Post by papaof2 on Dec 16, 2021 19:37:55 GMT -6
My body is telling me I did too much today but I did save almost $500. The right-hand outside mirror on the better half's 2012 vehicle needed to be replaced and the dealer price is around $200 for the mirror plus $300 for the labor. The generic mirror was $43 delivered from Amazon. The black mirror case doesn't exactly match the dark gray of the vehicle but that's a $10 spray can of touchup paint away. The dealer could have provided the replacement mirror case in the matching color for only $56 plus tax and shipping.
At about $440 savings (including the paint that's yet to be purchased), I made $220 an hour, including the time to switch the connectors - the replacement mirror (5 wire connector + 2 wire connector in a common semi-oval shroud) has the "puddle light" on the bottom which the original mirror did not have (just the 5 wire connector in a round shroud). I had fun disassembling the 5 + 2 shroud to retrieve the connectors undamaged - disassembling the 5 wire shroud was then much easier - that project made up the second hour of the replacement task. The mirror is in place and it works. I only had difficulty in getting one piece of trim back in place but adjusting a spring clip with pliers resolved that.
I also figured out where to tap into the wiring harness in the door to connect the "puddle light" so it comes on when the door is opened, but that's a project for another day - I've had all the time standing on concrete that I can manage today :-(
At about $440 savings (including the paint that's yet to be purchased), I made $220 an hour, including the time to switch the connectors - the replacement mirror (5 wire connector + 2 wire connector in a common semi-oval shroud) has the "puddle light" on the bottom which the original mirror did not have (just the 5 wire connector in a round shroud). I had fun disassembling the 5 + 2 shroud to retrieve the connectors undamaged - disassembling the 5 wire shroud was then much easier - that project made up the second hour of the replacement task. The mirror is in place and it works. I only had difficulty in getting one piece of trim back in place but adjusting a spring clip with pliers resolved that.
I also figured out where to tap into the wiring harness in the door to connect the "puddle light" so it comes on when the door is opened, but that's a project for another day - I've had all the time standing on concrete that I can manage today :-(
