As a car owner, you’ll more than likely have to replace one of your vehicle’s side view mirrors at one point or another, but how much does this cost?
You can expect to spend anywhere between $150 and $350 on a new side mirror for your car, depending on the make and model.
While it might not be something you need to do as often as changing your oil or rotating your tires, sooner or later you’ll probably have to replace your vehicle’s side view mirror.
Things happen and even if you’re extra careful car mirrors are usually the first thing to get damaged, especially if you do a lot of city driving through tight streets and heavy traffic.
Still, if you need to replace your car’s side view mirror, there’s no need to worry. Most of the time, it is quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive to get down.
Taking Your Car to An Auto Repair Shop vs. Doing It Yourself
The biggest factor determining how expensive replacing your car side mirror will be is if you decide to take your car to a mechanic or replace the mirror yourself. While doing it yourself is often much cheaper, both options have pros and cons that you should consider.
Pros And Cons Going to An Auto Repair Shop
While it is the more expensive option, taking your car to an auto repair shop to get the side mirror replaced is probably the better and more convenient option for the average car owner.
Though you will spend more money paying for the parts and labor at the garage you take your car to, you won’t have to do any of the hard work yourself and you’ll know that the job was done the right way.
The biggest con besides the more expensive price tag is that you’ll most likely have to leave your car at the garage for an extended period of time, leaving you without a vehicle for anywhere from a day or two to a week.
However, again considering you won’t have to do any work yourself and you won’t have to risk inadvertently damaging your vehicle during the replacement process, this is probably the best option for you.
Pros And Cons Of Replacing The Mirror Yourself
If you do want to save some money and are confident enough in your car maintenance skills to take on the task, buying the car side mirror and installing it yourself may the better option for you. Since you’ll only need to pay for the mirror itself, you could end up spending as little as $35 depending on the make, model, and type of part you buy.
However, it is worth noting that while aftermarket parts cost a lot less, if you want the genuine part that comes directly from the manufacturer, you may still have to spend anywhere from $100 to $200.
Another thing to be aware of is that, even though replacing a car side mirror is one of the easier parts of car maintenance to do yourself, it is by no means easy for someone to do themselves without any prior experience.
You will have to do plenty of research and follow directions perfectly to ensure that the mirror is installed correctly, and you still may risk accidentally damaging your car or the mirror in the process.
However, if you are confident enough in your own abilities and don’t want to leave your car at an auto repair shop for a few days, replacing the mirror yourself is easily the better option.
Will Insurance Cover Car Side Mirror Replacement Costs?
If you need to replace your vehicle’s side mirror, making an insurance claim to cover the costs may seem like a no brainer, however, this isn’t exactly the best idea for a few reasons.
Firstly, insurance normally doesn’t cover things like normal wear and tear, so if you only intend to replace the mirror because it is old and worn down, your insurance won’t be able to cover that.
However, insurance does cover losses in the case of a collision, but if you should file a claim largely depends on the circumstances of the accident.
If the collision is your fault, you probably shouldn’t file an insurance claim. In most cases, the cost of replacing a side view mirror is less than the cost of the deductible you’d have to pay so paying out of pocket is usually the best choice in this situation.
Not to mention the fact that filing a claim like this could easily cause your insurance rates to increase.
The only time you should file a claim to replace a side mirror is if the accident was someone else’s fault. If this is the case and you know the identity of the driver at fault, you should file a claim through the other driver’s insurance which should cover your repair costs in full without causing any effect on your insurance coverage and rate.
Key Takeaways For How Much It Costs to Replace Your Car Side Mirror
The cost of replacing your car’s side view mirror largely depends on whether you take it to an auto repair shop or do it yourself.
If you take your car to an auto repair shop, you should expect to pay anywhere from $150 to $350 depending on the price of the parts and labor.
If you decide to replace the mirror yourself, you will only have to pay for the mirror, which may cost anywhere between $35 and $200 depending on if you buy aftermarket or genuine.
While insurance may cover the cost of replacing your side view mirror, you’ll probably be better off paying out of pocket.
