W124 Mirrors

[Blackman]

I've always wondered why did MB make the left/right wing mirrors in different shape?

Is there any advantage/technical trick behind it? Couldn't they just make both the same?

I was even more surprised, when I realized LHD VW Golf mk4's in Europe have different left/right mirrors as well, while in UK they're the same.

Anyone can enlighten me?

 

[GP801]

No idea. Really does not make sense. Also our SLK and CLK only have auto dimming on the drivers side - incomprehensible

 

[Deleted member 11979]

I think it's something to do with having a wide view on the drivers side (see cars coming up in your blind spot), and a deep view, (i.e back down the road, and up to the car) on the passenger (something to do with motorway driving). Lots of VWs and Audi's have the same on the continent.

124 mirrors are still dangerous IMHO opinion compared to modern cars.

 

[bing]

w124 passenger side mirrors are smaller (more square shape) than the driver side being more rectagular. however, it's more wide angled and the idea is for you to see the curb when parking as well as covering blind spots. In my opinion the driver side could have done with one as this side of mirror proves to have massive blindspot! New Mercs for european markets now come with so called aspherical mirrors, both sides, to eliminate blindspots! In the U.S however, they're still fitted with standard ones where they encourage you to look over your shoulder when changing lane in particular.

 

[BillyW124]

My local Merc man says the reason behind this is that the passenger side mirror caters for the LH drive. You get more view out of this mirror sitting on the left.

So when we have right hand drive the Germans cut the corners for our requirements and didnt bother to swap them around and left it as is.

pretty much the same theory about Peugot 206's if you look at their wipers, they in actual fact wipe the wrong way leaving that half moon on the corner of the window when actual fact it should 'half moon' on the passenger side.

all in the name of cutting costs i'm afraid. But mercs back in the day like 124's etc is shocking when compared to the rest of the build quality then.

ive always wondered why the switch for the electric mirrors either points left or right and never sat in the centre.

 

[BillyW124]

Blackman: 1998 W124 E220 Saloon???

 

[Charles Morgan]

Um, the above might be have been shocking if true, but as German W124s have the mirrors in opposite places to ours (look at photos on Ebay if you doubt) there is a rather large flaw in the facts making up your suggestion.

There is nothing dangerous about a W124 mirror if you actually move your head before moving, the same as virtually every car I have owned. In fact, they have superb visibility compared to modern tanks.

 

[BillyW124]

yea so they have the square mirror still on the left, I.e. for left hand drive.

 

[Charles Morgan]

Um, no they have the large square mirror on the right and the narrow wide mirror on the left. The opposite of here.

 

[BillyW124]

just googled some euro coupe pics and you are actually right they are all opposite.

back to square 1 then. thanks for pointing that one out..i shall inform my indy of false information.

 

[BillyW124]

any ideas of the mirroe switch?

Pug' comment still still stands LOL

 

[Sp!ke]

Sorry Billy, but I think your local Merc man sounds like a bit of a plank.

You dont let him actually work on your car do you?

the shape is different because the required angle of view is different. It just shows how much thought was put into the car.

 

[BillyW124]

LOL, i know thinking about it now!

i'm will advise him for incorrect info! however he does know a thing or two..ive just recently found him but still on for a search to find 'the one'

his credit score has decreaced significantly after this!!!

 

[d w124]

Blackman: 1998 W124 E220 Saloon???

Indian built

 

[BillyW124]

 

[BillyW124]

check this bad boy out!

 

[BillyW124]

Dash, indian built?

 

[d w124]

Dash, indian built?

When they stopped making the in Germany,they started being built in India up till 2001 I think
I`ve only seen 250 diesel and 220 petrol and all manual,and they sit higher

 

[BillyW124]

ah cheers for this info dash, they probably sit higher cause of the bumpy ill roads out there if it was built there.

it a theory of mine so dnt no one go quoting me on that before i get more stick!

love this forum!

 

[dinoy]

it is the same on LHD, i thought always if u r driving the smaller one is better for driving, and the longer one would on the passenger side (LHD), mercedes would not do special mirror versions for LHD RHD. so we ended with passenger side being the smaller which is actually handy for parking to always leave passenger side on the road.

i stand corrected