Broken sun visor mirror lids?

[Boxtaboy]

Was wiping down my interior, and when I opened the driver's side sun visor mirror lid, it snapped off! Wow, this thing is cheap. Luckily, I had an entire spare set of sun visors that I bought used from eBay years ago when the pass side visor wouldn't stay folded up. Does this thin plastic just break down from sun or heat damage? Anything to apply that will make em last longer? The mirror cover literally disintegrated.

[BirdDog]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Was wiping down my interior, and when I opened the driver's side sun visor mirror lid, it snapped off! Wow, this thing is cheap. Luckily, I had an entire spare set of sun visors that I bought used from eBay years ago when the pass side visor wouldn't stay folded up. Does this thin plastic just break down from sun or heat damage? Anything to apply that will make em last longer? The mirror cover literally disintegrated.

I think I may have posted about this before, but if not...

I found that the lids from the non-illuminated ones fit the illuminated ones just fine (and work great). There's about $100 difference (at least when I bought the one for the missing lid for my driver side visor. $36 vs $136 or something crazy like that (you can't just get the lid, you have to buy the whole mirror assembly). At the time I found Pelican had the best price for new ones.

I then used a razor to cut the pivot post on the new (non illuminated) mirror assembly and moved the lid over to my illuminated one. You place the lid over the pivot posts on the mirror assembly and press straight down. The posts are cut at an angle to make it easy to install the lid, but it's really hard to get them off without damaging the lid which is why i used the razor to cut the post on the new mirror to release the lid.

The new lids also have different (SUPER FUGLY) warning stickers on them. I chose to remove them while I had the mirror out. Isopropyl alcohol removed about 99% of the stickers and then I shot the entire visor with Dupli-Color black carpet/vinyl paint. You'd never know there were warning stickers on them. It looks a million times better with the top down.

[Boxtaboy]

Thanks man. I'm ok for now cause I had an extra sun visor, but I'm sure the cover will snap off again in the future. Good to know there's an easy replacement.

Originally Posted by BirdDog

I think I may have posted about this before, but if not...

I found that the lids from the non-illuminated ones fit the illuminated ones just fine (and work great). There's about $100 difference (at least when I bought the one for the missing lid for my driver side visor. $36 vs $136 or something crazy like that (you can't just get the lid, you have to buy the whole mirror assembly). At the time I found Pelican had the best price for new ones.

I then used a razor to cut the pivot post on the new (non illuminated) mirror assembly and moved the lid over to my illuminated one. You place the lid over the pivot posts on the mirror assembly and press straight down. The posts are cut at an angle to make it easy to install the lid, but it's really hard to get them off without damaging the lid which is why i used the razor to cut the post on the new mirror to release the lid.

The new lids also have different (SUPER FUGLY) warning stickers on them. I chose to remove them while I had the mirror out. Isopropyl alcohol removed about 99% of the stickers and then I shot the entire visor with Dupli-Color black carpet/vinyl paint. You'd never know there were warning stickers on them. It looks a million times better with the top down.

[Porsche9]

I bought one recently bought one from my local dealer for $89 with the PCA discount. They had the option to get it with or without the sticker. I chose pose one without. I've replaced three of these over the years on my 986 and 996.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by Porsche9

I bought one recently bought one from my local dealer for $89 with the PCA discount. They had the option to get it with or without the sticker. I chose pose one without. I've replaced three of these over the years on my 986 and 996.

Is that the price for the entire sun visor, or just the mirror and lid that sit inside the visor? And if just the mirror and visor, does it just pop in (press fit)?

[Disaster]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Is that the price for the entire sun visor, or just the mirror and lid that sit inside the visor? And if just the mirror and visor, does it just pop in (press fit)?

I bought new mirror/cover assemblies for about $40/piece off eBay. They pop in.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by Disaster

I bought new mirror/cover assemblies for about $40/piece off eBay. They pop in.

Good to know, thx. I'm guessing these are the non lighted sets, as I think the lighted ones need to be soldered.

[joecal]

Just an FYI. I replaced my drivers side complete visor with a used one because it kept falling down when driving. Be careful if you replace it not to pinch the wiring behind it like I did and causing a short. I kept blowing the 15 amp fuse for the convertible top micro-switch and whatever else was on that fuse until I figured out what I did. It drove me crazy for a few weeks until I discovered what happened. I can't believe I did that, but I did.

[Porsche9]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Is that the price for the entire sun visor, or just the mirror and lid that sit inside the visor? And if just the mirror and visor, does it just pop in (press fit)?

That was for the lighted visor.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by joecal

Just an FYI. I replaced my drivers side complete visor with a used one because it kept falling down when driving. Be careful if you replace it not to pinch the wiring behind it like I did and causing a short. I kept blowing the 15 amp fuse for the convertible top micro-switch and whatever else was on that fuse until I figured out what I did. It drove me crazy for a few weeks until I discovered what happened. I can't believe I did that, but I did.

Thx, I replaced the whole visor. So far so good.

Originally Posted by Porsche9

That was for the lighted visor.

Thx for confirming.

[Chuck W.]

Or, you could just delete them!

[Boxtaboy]

Interesting. Why did you delete them? I find them useful sometimes still, even though they don't rotate.

[Chuck W.]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Interesting. Why did you delete them? I find them useful sometimes still, even though they don't rotate.

I never used them & liked the clean look without them.

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by Chuck W.

I never used them & liked the clean look without them.

I guess you save some weight up top too, to boot!

[Disaster]

Originally Posted by Boxtaboy

Good to know, thx. I'm guessing these are the non lighted sets, as I think the lighted ones need to be soldered.

Yes. PORSCHE 986 BOXSTER SUN VISOR MIRROR HOUSING NEW GENUINE PORSCHE ITEM 1997-2004 | eBay

[STRANGEPOLLY]

Funny this subject came up. I broke off my driver side about 1/2 hr ago..(with lights)

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by STRANGEPOLLY

Funny this subject came up. I broke off my driver side about 1/2 hr ago..(with lights)

I couldn't believe how cheap and flimsy they are. I hardly ever even used the mirrors, and the first time I open them in years, they snap off. Lol.

[JBauer]

Darn thread. Opened mine up today to check it, broke off in my hand 🙄

[Boxtaboy]

Originally Posted by JBauer

Darn thread. Opened mine up today to check it, broke off in my hand 🙄

Instead of the airbag warning, they should put a warning, do not open or else it'll snap off in your hands sticker on these visors.

[Deserion]

Both of mine are toast. Driver's went when I was going to replace the bulbs with LEDs. A sign, if you will.