I have a problem with RL's side mirrors - almost got into accidents a few times already because of limited field of view through side mirrors.

My other car is Subaru Outback. It doesn't look like its mirrors are much bigger, but I definitely can see much more (several lines on both sides) and the dead spot is much less.

I even thought about installing small sticky round mirrors to the corners of regular RL mirrors, but I'm afraid it would look ugly.

It is also possible that my mirrors in RL are not correctly set up. Trial and error is slow and even dangerous, so may be somebody can point me to the instructions how side mirrors should be set up right.

Sorry if the question sounds stupid, but I really struggling with those mirrors for a few months and it appeared to be dangerous.

Thank you!
Konstantin

 

I think that setting up your mirrors correctly will solve much of your problem. It took me a while to get the mirrors adjusted correctly but now I am very happy with the visibility they provide. I initially had the mirrors adjusted too high since with previous cars I had owned, I "aligned" the mirrors to be centered down the edge between the doors and the windows. When set up this way in the RL, the mirrors were way too high and I now have the mirrors "aligned" much lower, with the rear door handles right at the edge of the mirror and just below the half way point of the mirror. It is hard to describe, but I believe that trial and adjustment will solve your problem just as it did for me.

 

I tried something like that. The result - I only see one side line, adjacent to mine. Definitely not enough if I want to change a few lines at a time quickly.

 

I adjust my side mirrors to be further away from the car quite a bit than I've heard recommended. I look at it this way...

The inside rearview mirror provides the view to the direct rear. I don't need to have either of the outside mirrors looking in the same place. So, to start the adjustment process, if I can -- while sitting normally in the driver's seat -- see the side of the car in the divers-side mirror, I have to too close to the car and it needs to be out farther. Once that's done, I check to see if I can lean over toward the driver window, and just see the side of the car, then it's probably pretty close to where it needs to be. To make final adjustments, I do the following: Driving in the right lane, I watch a car coming from behind in the inside mirror. As it gets closer, it will move out of that mirror and into the driver's-side mirror. Just before it leaves the inside mirror, I should be able to see it in the driver's mirror. In fact, I should be able to see it in both of them for a second or two. If I've done it right, I should be able to see the front of the car in my preipheral vision (without turning around) as it leaves the driver's mirror. In other words, I have no blind spots at all and I don't ever need to turn around to have a look (which I personally think is dangerous).

BTW, this same process is used for the passenger mirror as well -- but because it's curved, it's slightly more tolerant to adjustment "error". (Obviously, the on-coming car would need to pass you on the right -- hopefully not on an expressway.)

The entire premise is based upon having cars move from each successive mirror and to my side vision without ever being out of view. What I found was the most difficult to do was get away fromn the ide athat I needed to see the side of the car in the side mirrors -- which is what I was originally taught.

 

You may be able to order a JDM left side glass/mirror. It should be just like our (LHD) right mirror (convex).

This trick worked very well on my S2000 as it has the worst blind spot with the top up.

 

I moved my mirrors to the position when I only can see the side of the car when I icline (not just turn head) towards the mirror. This gives me pretty good view to change one line, but somehow theblind spot is still there and it prevents me from changing several lines at a time safely, at least to the left. And rather wide area between front and rear windows blocks me from seeing that area even if I turn my head to the left!

 

I don't think you're ever going to be able to set the mirrors to safely change two (or more) lanes at once. Also, I think that the reason you have a blind spot at your left rear corner is because you're trying to get the second lane over in your mirror view too. The reason multiple lane changes is both frowned upon and ticketed is because it's unsafe. Don't get me wrong. I do it too but not too often and I don't expect my side mirror to provide me a three-lane view to the rear and side.

Just my

 

Playing with the left mirror on my way to the office I found that it is simply in the leftmost possible position! With that I don't have a blind spot in the line next to me, but in the following line the blind spot is big enough to hide full size vehicle there