Mirror angst; 2000 Sonata

Subject: putting real sideview mirrors onto my 2000 Sonata.

Problem: Like other car makers, Hyundai put styling above safety. I could have had an accident last night when merging on the freeway because I didn't see another car in the blind spot. It's a short lane change area that requires a split-second decision at high speed. It's tense.

I also have constant parking problems in this car because I can't judge where the car is relative to the curb. I'm either parked too far from the curb, or am scraping my right tires, which are now badly scuffed. I can't see it without getting out of the car to look!

I have never had these problems with any other cars that I have owned,and I've always had a good sense of where the edges of the body are located. Not in the Sonata.

I just realized that the stock sideview mirrors are too small, and even more anti-ergonomic because of their slick tapering. I just can't see enough in the mirrors. Truckers are professional drivers: they don't put up with dainty high-fashion foolery like this.

The stock mirrors are mounted on pods that seem to be integrated into the car's paneling.

Please, I'd like to bat around some ideas, possible solutions here. What can I do about this problem that won't involve bodywork? I want decent-sized mirrors on this car that are rectangular and don't look like a hack job.

Related topic #2: curb feelers. What's good, and where to buy them. But let's begin with the mirrors.

Reply to
Richard Steinfeld
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As a practical matter the most you can do is to adjust the mirror to reduce the blind spot. If you can see the side of your Sonata in the mirror, it means you have a large blind spot just out of your peripheral vision. You have it too far inward and need to angle it outwards to get better coverage to the side. I've used clip on wide angle mirrors on the inside, they work swell!

Reply to
dsi1

Richard Steinfeld wrote in news:MuednQB9j5NnvUXPnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@posted.sonicnet:

I like the Maxi View mirror, about $20 online. Went on a 300 mile trip in my Kia Rondo and was able to monitor the blind spot like a charm. It's a small adjustable mirror that sticks on the regular mirror so you can see what's along side you. You get two, one for each mirror, but I only used one for the drivers side. You could try the other one on the passenger side to see if you can see the curb too.

Reply to
Bob Babskie

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