V8V Interior / Rear View Mirror
Discussion
I have been enjoying my 2006 V8V since getting it in the summer but the darker mornings/evenings have made me miss the accoutrements that are standard in more modern cars, namely an auto dimming mirror. Now whilst I know Aston ownership isn't cheap, I don't particularly agree with spending north of £250 on a part that I can pick up used for much less.
After doing some searching there is a blog from Aston1936 that includes a bit about replacement items being Peugeot 106, 206 etc and others about using Volvo.
Used Peugeot auto dimming seem to be a rare as Aston's so I managed to get a Volvo S60 - fail! First off it didn't actually work on a bench test, but then I investigated further and realised that the ball mount is a different size to the Vantage.
I then did some more digging in the Peugeot world and found that the 306 guys were using Citroen C5 Mk1 mirrors to upgrade. With that knowledge I grabbed one off Ebay, there are a few going around, you need a pre 2008, success!
Swapping over is simple enough, the Aston mirror pops off the arm with a bit of leverage then it just needs the nipple removing from the end of the ball and a hole drilling through for the wires to feed through.
The Citroen mirror has a metal spring ring around the collar that the ball goes into, lever that up and the arm comes straight out. Force the ring back on and the Aston arm pops back in.
You need to snip the electrical connections off and then crimp new ones back on, but then it works. I didn't bother with the reverse sensor, just used the pos and neg, the wiring is already in the light binnacle, wrapped in black foam.
Happy to give any more info if anyone wants some.
After doing some searching there is a blog from Aston1936 that includes a bit about replacement items being Peugeot 106, 206 etc and others about using Volvo.
Used Peugeot auto dimming seem to be a rare as Aston's so I managed to get a Volvo S60 - fail! First off it didn't actually work on a bench test, but then I investigated further and realised that the ball mount is a different size to the Vantage.
I then did some more digging in the Peugeot world and found that the 306 guys were using Citroen C5 Mk1 mirrors to upgrade. With that knowledge I grabbed one off Ebay, there are a few going around, you need a pre 2008, success!
Swapping over is simple enough, the Aston mirror pops off the arm with a bit of leverage then it just needs the nipple removing from the end of the ball and a hole drilling through for the wires to feed through.
The Citroen mirror has a metal spring ring around the collar that the ball goes into, lever that up and the arm comes straight out. Force the ring back on and the Aston arm pops back in.
You need to snip the electrical connections off and then crimp new ones back on, but then it works. I didn't bother with the reverse sensor, just used the pos and neg, the wiring is already in the light binnacle, wrapped in black foam.
Happy to give any more info if anyone wants some.
Edited by AMV8Stuart on Monday 10th October 11:26
great stuff!
I would quite like auto dimming also so i will get one bought from ebay.
Do you know the part number for the aston plug or did you replace it completely?
I am sure this will be clear when i have the part in my hand but when your talking about drilling do you mean through the ball socket or just into the plastic surround.
Any picture of the process would be great if you have them, but no worries if not!
I would quite like auto dimming also so i will get one bought from ebay.
Do you know the part number for the aston plug or did you replace it completely?
I am sure this will be clear when i have the part in my hand but when your talking about drilling do you mean through the ball socket or just into the plastic surround.
Any picture of the process would be great if you have them, but no worries if not!
Edited by IainWhy on Monday 10th October 10:55
Hi Iain, I just snipped it off. I actually found 2 spare feeds in the binnacle, one with 2 wires and one with 3. I used the one with 3 reckoning that would be the one with pos, neg and reverse sense. Orange is live, black is neg. On the Citroen mirror, Black is neg dark brown is probably reverse sense (I didn't use it) and the other, light brown or possibly dirty pink is live.
Drill through the ball itself of the Aston arm. Do it from the back as there is a hole going most of the way through anyway. so the hole comes out where the nipple was. Don't touch the plastic on the new mirror, that would mean re-routing the wires which would be more difficult and look bad.
I didn't take any pics, kicked myself after - I was just excited being able to do it for £20 and got it done!
Drill through the ball itself of the Aston arm. Do it from the back as there is a hole going most of the way through anyway. so the hole comes out where the nipple was. Don't touch the plastic on the new mirror, that would mean re-routing the wires which would be more difficult and look bad.
I didn't take any pics, kicked myself after - I was just excited being able to do it for £20 and got it done!
My Vantage has an auto dimming interior rear view mirror.
