view mirrors I like auto dimming. Manual is ok too but I’ve been known to break off the lever more than once.

 

[vavavroom]

Thousands??

Hundreds.

 

[Infomercial]

I gotta have the convex clip on rear view mirror. I used a sharper image one that must be 30 years old for a long time. Recently I found a huge one, armor all brand that must be 18". Thing is not even rear view anymore. I can see all up and down the sides of my vehicle if I move my head. it looked kinda funny at first, but now everyone's tiny mirrors is what I laugh about often.

 

[CheezWhiz]

i like my mirrors to have the flip lever and my high beam switches on the floor. i am a knuckle-dragging cro magnon that is a few hominids to the left on the old evolutionary chain.

 

[vavavroom]

i like my mirrors to have the flip lever and my high beam switches on the floor. i am a knuckle-dragging cro magnon that is a few hominids to the left on the old evolutionary chain.

I've never been bothered by having to manually dim a mirror. And yes, the foot-operated high beam switch was great. The last vehicle I drove that had one was an old Ford pickup truck many years ago.

 

[JHZR2]

Much prefer the simple ones. I rarely switch it. The auto dim ones take away too much of what you could otherwise see.

Yet another solution in search of a problem, that adds weight, cost, wires in the harness, and is just not desirable to me.

 

[CheezWhiz]

I've never been bothered by having to manually dim a mirror. And yes, the foot-operated high beam switch was great. The last vehicle I drove that had one was an old Ford pickup truck many years ago.

65 goat and 72 k10 longbed. love driving both at night. but my new 2500hd admittedly has much better headlights than my old junk!

 

[dishdude]

Thousands??

ONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS!

 

[930.engineering]

Hundreds.

Hundreds if you have to replace it, but I never have seen a single one fail.
Just 100-200 if you have to pay for it as an option.

Much prefer the simple ones. I rarely switch it.

What's simple if you have to switch something? Auto-dim = no action required.

The auto dim ones take away too much of what you could otherwise see.

Not my experience. Dazzling brightness is what makes me see less.

Yet another solution in search of a problem, that adds weight, cost, wires in the harness, and is just not desirable to me.

What weight? One single ounce? Dude, if weight is a concern you're another one
(next to the OP) who should leave his smartphone at home. A panoramic sunroof
is 1000 (!!) times heavier. It's just grotesque.
.