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My 2013 Focus came with an auto-dimming rear-view mirror as standard. It doesn't dim to the same extent as a manually dipping mirror. On reflection (!) I prefer the latter. What's your preference?
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My preference is for the auto dimming variety - I find the variable nature of the auto dimming better than the binary dipped/undipped options on a manual mirror. For some reason MB like fitting auto dimming drivers side wing mirrors as standard too, which I also like. But while I'd pay (and have paid in the past) extra to specify an auto dimming rear view mirror, I wouldnt pay extra for dimming wing mirrors.
Not sure about Ford, but I thought that an Audi dealer could adjust the sensitivity of the dimming RVM - perhaps its worth exploring with your dealer?
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My C5 and the Mondeo before it had auto-dip and the only word to describe their operation was seamless.
After more than 4yrs with auto-dip the manual Alfa dip seems very awkward.
Last edited by: Fenlander on Fri 21 Jun 13 at 08:31
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I've had one in the past on an Audi and a Jag. The Jag one worked better than the Audi's, but much more usefully, it was linked to the dipping door mirrors.
On balance, I think I prefer manual control over the interior mirror, but having the door mirrors 'dip' in heavy night-time motorway traffic is very pleasant.
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I quite liked auto dip when I had it, but having had manual for most of my thirty years driving I can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of times I've bothered to dip it, and that's been when someone is very close behind and forgotten to take their main beam off.
Doesn't seem an issue to me.
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>> I quite liked auto dip when I had it, but having had manual for most
>> of my thirty years driving I can probably count on the fingers of one hand
>> the number of times I've bothered to dip it, and that's been when someone is
>> very close behind and forgotten to take their main beam off.
>>
>> Doesn't seem an issue to me.
>>
This pretty much sums up my views. Had it and didn't particularly notice (which is probably a good thing). Don't have it now and don't particularly notice.
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My Saab is auto-dimming for the interior and exterior mirrors. Sometimes I wish it would dim a little more, but in most circumstances it's fin. It sometimes dims in odd situations, due I think to it sensing the difference in light levels coming at it from in front and behind. It escapes me atm what they are, but I think it's to do with tunnels.
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The auto dimming RVM in our A4 Convertible would dim when the roof was down and the sun behind you; it couldn't differentiate between headlights and the sun I don't think!! It did have a button to turn off the sensor though, so not a major problem.
The alternative I suppose would have been for it to deactivate when the roof was down, which presumably would be quite easy to program. But then driving at night with the roof down would have been difficult...
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I have now experienced an auto dimming mirror for a year and I still do not like it.
It dims far too much for my liking so I see what looks like a couple of side lights following me and i find it much more difficult judging the distance to the guy behind me.
It does not have an on off switch which would help meanwhile I have to put a finger over the sensor to un dim it :-(
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Have dipping rear view and door mirrors on the XJ deisel (x350).
Not to my liking. I find, especially when in cities, the mirrors dim too much and, for example, make unlit/poorly lit cyclists impossible to see.
My previous Jag (x300 XJR) had auto dipping on the rear view and was adjustable. Much better.
So, good idea vithe an Off-on and variable sensitivity function.
Otherwise no thanks.
Rgds
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I have the photochromic dimming rear view mirror on my Golf MK6 and can switch it on or off. I don't do much night driving now but find that when I do, I turn it on, although all you can then see behind you are a couple of dimmed lights and nothing more - no shapes or anything but suppose it's better than getting dazzled or to have to keep on manually operating the mirror.
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>>I have the photochromic dimming rear view mirror on my Golf MK6 and can switch it on or off.>>
Same here on a Jetta and previously on a Bora. Very quick to react as well.
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>> It dims far too much for my liking so I see what looks like a
>> couple of side lights following me and i find it much more difficult judging the
>> distance to the guy behind me.
This issue doesn't bother me. The convenience of the auto dim outweighs any disadvantage. They react nice and quickly too. I'll have to see whether the Forester has one. If it doesn't then it won't be too bad as I'm sitting higher than most traffic.
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There's one on the Accord we bought recently. It has a pretty little green light on the bottom to show the system is active, as well as an on-off switch.
Unfortunately I can't give an opinion on its efficacy because I realised the other day we have managed in the three months and 7,500km we have owned the car never to have driven it in the dark.
Apparently it has 'mood lighting' inside as well that you can only see when it is really dark. I can hardly wait.
The xenon dipped beams look bright enough to bother other people but, also apparently, they have a self-levelling system to avoid dazzling others. Isn't technology wonderful. Sigh...
