Digital Friend's video: How-To Quick Fix A Side View Mirror Tutorial

Learn how to fix your broken sideview mirror using aluminum foil tape. This is a very easy technique, and works almost like papier-mâché. However, instead of using papier-mâché, you are using pieces of aluminum foil tape to fix a side view mirror. Fit the mirror back onto the car as best you can. Be sure to carefully clean the mirror and car surface to which the tape will be applied. Tape doesn’t stick well to a dirty surface. Therefore, I clean the car and mirror with a rag, warm water and dish detergent. I then rinse off the dish detergent and let it dry. Then I use some rubbing alcohol and wipe the surface clean again, and wait until the rubbing alcohol dries. Consider the following when using an aluminum foil tape fix. Firstly, the surfaces to which the tape will be applied must be very clean. Secondly, the more surface area you cover on the car and the mirror, the stronger the connection between the car and the mirror. I usually make a tape connection which is a couple of inches wide on both the car mirror and the car body. Have a look at the video. Thirdly, the pieces of tape have to overlap with other pieces of tape. Fourthly, the more layers of tape you use, one layer of tape on top of the next, the stronger the connection. I would usually use about 16 layers of tape. You can use more or less tape layers if you want to. If the tape pieces are narrower, they will probably wrinkle less. In the video, I use full width pieces of tape which bridge the connection between the car and the mirror. Longer, wider pieces of tape make a stronger connection. As long as the layers of tape overlap, the pieces of tape can be shorter as well. Use whatever size of tape pieces you need to use in order to get the job done. I use nail polish to paint the tape. Try and match the colour of the car as well as possible. Nail polish is kind of like car paint, because it is also quite glossy. If you paint a couple of layers of nail polish onto the tape, the result will look better. Tape Line Make a straight tape line on the mirror. The tape pieces should all end in a straight line around the plastic part of the mirror. This makes the job look neater. Disguising The Tape If the car is a little bit dusty and dirty, it will be harder to see that the mirror has been taped into place. Aluminum Foil Tape Types There are several different types of aluminum foil tape. Use the best tape you have available. Cost This is a very inexpensive way to fix a mirror. I would guess that it would cost about $20.00 to fix the mirror, which is a lot cheaper than spending over $300.00 to get a rear-view mirror fixed professionally. Touch Test Make sure the aluminum foil tape connection is strong enough before you drive away. Touch the mirror with your hand. It should feel secure. I hope this technique saves you some time and money. Have a Great Day!