So I just picked up my new '11 Conv S after waiting just shy of 2 months. <very excited BTW>

But... I seem to have come across an interesting dilemma. When adjusting my mirrors for the very first time, my driver's side mirror doesn't go up very far at all. So much so that it is restricting my visibility. For example, my salesman stood about 10 feet behind the car and I couldn't see much above his belt-buckle. So basically, 80%+ of what I see is road, and I can not see far down the road behind me.

The passenger side works great and I can almost point it skyward. (understand that the mirrors are different, and the passenger has a larger focal point), but it is almost as if the driver's side is being limited.

So... my question is this: "does anyone else have this problem and/or can others share their experience of what they CAN see from their mirrors?"

Thanks!

 

Have you tried adjusting it manually by pressing on the top of the mirror glass with your fingers?

 

Yep... it doesn't budge. The dealer is saying that they are "all like that" but it doesn't seem normal. And I'm a car-guy. This Mini is my 19th car. So I think something is wrong with it.

 

After further testing I am somewhat convinced the mirror is mounted wrong. I can almost point it straight down and look at the pavement literally beside the driver's door. But I can't get it to go up much past (maybe) a 105 degree angle; Going to check with the dealer on Tuesday.

But my question to everyone is this: If you're sitting in your car, can you tilt your driver's side mirror up far enough to see something even 20 feet high behind you? (meaning... if there was something behind you and it was twenty feet high/tall, could you see it?)

 

On my 2010 hardtop the left and right mirrors have the same up and down range. I can see the rear tire or blue sky on either side.

 

How tall are you and how high is your seat?

I am 5'7" and have my seat all the way down. I can raise my mirror (with the control ****) until I can see higher than I would want but not so high I would see the windshield of a tall truck. I think if you are tall and/or sit high, you might have a problem.

 

I picked up my '11 S Convertible a little over a week ago and noticed the same thing!

Please let us know what the dealership says.

 

Interesting feedback. Thank you. I am taking it in tomorrow and going to push quite hard. I think the mirrors are either defective, they are mounted incorrectly, or it is a design flaw.

Will post my progress.

 

*** UPDATE ***
Not much luck from the dealer today. Although they've been very nice about the whole thing and are "somewhat" agreeing with me that it seems very odd that the mirror won't go higher than it does, or even as high as the right side mirror; they still are not offering any solution.

So I sent an email to Mini NA and am waiting on a call back from them. I simply don't understand why this mirror won't tilt up higher. And unless I crank my seat down 4-5 inches, I have a major blind spot. I basically can't see any car in the lane next to me that is farther than 60-70 feet away. And at 60 MPH, that's only a couple seconds.

Will keep updating with my progress. If anyone else has these issues, I encourage you to push on your dealer and post here so we can escalate the issue.

Thanks.

 

My 09 clubbie is the same way. But on both sides. Doesn't go up far enuf at all.

 

*** UPDATE ***

Well, I actually Tweeted Mini NA and they responded within a couple hours and asked that I email them all the details. So we'll see where it goes.

I remain cautiously optimistic!

 

Well... my issue comes to an end after several phone calls with Mini USA, and two trips to the dealer. Although disappointed, I'm not surprised to learn that the mirror is "working as designed".

What I have learned on my own after spending several more hours behind the wheel is that it is both the shape and seating position of the mirror that causes this problem.

However, should I pull the mirror in (with the mirror adjustment), I can see "more", but now limit my visibility to the left of the car. I have to bring the mirror in so much that I can now see the door handle on the car.

So I will live with this for now until I have time to disassemble the mirror and find a way to put a 1/4" shim behind it to raise the focal point of the mirror.

Boo @ MINI USA.

 

Well, like I said, and you mentioned...have you tried cranking the seat all the way down? If so, how is the mirror then? You may not like the seat all the way down, but you probably could get used to it after a while.

 

If I sit way down, the problem is diminished.

But after many driving schools, I just can't sit that low. I'm not comfortable there. I do sit higher, and more forward... but that's what I was taught. And never had a problem on any of my previous 19 cars.

My main argument is, the mirror should support ANY seating position. If the seat goes up, then the mirror should support it.

I can put the mirror down so far that I can see the road immediately beside the car. How valuable is that? If the mirror was simply seated at a different angle, there would be no problem.

(But I guess then you couldn't pivot the mirror down to see if there is any gum on the road before you step our of your car! LOL).

 

That having been said, I am left wondering if perhaps the designers at MINI all went to a "different school" and all of them like to sit as low as possible.

When I got my MINI, I had the same problem as you. I also like to sit higher. But as I wanted to see what is behind me I sat lower. Now after almost 2 years, I am used to it.

I did buy a set of Multivex mirrors ($89.95) and they did help. But I just couldn't adjust to the distortion. If you'd like to try a set, I will let you have mine - as good as new with new double-sided tape - for 1/2 price ($45) including postage.

 

Does anyone know if the mirror-drive can be "initialized" like the power windows can be? If so this might help to correct mjsteelega's issue.

As most know, if the windows quit "full-drive" by quick tap of the bat-switch,
you can "re-train" the control by holding the bat-switch for the full travel of
direction intended, and then without releasing the switch, continue holding for an additional 8 - 10 seconds. Don't know if that method will work for the mirror-drive, but maybe they're similar?