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E46 M3 Mirrors on a E46 3 Series
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Written by:
Jordan Buser (http://www.performanceIX.com) |
April 1, 2001
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Tim and I installed my E46 M3 mirrors this winter and started with absolutely no knowledge of how they were to be installed other than knowing there were 5 screws somewhere holding the door panel on. The install was a breeze and I couldn't be happier with the appearance of the mirrors (the only real deciding factor when choosing mirrors). I never liked the AC-Schnitzer mirrors and have seen too many people with the Hamann/Hagus style mirrors and when you consider that the OEM M3 mirrors are about $100 less than the Hagus, I went for the M3 mirrors. The only drawback for me was that I hate the thought of being a "wanna-be," but figured that the other modifications I made on the car would make it apparent that I wasn't biting.
Many people have asked me if wind noise is reduced at high speeds as a common complaint about E46s is that there is almost unbearable windnoise at high speeds. Personally, I am concentrating more on driving at 100mph+ than the amount of noise coming from my car. I could hear no discernable difference between the stock mirrors and the new ones in terms of wind noise. There was, however, a small reduction in the mirrors' field of vision. While somewhat cumbersome and annoying at first, I have gotten completely used to them. Since I have a MY2001 330ci with 12-pin connectors, I lost the auto-tilt and memory functionalities. I would obviously have preferred to have retained these functions, but I have gotten along just fine without them. For me, the only real deciding factor was the appearance, which I love. Here are some pics, see for yourself...
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