Multivex Mirror review

[Jim Itin]

And if you would rather not have the Multivex mirror extend past the mirror housing, it's not difficult to detach the black plastic surround and remove the OEM mirror. Then you install the Multivex so that it sits essentially completely within the housing, and use black RTV to fill the gap smoothly. Solves the cosmetics issues if they matter to you.
By the way, the Multivexes have saved me from more than a few faux pas
moves when changing lanes on the I-state. After you've been scared s___-less once or twice, the Multivexes are a no brainer.
Jim

[elisemirrors]

I'm amazed at how you guys have modified our mirrors for a custom fit. No other car owners have gone to these lengths, which says a lot about the Elise. Now I have a question....does anyone know if our Elise mirrors fit the Exige? I am getting requests for them but have no way to check and see if the mirrors are identical to the Elise. Can anyone shed light on this for me? Thanks so much...and HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!! Kenney

[pete k]

Originally Posted by elisemirrors

I'm amazed at how you guys have modified our mirrors for a custom fit. No other car owners have gone to these lengths, which says a lot about the Elise. Now I have a question....does anyone know if our Elise mirrors fit the Exige? I am getting requests for them but have no way to check and see if the mirrors are identical to the Elise. Can anyone shed light on this for me? Thanks so much...and HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!! Kenney

Yes, they are identical.

[Joetz]

Originally Posted by AttAkker

RaceVIEW (minus 2 more lbs) not too bad of an install, I did have to fish for screws on the 1st side I did, good product, awesome look and functionality, @ night 100X better than multivex

Why is it better than multivex at night? I want to do one of these mods but am not sure if I should get the multivex product or just replace the entire mirror.

[shay2nak]

I may pic up a pair of these. I've been doing fine driving with the standard mirrors. I can see behind me also, I haven't caught myself once looking into the RV mirror.

[Evil Twin]

My experience, in case it's helpful to anyone:

1. First off, thanks to darkSol and to Jim Itin who were both generous with their advice and gracious with their responses to my questions.

2. Second, while everyone's entitled to their opinion, I don't share the view that all that is needed is "proper adjustment of the mirrors" to obtain perfect visibility in the Elise. I find the blind-spots large and disconcerting, and I've never felt entirely confident changing lanes without first accelerating a bit AND checking over my shoulder. These mirrors seem to offer huge improvement over the stock visibility.

3. Perhaps the mirrors have changed slightly in the design -- or perhaps I'm more picky than I think -- but I found the "stick 'em on and call it done" look of the Multivex Mirrors awful. I could easily see not just the top edge of the mirror but also behind it to the gap between the mirror and the stock glass.

4. While finishing the edges with sanding/paint or electrical tape seemed better than nothing, I didn't think I'd be happy with the look once done. So, I followed the path laid down by darkSol and Jim Itin. Bottom line: it turned out great. The mirrors are indistinguishable from a factory install.

5. darkSol's instructions contained on page FIVE of this thread tell you most everything you need to know. My additions:

• You can gently pry the stock mirror out of the housing without needing to break the stock glass. Just do it in a warm location, as the housing gets brittle in the cold and can crack.
  
• Buy 1/8" thick plastic of a type that will adhere to epoxy cement (some types of plastic won't). I went to a local industrial plastics distributor and rummaged through their parts bin. They were very helpful in making certain I got the right type of plastic -- and the material cost me all of $5. I cut bevels in the area where the tabs from the housing go to make certain the tabs would seat properly. Not sure it's necessary but it worked. I shaped the material with a grinder, and with patience, it all worked out just fine.
  
• I didn't go nuts in terms of globbing on a huge amount of black room-temperature-vulcanizing (RTV) caulk. Just put a medium sized bead around the edges, shoved the mirrors in place, ran q-tips around the edges until I'd removed the excess caulk, and then removed the painters tape from the face of the mirrors before the caulk dried. It worked fine. In truth, you could easily get away with not using caulk at all, as the gaps are not all that perceptable. I'm guessing only I'd have ever noticed. I did add two layers of 3M industrial strength double-layered tape in the center of the mirrors for added security.
  