It works at night, but it does seem to be yet another instance of automating, just because we can.
Heck, I even enjoy changing gear myself and am still permitted to turn on the lights and wipers.
We are at the end of that era of course, but for a drivers sports car, I quite like the involvement.
On occasions in my DD, I dim the manual interior mirror briefly during day time. Cannot do that in the Aston.
I think its a question of choice, luckily we do still have a certain amount of freedom.
Personally I like auto dimming, it means I can concentrate on driving rather than switching something manually. I have never felt the need to be able to activate it during daylight hours and because it has been a simple change, once the alternative part had been identified, it was a no brainer for me.
Personally I like auto dimming, it means I can concentrate on driving rather than switching something manually. I have never felt the need to be able to activate it during daylight hours and because it has been a simple change, once the alternative part had been identified, it was a no brainer for me.
AMV8Stuart said:
... I have never felt the need to be able to activate it during daylight hours ...
I didn't like to say why in my original post, but as you mention it;
It is one of my driving safety procedures. Dip the mirror, then you are not distracted by the tailgating Audi driver behind, whilst concentrating on gradually slowing to increase the gap to the vehicle ahead.
If you happen to be an Audi driver, then we might have met. You must be the only one, who has ever had the courtesy to thank me for giving way. -
A great write up Stuart. Admire your perseverance in tracing the part. Will you be adding the subject to the Alternative Parts topic ?
Good call, I've added to the thread.
I didn't like to say why in my original post, but as you mention it;
It is one of my driving safety procedures. Dip the mirror, then you are not distracted by the tailgating Audi driver behind, whilst concentrating on gradually slowing to increase the gap to the vehicle ahead.
If you happen to be an Audi driver, then we might have met. You must be the only one, who has ever had the courtesy to thank me for giving way. -
A great write up Stuart. Admire your perseverance in tracing the part. Will you be adding the subject to the Alternative Parts topic ?
Jon39 said:
I didn't like to say why in my original post, but as you mention it;
It is one of my driving safety procedures. Dip the mirror, then you are not distracted by the tailgating Audi driver behind, whilst concentrating on gradually slowing to increase the gap to the vehicle ahead.
If you happen to be an Audi driver, then we might have met. You must be the only one, who has ever had the courtesy to thank me for giving way. -
A great write up Stuart. Admire your perseverance in tracing the part. Will you be adding the subject to the Alternative Parts topic ?
Dewi 2 said:
My Vantage has an auto dimming interior rear view mirror.
It works at night, but it does seem to be yet another instance of automating, just because we can.
Heck, I even enjoy changing gear myself and am still permitted to turn on the lights and wipers.
We are at the end of that era of course, but for a drivers sports car, I quite like the involvement.
On occasions in my DD, I dim the manual interior mirror briefly during day time. Cannot do that in the Aston.
Well each to their own, I have auto dimming even on both my race cars, it means your not faffing with the mirror rather than having your hands on the significant controls which to me is a significant win, one i am very grateful for the OP finding and writing up.
So bit of an update here.
I have done this on my car, so many thanks to the OP for the good tip, mine works wonderfully and incidentally has a manual override should you wish to deactivate it.
I dont know if i exectued it in the identical way but i ised a mirror from a 2004 c5, I understand that this model went from 2001-2008
The ball soket is fractionally smaller on the c5 by 0.3mm but this makes no difference to its function. i would suggest that any ball socket 15-16mm would be compatable.
I drilled through t the ball socked but also upwards into the aston support so the wire is invisible. I also found three plugs in the binacle one 2 pin and 2 3 pins. Using the plug as per the picture gives the correct operation with the circuit powering down shortly after key out.
I will source some small neat socket solution to replace the wire locks when i get a moment.
Pictures below
I have done this on my car, so many thanks to the OP for the good tip, mine works wonderfully and incidentally has a manual override should you wish to deactivate it.
I dont know if i exectued it in the identical way but i ised a mirror from a 2004 c5, I understand that this model went from 2001-2008
The ball soket is fractionally smaller on the c5 by 0.3mm but this makes no difference to its function. i would suggest that any ball socket 15-16mm would be compatable.
I drilled through t the ball socked but also upwards into the aston support so the wire is invisible. I also found three plugs in the binacle one 2 pin and 2 3 pins. Using the plug as per the picture gives the correct operation with the circuit powering down shortly after key out.
