Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
-
- Joined: Thu 29 May, 2014 08:49
- Posts: 349
- Location: Lancashire
Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Hi to you all out there. My Z3 has door mirrors that are either very very tight or are bonded in the use position. I am reluctant to give them any more than a attempt to fold back. Is it that they do not fold back? The base plate on the passenger door looks as though it is aluminium and is suffering with a small amount of bubbling under the paint.
Are they a problem area on the Z3 models?
Are they a problem area on the Z3 models?
Happiness is a well kept Z3 and preferably running with the hood down - weather permitting.
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
It's a very common problem.
Don't force it - it will snap.
Don't force it - it will snap.
-
- Joined: Thu 29 May, 2014 08:49
- Posts: 349
- Location: Lancashire
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Hi BonBon. Thank you - but are they just bloody tight or is bonding the favoured bodge because of the expense in getting new and the risk them getting bashed again?BonBon wrote:It's a very common problem.
Don't force it - it will snap.
Is there an upgrade out there to a retractable variety from say a Z4?
Happiness is a well kept Z3 and preferably running with the hood down - weather permitting.
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
If not twisted regularly over the years - corrosion bonds them in place and the cast Aluminium is very brittle.
-
- Joined: Thu 29 May, 2014 08:49
- Posts: 349
- Location: Lancashire
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Hi BonBon. Thank you again. I have only recently acquired the car but after a washing and waxing exercise it is amazing what you see.BonBon wrote:If not twisted regularly over the years - corrosion bonds them in place and the cast Aluminium is very brittle.
My guess is exactly that as you suggest. Indeed the passenger side is the one that has the bubbling just like aluminium that is corroded and beginning to lift the paint.
Happiness is a well kept Z3 and preferably running with the hood down - weather permitting.
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
As PM (preventative maintenance) - you should remove a bubbling mirror and have it cleaned and resprayed. You want to delay the corrosion once the paint gets compromised.
-
- Joined: Thu 29 May, 2014 08:49
- Posts: 349
- Location: Lancashire
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Hi again BonBon. I have looked closer at the offending base plate and I believe that it has been painted over a partly corroded section just prior to being sold on to the dealer.BonBon wrote:As PM (preventative maintenance) - you should remove a bubbling mirror and have it cleaned and resprayed. You want to delay the corrosion once the paint gets compromised.
I will explore the possibility of getting some replacement base plates and or complete mirrors from BMW or a breakers if the worst comes to the worst.
Happiness is a well kept Z3 and preferably running with the hood down - weather permitting.
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Yes, the Z3 mirrors do fold, but it is not a good idea to try it, as the alloy castings seems to get brittle with age and corrosion to the mechanism will have made them stiffer, hence they now tend to snap off very easily. There are countless tales of people on here finding mirrors glued, taped and generally bodged back together after they have been snapped by the previous owner. There is a modified base available from a guy in Germany, which promises a permanent fix - although cheaper than a new mirror is still not particularly cheap. Used mirrors are likely to have the same problem with brittle alloy castings for the hinge part.
Corrosion of the mirror bases is extremely common and seems to be down to an inadequate etch primer on the alloy base - there are a couple of articles in the knowledgebase on fixing them. You can remove the mirror without twisting it by first removing the glass and then undoing the screws that attach the front to the back. Once the plastic covers are removed, you should be able to get to the screws that hold the base to the body. As the bases are made from a different material, any corrosion is not likely to spread to the bodywork.
I'll get round to doing mine at some point!
Cheers R.
Corrosion of the mirror bases is extremely common and seems to be down to an inadequate etch primer on the alloy base - there are a couple of articles in the knowledgebase on fixing them. You can remove the mirror without twisting it by first removing the glass and then undoing the screws that attach the front to the back. Once the plastic covers are removed, you should be able to get to the screws that hold the base to the body. As the bases are made from a different material, any corrosion is not likely to spread to the bodywork.
I'll get round to doing mine at some point!
Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Your mirrors are just as good as any.
Just have them reworked and sprayed. Much cheaper than replacing them.
Just have them reworked and sprayed. Much cheaper than replacing them.
