Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 08-06-2009, 08:18 PM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Spare mirrors -- good to have

Those of us in warmer climates often forget that many Mercedes have built-in heaters on their outside rear-view mirrors. The heaters are thermostatically controlled; the thermostat and heater are built into the mirror and come on automatically when it gets cold enough.

Whether any one Benzite (you or me) ever needs this feature is not the point. The problem is the cost of a replacement. Should the mirror ever be broken, the replacement is not just a piece of glass and will be priced accordingly by the dealer. I would guess $50 at least; perhaps someone in the know can enlighten us. Personally, I'd rather not pay for a feature I'll never use. I suppose it might be possible to have a glass shop cut a mirror to size but that sounds expensive too and you still need to attach it to the plastic backing piece.

While at Pick and Pull the other day, I decided to see what it would take to get the right outside mirror out of the holder on a 124. I took the whole thing apart there in the junkyard only to discover that my work was unnecessary -- the mirror can easily be popped out with one of the same tools we use for removing trim strips. At the register, I was charged only $4 for #851 "Misc Body Mirror." I was so surprised that I went back and got the left side too. I now have a spare pair put away (thus guaranteeing, under Murphy's Law, that I'll never need them).

I would imagine that if you took the entire pod with the mirror and (manual or electric) controls it would be more expensive. As regards the mirrors only, there seems to be some commonality between Mercedes models but make sure the mirrors you get will fit your car. In particular, late 124s seem to have a different shape from early models, the early models have an unusual square-shaped right mirror, and in late 124s both sides are electric while the early models have a manual left mirror adjust. Make sure you don't yank the mirror out too quickly; there's a 2-prong plug for the electric heater wiring that needs to be unplugged.

Make sure the yard marks the mirrors so you can exchange them if the heater/thermostat turns out to be dead. When you get the mirrors home, put them in a refrigerator or freezer and get them good and cold. Then attach the prongs on the back to 12 volts. The mirror should draw about 3 amps and after a couple of minutes the front will start to feel warm. After awhile, the whole mirror will warm up, the thermostat will cut off, and the heating will stop.

The pictures show a left mirror for my 1987 300D Turbo (W124, OM603). Sorry for the poor focus.

Jeremy

Attached Thumbnails
Spare mirrors -- good to have-mirror_6480.jpg   Spare mirrors -- good to have-mirror_6481.jpg  
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 08-06-2009, 08:40 PM
tbomachines's Avatar
ಠ_ಠ
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 7,364
I've been driving around with a cracked drivers side mirror for a few months now...been putting it off and putting it off. Honestly I didn't even know they were heated - I'm guessing the w126s have that feature too?
__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 08-06-2009, 08:50 PM
Unofficial wormcan opener
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Ashland, MA
Posts: 2,602
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeremy5848 View Post
Those of us in warmer climates often forget that many Mercedes have built-in heaters on their outside rear-view mirrors. The heaters are thermostatically controlled; the thermostat and heater are built into the mirror and come on automatically when it gets cold enough.

Whether any one Benzite (you or me) ever needs this feature is not the point. The problem is the cost of a replacement. Should the mirror ever be broken, the replacement is not just a piece of glass and will be priced accordingly by the dealer. I would guess $50 at least; perhaps someone in the know can enlighten us. Personally, I'd rather not pay for a feature I'll never use. I suppose it might be possible to have a glass shop cut a mirror to size but that sounds expensive too and you still need to attach it to the plastic backing piece.

While at Pick and Pull the other day, I decided to see what it would take to get the right outside mirror out of the holder on a 124. I took the whole thing apart there in the junkyard only to discover that my work was unnecessary -- the mirror can easily be popped out with one of the same tools we use for removing trim strips. At the register, I was charged only $4 for #851 "Misc Body Mirror." I was so surprised that I went back and got the left side too. I now have a spare pair put away (thus guaranteeing, under Murphy's Law, that I'll never need them).

I would imagine that if you took the entire pod with the mirror and (manual or electric) controls it would be more expensive. As regards the mirrors only, there seems to be some commonality between Mercedes models but make sure the mirrors you get will fit your car. In particular, late 124s seem to have a different shape from early models, the early models have an unusual square-shaped right mirror, and in late 124s both sides are electric while the early models have a manual left mirror adjust. Make sure you don't yank the mirror out too quickly; there's a 2-prong plug for the electric heater wiring that needs to be unplugged.

Make sure the yard marks the mirrors so you can exchange them if the heater/thermostat turns out to be dead. When you get the mirrors home, put them in a refrigerator or freezer and get them good and cold. Then attach the prongs on the back to 12 volts. The mirror should draw about 3 amps and after a couple of minutes the front will start to feel warm. After awhile, the whole mirror will warm up, the thermostat will cut off, and the heating will stop.

The pictures show a left mirror for my 1987 300D Turbo (W124, OM603). Sorry for the poor focus.

Jeremy


$50 huh.

