JGT

A warning to those thinking of painting their side mirrors...

I spent hours sanding my mirrors smooth (thank god for TV) and then took them into a body shop to paint. Cost about $140. They look outstanding, really completes the look of the car. A subtle modification, yet it makes a big difference, exactly the kind of appearance mod I like. The stock mirrors look cheap.

Anyway, right away I noticed that the mirrors are loose. It must be from all the moving around to sand around the inside edge and during painting, it just stressed them out and now they jiggle a little bit. On the highway, the mirror bounces around and drives me nuts and makes it harder to see.

Also, it didn't take long for a decent sized paint chip to appear on one of the mirrors. I don't know if this is from poor prep work, bad painting, or if this is just something that will happen easily when you are trying to paint mirrors that weren't originally meant to be painted.

When are there going to be painted mirrors available on the aftermarket? I have seen one (Xenon?) and they look bad, just real out of place on the car. If they had good, stock looking painted mirrors I would buy them in a second.

mongrull006

did you apply a good adhesion promoter and primer before applying the base and clear. i doubt the body shop would have applied the adhesion promoter unless you specifically asked, or they are a really good shop.

i sanded mine and i have no problems with the mirrors being loose. IMO you moved them around way too much, i only had to move mine about 4 times each mirror.

ty

05gtdriver

Why would they be loose? I cracked the mounting points of my '05 GT(before trading it in on an '06 GT) and they would get loose(after I jerry-rigged it), but it was because of the studs not having enough thread to mate with on the mirror housing. Maybe you need to put additional washers, or a new mirror to door frame gasket? Just my two cents. Good luck.

nonstopred

umm u coudve gotten covers for 145 prepainted

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-...QQcmdZViewItem

JGT

I've seen those, but just don't like the way they look. Looks incomplete and I heard it looks kind of funny from the front. Whatever the case, I wanted the whole mirror painted. Painting the whole thing makes it looks like it came that way from the factory, which it should have.

JGT

I think you have highlighted the mistakes that I made, so let's make this thread a lesson to those considering this mod:

(1) USE ADHESION PROMOTER
(2) DON'T PUSH THE MIRRORS AROUND TOO MUCH WHILE SANDING

JGT

The housing itself is not loose, it is actually the mirror itself that jiggles around. Like he said above, it is from screwing around with the mirror to much trying to sand the inside of the mirror smooth.

bl1nk

Would you guys recommend hand sanding or something like a belt or dremel sander? Kinda seems like hand sanding might cause too much wiggling from what youre saying.. and that seems to be a problem

05gtdriver

Ahhh the mirror itself is loose...gotcha....you need new mirrors.

nonstopred

Off topic: I love seeing the mirrors vibrate when you have the bass pumping lol