Internal rear view mirror

[The Plumber]

Noticed one or two club members mention the position of the internal rear view mirror being too low. Not found this a problem myself even though I'm just over 6'. Think the answer might be the type of mirror you have, there are at least three options I know of;

standard

standard with auto lights sensor (option on SE)

auto dimming with rain sensor (and possible auto lights sensor depending on spec)

My Monster has the standard with auto lights which looking at photos appears to be fitted slightly higher up the screen to the standard. (Note the auto dimming has the same mount as mine just the mirror size is an unknown factor).

Excuse the mess in the garage by the way

Hope Agerbundsen doesnt mind but I've borrowed a flickr picture of Snehvide for comparison

Anyway let me know if you agree or disagree with this notion.

Regards,

TP

[900000]

Excuse the mess in the garage by the way

A garage is meant to be full of stuff!!! I wish I had one. Alas only have off street parking and a shed! And the shed is full.

The worst mirror I have ever experienced in a car was a first generation Merc A-class we rented in Spain in 2003. The rear view mirror is so low you can span your hand from the steering wheel to the mirror! We had rented a villa in the mountains near Malaga and the blind spot this mirror caused along the mountain passes was atrocious and down right dangerous. Coming around a bend on most all of the corners the mirror was right where I needed to look for oncoming cars.

[Freshacre]

Hi TP

As one who commented on ducking and diving I think I agree with your diagnosis, and will add another couple of observations too.

I am 6'2" tall, and although 61 am not yet beginning to shrink like one of the other contributors said he was. I also like my seat at the full extent of its upwardness! Apart from a need to carry oxygen it is a really good place for me for comfort, seeing, getting in and out - everything.

When I am up there, I am also aware of how close i am to the top of the windscreen (why do we still call it that?). In these days of sunshine I never needed to use the sunvisor as my head is above the level, where there is still room under the roof.

It is because I sit so high that the mirror is in my line of vision. I have noticed that the vertical height of the screen, and the side windows, is actually quite short.

Another observation which, when it hit me, surprised me - and that is the shape of the front windows. They are not smooth and curvy like other cars, but angular. That prompted me to study the design of the windows and the front window - and they\re all somewhat squared off. To me, then, in comparison with other cars I have driven, the squared off "blocky" front window (windscreen) is less deep, resulting in the mirror being in a lower position relatively. Most other cars have had a screen that went further up into the roofline, taking the mirror up too.

I have no complaints with this as I much prefer a bit of neck exercise when dodging the mirror to having dazzling sunlight in my face, of having to use damn sun-visors (which I have always found to be a damn nuisance and a real lo-tech throwback, and am surprised that no-one has devised a superior replacement).

Hmm - sorry it is so long. And I havent any pics to back it up either!

G

Edited 25 April, 2010 by Freshacre

[Terfyn]

TP

Your mirror is fitted a good 3" higher than the standard fitting. Why could they not put all the mirrors at the higher location?

[Agerbundsen]

TP, You may use my pic's anytime.

They clearly illustrate the differences, where yours is attached in the black shading and mine quite a bit below it.

I will use the pics to see if I can get the dealer to move it.

Thanks for the post - I had more or less given up on the idea of a move.

[pancomau]

Hi, I'm brand new to the forum and a "would-be" owner of a Yeti.

My testdrive with a 1.2 DSG in Italy made me observe the same "problem" of an internal mirror positioned too low.

I'm almost 6" and like to set the seats in the high position.

Checking the pictures hown in this thread made me wanting to check from other sources and i went to check the ads of used/nearly new cars on a very well known site (in Italy) called autoscout24.

I can confirm checking at the published pictures of "real" cars (as opposed to brochure pictures), that all cars with the Experience trim (in Italy is the top trim out of 3: Active, Adventure, Experience) have the mirror like TP hile the lower trims have the mirror positioned lower and glued below the shaded area of the front glass.

The Experience trim carries the rain sensor and automatic dimming feature, while tha others do not.

As I am in the thread of people that like to sit high, I would take the occasion to ask for your comment on another side effect:

I noticed that with the seat in the highest position the wheel adjustment needs to be at its highest and still it doesn't let you see completely the instruments; plus it has an angle that I would describe a little too much (van-like).

As mentioned by others in the thread of the quircks, I too think that this is only a minor drawback when compared to the other good points of the car; and in fact it doesn't stop me from buying one soon.

[900000]

Perhaps the easiest solution is to learn to sit a bit lower?

[pancomau]

Indeed, it will most likely be the solution when I get the car.

Nevertheless it is a pitty that this may be a compromise that reduces the access advantage of having a higher seat.

[Freshacre]

Perhaps the easiest solution is to learn to sit a bit lower?

Not for me! I like being up under the roof, and have adapted my own style of driving/sitting/seeing to the point where i am not even aware of it any more.

[car44]

My yeti has the mirror also positioned high, in the black shaded area. It has the automatic light control with the light sensors integrated in the mirror. Maybe that's why it is positioned higher?

[milovac]

[retro gal]

Just picked up my yeti - 1.2SE. The mirror is too low for me (I'm 5ft 9"). It is below the black shading and really gets in the way when driiving

[kenfowler3966]

I had not noticed, but the mirror in my Superb is in the way as well, I suppose you just get used to it.

It does occur to me though that if it is actually high enough to see under, this will leave a huge gap between the sun visors for the sun to shine through! My Superb has a mini visor above the mirror and this combined with the mirror, and the two visors if very effective in stopping the glare to the same level across the whiole windscreen.

Its a great shame that the double sun visors are not fitted as standard. They are almost an essential in winter sunshine in the UK

[Agerbundsen]

Its a great shame that the double sun visors are not fitted as standard. They are almost an essential in winter sunshine in the UK

Even more so here in Scandihoovia.

