X5/X6 Custom Blindspot Mirrors

[VWAudi2BMW]

Wanted to pass this along...

We had a F15 for several years and recently passed it along to my mom and got a G01 X3. The F15 was a great vehicle, but we were ready for something slightly smaller, sharper and more efficient. The newer X3's don't have much less cargo area now either. My mom needed a new car and the market is just CRAZY. It worked out really well for us all, as I got as much or more than we would have in the past, but she got an excellent deal beyond anything possible with car prices now. Plus, she knows how I take care of our cars

Anyhow, started with this companies mirrors on our i3 several years ago and eventually put a set on the 440i I picked up last summer. When I saw they came out with a set for the SUV's I bought 2 sets. Our X3 has blind spot monitoring, and the X5 did not. These are really nice on both, because you get a very clear, non distorted view of the blind spot, the rear tires, curb, etc.

I'm sure plenty of F15/ F16 owners would benefit from these, especially those who tow.

Top is the X5 with the NXTGEN extended view mirrors:




Bottom is the X3 with them:

[Qsilver7]

Is that the entire mirror…or is it just an add-on to the existing mirror?

Just curious because BMW does make a wide angle mirror (#2 & #4 in diagram below). The US DOT puts a nix on it & makes BMW only offer #1 & #5…but they can be purchased from Euro markets. I’ve purchased them for various BMWs I’ve owned over the decades (e34/e38/e39/e53/f06/f15) from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Germany…especially after the US BMW dealership’s wouldn’t order them from the Euro side of the part database anymore.

Here’s the ones I got for my f15….the top pic is the original plain mirror…the 2nd pic is the wide angle (note how many more parking spaces can be seen in the wide angle mirror…as well as the parking space next to the vehicle)

[1norseman]

Interesting find. I have the Euro mirrors, but feel they don't show enough..
Might have to order a pair. Looks like they just stick onto existing glass, but are made to fit better than generic ones.
nxtgenautomotive dot com
(I'm not sure why it wants to replace the website name with *****************. when adding the link? but that's the company website/name above.

https://*********************/bmw-x-blindspot-mirrors/

[VWAudi2BMW]

Yes, just stick-ons, but really excellent quality. They don't have the distortion of usual convex mirrors. I usually hate the stick-on ones, but I like these for a few reasons:

1) custom fit so they look better.
2) clarity, which makes them useful as you can actually tell what is going on and it is not a million miles away looking.
3) I have done the aspherical from Europe on Audis in the past, but you loose all depth perception and it get's a little wonky looking. This is nice because you get the best of both worlds.
3) BMW started getting cheap and took dimming away on the passenger side, but the aspherical dimming BMW ones are CRAZY expensive. You can find them cheaper on eBay, but they are always used and from other countries, which doesn't excite me. Then you have to take the original glass off and it breaks sometimes, which is a costly boo boo. I was going to sell my heated anti-dazzle Audi mirrors to cover the cost back in the day of the aspherical, and then crack.... LOL

[VWAudi2BMW]

I also have no idea why it won't link. My first set for the i3 I bought on Amazon. Does not look like these are on Amazon yet, still pretty new, but they do look to be on eBay and company direct, so you can pick your shopping experience.

[VWAudi2BMW]

Ok!! So I rigged up a suction cup thing from an old Nav unit to my window so I could get the exact view I see in the mirrors and then crop it down.

My mirror is pushed out, and overlaps the rearview mirror, just like in the proper SAE method.

As such, based on the attached picture, you see the gold Altima in the side mirror (as seen) and then in the rear mirror, you see the very backend of that gold Altima in the rearview center mirror. So in this way, yes the overlap technique works if this gold Altima was traveling faster and was to pass you.

What this method does not do, is show that huge Ford Expedition hiding in what is still a large blindspot from the back door to just past the rear bumper. SO this NXTGEN extended view shows the full blind spot, and everything you would see in the rearview mirror, plus you still have the regular side mirror.

So once you get used to using it, you get lot of visibility in one quick look.

Also on the freeway, we have 4 lanes here and if you are in the right lane, you can clearly see all the way across to the far left lane in this blind spot area.

Parking is also very nice with the lower viewing area

[Ascotgrun]

I checked the website but it's not clear if they are sold in pairs. I'm guessing because they don't list driver and pass side they are, but it would be good to know for sure.

