Replacing A3 Wing Mirror covers (How to remove them)

[Silent2016]

I have bought some silver replacement wing mirror covers for my A3.
The ones I have are from an S3 but I am unsure on how to remove my older covers.
I have searched the forums to no avail, Does anyone know how I can removed my original ones safely so I can put the S3 ones on?

Appreciate your help.

Many thanks to all.......
Silent

 

[Darren92]

remove the glass, adjustment motor then a couple of screws holding the cap on then pull off. they're pretty tight.

same sort of idea as this

 

[Silent2016]

My car is the A3 8V and they don't have screws inside.
I know this as I have the original S3 8V ones to put on and they are the same and no screw holes are in them so they cant be screwed on.
They clip off but unsure on how to unclip them.

Hope this makes sense.

Cheers
Silent

 

[Darren92]

You still need the glass and glass adjustment motor removed to see whats in behind.

 

[Silent2016]

I don't think you do on the newer A3 8v 2015 model as no screws thread holes are in the housing cover.
They also are not enclosed like the 8P model. The 8V have clips built into the rear of the housing meaning they must clip on and off.
The mirrors don't need to be removed as they are set in their own housing and the covers are totally separate.

 

[MA3RC]

Literally get a credit card and pop the cover off from the bottom, I've done it many a time. You can pop the glass out but its far more time consuming

 

[HawkeyeS3]

Literally get a credit card and pop the cover off from the bottom, I've done it many a time. You can pop the glass out but its far more time consuming

That sounds good! Can you expand a bit as to where you actually insert the credit card, central, to one side etc - I've got to replace my offside drivers silver cover on my S3 after a stone hit it big time and took a lump out, so would be useful to know. Thanks in advance

 

[Schizophonic]

Literally get a credit card and pop the cover off from the bottom, I've done it many a time. You can pop the glass out but its far more time consuming

Do a video!!!!

 

[MA3RC]

That sounds good! Can you expand a bit as to where you actually insert the credit card, central, to one side etc - I've got to replace my offside drivers silver cover on my S3 after a stone hit it big time and took a lump out, so would be useful to know. Thanks in advance

Where my finger and thumb are pointing are the clips, so insert the card in the middle of my hand, between the cover and indicator. Yank it up a little and you'll hear the clips pop as they partly release, then shimmy the card along prying the clips out. You'll want to pull the cover up as a pose to towards you

 

[MA3RC]

Do a video!!!!

If it doesn't rain tomorrow I'll give it a go

 

[Rob2k68]

To make sure nothing gets broken and that the new clips engage properly so everything lines up etc you need to remove the glass, glass adjustment motor, two spring clips that react against the glass then carefully lever the clips that hold the complete front bezel in place then the remaining clips that hold the caps on.

Djalix posted a good guide with pics somewhere on here.

 

[Rob2k68]

A picture tells a thousand words .....

Here's the glass adjust motor with one long screw in the middle, also remove the brass coloured springs which will help later for access one screw per spring, disconnect the adjustment motor wiring harness plug it only goes back on one way:-

Remove the 3 screws with 1 in arrows next to them, the balloons with 2 next to them show the clips that hold on the front bezel in place, carefully lever the moulded hook out of the way with a small electrical screwdriver or similar :-

Finally these are the clips that hold on the mirror caps :-

The cap itself showing location features and fixing clips, yanking the cap off is likely to break these :-

This is what it looks like when disassembled but don't let that put you off, patience is the main tool needed :-

This is not the definitive guide just how I did mine and how the instructions for the Audi Carbon Mirror Caps suggest.

 

[DJAlix]

A picture tells a thousand words .....

Here's the glass adjust motor with one long screw in the middle, also remove the brass coloured springs which will help later for access one screw per spring, disconnect the adjustment motor wiring harness plug it only goes back on one way:-

Remove the 3 screws with 1 in arrows next to them, the balloons with 2 next to them show the clips that hold on the front bezel in place, carefully lever the moulded hook out of the way with a small electrical screwdriver or similar :-

Finally these are the clips that hold on the mirror caps :-

The cap itself showing location features and fixing clips, yanking the cap off is likely to break these :-

This is what it looks like when disassembled but don't let that put you off, patience is the main tool needed :-

This is not the definitive guide just how I did mine and how the instructions for the Audi Carbon Mirror Caps suggest.

Basically the same method I used, which was from the Audi workshop manual. There are a few additional steps in there which are not needed IMO but once you have the glass off it's kinda easy to see whats what. If you go this route make sure, when pulling the glass, you pull / use force with even pressure else you will flax the glass and it will shatter. Audi OEM heated replacement = £44 per side.

 

[HawkeyeS3]

Literally get a credit card and pop the cover off from the bottom, I've done it many a time. You can pop the glass out but its far more time consuming

Many thanks for the picture of how to do MA3RC, much appreciated!

 

[RO65ERS]

the price of the OEM carbon covers put me off BIG time!im half tempted to wrap them in gloss black instead.

Choices Choices.

 

[Rob2k68]

... Or buy primed ones from Audi and have them painted black.

On my Leon FR I didn't like the titanium caps and wanted body coloured Nevada white ones, caps were £17 each from Seat and it cost £55 to get them professionally painted. Prob going to be 1.5-2 times the price being an Audi but still worth looking into.

 

[RO65ERS]

i get cost price at TPS - so I'm sure it'll be a cheap way of doing it, and working for a main dealer with a body shop it'll cost me probaly nothing if i just want gloss black, maybe 20 quid to match it.

