XSeries-forum

The passenger side wing mirror glass (funny how we still call it that - I've not seen a new car made in the last 20 years that has the mirrors fixed to the wings) on my X is starting to cloud. There seem to be various aftermarket suppliers who supply the blue tinted/heated versions. But are the OEM mirrors photo-chromatic? I've never really noticed.

Photo-chromatic mirrors were a cost option and if memory serves have a very slightly yellow hint of colour to them when 'off' and darken when 'on'.  Additional hardware is fitted to the car to switch the layer on and off depending on the light level hitting the sensor on the rear view mirror.

Have you ever noticed your mirrors darkening when hit by headlights?  If not then you probably don't have the active type.  Passive mirrors are blue tinted.

Easy way to check is to put headlights on at night (with the ignition on) and turn on the interior light above the mirror. If the mirrors darken you have your answer

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[quote="Rusty Nail"]
Easy way to check is to put headlights on at night (with the ignition on) and turn on the interior light above the mirror. If the mirrors darken you have your answer

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Tapatalk 2
[/quote]wouldn't that be the rearview mirror you are checking?

If auto-dimming then all are linked, at least they are on mine.  Try a brighter torch though in case the interior light doesn't 'seem' bright enough.  An LED torch works well.

Will take a closer look tonight. The interior rear view mirror has a sensor in it - just like my Merc did (which had auto dimming mirrors). And I never seem to get dazzled by bright lights from behind which I why I figured it might be self dimming.

If you don't have a twisty knob under the mirror then it's auto-dimming.  I don't remember seeing one without the internal dimming function, but have seen a lot of X's with blue external mirrors which are the non-dimming ones.

In which case it's auto dimming. So I assume the wing/door mirrors must be auto-dimming too.

[quote="Bargain Bucket"]
In which case it's auto dimming. So I assume the wing/door mirrors must be auto-dimming too.
[/quote]

The majority have the interior dimming mirror but standard wing mirrors.

You need to test them to be sure.

Blue ones are the standard setup and the brown auto-dimming...

Well I'm very confident that it's not chromatic. Just heated/tinted. So, any recommended sources? Google turned up a couple of options but I'd rather buy from a trusted source that has been used before.

Cheers all. Enjoy the sun.

I would make extra sure you know which one you need and then look up the part number on realoem.com website. There you will see all the types available.   

There are wide angle and convex types btw.


I would source slavage on ebay from trusted good feedback sellers but ask the seller via ebay to 1. Confirm item not damaged 2. Heater element works and 3. All clips undamaged.

Also try fabrecycling &/or quarry motors for salvage items

Dealer item likely around £90


I'd rather buy OE from dealer or genuine used item from a decent salvage expert who specialises in BMW's or trusted ebay seller who knows what they are talking about.

I would avoid 3rd party manufacturers personally

Good Luck

There is an ebay seller called A-and-d-autos-kent. I bought my win mirrors, both sides, off him last month for under £30. They were proper glass mirrors with proper connections and heating and were convexed. For the price they really are excellent quality!

Excellent. Always nice to hear of a positive experience. I'll look them up. Many thanks.

Hooray for A-and-D-Autos-Kent. £39 later and I have two brand new working heated mirrors. It was that lack of heating in my existing mirrors that eventually made me replace them as I found I could live with the clouding issue. Cheers for the tip Imy.