Which type of rearview mirror do you prefer?

The commonly used truck rearview mirrors can be divided into two types: door mirrors and fender mirrors. Now let's discuss the advantages of these two different types of rearview mirrors. 

Fender mirror

Japanese trucks basically use a swing mirror (door mirrors are used for vehicles exported to Europe), and swing mirrors can be said to be the standard configuration in Japanese trucks. 

Advantages of fender mirrors:

Fender mirrors have a smaller blind spot and are more practical. Yes, this is indeed the biggest advantage of fender mirrors. In addition, compared to door mirrors, fender mirrors allow for easy observation of the rearview mirror without the need for significant head-turning, whether while driving or reversing. They also have a lower maintenance cost and are easier to install.

● Disadvantages of fender mirrors:

Although the biggest advantage of fender mirrors is its high practicality, they also have disadvantages as shown below:

1. The outdoor mirror is installed in front of the door pillar, occupying a large space.

2. Wiper coverage is small, the right side can not be seen (not much impact on vehicles equipped with three wipers).

3. It is inconvenient to clean the mirror when there is water mist, and it is not easy to add the electric heating function.

4. The installation position of the fender mirrors causes the overall length of the vehicle to increase by at least 30 centimeters. This makes it more difficult to maneuver and make turns in narrow spaces, and also increases the risk of scraping or scratching.

5. Because the mirror frame is extended, it is prone to shaking on bumpy roads, which is not conducive to observing the situation of the following vehicles.

If you really like to use the fender mirror, but the car's windshield wipers have less coverage, you may want to replace them with longer ones, or get some water repellent and apply it to the mirror as well as the windshield.

Door mirror

 Door mirrors are used more in European trucks.

What are the advantages of door mirrors?

1. Symmetrical and beautiful, less jitter and more stable.

2. Integral mirrors enable the vehicle to drive at high speeds with lower wind resistance and relatively lower fuel consumption.

3. Compared with the swing mirror, the front space of the door mirror is shorter, which indirectly improves the passability and flexibility of the vehicle. 

● Disadvantages:

1. Need to turn your head considerably to look at the rearview mirror, which is a bit tiring.

2. Integral mirrors are expensive, and you have to replace a whole piece if it breaks.

3. The overall view is not as good as the outside mirror, and the blind spot is big.