Just converted Manual M3 mirrors to Electric! WRITEUP!

[BMWg84]

Man, i can't believe it actually turned out well! For some of you that know already what I'm talking about, I purchased set of M3 replica mirrors (no light on side) off ebay for a GREAT price, but unfortunately they were manually adjustable. So, I asked around (Thanks Evan "Buttuh") and went ahead and tried the conversion. i took pictures of the first half of the conversion hoping to do a writeup, but my camera's batteries died! But for those of you that want to try this for yourself, all you need are:

-Manual M3 sidemirrors (I suggest not to paint them until you are finished with the install, b/c the paint may get scuffed or scratched)
-the motors out of your stock side mirrors
-10mm socket or wrench
-Philips screw driver
-Flathead screw driver
-switch blade knife or equivalent.
-Drill with small bit

Directions ( i may skip or miss a step but hang in there with me)
Removal of stock mirrors:
1. remove stock mirrors out of your car by prying off the top of the triangle plate from within the car. (watch your hands, plate is sharp around edges!) once the top part of plate support is taken out side the plate upward and pull out. (easy)
2. you will notice (3) 10mm screws. Remove all those and the mirror should come loose. disconnect the power line that hooks up on the triangular plate.
3. pull out mirror assembly

Taking out stock mirror motor:
1. pull off the stock mirror lense/plate (supported at all four corners underneath)
2. take out 5 screws bordering the motor. (note: be careful when taking these screws out, they have a tendency to strip! if they strip, don't sweat it you may be able to pull the plastic cover through them.)
3. Once all 5 screws are out remove the inner 4 screws on the white motor.
NOW - there are 4 Plastic pieces that make up the actual mirror you must remove.
4. pull off the plate that was held down by the 5 screws. use force, you wont brake anything terribly
5. Remove the dimpled plastic plate, front mirror surround plastic piece by sliding upward and out; once clear.
6. Remove the rear plastic mirror piece by pushing the clips held to the aluminum mirror backing
7.look on the very underside of the mirror, there is a little plate that says "III" and "E1" with a circle around it. Pry that piece out.
________________________________________
8. NOW, once you have the motor accessible, slide the wiring through the triangluar metal mounting piece's hole.
9. on the wire harness piece (little platic box for wires) slide off the underside of box as if you are snapping your fingers with the harness between them)
10. Force that box through the metal circular hole. (it wont go through unless you slide off that piece i was talking about in #9 - you will be able to put it back on in the end.)
11. Slide the harness/ wiring through the rectangular hole in the aluminum mirror part
12. Pull motor OUT!!

Hooking up motor in M3 manual mirror:
1. take off the mirror reflector on M3 mirror (mounts exactly the same as the stock mirror)
2. Remove the 2 screws within (philips)
3. pull out manual adjusting plate
for left mirror (just opposite of right M3 mirror)
4. drill a hole in the ~160degree angle spot in the electric motor. this is right between circle quadrant 1 and 3.
O.....O..
...x()....
O.....O..

Right where the "x" is. Make sure you drill very close to the center- BUT DON'T HIT THE WIRES

5. That hole you drilled should now line up with the M3 Mirror mounting point. (there are 2 but you probably know this by now.)
6. screw the electric motor into those 2 spots - (trust me, it is secure enough)
7. mount the glass back onto the motor.
8. plug in the wire and watch it work ELECTRICALLY!

Just do the same for the right hand side (drill opposite side of motor for right hand side).

You are all done!!
Thank me later

[Preppy]

Excellent job dude, nice work

[Daved]

Thanks for the write-up! Now I'm thinking about getting some non-power replica M mirrors and then try this...

Please post the pics you took.

[blueIce]

I have the manual mirrors, but I already sold my stock ones. The mirror glass on mine shakes with the bass and the wind too, so I would like to know how you got the glass off without breaking the adjusting plate... is there a way to tighten the glass on the plate ?

[RacermeX]

Good info Chris!

[BMWg84]

Originally posted by blueIce
I have the manual mirrors, but I already sold my stock ones. The mirror glass on mine shakes with the bass and the wind too, so I would like to know how you got the glass off without breaking the adjusting plate... is there a way to tighten the glass on the plate ?

