Rearview Mirror Alternatives?

[Moab]

This is gonna sound crazy. But I moved to the Phillipines and ended up having to buy a different but equally simple 4x4. 2025 Suzuki Jimny. There a slightly more modern version of the Suzuki Samurai from the 80s and 90s. Excellent off-road and super easy to work on.

I had the same problem with my rearview mirror as my TJ. I'm 6'4" and it was way to low. I spent $60(?) on a new, shorter rear view mirror bracket. It still wasn't short of enough. So in the meantime I started cutting down my existing mount and figuring out how to shorten it and thus bring my mirror up to its highest position possible.

For the time being I bought a $2 suction cup mounted generic rear view mirror. The glass is shit. But I have to say. It's awesome! Lol! I was able to mount it at the highest possible position at the top of the glass. Route my dashcam to its side with a suction mount as well. I can completely customize where it rides at any time. It's fully up out of the way. I can move it slightly left or right. And honestly the shitty glass isn't so bad that I even notice it.

I still haven't finished shortening the stock bracket that mounts the original rearview mirror to the ceiling. A much better design I might add than the TJs.

But sometimes a $2 solution is the best solution. I honestly don't notice it anymore. Except that the rearview mirror is no longer blocking a huge portion of my view. That had me almost hitting pedestrian's before. Or not seeing something in oncoming traffic.

So if your cheap or in a hurry. Or just need something for right now. These cheap suction cup mounted generic rear view mirrors are an easy solution.

I'll eventually customize the stock mirror mount.

On my TJ I had the installer mount the mirror in the glass at its highest position when replacing the windshield. And it was great. But I think mounting it to the metal windshield frame would have been better. Maybe even with a heavy magnet. So that adjustment was an option. Rather than screw mounting. Which leaves holes in sheet metal. Something I always feel bad about. Unless absolutely necessary.

 

[JMT]

This is gonna sound crazy. But I moved to the Phillipines and ended up having to buy a different but equally simple 4x4. 2025 Suzuki Jimny. There a slightly more modern version of the Suzuki Samurai from the 80s and 90s. Excellent off-road and super easy to work on.

I had the same problem with my rearview mirror as my TJ. I'm 6'4" and it was way to low. I spent $60(?) on a new, shorter rear view mirror bracket. It still wasn't short of enough. So in the meantime I started cutting down my existing mount and figuring out how to shorten it and thus bring my mirror up to its highest position possible.

For the time being I bought a $2 suction cup mounted generic rear view mirror. The glass is shit. But I have to say. It's awesome! Lol! I was able to mount it at the highest possible position at the top of the glass. Route my dashcam to its side with a suction mount as well. I can completely customize where it rides at any time. It's fully up out of the way. I can move it slightly left or right. And honestly the shitty glass isn't so bad that I even notice it.

I still haven't finished shortening the stock bracket that mounts the original rearview mirror to the ceiling. A much better design I might add than the TJs.

But sometimes a $2 solution is the best solution. I honestly don't notice it anymore. Except that the rearview mirror is no longer blocking a huge portion of my view. That had me almost hitting pedestrian's before. Or not seeing something in oncoming traffic.

So if your cheap or in a hurry. Or just need something for right now. These cheap suction cup mounted generic rear view mirrors are an easy solution.

I'll eventually customize the stock mirror mount.

On my TJ I had the installer mount the mirror in the glass at its highest position when replacing the windshield. And it was great. But I think mounting it to the metal windshield frame would have been better. Maybe even with a heavy magnet. So that adjustment was an option. Rather than screw mounting. Which leaves holes in sheet metal. Something I always feel bad about. Unless absolutely necessary.

Still contemplating “moved to the Philippines.”

 

[Moab]

Still contemplating “moved to the Philippines.”

"You" are contemplating moving?

 

[JMT]

"You" are contemplating moving?

Contemplating “your move” to the Philippines. Why did you move there? I actually have two friends there; one from high school who married a girl from there. I think he’s in oil pipelines. The other also married a girl from there. He’s a missionary. The pics I’ve seen were beautiful. I’ve heard the government is overbearing.

