Drivers side mirror “upgrade”?

[Dale124]

Good morning, all. I had received an accessory kit from SandyEggoDesigns for Christmas last year that had the seatbelt clips (to keep the belt in the track), the bin buddy shelf (that goes inside the cubby behind the screen), and the Pana-View mirror. Yesterday, I washed and waxed the car, and thought that perhaps I would put the mirror on, but first I had to remove the junky looking stick on convex mirrors that the previous owner had put on in the corners of both mirrors. I was able to remove them without too much trouble with an exacto-knife and a razor blade to remove the leftover residue. When I went to line up the Pana-View mirror to see how it will go on, I noticed that it will be very hard to remove if I do not like it, as there would be no room to get a blade in there to cut away the adhesive, so I thought I might not install it after all. So, my question to you fine folks is this: do you have one of these Pana-View mirrors installed, and if so, how do you like it?
Dale.

 

[AxeZ06]

Sometimes dental floss works very well to remove stick ons. Use it like a saw.

 

[YFCvii]

I see the accessory is sold claiming to resolve the awkwardness of Driver Side shoulder-checking.
I remember it was a struggle when I first got my Corvette until I went to the Spring Mountain COS where
I found the benefits of shoulder checking for both sides now (especially when driving with the front
windshield blacked-out). I have been since shoulder-checking much more in my daily drivers now too.
If one has mobility difficulty for shoulder checking, this accessory should be good.
Perhaps you should install the mirror temporarily with rolled pieces of masking tape (or similar).
Drive around the neighborhood and in parking lots to test it … before the more permanent install.

 

[Dale124]

Good plan, perhaps I will try the temporary install first. As far as shoulder checking, I always do anyway, but it is still hard to see everything from the cockpit of the Vette.

 

[YFCvii]

Good plan, perhaps I will try the temporary install first. As far as shoulder checking, I always do anyway, but it is still hard to see everything from the cockpit of the Vette.

Very true in that I often have smaller vehicles pacing me on the driver side.
Hard to see when back in the seat and something that has me leaning forward
to the steering wheel for the driver shoulder check … and there they are enjoying the view.
This compared to the decelerating or accelerating method of finding those pacing beside you.

 

[Rruuff Day]

Very true in that I often have smaller vehicles pacing me on the driver side.
Hard to see when back in the seat and something that has me leaning forward
to the steering wheel for the driver shoulder check … and there they are enjoying the view.
This compared to the decelerating or accelerating method of finding those pacing beside you.

Decelerating.... Now there's a method I've never thought of doing...

 

[YFCvii]

Decelerating.... Now there's a method I've never thought of doing...

The choice only matters when a left turn is coming upon you
and whether the dumbass Hyundai or Kia Ricer Operator in your Driver Blind-spot
would take accelerating as a challenge - even with a turn signal.
After all ... stupid is everywhere and always worthy of my YYSSW plate on my ass-end.

 

[tyho]

I have the junky looking stick on convex round mirror I bought at C T. Works fine, no issues, does what it is supposed to.

 

[EJChevy]

If you have your mirrors set up properly, there should be no need to increase the field of view from your mirror. Here's the correct way to adjust mirrors, as is how they were actually originally designed:

Adjust Side View Mirrors

Common misconception: The proper way to adjust side view mirrors is to hold your head still and align the edge of the mirror with the side of your car.

Problem: This merely reflects some of what is already shown in the rear view mirror while leaving a wider blind spot to the side of the car.

To properly adjust your side view mirrors:

• Lean to the left and rest your head on the window. Adjust the driver’s side view mirror so only a sliver of your car’s side is visible from this position.
• Lean to the right toward the center console and set the passenger’s side view mirror so you can barely see the side of your car from this position. If your vehicle lacks remote mirror adjustment controls, you may need assistance to properly position the passenger’s side view mirror.

If you have it set up this way, your blind spots are actually so small, by the time the rear of the car next to you leaves the field of view in your side mirror, the nose is far enough ahead, you can see it in the corner of your eye.

It does take a little while to get used to this setup, as you need to learn to trust your mirrors. After a while, blind-spot checking becomes only necessary for things as small as motorcycles as you can easily be fully aware of everything around your car without moving your head.

Here's a video on the matter, how the Society of Automotive Engineers designed the mirrors and how it looks when setup properly.

 

[Cariboocreek]

...or get a convertible....just saying....

