someone hit my side mirror and knocked it all the way off its holding on by the chord! how do i get this fixed? do i have to buy a whole new mirror?
Yes, the plastic base has snapped off. You need a replacement mirror. You can get one at the dealership or you can save money by ordering an aftermarket unit online, as I have done recently.
It would be a help to know what make, model, and year of vehicle.
The few that I’ve replaced, power mirrors, require a triangular plastic “garnish” in the front triangle of the window frame to be popped off with a screwdriver, three 12mm nuts to be removed, and the unit unplugged and removed. Some models require the inner door panel to be removed to access the bottom nut, some do not. A repair manual shold help you prepare.
I found the best price to be through the VIP store’s “crash parts catelog”. You’ll need to order one.
Good luck.
You could also try “Automotive recycling centers”, i.e.: formerly called junk yards. Make sure that you have this info handy. Make, year, model and whether it’s the driver’s or passenger’s side. You might luck out and even get the same color! Try your local friendly independent mechanic for chasing this part down. He/she is probably going to do the replacement anyway. You could also try searching Yahoo! or Google and ask specifically about your mirror and/or the names and phone numbers/web site address of local auto recyclers.