Cost to replace a side view mirror

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skepticalobserver
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Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by skepticalobserver »

Had a minor accident this morning. In making a surprise move into my lane a moving truck swiped the passenger side mirror of my 2005 Camry. Any idea as what it should cost to get a replacement from the dealer/body shop?

Not a good way to start a Sunday, but definitely could have been a lot worse.

Thanks
cestan
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by cestan »

rockauto.com 30-90 dollars part only
DSInvestor
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by DSInvestor »

This happened to me last september a few days into a cross country trip. I was on an interstate in Missouri I believe in the right lane behind a truck and 3 deer came on the left lane and one jumped at my car hitting the drivers side mirror. I bought a replacement mirror from amazon.com for $25 and installed it myself. I was heading to a friends house to stay a few days and Amazon Prime was able to get it to me very quickly. My 97 Camry is white and the replacement was black which was fine by me. I was thrilled to have a mirror again.

If you enter the make model and year of your car into amazon, it will tell you if the part will fit on your car. Here's a link to some mirrors:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... yota+camry

If you want it to match your car, it will probably be a lot more expensive if done at a dealer or a body shop.
Last edited by DSInvestor on Sun Apr 26, 2015 9:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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dixdak
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by dixdak »

I was backing out of a tight fit in my garage in a 2012 Honda Odyssey and assumed the passenger side mirror would fold back with contact with the edge of door. Unfortunately, the angle was just right and crunched the mirror. Doh! I went to a good but cheap local body shop and it set me back $300.
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cheese_breath
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by cheese_breath »

And after you have the part here's a video on how to install it. (Note: I only watched about the first minute since I don't have a Camry.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH7JwZ-27ww
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skepticalobserver
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by skepticalobserver »

Thanks very much to all. The video is excellent. I removed the mirror so the car doesn't look like a junker! I think I can get an assembled unit online for $35-$50 and put it on myself (this is very empowering for someone with few if any handyman skills). The local Advance Auto Parts store wants $155! I suppose that would easily double and more for a dealership repair.
DSInvestor
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by DSInvestor »

skepticalobserver wrote:Thanks very much to all. The video is excellent. I removed the mirror so the car doesn't look like a junker! I think I can get an assembled unit online for $35-$50 and put it on myself (this is very empowering for someone with few if any handyman skills). The local Advance Auto Parts store wants $155! I suppose that would easily double and more for a dealership repair.
If you need a cheap rachet set to secure the mirror, head down to your local Harbor Freight store. It may be $10.
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Kenkat
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by Kenkat »

If you want everything to match, Amazon sells DIY spray paint kits specific to your vehicle's color; primer, base coat and clear coat that provide a decent match to the original.
amd2135
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by amd2135 »

You can probably find the same mirror with the same paint color (if applicable) at a local junkyard for cheap.
livesoft
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by livesoft »

It's a 2005 car, so matching color (of the plastic) is out of the question. You DON'T want to match anything. It will give your car more character.

This reminds me of the time my spouse broke the mirror while backing out of the garage. We were going on a beach trip that morning, too. While filling the car up with gas, a glass/window repair truck pulled in next to us. I asked if they had a bit of broken mirror that we could tape onto the stub left on the car. They obliged me and nipped out a custom piece and taped it on with duct tape. They wouldn't take any money for the effort. Years later, we traded the car in without doing anything to that side mirror.
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HardKnocker
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by HardKnocker »

This just happened to a relative of mine.

$500 for a body shop repair to Ford Fiesta.

Yikes!
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anil686
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by anil686 »

I have done this before on a Toyota Sienna about 4 years ago (don't know about current prices) - cheap local body shop with access to used parts put one on (looked like OEM) - for about $125 including labor... Would definitely call around though - and hope that helps...
Broken Man 1999
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by Broken Man 1999 »

amd2135 wrote:You can probably find the same mirror with the same paint color (if applicable) at a local junkyard for cheap.
Good idea. And, the reclaimed mirror might even be "weathered" like the original.

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climber2020
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by climber2020 »

I went through this recently. Recent base model Toyota camry. Cost at dealership would have been around $400 for parts and labor.