Thats very good thinking!

 

[RO65ERS]

But obviously, i want the carbon fibre ones!


i do have a credit card *rolls eyes*

 

[Rob2k68]

But obviously, i want the carbon fibre ones!


i do have a credit card *rolls eyes*

Haha lol! Wonder what the cost price is ?

I found an Audi dealer selling them at a decent ish price on eBay and my local dealer agreed to do a price match.

 

[MikegS3]

just fitted carbon fibre covers to mine £284.50 from Audi which I know is a bit costly but in my opinion well worth the money once my old man seen them we priced some for his 3 series m sport £508!!! With that in mind the Audi ones are a bargain

 

[Rob2k68]

It has to be said that however expensive the Audi carbon mirror caps seem the quality is top notch not a weave of carbon out of place and a gorgeous lacquer coating - oh, and a perfect fit too !

Edit: Actually they're bloomin good value when compared to the original fake aluminium caps !!

 

[RO65ERS]

@MikegS3 they're stunning!
Its making me tempted!

currently moving house and renovating a house too so I'm a busy boy and there are so many things i want to buy and do! i don't have enough time in my life to get things done...saying that, i have upto 26 weeks off work... I'm currently on week 1.

 

[RO65ERS]

@Rob2k68 i wonder how much OEM glass is for the mirrors, id go ballistic if i broke the mirror whilst removing it...

im not convinced about the credit card slide off way.

 

[Rob2k68]

@Rob2k68 i wonder how much OEM glass is for the mirrors, id go ballistic if i broke the mirror whilst removing it...

im not convinced about the credit card slide off way.

There are a lot of ribs and little moulded features that hold everything in place (perfectly flush to the front bezel) that could easily break if not stripped down the correct way - it's more time consuming but less likely to break these when removing and also to ensure correct engagement/alignment when refitting.

As per the glass I did break one on my Leon - it was around £37 so prob closer to £50 on ours lol. I was pretty careful this time round and adjusted the glass to give the largest gap to the bezel along the outer edge then gap maybe two or three fingers in the provide equal pressure so stop the glass flexing then focussed the pressure towards the centre and it just pops out.

 

[RO65ERS]

There are a lot of ribs and little moulded features that hold everything in place (perfectly flush to the front bezel) that could easily break if not stripped down the correct way - it's more time consuming but less likely to break these when removing and also to ensure correct engagement/alignment when refitting.

As per the glass I did break one on my Leon - it was around £37 so prob closer to £50 on ours lol. I was pretty careful this time round and adjusted the glass to give the largest gap to the bezel along the outer edge then gap maybe two or three fingers in the provide equal pressure so stop the glass flexing then focussed the pressure towards the centre and it just pops out.

if it was something i was going to do, then obviously id do it the right way. if I'm prepared to spend £300+ on wing mirrors what an extra 50 quid on glass. seeing as i get good rates at TPS, i know i can get genuine parts cheap ftw.
stripping own would take an extra 10 minutes so id rather be that way!

 

[nicks260]

Just bought these for my s3 but seems to good to be true... They look and feel like carbon fibre bit cost me £68.50! Maybe they don't have the clips or something. Look forward to your opinions!

 

[Rob2k68]

Just bought these for my s3 but seems to good to be true... They look and feel like carbon fibre bit cost me £68.50! Maybe they don't have the clips or something. Look forward to your opinions!

Yep you're right no clips i'm afraid - look at the fourth picture down in post #12.

Looks like you're best bet will be tape or glue over the existing mirror caps.

 

[DJAlix]

Just bought these for my s3 but seems to good to be true... They look and feel like carbon fibre bit cost me £68.50! Maybe they don't have the clips or something. Look forward to your opinions!

I could be wrong but from zooming in on the picture it would seem that these are just covers which fit over the top of existing mirrors.

Edit: Ha! Posted at the same time as Mr Rob... Great minds and all that!

 

[pauly69]

I recently got some OEM boxed Audi carbon fibre jobbies for peanuts on ebay, slightly terrified about fitting them though

The Audi fitting instructions are in the box, but these pictures look more useful

 

[Salik Sajid]

i followed this guy on youtube of how to remove the A3 side mirror cover

 

[Jimson666]

Are these the same fitting as new A4?

 

[Raul_sbd]

A picture tells a thousand words .....

Here's the glass adjust motor with one long screw in the middle, also remove the brass coloured springs which will help later for access one screw per spring, disconnect the adjustment motor wiring harness plug it only goes back on one way:-

Remove the 3 screws with 1 in arrows next to them, the balloons with 2 next to them show the clips that hold on the front bezel in place, carefully lever the moulded hook out of the way with a small electrical screwdriver or similar :-

Finally these are the clips that hold on the mirror caps :-

The cap itself showing location features and fixing clips, yanking the cap off is likely to break these :-

This is what it looks like when disassembled but don't let that put you off, patience is the main tool needed :-

This is not the definitive guide just how I did mine and how the instructions for the Audi Carbon Mirror Caps suggest.

I know this is an old post but do you still have the guide on how to remove the mirror caps? I am planing to buy some mirror caps for my Q2, they look pretty similar shape ways to the A3 ones.. but... first i dont want to break the expensive mirror and second not sure how difficult the cap/cover to come off after the mirror itself is out..

Any help will be appreciated, or pdf manual or tips