• Having done this, I'd argue that replacing the stock mirrors with the Multivex ones is no harder than painting/sanding the edges, and the results are much closer to stock. I've no reason to believe this solution won't last indefinitely, so I see no reason NOT to go this route if you're hankering for a clean look.

Hope this is some use.
Twin

[mark.r]

Originally Posted by shay2nak

I may pic up a pair of these. I've been doing fine driving with the standard mirrors. I can see behind me also, I haven't caught myself once looking into the RV mirror.

I had planned to make them my first purchase to once I bought my car but so far have just not felt the need. I sat in Tim Mullins car so I know what they look like but I guess I just don't notice them that much.

[Domino]

Pics?

-- thx, Bob

Originally Posted by Evil Twin

My experience, in case it's helpful to anyone:

1. First off, thanks to darkSol and to ...

[Evil Twin]

darkSol's picture do a good job of showing how it looks. Pretty much like the stock mirror unless you look really, really closely and see that there's a small gap filled with black rubber-looking material (the vulcanized caulk). If you don't get a good enough sense after looking at darkSol's write (on p5 of this thread), PM me, and I'll take a few shots of mine tomorrow.

Twin

[ace10]

ordered mirrors on Wed Jan3, received them today, Sat Jan 6. sent via USPS priority. WTG on the quick turn around!

packaging was sufficient. box was perfectly proportioned to the produc, bubblewrap around the mirrors. slim to no chance the mirrors get damaged during shipping.

first comment is this: the edges around the glass appear to be slightly beveled/ground down. i don't see any of the chipping seen in photos earlier. perhaps they've added another process by which the product is slightly more refined now?

i'm going to see how they line up as an overlay as i'm not hugely interested in tearing the housing apart and building up a backing to do the darksol instal. we'll see. if it looks like a bandaid, then the stockers will get yanked out.

[ace10]

oh yea, gonna have to tear in the mirror assembly. i don't care for that gap around the multivex.

the visibility, limited as it is in my garage, appears to be quite an improvement.

[Evil Twin]

I took the photo, below, of my darkSol Multivex Mirror installation from the worst possible angle from less than a foot away. The mirror will never been seen from this angle so closely, but it gives you an idea of what to expect. To my eye, it's virtually indistinguishable from a factory installation. The gaps (which are quite small anyway, once the mirror is recessed into the housing) are all but invisible once filled with black vulcanizing caulk which, itself, is almost impossible to see. You can be the judge whether this approach might work for you, but I'd argue that it'll take you no more time to remove the stock mirrors entirely than it would to sand/paint the edges of the Multivex Mirrrors and glue them to the stock ones. In any event, I'm certainly happy with the results. Thanks, again, to darkSol and Jim Itin.

Twin

[Evil Twin]

Got a chance to drive the Elise today in traffic, and I have to say that these mirrors rock! First time I've driven on the highway and not wondered if there was something in my blind spot. Yes, I know there are some who question the need for these mirrors -- I suspect they've never tried them. The difference is huge. I'm not a big fan of solving problems that don't actually exist. I'm not a big fan of modding my car for the sake of changing it. I am a big fan of these mirrors. Best money I've spent in a long, long time....

[Matt_M]

I'm interested in a set of Multivex mirrors for my Exige but have one burning concern:

Because my car's rearward vision is so terrible I need to rely a great deal on the side mirrors to help me back up and see traffic behind me. My stock passenger mirror, with its "Objects in mirror..." convexity makes it tough to judge distances from clam-mashing objects. Most times I can rely on the driver's side mirror for help.

According to the Multivex website both their mirrors are slightly convex and shrink objects in view. That concerns me. Have other Multivex mirror users found this distortion to be a problem for parking lot maneuverability or CHP spotting?