Item Number MSRP Core Price Price
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30
Front door - Outside mirrors - Mirror glass
Mirror glass Right 1990 - 1992
Add to Cart Contact Us
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30
Front door - Outside mirrors - Glass
Glass - 1987-89 driver side 1987 - 1989
Add to Cart Contact Us
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30
Front door - Outside mirrors - Glass
__________________
1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 08-06-2009, 10:19 PM
babymog's Avatar
Loose Cannon - No Balls
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Northeast Indiana
Posts: 10,765
All years of 124 mirrors are the same, I believe that the 201 mirrors are the same as the 124.

But the Germans got the really cool aspheric ones.
__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 08-06-2009, 10:48 PM
tbomachines's Avatar
ಠ_ಠ
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 7,364
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bio300TDTdriver View Post
$50 huh.

Item Number MSRP Core Price Price
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30
Front door - Outside mirrors - Mirror glass
Mirror glass Right 1990 - 1992
Add to Cart Contact Us
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30
Front door - Outside mirrors - Glass
Glass - 1987-89 driver side 1987 - 1989
Add to Cart Contact Us
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30
Front door - Outside mirrors - Glass
I'm surprised "arm" and "leg" aren't included as a core charge (did you read the fine print? )
Looks like I'll either be driving around with a cracked mirror or heading to the junkyard for it...
__________________
TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 08-06-2009, 11:47 PM
MBeige's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: SoCal
Posts: 3,746
Quote:
Originally Posted by babymog View Post
All years of 124 mirrors are the same, I believe that the 201 mirrors are the same as the 124.

But the Germans got the really cool aspheric ones.
Aren't the right side w124/w201 mirror lenses convex?

The hard part on the right side (square glass) is reinstalling, the housing has pegs and joints that the glass backing attaches to that are more complicated (to me at least) than the previous w123 mirrors.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 08-07-2009, 02:02 AM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Quote:
Originally Posted by tbomachines View Post
I'm surprised "arm" and "leg" aren't included as a core charge (did you read the fine print? )
Looks like I'll either be driving around with a cracked mirror or heading to the junkyard for it...
There's an '82 300SD in the Pick and Pull here; I pulled the speedo for a forum member a few weeks ago. I assume the mirrors are good but haven't actually looked at them critically. Let me know if you can't find one locally and I'll get the driver's side for you.

I believe that the SD (W126) had heated mirrors in the early 80's although the "E-class" didn't in the W123 but did in the W124.

Jeremy
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 08-07-2009, 02:04 AM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
[QUOTE=Bio300TDTdriver;2264212]$50 huh.

Item Number MSRP Core Price Price
1248101321 $170.00 $0.00 $117.30


indeed! "Good grief" might be even better. Thanks for the info; as usual, worse than expected.
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 08-07-2009, 09:41 AM
Oldwolf's Avatar
124.128/602.962/722.418
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,017
Interesting post.

Are the 124 mirrors glass with a coating?

I am wondering because mine have these spots all over them and I am hoping that I could use Plastic-X to polish them out.
__________________
1993 W124 300D 2.5L Turbo, OM602.962
2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, 2.4L DOHC
2002 Ford Explorer, 4.0L SOHC
2005 Toyota Prius, 1.5L

http://www.fuelly.com/sig-us/40601.png
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 08-07-2009, 11:41 AM
Jeremy5848's Avatar
Registered Biodiesel User
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Sonoma Wine Country
Posts: 8,402
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldwolf View Post
Interesting post.

Are the 124 mirrors glass with a coating?

I am wondering because mine have these spots all over them and I am hoping that I could use Plastic-X to polish them out.
The mirrors on my '87 and one of the mirrors that I got from P&P also were badly water spotted. AFAIK, M-B mirrors are not AR-coated so you don't have to worry about damaging anything. However, the water spots are a build-up of calcium salts and other hard-water nasties and something like "Plastic-X" might not be strong enough.

The old standby is vinegar. I have used Lime-away with fair results. If you remove the mirrors, you can lay them in a puddle of Lime-away and leave them for 24-48 hours. With the mirrors on the car, you have to hold a soaked sponge to the mirrors, which is harder to do and then the stuff drains out the bottom.

For a final removal of the stubborn bits in the corners, I used Rutland's "White Off." Made in Rutland, VT, the stuff is designed for cleaning the glass-ceramic windows in wood stoves. I recommend it. Available from places that sell wood stoves, gas fireplace inserts, etc. Florida residents can email info@rutland.com.

Jeremy
__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Last edited by Jeremy5848; 08-07-2009 at 12:54 PM. Reason: removed typo
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 08-07-2009, 12:05 PM
Oldwolf's Avatar
124.128/602.962/722.418
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,017
Hmmm, I didn't even think of them being calcium deposits. I'll start thinking about the vinegar approach since it seems to be the simplest. Thanks Jeremy.

__________________
1993 W124 300D 2.5L Turbo, OM602.962
2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, 2.4L DOHC
2002 Ford Explorer, 4.0L SOHC
2005 Toyota Prius, 1.5L

http://www.fuelly.com/sig-us/40601.png
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:37 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page