[ganga]

Sat in three Yetis before taking the plunge. One S and two SEs. All of them had the mirror fitted below the shaded area on the screen. I queried this with a salesman and he said that they all came like it. Although not really tall, I do have a long back, and the internal mirror is right in my line of sight. Having rejected all of the other contenders on my maybe list, I thought that the mirror issue could be easily overcome. When I received my Yeti, I would simply remove the mirror and position it in the right place. That is in the shaded area. Not a big deal on previous cars, mirrors fell off from time to time, and you could easily put them back with mirror pads. But having read through this thread I now get a worried feeling that this is not going to work. Is it really the case that the rear view mirror cannot be moved. Has anyone actually done it, and if so how ???

[Agerbundsen]

Sat in three Yetis before taking the plunge. One S and two SEs. All of them had the mirror fitted below the shaded area on the screen. I queried this with a salesman and he said that they all came like it. Although not really tall, I do have a long back, and the internal mirror is right in my line of sight. Having rejected all of the other contenders on my maybe list, I thought that the mirror issue could be easily overcome. When I received my Yeti, I would simply remove the mirror and position it in the right place. That is in the shaded area. Not a big deal on previous cars, mirrors fell off from time to time, and you could easily put them back with mirror pads. But having read through this thread I now get a worried feeling that this is not going to work. Is it really the case that the rear view mirror cannot be moved. Has anyone actually done it, and if so how ???

It seems like we need to have some expert advice here. I have not yet discussed this with the local Skoda organizaton, but I will. jams at Allams might be willing to ask his service people - I am not in the UK, so I will not buy anything from there, but others might? Finally, Autoglass wold have the know-how.

As I understnd the situation, there should be no problem in re-gluing it in the balack shaded area, and the black spots could be removed in a small area if necessary. The scary thing is how to get it off without damaging the windshield.

Moving it up would have an additional advantage in the át it would get a little closer, and therefore cover a wider angle of view.

[Lady Penelope]

It seems like we need to have some expert advice here. I have not yet discussed this with the local Skoda organizaton, but I will. jams at Allams might be willing to ask his service people - I am not in the UK, so I will not buy anything from there, but others might? Finally, Autoglass wold have the know-how.

As I understnd the situation, there should be no problem in re-gluing it in the balack shaded area, and the black spots could be removed in a small area if necessary. The scary thing is how to get it off without damaging the windshield.

Moving it up would have an additional advantage in the át it would get a little closer, and therefore cover a wider angle of view.

This might be essential in what you do depending on spec of Yeti...

Mannyo, one of the Mods here on Briskoda, said this in another thread see link below:

"if you have auto headlights and auto wipers, then moving the mirror into the black area will disable these functions. If you dont then the mount for the mirror is usually permanently bonded to the screen at manufacture. "

Thread:

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/159676-cracked-windscreen/page__pid__1970494__st__20entry1970494

Lady Penelope

[mannyo]

Looking at those photos, it looks like if you have the auto wipers/lights etc. then a different screen is fitted and the mirror is already mounted higher in the black area which seems to be smaller and have a section removed to allow for the sensor.

You should be ok to mount a standard mirror up there, although you may need to resort to something strong to bond the mirror to the black part and put up with the small black mounting piece the mirror was originally glued to being permanently on the screen.

[ganga]

Oh dear. I feel a wobble coming on here. Two weeks into my order, do I contact my dealer to see if I can add a pricey auto dipping / rain sensing mirror that I do not really want ? Or do not grit my teeth and see if the replacement windscreen wizards can deal with it ? Never dreamed that an internal mirror could be so problematical. Why do they fit it in such a stupid place anyway ?????

[retro gal]

Oh dear. I feel a wobble coming on here. Two weeks into my order, do I contact my dealer to see if I can add a pricey auto dipping / rain sensing mirror that I do not really want ? Or do not grit my teeth and see if the replacement windscreen wizards can deal with it ? Never dreamed that an internal mirror could be so problematical. Why do they fit it in such a stupid place anyway ?????

Ok. The first day of owning my yeti the rear view mirror drove me nuts. I have since lowered the seat to just above the lowest setting and I don't even notice it any more. If you don't mind sitting a little lower, then you can avoid the mirror problem

[ganga]

I have been unable to find an option referring to Auto Lights Sensor / Auto light control. Is this what Skoda call Light Assistant. (£55 option ). If so it would appear to be my best option. Ta !!!

[The Plumber]

Oh dear. I feel a wobble coming on here. Two weeks into my order, do I contact my dealer to see if I can add a pricey auto dipping / rain sensing mirror that I do not really want ? Or do not grit my teeth and see if the replacement windscreen wizards can deal with it ? Never dreamed that an internal mirror could be so problematical. Why do they fit it in such a stupid place anyway ?????

Don't need the rain sensor option; can spec the Auto Lights at around £50 and you get the raised mirror position as with mine.

Edit yes light assist.

Regards,

TP

Edited 2 May, 2010 by The Plumber

[ganga]

T. P. Thank you kind sir, for an amazingly quick response. Wish me luck that still I can upgrade my order. Car seems a superb little machine in other respects. Pity to spoil it for a half p' worth of tar.

[Missy Lou]

T. P. Thank you kind sir, for an amazingly quick response. Wish me luck that still I can upgrade my order. Car seems a superb little machine in other respects. Pity to spoil it for a half p' worth of tar.

Good luck - pls let us know how you get on - I might do the same!

[ganga]

Three weeks into my order now, I am unfortunately passed the cut off date for alterations. Build already scheduled apparently. Just have to see how I get on, and explore Auto Windscreen route if needed.