#1, check to see if the mirror glass is on securely. my glass use to shake a lot until i put the motors in them. i guess the motor plate absorbs a lot of the vibrations.

#2, the mirror may not be tightly mounted to the car. tighten those screws but don't overtorque!

Carlos
Thanks bro! What's new? haven't talked to you in a while

[slickav]

Pic's?

[blueIce]

I think my question was too complicated before,

How do I remove the mirror glass on the replica mirrors? Does it just pop right off??

Good job on the mod by the way~!

[teenagedirtbag]

damn chris, always comin up with new parts and ideas huh?
sweet job;D

[BMWg84]

Originally posted by blueIce
I think my question was too complicated before,

How do I remove the mirror glass on the replica mirrors? Does it just pop right off??

Good job on the mod by the way~!

yup, mirror glass pops right off. it is secured at 4 locations on the mirror glass rotational support piece (circular plastic piece behind glass).

[Bernman]

Very nice Chis! Thanks for the information.

What brand of mirror did you buy? Other than it being manual, how is the quality of this brand?

I have been thinking of getting the mirrors that FK sells that have an E46M3'esq appearance, but have resisted thus far since they don't make the car go any faster or handle any better...which is the same reason my window trim is still cracked and faded

Good work man!
Thanks,
Butch

P.S. By the way, here is what your switch is being morphed onto. It was exactly what I needed. More info will be released shortly...

[BMWg84]

The mirrors are FDC or something like that.. They are actually pretty good quality and look great for aftermarket mirrors. If I were you, I'd hold out for OEM, and just keep making that beast faster

What have you done to my switch!? you monster

[BMWg84]

Hey butch you should make a voice commanded sunroof switch!

[Bernman]

Ha! that is the next version...It's alive! bwuhahahahaha! (in his best evil scientist impression...)

[RacermeX]

Originally posted by BMWg84
Thanks bro! What's new? haven't talked to you in a while [/B]

Not much. When are you going to be in town? we need to get out and play. There's a tournament coming up on 8/2/03.

[BMWg84]

I'll play a little golf with ya. im in town right now. let me know what day. just to warn you, my clubs have been collecting dust for about a month now.. my Scotty Cameron might be a little rusty

[nathan]

good job.. we def need 2 see some pics!
how bout the heated mirror feature.. i guess thats gone now?

-nathan

[RacermeX]

Originally posted by BMWg84
I'll play a little golf with ya. im in town right now. let me know what day. just to warn you, my clubs have been collecting dust for about a month now.. my Scotty Cameron might be a little rusty

Doesn't the "g" in your user ID stand for golf?

We'll have to set something up. I wanted to play this weekend, but unfortunately, we've had other things come up.
I went over to "Dad" Miller in Anaheim today - I went with the guy setting up the tournament, that I mentioned earlier. It looks like a nice course. It appears that Tiger Woods is investing about $5 Million into a learning center there.

[1995red318i]

so was it worth it then or would you recommend just spending a little extra for oem m3 mirrors that have all the needed parts?

oem mirrors shouldn't rattle correct?


anyways, great write up. its good to see people getting creative. all you engineers out there get to do all the test work and then post it up so we can mooch of the info

[buttuh]

I think it's worth it considering OEM mirrors are over $300. You can get a set of manual aftermarket for $50. You decide.

[hc1001]

woo hoo i just did the conversion and its cool....i was kinda lazy and didnt drill the second hole near the center...but it works anyways....thx bmwg84! if u didint do this...i dont think i would have the balls to do this conversion by myself.....

[Daved]

hc1001, did you use some cheap ebay mirrors?

[BMWg84]

Originally posted by hc1001
woo hoo i just did the conversion and its cool....i was kinda lazy and didnt drill the second hole near the center...but it works anyways....thx bmwg84! if u didint do this...i dont think i would have the balls to do this conversion by myself.....

!! Good job man!

[Bernman]

Originally posted by hc1001
woo hoo i just did the conversion and its cool....i was kinda lazy and didnt drill the second hole near the center...but it works anyways....thx bmwg84! if u didint do this...i dont think i would have the balls to do this conversion by myself.....

Very cool! Can you link us to where you bought your mirrors?

Nice work man

[ayton]

I did this a while back also before the write up, nobody thought it could be done.