Howitzer

Anyone out there have a reasonable explanation for why the driver's side mirror edge on the SL (R230) is finished with black trim but the passenger mirror edge is exposed glass? My 8 year old just pointed this out to me. I never noticed the difference before-very odd if you ask me, no apparent explanation.

NikleinR6

Post pics.

Howitzer

Mine is a 2004 SL55, but I have looked at other SL (R230) models and same thing. The driver's side mirror glass has black molding around it but the passenger side mirror does not. A co -worker has a 2005 SL and to his chagrin, same thing. He also had never noticed this anomoly. Baffled.

SLKBOB

My 2004 is the same. My first thought was that the right side mirror has a wider range of movement, and at the limits the molding might get stuck. My second thought was that the molding reduces the view a bit.

pleeson

FWIW, my 2003 has the same thing.
I wondered if one side had been replaced...

five337

Ha.. I noticed the same thing and assumed that maybe the previous owner had the mirror replaced.

I've checked a lot of SL's and they are all the same. No worries.

lkirchner

I have no idea why but all 230's through 2008 have the same thing. My wife's s550 has untrimmed goss on both sides. You can be sure that the elves in Deutschland have a reason.

jschade

I just assumed it was a different mirror because I believe the driver's side mirror has the auto-dimming night time feature that is tied into the rearview mirror inside the car.

SikPup65

exactly my thoughts

globetrotter

I'm not sure the reason but my S550 which also has auto-dimming does not have a black ring. I replaced my 2005 SL500 driver's side mirror the European version because I like the much wider convex field view. Much better blind spot detection. It does not have a black ring around it but is not auto-dimming. I don't care about the latter. I just wanted the convex view. It's a huge improvement (but not permitted by US DOT who thinks that Americans can't figure out that it makes cars appear further away).

Howitzer

Auto Dim Feature seems to be a plausible theory - it is consistent with globetrotter's SL500 Euros, but doesn't jive with his S550 experience. So I am not quite convinced. Could be further evidence of the Deutschland elves conspiracy (see Quirky Headrests thread).

BIGBEAR_1

Anyone knows the procedure to replace the driver mirror. Its discolored now and need to replace.

STL-SL500

driver's side (plastic framed) is dimmed, whereas, the other is simply heated; i too have no clue to their logic other than, on my X5's, there would be a loss/leakage of the chemical, hence, I'm guessing the plastic frame is to seal & catch such leakage...anyone else want to chime in?

dRockSL55

The black plastic frame is/was just the old way the electrochromic dimming mirrors were typically assembled. This feature was common starting in the early 90s on Lincolns and Cadillacs, which also used a framed design to secure and seal to the glass.
Most modern vehicles with dimming exterior mirrors incorporate a cleaner, frameless design. The framed versions will fail and leak onto the car and mirror housing eventually as well, the plastic frame doesn't stop it.