 

[YFCvii]

The video above is worthy of trying but damn, I'm going to be smacking my
head against the driver window now as one of my pre-launch checks.
Ever notice in cruises that it takes a bit of setup time for some C7 drivers
before pulling away … meanwhile others are long gone.
This because of not just waiting for Car Play to recognize the phone after starting,
but also to remember to get the PDR running along with a couple of things that
the COS has scribed into my aging memory … and now the darn mirror thing in order
to make sure that they have not been bumped or fiddled with if body sides are not showing …
Oh the madness !

 

[tyho]

IMO the mirror is not an alternative to checking the blind spot. I always check my blind spot when changing lanes or making turns. I trust the mirror and trust my eyes even more. Numerous times, especially on the highway, I check to change lanes and some idiot doing 180 flies up to me so fast that by the time I start to execute my turn I almost sideswipe him. Defensive driving even when I'm in the vette and know it's faster then most cars on the road. I've seen way too many MVA's to take chances.

 

[Dave91TM]

The mirror set up described is the way it should be. I find that a) you need to constantly monitor all 3 mirrors when in multi lane traffic and b) you always need to check your blind spot, but with this mirror set up, the amount of head movement required to do so is significantly reduced. Remember, you can never trust another driver you can only trust yourself.

 

[JCWP]

Good morning, all. I had received an accessory kit from SandyEggoDesigns for Christmas last year that had the seatbelt clips (to keep the belt in the track), the bin buddy shelf (that goes inside the cubby behind the screen), and the Pana-View mirror. Yesterday, I washed and waxed the car, and thought that perhaps I would put the mirror on, but first I had to remove the junky looking stick on convex mirrors that the previous owner had put on in the corners of both mirrors. I was able to remove them without too much trouble with an exacto-knife and a razor blade to remove the leftover residue. When I went to line up the Pana-View mirror to see how it will go on, I noticed that it will be very hard to remove if I do not like it, as there would be no room to get a blade in there to cut away the adhesive, so I thought I might not install it after all. So, my question to you fine folks is this: do you have one of these Pana-View mirrors installed, and if so, how do you like it?
Dale.

I installed a convex mirror that inclines in or out to get the best BS view and like it. More a problem when the lid is up; but, when the top is up I really use them to check my BS. See no need to take them off? If I sell the car or trade it in on a C8 I'd just leave them for the next guy/gale.

 

[Hotshoe]

The Panaview was one of the first 'mods' on the Z. The blind spot on the driver's side is horrendous. The Panaview solved that once I set the mirrors up and now I'm confident that I'm not missing those problem drivers that like to ride in the blind spot.

Best of all it doesn't distort the view like a lot of wide angle mirrors and it blends in like it's not even there.

 

[14sevenheaven]

When touring the BG plant a few years ago I noticed that export models of the C7 have larger mirrors. GM said they will fit but the lights won't work. I was quoted $600 for two. My dealer in Toronto said he couldn't order them.

The C7 is gone and I'm waiting for an update on my C8 - originally to be delivered this September. In February, before Covid-19, I was told next spring.

 

[Paul C7 to C8]

When I purchased the Corvette the drive home certainly confirmed that shoulder checks are a good idea. Once home, I parked my other 2 cars one on each side of the Corvette in what I would call the blind spot areas and adjusted my side view mirrors accordingly..... 2 1/2 years later and all is still good.....

 

[SladeX]

Oddly enough, while I do shoulder check 95% of the time, its that 5% that always seems to get me in trouble.

I drive in track mode all the time now because the sound reflection of my exhaust is very telling when there's a car in the blind spot. In paying attention to that more often, I find when I do the blind spot check I find a car hanging out there.

 

[Rruuff Day]

Oddly enough, while I do shoulder check 95% of the time, its that 5% that always seems to get me in trouble.

I drive in track mode all the time now because the sound reflection of my exhaust is very telling when there's a car in the blind spot. In paying attention to that more often, I find when I do the blind spot check I find a car hanging out there.

Wow. First time I've heard that reason for driving in track mode....

 

[EJChevy]

Oddly enough, while I do shoulder check 95% of the time, its that 5% that always seems to get me in trouble.

I drive in track mode all the time now because the sound reflection of my exhaust is very telling when there's a car in the blind spot. In paying attention to that more often, I find when I do the blind spot check I find a car hanging out there.

You can have the exhaust set loud without having the whole car set to track mode.

In your infotainment system:

Settings > Driving Mode > Exhaust Sound Management > Track

This way, the exhaust will always be loud and you can drive in the comfortable (and arguably safer) touring or sport mode.