Most vehicles HAVE blind spots which has nothing to do with mirror adjustment. This is caused by the persons position in the car and how they sit....The blind spot is the person ( most of the time ) not the mirror or car.......Get 2 people.... 1 of them knowing he/she has a blind spot on that car ( any car ) and make the other person drive to see what they feel the blind spot is for them. You will find its different to most people what it would be for you.

 

OK, here is an admittedly hurried up-date on these mirrors. My brother dropped it off over the weekend and I have just CONFIRMED that it is plug 'n play; pop out your original factory mirror(s) and pop one or both of these in their place; they are also, in fact, heated. I ordered just one, a Left, but cannot imagine why the Right would not fit. I'll post a few quick pics; I'll take more and post them later if there is interest.
Part Numbers:
LEFT Aspherical mirror glass heated 51 16 7 160 775
RIGHT Aspherical mirror glass heated 51 16 7 160 776
The Left one I now have was priced at 22.94 Pounds Sterling through a MINI dealer in Oxford; that's around $41 US.
As to HOW to get them, I honestly do not know if any US dealers have access to non-US parts.
I've confessed to being a long-time fan of these split mirrors so telling you that I like 'em seems kinda silly but I really am glad to have it.

 

Wait, so this factory part is a "split" type mirror and not just a convex mirror that makes things seem smaller like the standard right mirror? Gee - I'm all over that!

Sorry if the question seems rhetorical. I just want to make sure I'm seeing/reading correctly.

 

Another photo ...

 

Yup, this is a factory split mirror; no double-sided tape or any of that mumbo-jumbo. These are available in UK (and Europe); not sure about US.

 

Like many others I had read that an aspherical/split mirror weas available on the MINI 1 in the UK. The challenge was finding a part number. Using the realoem.com/bmw- website I used trial and error trying to come up with a valid serial number for a non-US car, a MINI 1. Eventually I got lucky and then could check into a variety of part numbers for that particular car. It was there that I found the above part numbers. Since my brother spends some time working in the UK I asked him to stop by a MINI dealer and get one.

 

Good find.....I had to go into the euro side of my parts catalog to find that mirror..... Now the bad part...........Couldnt tell why but its not available in the US ( i do come across alot of things which are not allowed here )....You would have to buy these online from a Euro dealer im guessing.

 

Here's something that someone taught me a few weeks ago, and since I've done it it makes me wonder why people in the U.S. shell out money for silly blindspot products.

Most people have their side mirrors adjusted so they can just barely see the edge of their own car. But what happens? You basically see the same thing in your side mirrors, as in your center mirror. Slight differences, but for the most part, it's the same image.

Now, try this: sit in your drivers seat, and lean your head against the left front window. Now adjust your mirror so you can just barely see the edge of your car.

Now, lean to the right so your head is in the center of the car, and do the same with the right mirror, adjust it so you can just barely see the edge of your car.

Ok, so having done this, the end product is that when a vehicle is passing you, right as it dissappears from the view of your center mirror, it will just as quickly enter the view of the side mirror. POOF, no more blind spot! And you totally know it works when you see part of the car in your center mirror, but part of it creeping into the side mirror.

It takes a few weeks to get used to, but now that I've learned to trust it, it's simply foolproof.

That's my worthwhile contribution to this website. Since I don't have a MINI. Yet.

 

^ I'm going to adjust them here at work (since I have nothing better to do) and see how it is on the ride home Thanks!

 

******on explaining this!
it really worx better this way i've use this technic on a VW jetta car & on my MINI car for years now & it has worked for me the same from car to car (well typed) i would have never of tried to explain this myself since i allready catch so much heat for my style of typing peace out!!

 

While I strongly agree that this is highly worthwhile and that most folks don't do it properly - check my similar (but not as explicit) post from 2 1/2 years ago - I still would like a little additional help seeing around the B-pillar.

If you haven't driven the MINI much, you may not have had the opportunity to experience this yet. I have had two too many occasions (exactly 2 that I can recall) where I began a lane change when there was a car that I never saw. Close calls. Too close for my comfort. For now I've made it a habit to turn my head. I'll be happy to spend a few extra pennies to help avoid any future problems - and I'll probably still turn my head.

