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Dec
If you’re looking for a towing mirror, you’ll come across a wide selection – from removable to permanent fittings, flat glass or convex and extra features such as inbuilt indicators and heating. All of these option can make the buying process slightly confusing for the first time buyer, so it’s best you do some homework before you start looking, in order to make the best choice possible.
For most car owners, the car exterior accessories process usually starts online, because you can search for accessories that are made specifically for your type of vehicle, and you get a list of the full specifications of the product. Moreover, you can see whether the product complies with certain rules and regulations, you can read reviews about it and you can compare prices and warranties between more car exterior accessories retailers.
But when it comes to towing mirrors, the choice usually largely depends on personal preference. The setup you’re most comfortable with, whether you prefer to retain all of the visibility from your standard mirror, or you want the towing mirror to replace it entirely, whether you prefer curved or flat glass is all up to personal preference.
However, as aforementioned, you should also take into account the laws that surround towing mirrors, such as: you should be able to see clearly on both sides of your caravan, 4 metres on each side at a distance of 20 metres behind the caravan. If you’re towing a caravan without proper extension mirrors, you’re likely to get in trouble and have to pay fines.
Some manufacturers produce model-specific towing mirrors, which gives you the benefit of ensuring a great fit and better visibility. However, not every manufacturer produces model and make-specific towing mirrors, and the ones that do, usually sell them for a bigger price. Custom made mirrors can be either permanent, suction, strap-fitting and clamp, depending on the way they’re attached, and whether they can be unattached.
Permanent mirrors obviously can’t be removed, and they often have extra features like indicator lights and heated panes, which reflects their price tag. It’s usually recommended that they’re installed by a professional, and are the ideal choice if you’re towing regularly.
Removable mirrors, such as strap-fitting mirrors, are buckled or strapped around your existing mirrors. They’re typically secure, although frequent removing and fitting them can be somewhat tricky. Suction mirrors suck onto your already existing mirror glass, and they oftentimes make your existing mirror obsolete. And lastly, clamp mirrors usually clamp onto the bottom or top part of your mirror housing with a single or two clamp fixings.