Thanks,

Matt Merritt

[Evil Twin]

My take, the Multivex mirrors are better than the stock passenger mirrors in terms of depth perception as they seem flatter toward the inside edge and then turn increasingly convex toward the outside edge. Thus, once you get used to them as develop the habit of looking at the inner third of the mirror, they work well. The driver's side's a different story, however, as the flat glass in the stock mirrors is perfect for judging depth -- at the cost, of course, of a huge blind spot. Maybe others will feel differently, but there you go.

[abearman]

I agree that the multivex mirrors are a no brainer - best mod I have done - but they do make objects appear smaller. I rely on them way more than the rear view but typiclaly double check over my shoulder if something shows in the mirror so that I can confirm distance. Regardless, they are a must buy - if I were in an Exige, I would probably also get a rear view camera.

[The Buzzman]

Originally Posted by fastliz

Hi all,

I just got back from an hour of tooling around in my Elise after installing my Multivex mirrors (arrived today).

The installation could not be easier. Just peel the backing off the adhesive strips and stick'em on! They are labeled so you can't screw up by putting them on backwards / upside down.

Driving in some traffic helped me to "test them out." They are definitely different than your typical convex mirror. The curvature is progressive. I did not have any trouble adjusting, though. (Bear in mind, as a dentist, I work using a mirror all day, every day.)

What I like about them is the confidence they inspire. With the stock mirrors, I was a "hinge-head." I couldn't help turning my head to look over my shoulders when changing lanes. I just didn't trust what I was seeing in the stock mirrors. With the Multivex mirrors, I know there is nobody there when I change lanes.

They are front-surface mirrors, so there's no ghosting. The image is crystal-clear.

The instructions advise you NOT to stare at the mirror, but rather just glance. This is especially true on the driver's side mirror. If you do, you'll get confusing double-vision. The progressive convexity does strange things when you stare into it. And, of course, you're better off focusing on the road ahead!

This is a neat and inexpensive mod that has a great return on investment. It definitely enhances the driving experience. And, they don't weigh much!

That's it! I'm very happy I got these mirrors.

Mike

edit to add this contact info-(randyc)

Mike, Thanks for the info on the mirrors. I recently added them for safety. They really do work great, and took three minutes to install.

I have been toying with the idea of gaining track experience, starting at the bottom with an instructor. Do you have any suggestions or people to refer to me?

Ps. I live a few miles from you, ....most likely, (after checking out your web site, I realized that we are in the same town). I have lived locally here, for 18-years. Never saw you tooling around in your Elise, though.

If you want a ride in mine, just to check out the extra power feel, let me know.

I will be giving Shermond, at WPB. Lotus, a Nitro Blasted ride, for him to experience the world of quick easy power added by the Nitro Blaster. He may be setting up others for me to do the trick for them, as well.

[xtn]

Originally Posted by Matt_M

Because my car's rearward vision is so terrible I need to rely a great deal on the side mirrors to help me back up and see traffic behind me. My stock passenger mirror, with its "Objects in mirror..." convexity makes it tough to judge distances from clam-mashing objects. Most times I can rely on the driver's side mirror for help.

According to the Multivex website both their mirrors are slightly convex and shrink objects in view. That concerns me. Have other Multivex mirror users found this distortion to be a problem for parking lot maneuverability or CHP spotting?

I installed my Multivex mirrors about two months ago. I'll agree that the distortion can sometimes cause poor depth judgement. But I'd rather see a car in the next lane and be unable to tell the depth than to plain not see the car in the next lane!

xtn

[Evil Twin]

Earlier this month, I did a 1600 mile roundtrip to NoCal (for an event at Sears Point), and I have to say that every time I drive the car with these mirrors, I find myself saying, "wow, these things are great!". Best mod I've done to the car (well, save adjusting the brake pedal for heel-toe). If there's any real difficulty in backing up, I suspect I've long just gotten used to it. But I no longer have this lingering fear there must might be someone in the blind spot.

[elisemirrors]

Hi again, everybody. I'm still waiting day to day to get the news that the shopping cart is a full go . If it doesn't happen very soon, I will figure out another way to get you your mirrors in a timely fashion. Thanks again for your patience and loyalty! Kenney