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its the only thing I miss not having in the lancer. Give me autodip every time.
(I lie, the other thing i miss is cruise)
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I've had auto dip for about 20 years, so dazzling in the mirror is something I forgot about.
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I first had auto-dimming mirror on my A4 5 in 1999 and I thought it was a gimmick - until I 'used it' that is, I've been a convert ever since, a great feature on a car and something I actively seek in the specification of cars I select. Ditto cruise control.
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"the other thing i miss is cruise"
Cruise and Katie divorced last year so he's a single man if you're interested Zero.
Last edited by: BiggerBadderDave on Sat 22 Jun 13 at 16:59
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>> "the other thing i miss is cruise"
>>
>> Cruise and Katie divorced last year so he's a single man if you're interested Zero.
I dont miss old short ass. Might give katie some room on the sofa tho.
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>> its the only thing I miss not having in the lancer. Give me autodip every
>> time.
>>
>>
>> (I lie, the other thing i miss is cruise)
>>
Looks like you could retrofit the mirror, if you wanted!!
www.autoanything.com/mirrors/gentex-k2-auto-dimming-rear-view-mirror
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I was amazed to see that my Porsche Boxster had exactly the same switchable electronic dipping rear view mirror as our Citroen C8!
I don't think the engines were the same though!
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>> The xenon dipped beams look bright enough to bother other people but, also apparently, they
>> have a self-levelling system to avoid dazzling others. Isn't technology wonderful. Sigh...
>>
I used to hate people who had Xenon headlights because they dazzled me. People flash their lights at [i]me[/i] now.
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>> >> The xenon dipped beams look bright enough to bother other people but, also apparently,
>> they
>> >> have a self-levelling system to avoid dazzling others. Isn't technology wonderful. Sigh...
>> >>
>>
>> I used to hate people who had Xenon headlights because they dazzled me. People flash
>> their lights at [i]me[/i] now.
Dont worry, they will go wrong soon as well.
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HID lights on the Subaru, that should be fun for other road users in a few months time :(
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-13143206
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Dateline 20 April 2011 Dog!! :-)
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I know Smokey, just posted it for those who'd never heard of HID headlights before, like me ;)
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I like my auto dimming mirror. Apparently it also does something to the door mirrors too, but mine need to be resynchronised when I can be bothered.
In particular it doesn't seem to affect the perceived distance of the following vehicle like a manual mirror does. I like the green tinge it puts on following headlights too.
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In particular it doesn't seem to affect the perceived distance of the following vehicle like a manual mirror does.
Curious, that. I hadn't thought of it this way, but the LEC's auto-dim internal mirror does make it easier to judge the distance to the lights behind. The one on the door, though, seems to have the opposite effect, especially on motorways - perhaps because I'm used to no dimming effect at all there.
But I'm a big convert to HID lamps, done properly and safely of course. THE LEC may not be the last word in B-road agility, but when it's dark and the B-road's white lines were last painted in 1982, I know what I'd rather be driving.
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Our Civic FK3 had HID headlamps - mounted in a normal Fresnel reflector rather than the projector style more commonly fitted (Subaru Foresters seem to have this arrangement too). I have to admit that they were very good indeed and noticeably better than even the best halogen headlamps I've encountered. Of course the lighting regs stipulate headlamp cleaning and auto-leveling which were fitted too, kinda nice to see them 'wink' when you turned them on. Full beam was conventional halogen so a fairly unsophisticated setup compared to the shuttered variety I suppose.
I drove an E91 330d with the 'active' HID lamps which I found a wee bit irritating, in thick fog when I (legitimately I'd suggest) activated the front fog lamps the 'clever' HIDs shortened the beam to a point at which it was fairly useless, I see that many manufacturers (Audi, Merc) no longer fit separate front fog lamps to cars with HIDs so I assume they alter the beam pattern when 'fog light mode' is activated ?
Still a fan of auto-dimming mirrors mind you the Civic didn't need one as the bloomin' rear spolier obviated the need....
Last edited by: idle_chatterer on Mon 24 Jun 13 at 02:10
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>> I used to hate people who had Xenon headlights because they dazzled me. People flash
>> their lights at [i]me[/i] now.
>>
My car has bi-xenon headlights. Do they dazzle twice as much?
;-)
Last edited by: L'escargot on Mon 24 Jun 13 at 06:41
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>>My car has bi-xenon headlights. Do they dazzle twice as much?
www.thefreedictionary.com/bi-curious
HTH.
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I have a friend with an interest in antiques. He's not gay, but he does buy curios.
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Auto-dimming rear-view mirror. - PeterS
