Do you prefer simple or fancy rear-view mirrors?

[CharlesInCharge]

Low tech mirrors are plain mirrors that allow you to flip a switch to "dim" them. They tend to not have a compass. These are also inexpensive and light weight. These seem to have excellent manual "dimming" feature.

Higher tech mirrors have a compass, and "auto-dimming" feature. These are expensive, heavier, and I personally have never found the "dimming" feature to work adequately or as well as the manual style. I do appreciate the compass, however.

Apparently, newer models that I do not have experience with use a rearward facing camera to digitally feed the image, and other fancy options. Sounds heavy and expensive to replace and overly complicated for the needs of a mirror. I wonder if rain, fog, snow, or bird droppings could block the mirror camera lens?

I'm very much in camp and prefer the "simple, cheap, reliable" category of the low-tech mirrors. What do you prefer and why?

 

[NitroM3]

I am for simple mirrors
I watch the idiots driving around me and need to see them first in my mirrors with no distractions.

 

[tyman]

Fancy

cuz they're fancy and not simple.

 

[mightymousetech]

All the mirrors on both my cars have auto dim. Love it. You know they work well when you never notice it working or not working.

 

[TiGeo]

Auto-dimming w/compass for me. Have low-tech in one of our cars - hate it at night.

 

[UG_Passat]

I have a high-tech one with the digital rear view mirror.

It's great when the view is obstructed by people's heads and cargo, that I can switch to the rear camera... but for some reason, I can't look at it for too long, as it somehow makes me car sick.

So, I also have a stick-on wide angle mirror on my side mirror in addition to the blind spot monitoring.

 

[supton]

Never had a fancy rear view mirror, so I haven’t a clue.

Regular ones haven’t been an issue. At least not until LED headlights became a thing, now all cars are blinding, even during the day. Ive had to flip the mirror during the a number of times, usually its a pickup.

 

[dishdude]

How about the GM ones that use a camera and display it in the mirror?

 

[4WD]

Mine are just auto dim/tint etc … my son has a digital rear view “mirror” in his Caddy … no blind spots

 

[mark pruett]

We've got the auto-dim mirror in my wife's car, and it's fantastic. Where it's really handy is that you can actually see stuff other than the headlights, which tends not to be the case with the tilt-mirror design. Plus, you just leave it on and it takes care of it automatically- there's no decision point at dawn/dusk where neither setting is great like a tilt-mirror.

Only downside is that the side mirrors aren't also auto-dim, so while I might not lose my night vision from the rearview mirror, people passing on one side or the other tend to blind me a little bit.

 

[PimTac]

Auto dim for the win.

 

[OVERKILL]

Auto dim for the win.

This. Even my '89 Town Car had auto dimming mirrors.

 

[Wolf359]

We've got the auto-dim mirror in my wife's car, and it's fantastic. Where it's really handy is that you can actually see stuff other than the headlights, which tends not to be the case with the tilt-mirror design. Plus, you just leave it on and it takes care of it automatically- there's no decision point at dawn/dusk where neither setting is great like a tilt-mirror.

Only downside is that the side mirrors aren't also auto-dim, so while I might not lose my night vision from the rearview mirror, people passing on one side or the other tend to blind me a little bit.

While I have the auto dim on the rear view mirror, only one of the side mirrors is auto dim, can't remember which one. I'm sure that was done for some particular reason.

 

[vavavroom]

Manual dimming is more immediate, auto-dimming is more convenient. The compass in the mirror was never that useful.

 

[Duffyjr]

After having auto dim on my Lucerne when I use the manual in my truck it's to dark, you loose to much detail.

 

[Andrew1972]

Auto dim is great till it breaks coming a former 2007 Acura MDX owner.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I don't know the difference.
Do I have them?
Win-win situation!

 

[Kuato]

Manual. Regardless of which rental vehicle I have driven (couple every week), the computer never dims the mirror when I would have.

 

[billt460]

This immediately came to mind :

 

[930.engineering]

Higher tech mirrors have a compass, and "auto-dimming" feature. These are expensive, heavier,

Heavier? Are you kidding, Charlie? It's 20 grams or so. They aren't even expensive. Are you
trying hard to search for issues where there's actually none?

and I personally have never found the "dimming" feature to work adequately or as well as the manual style.

What car? I never ever had any single complaint about any auto-dimming mirror. I even don't
see any reason not to have an auto-dimming mirror. I have one car without and I rarely drive it
at night. If I did I would surely miss auto-dimming (as well as better = modern tech headlights,
but that's another discussion you'll certainly start soon).

I do appreciate the compass, however.

What's exactly the point for a compass in 2021? I use to know what direction I'm driving.
If going anywhere unknown I use navigation. Thought anyone does today. Am I wrong?

Apparently, newer models that I do not have experience with use a rearward facing camera to digitally feed the image, and other fancy options.
Sounds heavy and expensive to replace and overly complicated for the needs of a mirror.

While I agree that using cameras sounds overly and unnecessarily complicated, weight is
certainly the least of my concerns. I'd suggest leaving your smartphone at home because
it's too heavy for your car!
.