Aspherical Mirrors - Check difference!

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

Bump on this thread. People need to know about the panoramic mirrors. One of the best upgrades possible. Way safer to drive a car that doesn't have blind spots.

If you set your mirrors properly you don't need to spend the money.

Lean over with your head by the drivers window. Adjust the mirror so you can just see the door handles in the edge of the mirror.

Lean over to the center of the car and adjust your passenger mirror so you can just see the door handles in the edge of the mirror.

If you do this you will find that as a vehicle in an adjacent lane leaves your rear view mirror it appears in one of your side view mirrors.

[andrewwynn]

I've used that method for 30 years. No comparison to my new mirrors.

I've always wondered why people adjusted their mirrors where 1/3 of the view is your own car!

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by Fifty150hs

If you set your mirrors properly you don't need to spend the money.

Lean over with your head by the drivers window. Adjust the mirror so you can just see the door handles in the edge of the mirror.

Lean over to the center of the car and adjust your passenger mirror so you can just see the door handles in the edge of the mirror.

If you do this you will find that as a vehicle in an adjacent lane leaves your rear view mirror it appears in one of your side view mirrors.

It is not possible to adjust the US driver's mirror to cover what an aspherical mirror can cover. The X5 mirror is large enough that you can adjust it so that it's not actively unsafe (unlike, say, the E36 M3, where the US driver's mirror is too small to do much of anything), but it still kind of sucks.

And the mirror glass is cheap as long as you don't want auto-dimming.

[andrewwynn]

With the convex lens, auto dim not really needed. I never feel blinded by lights in my side mirrors.

[nick325xit 5spd]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

With the convex lens, auto dim not really needed. I never feel blinded by lights in my side mirrors.

Agreed.

I have euro mirrors installed in every BMW except the X5 (because the asphericals I ordered immediately after I bought it got lost in the mail, and I haven't had a chance to reorder). I personally don't like auto-dimming mirrors, but some people do, so it's worth mentioning.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

I've used that method for 30 years. No comparison to my new mirrors.

I've always wondered why people adjusted their mirrors where 1/3 of the view is your own car!

I've always wondered the same thing. And a lot of people do it. Seems like every time I get in someone elses' car to drive I have to make major adjustments to the mirrors so I'm not looking at the side of the car.

Interesting to know the aspheric mirrors are that much better.

[andrewwynn]

No trick photography. You literally see 5x the view. In this pic it's showing too much of the car. When properly adjusted would prob see to the hood ornament.

Huge safety improvement. They should be required like 3rd brake light.

[Fifty150hs]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

No trick photography. You literally see 5x the view. In this pic it's showing too much of the car. When properly adjusted would prob see to the hood ornament.

Huge safety improvement. They should be required like 3rd brake light.

Wow!

[crystalworks]

I've never had a blind spot with regular mirrors. I wonder if that has to do with my height and needing to utilize the "gangsta lean" in most vehicles.

That said, those aspherical ones do look very functional. If I could find a set on the cheap I could see swapping the glass out.

[bcredliner]

If you set your side mirrors so that you have to lean toward the mirror to see the side of the vehicle that minimizes the blind spot. That said, I installed the aspherical mirrors for the broader view and am glad I did.