-
- Joined: Fri 14 Aug, 2009 10:24
- Posts: 907
- Location: Houghton-Le-Spring
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
I believe that the plastic mirrors that Robert T is on about are now sold on ebay
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
My passenger side mirror was bodged together with a jubilee clip when I bought my Zed. I stripped it down to find the cast arm running through the middle had snapped in half. I got a replacement from Andy off here (spurs fan in a coupe) for £100 and it was £30 to get it painted. I then sold the broken one on eBay for £25 to recoupe some of the costs. Quarry motors didn't have one at the time but said they would have wanted £120-150 for a replacement.
Cheers
Dave
Cheers
Dave
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Take a look at this past post, and just go VERY easy!
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... =5&t=39815
Cheers KF
http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... =5&t=39815
Cheers KF
1997 Z3 2.8 (M52) Roadster Montreal blue
2013 330d (F31) M Sport Alpine White
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Here on this site is the solution to the problem, replace the housing but it's not that cheap. I will probably be doing the same soon but the car transport company broke mine so I am making a claim from them.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40839&p=378808&hili ... rs#p378808
Cooper
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=40839&p=378808&hili ... rs#p378808
Cooper
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
Weren't the post facelift mirror bases made of plastic rather than cast alloy? I'm pretty sure mine are plastic as they're good as new. When I first had the Zed they were very stiff to fold but some WD40 soon freed them up.
Tim.
Tim.
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
I know RockyDave's are metal on his 2002 facelift, as we have had to refurb his mirror bases........
1997 Z3 2.8 (M52) Roadster Montreal blue
2013 330d (F31) M Sport Alpine White
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
I'm unsure to be honest, I'm sure I read somewhere that BMW changed the mirror mounts because of corrosion problems, might be wrong though.Koolflyer wrote:I know RockyDave's are metal on his 2002 facelift, as we have had to refurb his mirror bases........
Tim.
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
have a look at this item on eBay.... it replaces the metal parts which corrode with plastics...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z3-Aussen ... 233a1f2ec8
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z3-Aussen ... 233a1f2ec8
- Southernboy
- Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
- Posts: 6437
- Location: Johannesburg
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
..... however, if you're determined to restore the existing components, then i'ts a fairly simple matter to remove the mirrors without twisting them firrst.
1. remove doorcards and disconnect electrics
2. remove mirror glass by unclipping the 4 points basically at 2,4,8 and10 'o' clock.
3. remove 4 screws holding the motor.
4. remove the 4 screws holding the plastic cover to the arm.
5 . rotate plastic cover to give you access to the 2 bolts holding the base to the door and remove them...
6. remove mirror complete and use a dremmel tool to cut through the starlock washer on the shaft holding the arm to the base.
7. restore / repaint and re-assemble with new starlock washer.
8. use MARINE grease in the area between the base and the arm... it'll outlast any other lubricant in wet weather.
9. you should now be able to twist the mirror around the base and replace the units in the "normal " manner.
1. remove doorcards and disconnect electrics
2. remove mirror glass by unclipping the 4 points basically at 2,4,8 and10 'o' clock.
3. remove 4 screws holding the motor.
4. remove the 4 screws holding the plastic cover to the arm.
5 . rotate plastic cover to give you access to the 2 bolts holding the base to the door and remove them...
6. remove mirror complete and use a dremmel tool to cut through the starlock washer on the shaft holding the arm to the base.
7. restore / repaint and re-assemble with new starlock washer.
8. use MARINE grease in the area between the base and the arm... it'll outlast any other lubricant in wet weather.
9. you should now be able to twist the mirror around the base and replace the units in the "normal " manner.
Re: Door Mirrors that won't fold back!!!!!!
I fold mine, and my wife's mirrors, every time I wash the cars, just to help the water drain out.
I think its lack of doing this that can cause the mirrors to break when they are eventually turned.
I think its lack of doing this that can cause the mirrors to break when they are eventually turned.
Z3 2.8 Progress Journal (Mine)
Z3 1.9 Sport Progress Journal (Wifey's)
I have an element of 'M-styling' on my car, If that's a good enough reason for the manufacturers to adorn a 320 with the M badge, then its certainly a good enough reason for me..