Can't see behind me ....

[Patrick-Irish]

.... because some low life stole my two wing mirrors overnight last night.

Assholes ! You should see how clean the took them off though ... no damage or even marks on the brackets left behind and the wires cleanly cut with a snips. If I was trying myself I don't think I could get them off so cleanly, so I'd imagine this can't be the first time these thugs have performed the theft of wing mirrors off an E53.

There's a slight funny side though. They were banjaxed anyway ! One didn't fold, the other was (badly) held together with fibre glass and resin, while both of them were in that loose flappy state which is common for these mirrors. And they were quiet scratched up too.

So what are these mirrors new - €600 each ? Will call up the insurer today and see if they're covered.

[Isambard]

Fecking w@nkers! Sorry to hear that Patrick. If you don't mind used parts, try partsgateway.co.uk. Very good for used bits and the best thing is they call you with their quotes so you can choose who to buy from.

If you're not covered by the insurance, have to pay a silly excess, or your no-claims will be affected then I'm sure you'll be able to pick them up for around £40 each. Or there's always ebay of course! Check out this little gem!! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Pair-BMW-X5-wi...item2561093cd2

[o. l. t.]

Might be a blessing in disguise if you get new ones! Should easily be enough for a claim on the insurance. I'd be leery of the return of these guys though and protect your new mirrors better!

[Sundayjumper]

Originally Posted by Patrick-Irish

...both of them were in that loose flappy state which is common for these mirrors.

Do you mean there's a bit of play in the pivot ? My passenger mirror has the same problem. Is there a fix for it, apart from getting new mirrors ? I had a quick look but couldn't see how to dismantle the mirror to investigate. I'd be quite happy to just put a rubber washer in there to take up the slack !

That pair of mirrors on ebay, seeing as they are without bases, I'd be suspicious of where they've come from

[Patrick-Irish]

Update ....

Both the police and my insurer says they're inundated with reports of wing mirrors being stolen from Mercedes and BMW's since Christmas. Obviously there's a ready demand for them out there ...... and I wouldn't touch anything on eBay either given what I now know.

So it's €1,700 for two new mirrors ... bloody steep !

[mrbmwx5]

I have a set in black came off my X5( replaced with m3 mirrors)
Pm me if you want to buy them..

[Boston X5 4.4]

Originally Posted by Patrick-Irish

.... because some low life stole my two wing mirrors overnight last night.

Assholes ! You should see how clean the took them off though ... no damage or even marks on the brackets left behind and the wires cleanly cut with a snips. If I was trying myself I don't think I could get them off so cleanly, so I'd imagine this can't be the first time these thugs have performed the theft of wing mirrors off an E53.

There's a slight funny side though. They were banjaxed anyway ! One didn't fold, the other was (badly) held together with fibre glass and resin, while both of them were in that loose flappy state which is common for these mirrors. And they were quiet scratched up too.

So what are these mirrors new - €600 each ? Will call up the insurer today and see if they're covered.

That sux...feckin' scangers.....more crime with the aftermath of the Celtic Tiger demise?

I think they are about $800+/ea here ...comp. insurance would cover but you would need to cover the deductible first.
I would try the local scrap yards or from MrBMW...assuming they fit across the pond.

GL

[o. l. t.]

Originally Posted by Sundayjumper

Do you mean there's a bit of play in the pivot ? My passenger mirror has the same problem. Is there a fix for it, apart from getting new mirrors ? I had a quick look but couldn't see how to dismantle the mirror to investigate.

Search for the folding mirrors fix to see how to disassemble them. I have the same slack issue on my driver side...... for now.

[Sundayjumper]

Originally Posted by o. l. t.

Search for the folding mirrors fix to see how to disassemble them. I have the same slack issue on my driver side...... for now.

It just tells you how to remove the covers, nothing about the pivot mechanism.

[Patrick-Irish]

Tomorrow I get my brand new door mirrors fitted at the dealers. And now I'm wondering what I could do to prevent them being stolen again.

I installed CCTV on all 4 corners outside my house, every inch is monitored now and I've got these big warning signs on display as well. I was for a long time thinking about installing CCTV as a security measure anyway so this was just another reason to go and do it.

When I get the car back home tomorrow I intend to grind the heads down on the torx screws holding the mirrors on. Judging by the lack of damage to what was left behind when the assholes stole them and how cleanly they got them off, it looks like they are actually unscrewing the mirrors off. So if I grind the heads off the screws it means the mirrors are on forever, but hopefully will be a significant inconvenience to anyone trying to steal them.

I also intend getting my reg/licence plate number engraved on them. Again it may be a deterrant.

Does anyone have any inventive, innovative or lateral thinking ideas on anything else I could do ? I can't bring the mirrors into the house every evening. So what else is there ? Some sort of secure covering I can put over them maybe .... but what ?? Remember this stealing of mirrors business is a major racket over here at the moment so I can reasonably assume I will be targetted again.

Wrap the whole car in cling film every evening perhaps ?? Mmm .... not very practical.

Make a doberman dog live in the car as a deterrant ? No good .... the robbers aren't trying to get into the car, just steal the mirrors.

Sleep in the car every night ? Not while the Mrs. is talking to me I think !

Mmm ....

Ideas. The madder and wilder the better.

How about somehow permanently sealing on that little plastic cover thing on the bottom ? The one that covers over the torx screws. Now there's something I didn't think of. Until now of course !

Come on guys ... ideas. What can you come up with ??