[blue dragon]

Euro mirrors are absolutely fine. I ran them on my E46, E70, F30, F48, R60 Don't think there is a need for those stickons at all if you have the Euro mirrors

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by blue dragon

Euro mirrors are absolutely fine. I ran them on my E46, E70, F30, F48, R60 Don't think there is a need for those stickons at all if you have the Euro mirrors

I have the Euro mirrors, and I find them lacking. I have to look over my shoulder, or there might be close calls, despite my mirrors set to barely show the side of my X5, when I turn my head only.

Leaving the office, I merge onto 4 lanes of freeway with an exit just up the road. Fast traffic and lane changes, makes me consider buying these and see how they work.

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by 1norseman

I have the Euro mirrors, and I find them lacking. I have to look over my shoulder, or there might be close calls, despite my mirrors set to barely show the side of my X5, when I turn my head only.

Leaving the office, I merge onto 4 lanes of freeway with an exit just up the road. Fast traffic and lane changes, makes me consider buying these and see how they work.

Just curious when you say "Euro mirrors"...do you mean the regular ones that is plain 1:1 on the driver's side and convex on the passenger side? Or do you have the aspherical "wide angle mirrors' on both sides (the 2nd pic in my reply above is an example of the aspherical wide angle mirror). I have no problem seeing across 4 lanes with the wide angle mirrors for the f15.

You can see more than 4 parking spaces (which would be like 4 lanes) in the pic above. And in the pics below (in actual traffic) from my e53 X5 with wide angle mirrors...you can see across 4 lanes in the pic below (I'm in a turning lane and you can see the other 3 lanes.

e53 X5 driver side


e53 X5 passenger side

[VWAudi2BMW]

A few points since I seem to be one of the few to have these newer mirrors.

1) yes, they are a pack of two!

2) typically the euro mirror reference is for the wider view aspherical. I had them on VW and Audi cars in the past, as mentioned above. Also as others have mentioned, they were fair. Better than the regular US mirrors, but not as perfect as some make them out to be. Honestly nothing is perfect.

What I really like about these is a few things:

• Unlike the euro ones, there is a defined area you are looking at. Some people don't like this but I do. It does take a little getting used to, but once you do, it is nice to know exactly what you are looking at. Want to see the blindspot, look in the little ones. Want to see the regular area, look in the big one. If I am changing lanes, I quickly glance in the little one to see if it is clear. As I am about to move, my eye slightly shifts to the bigger one to see if anyone is coming up fast. It is a quick and confident glance to change lanes.
  
  The euro ones do have a wider view, but the extended area is not really defined and it gets a little distorted. You also loose depth perception there. These are great because they are custom fit to our mirror. But what is really significant is how clear and distortion free the glass is. Most convex are pretty distorted and these are not.

[RED_Y_]

I think it depends if you have blind spot assistant or not, I got euro mirrors and blind spot assistant and it is perfect and provides me all the information I need for my surroundings.

[VWAudi2BMW]

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

I think it depends if you have blind spot assistant or not, I got euro mirrors and blind spot assistant and it is perfect and provides me all the information I need for my surroundings.

I like having the monitor light and the convex at night! It is a good combo, I can still see in the convex at night, but a little less vs daytime.

[Ascotgrun]

Thanks for the reply. I drive an 18 wheeler truck for a living so am quite used to having separate convex mirrors. Quite a bit larger than these though.

I need to do something because I am so used to having an enormous field of view behind with the truck that when I get in the car I feel visually compromised and on a couple occasions came close to changing lanes into another car beside me.

[VWAudi2BMW]

Originally Posted by Ascotgrun

Thanks for the reply. I drive an 18 wheeler truck for a living so am quite used to having separate convex mirrors. Quite a bit larger than these though.

I need to do something because I am so used to having an enormous field of view behind with the truck that when I get in the car I feel visually compromised and on a couple occasions came close to changing lanes into another car beside me.

I know exactly what you mean. Before the whole COVID thing the company I work for did lots of events around the SW, which hasn't been thing now for a few years now. They had a custom trailer that was about 13' and about 3,500 pounds loaded. Pretty light overall.

