Rear View Mirror

[Yapakanichi]

Hey can a auto dimming mirror w/garage link be swapped for one without the garage controls?

[Vanne]

garage link? on the oem mirror?

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by knowthebattle

Hey can a auto dimming mirror w/garage link be swapped for one without the garage controls?

Depends.

So what I know for sure, is ALL the BMW mirror bases made during the same period (2000-2008) have the same mechanical 120º twisting lock with spring inside. So any of the mirrors that came off of a 3, 5, or 7 series made during roughly that period (E46, E39, and E38) are interchangeable.

My memory is hazy, since we traded in our '03 Z4 3.0i for my MZ4 Coupe back in 2006, but I vaguely recall that I DID have a rear view mirror with garage door opener integrated. Before 2006's facelift, all the wiring exist near the interior cabin lighting to support multiple functions (dimming mirrors) so I swapped for a mirror from an E46 M3 with those features, and it was basically plug and play. It looked like one of these:



I don't recall, but I also vaguely remember that since the garage door opener wiring isn't present, that I had to do some simple splicing to get the garage door to work. This is actually a pretty comprehensive guide from an E46, which is like Z4's bigger, fatter cousin:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1097788

But, since it's been nearly 15 years since I first owned the Z4 3.0i, I can't remember if I did that...I'm 50/50 as to whether the garage door opener wiring already exist on the car, or the Z4 3.0i with premium package comes with the mirror already having garage door openers. All I know for sure is on my MZ4 Coupe I had to wire in a garage door opener from an E46 3 series on the roof. And I know for sure that for my '06 MZ4 Coupe, the wiring does not exist for the dimming function of the mirror (mine's none premium as ordered, so no auto dimming interior mirror).

[Yapakanichi]

Originally Posted by The HACK

Depends.

So what I know for sure, is ALL the BMW mirror bases made during the same period (2000-2008) have the same mechanical 120º twisting lock with spring inside. So any of the mirrors that came off of a 3, 5, or 7 series made during roughly that period (E46, E39, and E38) are interchangeable.

My memory is hazy, since we traded in our '03 Z4 3.0i for my MZ4 Coupe back in 2006, but I vaguely recall that I DID have a rear view mirror with garage door opener integrated. Before 2006's facelift, all the wiring exist near the interior cabin lighting to support multiple functions (dimming mirrors) so I swapped for a mirror from an E46 M3 with those features, and it was basically plug and play. It looked like one of these:



I don't recall, but I also vaguely remember that since the garage door opener wiring isn't present, that I had to do some simple splicing to get the garage door to work. This is actually a pretty comprehensive guide from an E46, which is like Z4's bigger, fatter cousin:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1097788

But, since it's been nearly 15 years since I first owned the Z4 3.0i, I can't remember if I did that...I'm 50/50 as to whether the garage door opener wiring already exist on the car, or the Z4 3.0i with premium package comes with the mirror already having garage door openers. All I know for sure is on my MZ4 Coupe I had to wire in a garage door opener from an E46 3 series on the roof. And I know for sure that for my '06 MZ4 Coupe, the wiring does not exist for the dimming function of the mirror (mine's none premium as ordered, so no auto dimming interior mirror).

This is the information I was looking for, thank you.

[Black911S]

the E90 rear view mirror is apparently plug and play. Has the built in garage link and a compass. I added one to my E46 and its works great. seller says its plug and play with the Z4M. Only issue i would have is the reduced visibility that would come with it.

yeah i know...old thread bump.

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by Vanne

garage link? on the oem mirror?

I had it added to my OEM mirror on my first Z4MC, by radar-mirror.com. It was pricey - I think he charged me about $200 - but a clean solution.

[pungo]

I agree that the e86 mirror is a small oval to give a better view out the tiny low windshield, so installing a large mirror will reduce forward viability, especially for a taller person.

[Black911S]

i asked radar mirror if they could add the garage link to an existing mirror....he said no.

[KevinC]

Originally Posted by SDMCoupe

i asked radar mirror if they could add the garage link to an existing mirror....he said no.

I saw that he took down the option from his website. I wonder why? He did a nice job on mine, probably around 2009.

[3002 tii]

May be easier to use retrofit homelink under HVAC panel like others have done in past

[CJW2OO4]

anyone know if a BMW 2 series mirror would fit?

[Polarbert]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

May be easier to use retrofit homelink under HVAC panel like others have done in past

That's what I did. Absolutely brilliant idea. You'd never know it was there unless you were lying on the ground.

[ShakyDog]

I just put my remote in the front most part of the door pocket and it works great. Was obsessed with getting a retrofit for Homelink and then I asked myself why...

Steve

[elerner61]

Somewhere, there is a thread on various garage door opener solutions. For my car, I soldered a momentary switch on my OEM garage door opener and then hid that behind the removable panel under the HVAC controls. Very unobtrusive and easy.