I will source some small neat socket solution to replace the wire locks when i get a moment.
Pictures below
Good call on drilling up the bracket arm as well to run the cables direct into the mount, not only does it completely hide them but also makes putting everything back easier as you don't have to support the mirror weight while replacing the binnacle. I may copy this if I get round to it.
Dont know about your experience, but for me getting the spring ring back on the collar was the hardest, I tried various methods of holding it open until I just used my thumbs to force it over.
Dont know about your experience, but for me getting the spring ring back on the collar was the hardest, I tried various methods of holding it open until I just used my thumbs to force it over.
AMV8Stuart said:
Good call on drilling up the bracket arm as well to run the cables direct into the mount, not only does it completely hide them but also makes putting everything back easier as you don't have to support the mirror weight while replacing the binnacle. I may copy this if I get round to it.
Dont know about your experience, but for me getting the spring ring back on the collar was the hardest, I tried various methods of holding it open until I just used my thumbs to force it over.
Yea it does keep it all out of the way, i vaguely thought about printing up a little cover, but given its absolutely invisible it just felt unnessesary.Dont know about your experience, but for me getting the spring ring back on the collar was the hardest, I tried various methods of holding it open until I just used my thumbs to force it over.
I unscrewed the ball pin to remove the mirror so i think i didnt have the same fight, i did have to roll about on the floor to get the original mirror off the arm though, flet like i came fairly close to breaking the glass tbh
Thought I'd post some pics that 'borrowed' off the net marked up with instructions as a supplementary to my words and IainWhy's pics:
Separate the Citroen mirror from the arm by prising up the spring ring around the collar with a screwdriver as marked with yellow arrow below:
Refit the spring ring and fit connectors to the cables to suit connector in the Aston. I removed the Aston connector and used bullet connectors.
Separate the Aston mirror from the arm using an open ended spanner around the ball, lever up against the mirror as shown by the red arrow.
After removing the small nipple from the end of the ball, drill through the ball from the rear (direction shown by blue arrow) to allow cable from the Citroen mirror to pass though.
Drill up the arm from the same position to he mounting area (direction shown by yellow arrow) to allow cables to pass up the arm and be hidden when mounted. Alternatively, you can run the cables in the joint between the light binnacle and the roof lining.
Find the spare cable behind the roof lining. Remove the connector block and fit your own connectors - I used female bullets, then either leave in position for the newly mounted mirror or run between the roof and the lining to emerge from the mirror mount position as shown by the red arrow below:
Then just refit light binnacle and mirror.
Separate the Citroen mirror from the arm by prising up the spring ring around the collar with a screwdriver as marked with yellow arrow below:
Refit the spring ring and fit connectors to the cables to suit connector in the Aston. I removed the Aston connector and used bullet connectors.
Separate the Aston mirror from the arm using an open ended spanner around the ball, lever up against the mirror as shown by the red arrow.
After removing the small nipple from the end of the ball, drill through the ball from the rear (direction shown by blue arrow) to allow cable from the Citroen mirror to pass though.
Drill up the arm from the same position to he mounting area (direction shown by yellow arrow) to allow cables to pass up the arm and be hidden when mounted. Alternatively, you can run the cables in the joint between the light binnacle and the roof lining.
Find the spare cable behind the roof lining. Remove the connector block and fit your own connectors - I used female bullets, then either leave in position for the newly mounted mirror or run between the roof and the lining to emerge from the mirror mount position as shown by the red arrow below:
Then just refit light binnacle and mirror.
Top work!
Only thing i would add is drilling wise, you dont need to remove the nipple imo as if your using a 5mm bit then this will do the job for you (drilling front to back) also if your looking into the aston arm from the top, there is a drilling that you can use to create the channel if you want to route the wires in this way.
Once again, thanks to stuart for having the original idea!
Only thing i would add is drilling wise, you dont need to remove the nipple imo as if your using a 5mm bit then this will do the job for you (drilling front to back) also if your looking into the aston arm from the top, there is a drilling that you can use to create the channel if you want to route the wires in this way.
Once again, thanks to stuart for having the original idea!
When I did it, I bought an ex stock Volvo mirror and the connectors were identical. If I recall, all the 2005/2017 VH cars came wired for an auto dimming mirror even if the car didn't have that feature activated. I dropped the old mirror out, found the connector block which was taped up to something else, connected the new mirror (same connector) and hey presto.
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