Being the big car guy of our group, which is working on, driving and tuning sporty German cars, that somehow made me the most qualified to pull this trailer around, which I had ZERO experience doing

They had crazy cheap rates with Enterprise and there was car / truck rental branch down the street. It was always loaded with luxury 1500 trucks, Tahoes and Suburbans, which would be more than enough. But no hitches, and Enterprise made you do the commercial side if you were towing. At the time my daily was a decently modified 2016 3 series and what they gave us was usually a F250 super crew, with the 8' bed and 6.7 diesel motor. It was a monster for a 3,500 pound trailer

I thought it would be really cumbersome and hard to see, but I quickly enjoyed driving it! It had those big vertical mirrors where the top is like the regular F150 mirrors and the bottom was a huge convex. The 3 series did not have bad visibility at all, but the view from the truck was commanding, especially with those mirrors. Driving the trailer was a whole different thing, I'm not very good at that, but I had the truck a good amount with the trailer off as I'd just drop it right away and rarely back it up. I found it easier to back in and park in general with the super duty vs my tiny little 3 series mostly because of those mirrors. There was always a bit of an adjustment getting back in my 3 series, but never an adjustment getting into the super duty.

You are right these stick on ones are not nearly as big, but they are super clear. The passenger side stock mirror is already convex and you have to look across over there. So the added visibility on that side is not nearly as much. I do like having the two, mainly for parking on that side. I position the big mirror differently than I normally would now having it. I do it in more and lower, so between the two it is a similar view, but a really good view of the rear tire for parking. The drivers side is the game changer! You are closer to it and it is a decently big and clear target to look at, with much enhanced visibility. It's the first and last place I look before moving because you can clearly see what is next to you, whether that little light is on or not. I notice that when that little light first goes on, however mine is set, I can still see about a 1 car length gap between the car there and me. So if they were not passing me and just driving along there and I need to get over, I can see well with this to move over.

[PGH_X5]

Thanks to the OP for the heads up on these. I just ordered a set directly from the NXTGEN website as I couldn't find them for the X5 on Amazon. Maybe they're on there somewhere, not sure. Hoping to get these in by late this week for an upcoming trip. I've always felt the stock X5 mirrors are lacking.

[virtualbong]

They definitely look better than universal stick on brands and seems to be extremely functional but I love the clean look of the Euros and I have not had any issues with them.

[Ascotgrun]

How much are the European mirror replacements delivered in the US?. I ordered the nxt stick ons but always good to have options if they don't work out.

[VWAudi2BMW]

Originally Posted by Ascotgrun

How much are the European mirror replacements delivered in the US?. I ordered the nxt stick ons but always good to have options if they don't work out.

It depends upon how your X5 is equipped and where you buy. If you have dimming mirrors with the blind spot monitors, the glass is over $700 for the set. If you are heated and dimming only, the new OEM glass is around $500. If you are just heated, new OEM is probably about $300 for the set.

Don't buy aftermarket aspherical! been there and done that, looking in your mirrors is like driving with drunk goggles on.

Most of the OEM ones are used from Europe. Latvia is a common place to see them ship from. Buying used stuff from overseas has never been my thing, but you could probably find a decent condition used heated or heated and dimming set for around $150-300 + shipping and probably going to take several weeks for delivery.

[Ascotgrun]

Ouch, I have heated and dimming so in the $500 bracket. I wouldn't want used especially since I strongly suspect they may have just been ripped out of some poor owners car.

Just have to hope the stick ons offer some improvement.

[1norseman]

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

Just curious when you say "Euro mirrors"...do you mean the regular ones that is plain 1:1 on the driver's side and convex on the passenger side? Or do you have the aspherical "wide angle mirrors' on both sides (the 2nd pic in my reply above is an example of the aspherical wide angle mirror). I have no problem seeing across 4 lanes with the wide angle mirrors for the f15.

You can see more than 4 parking spaces (which would be like 4 lanes) in the pic above. And in the pics below (in actual traffic) from my e53 X5 with wide angle mirrors...you can see across 4 lanes in the pic below (I'm in a turning lane and you can see the other 3 lanes.

e53 X5 driver side


e53 X5 passenger side

I have the aspherical mirrors like the last picture with the dotted line, on both right and left door.
What I find is that there is still an area where the mirrors don't catch merging drivers coming from the left.

I believe the problem is exacerbated in my situation, due to my on ramp ends, and then there is an off ramp half a mile up. People who prefer to drive in the middle lane, realizes they need to get into the right lane, right where I try to merge onto the freeway.
I speed up to merge, while they realize they need to change lane, thinking they will pass me quickly, not realizing I'm accelerating to match traffic speed.

So I look over my shoulder to make sure I'm not merging into someone else.
If these add on mirrors gives me an even wider view than the OEM aspherical mirrors, they might help. I'm thinking it's worth a try.

[Ascotgrun]

That's how I see it, worth a try. I've wasted $29 on far less in the past.