Side mirror question

[CarolAnn]

Last week while driving home on a pretty country lane, I was startled by a WHUMP and saw the chest of a deer right up against my side window.

The dang thing ran right into me! Then it got up and ran off - maybe to die, maybe just to nurse it's bruises.

The result was my side mirror in pieces all over the blacktop and a small crease in my door panel. It could have been LOTS worse!

I grabbed the plastic mirror back and saved it. Would it be OK to just cut some mirror glass to fit, glue it down and stick it back in? My other mirror is something special; it says "objects appear farther away than they are" so it must be concave or something. Would regular mirror be dangerous to use since it won't have the same view area?

I can't afford a replacement right now, and I sure hate driving without my side mirror!

[DM]

Your field of vision with standard glass will be smaller, so make sure you don't change lanes into someone, but other than that it should work fine...

DM

[kawalekm]

Hi CarolAnn
Is there an auto junkyard in your area that sells parts? Here in California there's a chain called "The Ecology Junkyard". You pay two dollors to get in, then you wander through the yard till you find the make/model/color of vehicle you are interested in. You carry your own tools, and remove the part from the car yourself. You then procede to the check-out to pay for the part. You typically pay about 5-10 cents on the dollor for used parts. I recently helped an uncle replace a rear-view mirror (whole assembly including the plastic shroud and mirror) for only 25$. It would be a way to get stock parts, but save a lot of money at the same time.

[creekside-angie]

Carol Ann, If you decide to cut mirror to fix your side mirror you should seal the edges w/a "mirror edge sealant"It's kinda like black paint,but not.You can get it from a local stained glass supplier.If you just need a little they might just do it for you for little or no $.It will keep the mirror backing from flaking off and corroiding away from chem. (like road salts) that would come in contact with.Also it is difficult to cut mirroring in any shape except a square w/o a glass saw. I would go w/the salvage idea.Much less hassle! ;D

[CarolAnn]

>pounding head on desk<
JUNKYARD

Good grief. I must be getting senile! I didn't even think of a junkyard! ::)

Thanks!