The Countryman is two months old and has 3200 miles on it. Last week we received a survey form from J.D. Power and Associates, which I think is a big, legitimate automotive marketing survey firm. Returned it today and kept the crisp $1 bill than came with the mailing.

Overall, we reported being very happy. Only two complaints. The radio is more complicated than it needs to me. And visibility changing lanes is poor.

 

yeah im thinking of slapping on some wide angle mirrors on the sides

 

This is why I don't put much stock in JD Powers survey results. Very minor items like the radio usage, people not liking the interior design, etc. seem to drag down the ratings.

 

If you haven't already learned this, you need to:



It will bug you and feel awkward at first, but leave them that way for a month and I guarantee you'll love it.

To adjust the left mirror, lean your head on the drivers side window and make the edge of the car slighly visible in the mirror.

To adjust the right mirror, lean your head so your right ear is above the arm rest and make the right edge of the car slightly visible in the mirror.

with your head in normal driving position, you should NOT see the side of the car at all. You should have to lean to one side to see your own car.

 

I tried that method with my mirrors and never could get use to the loss of depth perception.

 

Yeah I had the same feeling at first, but what I did was just stayed on a neighborhood road with some cars parked on the side of the road and then took the time to get the measurements right. You can use the car entering your mirror to base the depth of where they are located. (i.e. for me, If all you can see is the rear of the car then you probably don't have the room, but as long as the front of the vehicle is still visible in the mirror then you can make your move.

Spirited driving is a bit different, but I can still use my mirrors if needed.

Hope this helps

 

Excellent post y8s!

 

+1

With mirrors adjusted this way, you can follow a car coming up on you (rearview), changing lanes to pass you (rearview) approaching, and abreast of your rear quarter-panel (left wing) and, finally, moving broadside and beyond (peripheral vision). You never lose sight of the car!

Here's a video about the proper technique:



I learned about the proper way to adjust wing mirrors to eliminate blind spots 40 years ago on my old 914/6 -- out of necessity! Been doing it ever since.

It amazes me that US driver's education doesn't teach proper mirror adjustment...at least it didn't when my two son's were learning. They asked the instructor about it and were told the "correct" adjustment allowed the driver to see the half of the rear quarter-panel on each side. I guess the wing mirrors should be used to check in the status of the tail lamps and to make sure the fuel door isn't left open...

 

This is all ironic as I think the CM has the best rear/side visibility...so impressed that I will be passing my CM onto my 16 year old daughter since it is so safe and easy to drive.........

 

https://secure57.softcomca.com/multi...net/index.html

Put them on my Cabrio since with the top up there is almost no rear visibility. It is almost impossible for me to drive other cars now because I tend to forget that other mirrors don't show a full range.

Michael

 

Great video - I learned something new.

 

Oddly enough, even though I lived in a super small town I was taught this in drivers training. I don't know if they still do it now, as I took it 15 years ago. This reminds me, I should go adjust my mirrors again, my husband moved them when he drove a long time ago and I never set them properly after that.

 

Well, actually I did notice in the mirror that I'd left the fuel door open once, in a different car.

Thanks for everybody's inputs. Actually I do routinely adjust the mirrors pretty far out. I'll try going even further out and see if I feel better about it.

My opinion is still that the side vision in the CM is not as good as in the two other cars I've driven recently. It seems to be strongly a function of seat position, fwd/back. It seemed even worse in the Roadster I sat in at the dealer a while back. But that wouldn't stop me from buying one.

Mike E

 

Ditto! Changed my mirrors today, it's great!

 

I spread the word about mirror adjustment pretty forcefully because I've had too many people change lanes into the lane I was occupying only to have one or both of us swerve dangerously at the last second.