 

[Moab]

Contemplating “your move” to the Philippines. Why did you move there? I actually have two friends there; one from high school who married a girl from there. I think he’s in oil pipelines. The other also married a girl from there. He’s a missionary. The pics I’ve seen were beautiful. I’ve heard the government is overbearing.

It's a third world nation. Corrupt system with heavy bureaucracy. Some things function. Many don't. Very dirty. Fairly low IQ overall. Kind of like Tijuana in the Pacific. Lol. But little violence. You rarely even see people arguing. It's a very compliant society. Thus why it never stops getting taken advantage of by oligarchs and the government.

The women are exceptional. Exceedingly beautiful. Kind. Generous. Prefer traditional masculine/feminine relationships. Very loyal. Age gap relationships and relationships with foreigners are preferred by many over locals.

Not necessarily in a transactional sense. More a successful man that is a provider and emotionally open is better than a local man with little prospects and a narrow of view of what a woman is. Similar to the US. Nothing unusual in that. Except they basically just want someone with basic resources and an ability to be a good partner. A social security level income or similar is enough. Which is unlike the US. Lol.

Plenty of scammers too. But no more than in the US or other countries. If you're a simp you'll get taken advantage of.

But...

...a culture of children taking care of family. Rather than parents wanting to do what they can for their kids - like in the US. Adult children here are culturally expected to support their families out of their low wages. There is no social security or medicaid here. Adult children pay for that. Most of the time, if you marry in, you will be expected to shoulder some if not all of this burden. But it's usually not much. $200 to $400 a month goes along way. It sounds transactional. Like your buying a wife. But it's not really like that.

I've decided to not live here permanently. Everything is so dysfunctional, corrupt and backwards it takes ten times the effort I get anything done. With a high probability of getting scammed, taken advantage of or even government processes not functioning and coming back to haunt you. Or just simply getting into trouble because someone you inadvertantly offended knows someone in some government agency.

You can live cheaply in a condo or house. But noise is a constant. Usually only fixed by finding the rare condo that is quiet. $500 a month for a newer hirise building. In a single with a balcony or maybe $650 for a one bedroom. You can of course spend more. But quality anywhere else in SE Asia is a higher standard of quality. Vietnam, Thailand etc. Better quality in just about everything. But few in those places speak English. Most in the phillipines speak some. Not fluently. But enough to get around.

It's a great place to light out, lay low and date for a few years. But I came here wanting to build a homestead in the mountains. Buying here is not advised.

Their are no neighborhood's here. You'll see a million dollar mansion built within feet of a tin shack full of generational alcoholics. 20 stray dogs, 50 chickens unhoused and loud base karaoke machines at 3am is a constant. It's culturally accepted and will never change.

The biggest unsolvable problem is noise. Finding a place where you aren't awakened every night. Or at least 3 or 4 nights a week of no sleep. Or very little. Is hard to do.

Great place to find a wife or just be a dater. Hang out and save money. But not to live long term IMHO. But many do.

Tourism and expat numbers are down. Because Vietnam, and Thailand are better quality living standards.

The Phillipines is kind of like always living in a white trash neighborhood.

 

[wayleigh]

This took a turn for the off-topic.

Fun fact: when you buy a £7 part and take a £40 hit shipping, A $10 mirror for $64 winds up adding an additional $20.19 in import duties when it hits the US. Yay trade wars. Over $80 and I don't even have it yet. Shop tried the glue every which way; they think it is the chip in the glass that won't hold. Should have just gotten the suction cup and been done with it! Now I am on a mission...

 

[Moab]

This took a turn for the off-topic.

Fun fact: when you buy a £7 part and take a £40 hit shipping, A $10 mirror for $64 winds up adding an additional $20.19 in import duties when it hits the US. Yay trade wars. Over $80 and I don't even have it yet. Shop tried the glue every which way; they think it is the chip in the glass that won't hold. Should have just gotten the suction cup and be done with it! Now I am on a mission...

I'm confused. Where are you importing parts from and to?

 

[wayleigh]

From the UK into the US. Maybe tariffs because it is made of steel?

I bought the precise one that LMSeal refers-to in post #22 in this thread.

Anyway, that's one expensive $10 mirror, by the time it gets here.