Dear All,
While I was staying with my step-mother, she had a small mishap with the side view mirror on the right side of her Chrysler New Yorker (vintage early to mid 1990s). As she backed out of the garage, she misjudged the distance between her car and the other car parked in the driveway. Her right sideview mirror clipped the left sideview mirror of the other car. Her mirror was knocked off its ‘post’, but the wires connected to the mirror did not seem damaged.
I live outside the US, so I have no way of finding out the approximate cost to ‘re-seat’ or fix this mirror. Can you tell me approximately – ballpark figure-- how much it would cost to fix this mirror? Once I know the approximate cost, I’ll get my step-mother a gift certificate as a way to cover her cost.
I appreciate your help!
Amelias
Although you imply that the mirror was merely dislodged, it is most likely that its plastic base was snapped. If that’s the case the whole unit must be replaced.
The cost of a new unit varies considerably. You haven’t told us if this mirror is the type that is operated manually or electrically. Also, a replacement puchased from a dealership may well cost twice as much as a mail-order aftermarket unit.
As a guess, expect a total repair bill of $150-$200, and it would not surprise me to hear a dealership wants even more. If you were able to shop around you could do better by finding a guy who does driveway repairs but I guess this is not an option.
On a domestic car, the parts shouldn’t be more than a couple $100. I think that’s about what I paid my neighbor when my 5 year old broke his mirror with her bike some years ago. I assume she can find a shop to install it in a few minutes (less than $50 in labor). I think the $200 estimate is reasonable.
I shopped around to replace my daughter’s electric side view mirror for her Civic and found a new aftermarket replacement through VIP for about $77. But if you’re having it done, the cost is more likely to run a few hundred + total. Many cars need the inside door panel removed to do the job properly and that costs extra labor.
Thanks for your reply.
I didn’t know that the price at the dealers would be more expensive! (I’ve never owned a car myself!)
It’s good to know it wouldn’t take a ‘lot’ of labor
to install it.
Thanks for your help!
I was afraid it might involve getting into the insides of the door…!
Thanks!
Maybe, maybe not. The problem is that the third bolt on some models is down behind the top edge of the inner door panel, but on some models the third bolt is easily accessed without removing the panel.
On most applications the mirror installation itself is just popping off the plastic “garnish” on the corner of the window frame, removal of three nuts, unplugging/lifting off the mirror, and reversing the process. It’s super easy. It’s getting at that third bolt that can be a stinker.