Euro wide angle side mirrors?

[Alan l.]

I noticed that the X5 has rather small side mirrors considering the size of the car. I've always had the habit of adjusting my mirrors as far out as possible to minimize my blind spots but in this car that's not enough. Browsing through realoem.com there are different parts for non US X5s with the outer portion being more wide angle than the rest. Does anyone have a pic of this and can you comment how useful they are or aren't?

Is it on both sides?

Thinking about trying them out to make my car safer. My car doesn't have the driver assist plus BTW...

Thanks
Alan

[Taran.J]

My X5 doesn't have driver assist either but I'm doing just fine with some blue tinted blind spot mirrors

[hotneutron]

This is what I bought from ebay:
Part numbers:
51 16 7 291 247
51 16 7 291 248

The inner portion of the driver side mirror is also aspherical, so the cars in that portion will appear smaller than they actually are.

[Gilly1964]

That one has always amused me...

"Objects in the mirror may appear smaller than they are"

Really - I can see a whole car in the mirror and still need warning that it's actually bigger than that. Does anyone know the 'case history' as it seems mighty obvious even given the litigious society State-side?

[5tony]

Originally Posted by hotneutron

This is what I bought from ebay:
Part numbers:
51 16 7 291 247
51 16 7 291 248

The inner portion of the driver side mirror is also aspherical, so the cars in that portion will appear smaller than they actually are.

Are they heated and self-dimming?

[twelve535i]

The ones I used on my f10 were heated and auto dimming. These probably are also.

It take a little bit of time for your eyes to get used to the euro Mirrors

[Alan l.]

Originally Posted by hotneutron

This is what I bought from ebay:
Part numbers:
51 16 7 291 247
51 16 7 291 248

The inner portion of the driver side mirror is also aspherical, so the cars in that portion will appear smaller than they actually are.

Thanks for that bit of info. Did you install them yet?

Looking at real oem the US X5's mirrors are:

Driver side = Normal (part number 51167354631 for auto dim S430A)
Passenger side = Convex (part number 51167354634 for auto dim S430A)

Your parts numbers looks right if you want both mirrors as "wide angle" but i also noticed that for the passenger side there is also a convex version with the outer section as wide angle as well. See #3 below



You have #2 and #4. Wondering if #2 and #3 would also be a good/better match...

[MattBianco]

I have wanted these types of mirrors since first seeing them in early 80s in Germany. There was one member (here or on Bimmperfest) who had a US car with these mirrors on it. It was mistake. BMW even recalled several other X models for installing wrong mirrors.

Personally, I would get them if I knew dimming and heating compatibility is ascertained.

Also, I would keep the originals as the silly disclaimer about object proximity is a legal requirement and I would not want to sell the car without it.

Lastly, if you are going through the trouble of replacing them, figure out hack to put a black trim around the whole mirror glass. Some kind of a glass edge. MB, Lexus, etc. all have a trim because it covers the narrow perimeter band around the glass that does not dim. You will notice this hereafter....every now and then when a car is adjacent lanes their headlights will briefly flash like a strobe as the reflection goes from edge of the mirror inward. Annoying. Especially if they are relatively stationary and move back and forth -the mirror keeps flashing you.

Please provide an update if you take the plunge.

[Diper]

I drive a euro spec X5 and yes the mirrors dim and are heated. Came back from 2 wks in the states and was surprised that the mirrors in the US enlarge so much. Although I drove a Lincoln Navigator. Reading this post this is probablyUS spec, like the side reflectors

[Doanster]

I wish they wouldn't cost so much. I had the convex/aspherical mirrors on my Passat and they eliminated all doubt of whether a car was in my blind spot or not, but for $400, I'll just stick to using my neck.

[Blackhawks]

If I had to dig deep and find an aesthetic complaint on the X5 it would be the rounded mirrors. Most cars with good lines and aerodynamics have more rectangular mirrors. They sucked on my Lexus and love them on my current car.

*disclaimer: it is not safe to take pics from your mirror while driving!

[hotneutron]

The lens I bought are heated and auto-dimming.

Originally Posted by 5tony

Are they heated and self-dimming?

[hotneutron]

I installed the lens the first day I received them.

I found it take a while to get used to, because the cars in the driver side mirror looks smaller, so it's hard to judge the distance. Previously there is a 0.5 second window from the time a car disappears in the driver side mirror to the time the car appears in the driver side window. With the new mirror, there is no such blind spot.

I got this mainly because the blind spot monitoring will not work under 35mph.

The difference between #3 and #4 are the etched disclaimer, IIRC.

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Thanks for that bit of info. Did you install them yet?

Looking at real oem the US X5's mirrors are:

Driver side = Normal (part number 51167354631 for auto dim S430A)
Passenger side = Convex (part number 51167354634 for auto dim S430A)

Your parts numbers looks right if you want both mirrors as "wide angle" but i also noticed that for the passenger side there is also a convex version with the outer section as wide angle as well. See #3 below

You have #2 and #4. Wondering if #2 and #3 would also be a good/better match...

[Alan l.]

Originally Posted by hotneutron

This is what I bought from ebay:
Part numbers:
51 16 7 291 247
51 16 7 291 248

The inner portion of the driver side mirror is also aspherical, so the cars in that portion will appear smaller than they actually are.

I just installed a set if picked up from ebay as well and they work GREAT! They completely eliminate any blind spots for the X5 and it didn't take me too long to get use to them at all. Originally i was thinking they might look too different for me to get use to but they aren't.

I highly suggest picking up a pair of the euro mirrors if you feel like the blind spot on your car is too much like I did. I use to see a 1-2 second delay where a car would disappear from my view completely if they are on my driver side blind spot but now that is completely gone.

To remove and install you just tilt the mirrors down as much as they can go and you just pull them out with your hands. Took me 5mins to replace both mirrors.

Alan

[MattBianco]

Thanks for the follow up. I will do this when I get a chance. It is a no brainer improvement.

If only the blindspot warning light could be improved this easily. I have written and complained to BMW about the warning lights. They are dim, they dim in/out like curtesy lights, are not visible with the sun behind. They need new bulbs or programming for the LED to make them brighter, and or a secondary alert in HUD.

[Alan l.]

Now after experiencing what the rest of the world's X5 uses it really amazes me why the US spec mirrors are what they are. You see so much more with the euro mirrors. I am guessing it all has to do with DOT with all their outdated rules/regulations. Same reason why the new 7 series here isn't getting Laser Lights like the rest of the world.

When testing the mirrors if a car paces me on the driver side coming up from behind me and about to pass going maybe 1-2mph faster than me, the car would completely disappear from my mirror/vision for a second or two before I could see it again from my window. This is with my stock mirrors adjusted extremely far outwards already minimizing the blind spot.

Now with the Euro mirrors in the same exact scenario, the car still show up on my mirror AND come into vision from my drivers window never disappearing at all. Its so much safer this way for a vehicle this size and being higher up.

Alan

[MattBianco]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Now after experiencing what the rest of the world's X5 uses it really amazes me why the US spec mirrors are what they are. You see so much more with the euro mirrors. I am guessing it all has to do with DOT with all their outdated rules/regulations. Same reason why the new 7 series here isn't getting Laser Lights like the rest of the world.
....

"Your honor, the car in the mirror looked like it was very far away to my client. .....I would like the jury to look at these images and guess the distance between the mirror and the car reflected in the mirror.....a random test of 50 subjects showed that on average the distance was perceived to be 11.9% farther ...that means not relying on these dangerous mirrors my client would have been safe".

And with all the litigation they still sell a blindspot warning light you can't be adequately alerted by.