Mirror Cap Replacement How To?

[struTTer]

So my wife bought me the S3 mirror caps for my birthday and I was hoping to swap them out this weekend. I found a how to, but it was for the older style mirrors and seemed to not work as it felt that there was missing something somewhere as they didn't come apart as easily as the post made it seem.

Has anyone swapped out the newer types?

[Gryphon001]

How?... Very, very carefully.

Seriously though, you have to remove the mirror plates. They unclip if you pull on them. There is a specific place to pull on to reduce your chances of cracking them, but even then there is no guarantee, those clips jold pretty strong. So be prepared to have to buy new ones... I did. Perhaps someone else remembers better than me what the spot is.

After the mirrors are our it's a simple 2 or 3 screws and your free.

[TBomb]

How?... Very, very carefully.

Seriously though, you have to remove the mirror plates. They unclip if you pull on them. There is a specific place to pull on to reduce your chances of cracking them, but even then there is no guarantee, those clips jold pretty strong. So be prepared to have to buy new ones... I did. Perhaps someone else remembers better than me what the spot is.

After the mirrors are our it's a simple 2 or 3 screws and your free.

Yeah, if you have heated mirrors it's even worse, as the heater leads make the back of the mirror less stiff and more prone to breaking when you pull on them. As far as I know, all passenger mirrors come with the heater leads regardless of if the car came with heated mirrors or not. If you push the inner part of the mirror (closest to the window) in with your thumbs, you can hook your fingers around the outer part of the mirror and pull that part outward. Try to grab as close to the middle of the mirror as you can to prevent it from cracking. Good luck

[struTTer]

It's not the mirrors, they come out easy enough and I replaced them with the blindspot mirrors shortly after getting the car. The outside housing is what won't move.

I guess I'll need to take it to the dealer. Better to pay them $100 than to frak them up and have to pay more for replacement parts.

[audibmi]

It's not the mirrors, they come out easy enough and I replaced them with the blindspot mirrors shortly after getting the car. The outside housing is what won't move.

I guess I'll need to take it to the dealer. Better to pay them $100 than to frak them up and have to pay more for replacement parts.

it takes a lot of patience. i've swapped them out a few times before

here is a diy:

http://www.audienthusiasts.com/Proje...gMirrors2.html

[yohoitztho]

it isn't too hard. read the DIY

also pay attention to the clips on the housing infront of where the mirrors were. that little strip needs to be pulled outward (towards the back of your car) while you pull the entire housing up.

i remember it helped to turn/close the entire mirror housing (you get a better angle to pull)

after i got the little strip pulled out i jiggled/wiggled the entire housing upwards (towards the sky) and POP - clips came loose. then you carefully remove.

[Rob Cote]

http://www.audienthusiasts.com/Proje...gMirrors2.html

I didn't know you could do this.

[ceese]

I didn't know you could do this.

There is a set of new motors on ebay.uk for the A3. The only interest I'd have in this mod is if it auto tilted the mirror in reverse for curbs.

[struTTer]

it takes a lot of patience. i've swapped them out a few times before

here is a diy:

http://www.audienthusiasts.com/Proje...gMirrors2.html

Thank You! That is exactly what I was looking for. Like the how-to said the older mirrors seem easier to take apart and viewing both how-to's seems to reinforce this.

I have never heard of that site. Learn something new everyday!

[JRutter]

There is a specific place to pull on to reduce your chances of cracking them, but even then there is no guarantee, those clips jold pretty strong. So be prepared to have to buy new ones... I did. Perhaps someone else remembers better than me what the spot is.

After the mirrors are our it's a simple 2 or 3 screws and your free.

I broke a mirror taking mine out, but it was a good excuse to get the euro blind spot glass. On the second try, I tried tilting the mirrors down and pulling out on the top, which is right next to the clips. Worked well. I undid the two screws underneath, which made it easier to pull the covers up. Other than those two exterior screws, there was nothing else to unscrew on my 2007 housings.

[ceese]

I broke a mirror taking mine out, but it was a good excuse to get the euro blind spot glass. On the second try, I tried tilting the mirrors down and pulling out on the top, which is right next to the clips. Worked well. I undid the two screws underneath, which made it easier to pull the covers up. Other than those two exterior screws, there was nothing else to unscrew on my 2007 housings.

Ive got an extra euro blue if you want. passenger side

[JRutter]

Ive got an extra euro blue if you want. passenger side

Thanks Jim - I have some oem euro mirros inbound. I like the black covers. Virtual until we can gtg.

[ceese]

Thanks Jim - I have some oem euro mirros inbound. I like the black covers. Virtual until we can gtg.

Did a little clear polish get rid of the scratches?

[JRutter]

Polish got rid of the lighter, hazy looking scratches. Good enough for me!