 

I've been driving around with my Multivex mirrors for about a week now and I have to say they are just fantastic! I've always adjusted my mirrors as described in a previous post but even so, there was a severe blindspot along the B pillar area along the driver side. I think the rearward placement of the side mirrors on the Coopers, unlike most other cars where they're further forward has a lot to do with that. Now with the Multivex, the blindspots are eliminated! I can even see cars two lanes over. I love 'em and worth every penny.

 

searocko - I have been following both this thread and the one you posted in over at MINI2 - it was kind of funny when I got both replies simultaneously.

I also wonder if seat adjustment affects this situation. If I had shorter (or, I suppose, longer) legs, my head would be in a different place in relation to the B-pillar.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

I've always stuck one of these on the corner of my driver's side mirror. Works great for less than $2.

 

Funny how that happens, eh? I saw this thread first, then went over to MINI2 from the link here. LOL

Seat adjustment could very well be a factor in relation to the distance from the side mirror. When I first drove the MINI, the first thing I noticed was how in-your-face the driver's side mirror felt as I'm used to it being at the far end of the door. I was surprised to find how bad the blindspot was when I experienced a close call, just as you did. But now even with the Multivex, I still have the habit of turning my head, even though I can still see the car next to me in both the mirror and in my peripheral vision!

 

any possibility in getting these split mirrors with a blue tint? I had blue tinted ones on my old A4, and they were great.

 

....You could always add blue window tint.

 

quite possible...most of the japanese tuner sites offer them in all colors.

 

ahhh, yes I haven't even sat in a MINI (yet) let alone driven one... and you guys haven mentioned the B pillar enough so I guess you'd know better than i :smile:

 

Is there any news as to how to get them easily in the US? How about a dealer that is Mini2 or NAM friendly... Maybe a group buy of sorts.

 

Unfortunately, these part numbers are not available for US dealers to order. They simply can't get them. Probably something to do with DOT approval like with the european rear tail lenses. You will need to go another route... mikeythemini from www.newministuff.com might be a good one to contact.

 

I also was interested in an OEM solution as I was able to get an aspherical mirror for my VW. I decided to go the Multivex route since they are readily available and I felt that safety couldn't wait. The double-stick tape mounting isn't ideal but it's not your ordinary double-stick tape. It's more along the lines of 3M VHB that's used for automotive applications and it's warranted for 5 years not to fall off.

I have the cold weather package so I'll need to seal the gap with silicone as they suggest so that the heat gets trapped between the mirrors. My car is usually garaged and it doesn't get too cold in W. Washington so I probably won't experience any problems in the winter.

 

For safety reason I couldn't wait for the availability of the Euro Aspherical mirror and bought the readly available Multivex mirror for the Mini Cooper. I have an aspherical split mirror on my VW Passat but the Multivex has a wider range of view. You do not have the distortion that the factory provided right side convex mirror gives you. I love it and highly recommend it. The only application comment I have is to insure that you have the new mirror aligned perfectly prior to attaching, as once the mounting tape touches the base factory mirror, it is not coming off! The difference between the split aspherical and the Multivex is that the split aspherical is a complete heated replacement and the Multivex is a paste on over the original.

 

Have to agree with this. Most people do not aim the drivers side flat mirror far enough out, thus creating a bid blind spot.

Properly adjusted, the drivers side mirror should allow you to see anyone from just inside your lane up to the point where you can see the front of their vehicle in your peripheral vision.

This can be done by adjusting the mirror out far enough so that with your head against the inside of the drivers side glass you can see the rear of the car, Then when seated in a normal driving position there will be no blind spot.

And what is it with a wider inside mirror in the '05s and '06s, who's idea was that? I could already see both sides of the rear window in the original '02 mirror, why would you need any more than that? Now I just have a bigger blind spot to deal with when looking forward. Hellooooo, isn't that the direction that we should have the least interference and obstructions?

 

OK, now that I have the Euro spec mirrors how do I get the original glass off?