Gentex mirror installation

[BrandonMag]

I bought all the parts for this about three months ago and finally got around to installing this. Talk about simple! I think it took maybe an hour and a half.
I had a new windshield installed yesterday and surprisingly (to me anyway) the Ford factory windshields come with a button for the rearview mirror already installed. I told the guy that I was installing an aftermarket rearview mirror, so he removed the factory tab and glued the Gentex one on.
I woke up this morning, took off the interior trim piece that goes across the top of the windshield, drilled a hole in it, ran the wire, reinstalled the trim piece, hooked the wires up and VOILA! She was working like a charm. Well worth the time invested, now I've got a compass in my auto-darkening mirror!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMof7oHcxE0

All told, I've probably got about $60 wrapped up in this project. Only downside was when I bought the mirror off of eBay, I thought it was a temperature display model, so I bought a temperature probe. Once I got the mirror, I realized that it wasn't a temp. display model.
So now I've got a $20 probe that I can't do anything with.

 

[snicklas]

Yep, The auto-darkening mirrors are really nice. I had one in my Durango and there is one in the Ex.... Neither had a compass or temp display, those were elsewhere in the vehicle.

I remember in the 80's and early 90's when Ford started offering the automatic day/night mirror. There was a motor in the mirror that actually moved the mirror, just like the lever does. Got really annoying on a rough or hilly road when the light coming in from the other cars was not constant, always moving, and the motor did make some noise. It normaly go shut off when it was doing that....

 

[argve]

Had one of those in the Goat Truck - loved it.... No more fussing with the mirror at night - it took care of it's self. I think you are on to something though... maybe that will be future mod for me one day when I get a set of wheels.

 

[BrandonMag]

I remember in the 80's and early 90's when Ford started offering the automatic day/night mirror. There was a motor in the mirror that actually moved the mirror, just like the lever does. Got really annoying on a rough or hilly road when the light coming in from the other cars was not constant, always moving, and the motor did make some noise.

I can see why that particular idea never caught on...