I bought a replacement side mirror unit on Amazon for $40. Took the outer shell to a nearby body shop, and they painted it for $50. I looked up instructions on the Internet and found a very helpful YouTube video outlining the whole process.

In total, it cost me $90 and an hour of my time to disassemble the door, put the mirror on, and put it back together. Best of all, I avoided getting ripped off by the clowns at the dealership.
Gnirk
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by Gnirk »

I knocked the side mirror off as I was backing our of our garage :oops: , and the dealer wanted $850 to replace it. We located one at a junkyard, took it to an auto repair shop, they painted it to match and installed it. Total cost, including mirror was less than $200. I guess it depends how much your time is worth in locating the item, and taking it to the shop for painting and installation.
General Disarray
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by General Disarray »

Skeptical,

I, too, drive a Toyota Camry--slightly older model than yours. In 2011, I smashed my right sideview mirror on the carport as I was backing the car into the carport rear-first. I first called my insurance company, and an agent recommended that I pay out of pocket for the repair; this way, I don't get any points on my record for the accident (which was obviously my own fault).

Called a number of places, but ultimately had the right sideview mirror replaced at an auto body for $351.03. They did an outstanding job! The cost may seem a bit high, but it's not just replacing the sideview mirror. They used OEM parts and there were electronic wirings that had to be repaired, as the sideview mirror is electronic, rather than moved manually.
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fandango
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by fandango »

Call around to some local junk yards. They will probably have some in stock.
harrychan
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by harrychan »

I found an exact color match side mirror on eBay when it happened to me. You can try that.
This is not legal or certified financial advice but you know that already.
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climber2020
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by climber2020 »

General Disarray wrote: Called a number of places, but ultimately had the right sideview mirror replaced at an auto body for $351.03. They did an outstanding job! The cost may seem a bit high, but it's not just replacing the sideview mirror. They used OEM parts and there were electronic wirings that had to be repaired, as the sideview mirror is electronic, rather than moved manually.
This description is correct. The reason why the labor cost is so high is that the door panel needs to be disassembled in order to access the wire that runs from the mirror unit to the power supply. Camrys sold overseas have the wire connector near the mirror (where it belongs), making the replacement an extremely easy process. In the cars sold in the US, the connector is not as easily accessible, presumably to make money for the dealership repair department. Taking the door apart was not that challenging, but putting it back together was a bit tougher. It can still be done with standard screwdrivers and a wrench; no special tools required. Watch the 3 minute YouTube video and see if it might be something you can do yourself.
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TxAg
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by TxAg »

Happened to me last year in 2013 ford explorer...$400
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camper
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by camper »

I backed out of the garage in my Silverado and ruined the driver side mirror. $40 on Ebay. I swapped it out in 10 minutes. Good as new.
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6miths
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by 6miths »

Gnirk wrote:I knocked the side mirror off as I was backing our of our garage :oops: , and the dealer wanted $850 to replace it. We located one at a junkyard, took it to an auto repair shop, they painted it to match and installed it. Total cost, including mirror was less than $200. I guess it depends how much your time is worth in locating the item, and taking it to the shop for painting and installation.
DW managed to scrape off both mirrors (on different occasions) on our Toyota Sienna and the dealer cost quoted was about $1000 per. Each time I got replacements off eBay and replaced them without great fanfare but my recollection is that the current owner of the van may find a wrench at the base of the door if they ever go to the trouble of taking the panels off. Cost each time was about $250 if I recall for heated power mirrors.
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Dtort
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Re: Cost to replace a side view mirror

Post by Dtort »

As you can see, the cost for a basic mirror can be surprisingly low, especially if you DIY. We once tried to have a breeding colony of Pontiac Grand Ams, and I think every one of them got a mirror peeled off at least once. They were easy to reattach or replace. Furthermore, this type of damage is so common that the junkyard I used actually had several new mirror assemblies on the shelf in the back - even though they were a junkyard, they'd determined that it was worth their while to have these mirrors as one of the few "new" items they carried in stock.
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