I would like to put an OnStar rearview mirror into the Fiero, preferably an auto-dimming one. Reason: it would be nice to put something like BlueStar (bluetooth handsfree kit) into the Fiero. And the OnStar mirror has keys and LEDs that I can put to use.
Now the questions:
- Does any (late model) GM mirror fit the 87/88 Fiero windshield mounting base? Or did GM change the mounting (again) along the way? - Do all/some or none of the OnStar rearviews automatically have the "autodimming" (electrocromatic) feature? They do have power, so they could be dimming - Is there any vehicle with a mirror of similar dimensions suitable for the Fiero?
Maybe someone here has such a car as a second vehicle, or has seen something on the yard... Anyway, I thought I'd ask...
I just upgraded my 2005 duramax to the auto dimming. The base is the standard GM base, and it does have the onstar buttons, it also has outside tempature which would be really easy to add to your car if you are intrested in doing so
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11:48 AM
josef644 Member
Posts: 6939 From: Dickinson, Texas USA Registered: Nov 2006
I have installed 3 of these, and have a 4th one I am gonna install-into my 88. The mounting base may or may not be the same. My car has one that fit correctly on the base on my 88's windshield. The other three I installed had the next size larger base This style uses a larger base This style uses the same base as the one in my 88. It does not have temperature or OnStar, but has auto dim and compass.
If you go to a Pick and Pull to get these, remember that the color of the wires is not as important as to which pin position in the connectors. Red is not necessarily positive, and black is not always the ground wire. Wire it up incorrectly and it will toast in about 5 seconds. . Ignore the wire colors, as the are never the same. The auto manufacturers often build the connector into their harness and used which ever color they wanted to. My # 1 wire was yellow. Gentex and Donnaly manufacture the mirrors, then sell them to GM, Ford, MB etc.
I have the pin outs for the 7 and 16 pin mirrors, but more importantly I know which pins on the mirror are which pin number.
[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 10-22-2010).]
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12:18 PM
Marvin McInnis Member
Posts: 11599 From: ~ Kansas City, USA Registered: Apr 2002
I can't provide any help concerning OnStar, but I have installed two generic auto-dimming mirrors in my Fiero. First was an OEM Gentex mirror that had auto-dimming only ($35 new); it worked fine, but I gave it to my nephew when I "upgraded." I currently have an aftermarket Donnelly (now owned by Gentex, I believe) auto-dimming mirror that includes a compass display, outside air temperature display, and two map lights; I think it cost me about $150 new. Both mirrors came with hardware to fit either the GM-standard windshield button or the European/Japanese cam-type mount. FWIW, an auto-dimming mirror is one of the very best additions I've made to my Fiero (besides my DashScan II, of course ).
- Marvin
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01:50 PM
fieroluke Member
Posts: 357 From: Erlangen, Germany Registered: Mar 2001
From Gentex's website they don't sell directly, only through Mito, but they don't carry any on star models. So I guess I'll have to pay the U-pull a visit...
What should I expect to pay? In my experience prices vary quite a bit there... From what I read here the pinout is the same on all GM cars? Makes sense...
@Joseph: so the onstar mirrors all have a larger base? Do you know if there is an adapter available? @Marvin: you're right, whenever I drive a "modern" car, I notice how much I like it! ------------------ Visit my website: www.fieros.de for lots of technical and other Fiero related information Maroon 87 GT daily driver with Firebird Body Control Module, Power Window Controllers and Dash mounted Scantool/Trip Computer
[This message has been edited by fieroluke (edited 10-22-2010).]
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04:02 PM
Marvin McInnis Member
Posts: 11599 From: ~ Kansas City, USA Registered: Apr 2002
You'll like it even more the first time a truck or SUV with high-mounted HID headlights pulls up behind your Fiero at a stop and you aren't blinded.
These auto dimming mirrors will turn almost black when a Dodge Diesel truck pulls up behind me at a traffic light.
I can not truthfully say that all GM mirror connectors are the same. Gentex and Donnaly have made millions of these. I know that they are 5, 7 and 16 pin mirrors. I have just used and mounted 16 pin mirrors. I usually get these on E bay in the neighborhood of $25.00. The temperature sensors will run you an additional $20.00.
[This message has been edited by josef644 (edited 10-22-2010).]
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05:39 PM
fieroluke Member
Posts: 357 From: Erlangen, Germany Registered: Mar 2001
I put a Gentex auto dimming and compass mirror on my 86, and it's the best mirror I've ever owned. It's great for night driving since you can see much more while the mirror is not dimming.
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10:01 PM
Oct 24th, 2010
masospaghetti Member
Posts: 2477 From: Charlotte, NC USA Registered: Dec 2009
Be careful, even if the base "seems" to fit, it may be loose enough to be annoying when driving (it will shake like crazy whenever you are on a rough road).
I personally would only get a mirror with a cast base and set screw, not the spring-steel ones that only use the mounting tension to keep them tight.
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01:46 PM
Oct 26th, 2010
fieroluke Member
Posts: 357 From: Erlangen, Germany Registered: Mar 2001
I would assume GM uses the same mirror mount at least for all vehicles built around a certain year. Every few years they may change things, but usually you can swap across GM vehicles from the same era, can't you? At least that's what I thought...
Anyway, I'll look out for a mounting base that's Fiero-style with a screw, thanks for the tip!
Just a word of advice/caution. If your auto dimming mirror ever starts becoming discolored, UNPLUG IT.
I had one in my Grand Prix that literally had a meltdown. I didn't know what was going on so I left it plugged in. Then I came out to my car one day to find my mirror with clear and grey stripes and dripping its lifeblood from inside of it. It got all over my wheel skins shift boot and the gear selector plate ruining both.
So now I've got the reverse of the swap being discussed with an '85 Fiero mirror in my GP.
Drew
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11:34 AM
Aug 5th, 2011
americasfuture2k Member
Posts: 7131 From: Edmond, Oklahoma Registered: Jan 2006
i just saw this in my crutchfeild catalog that came in the mail, and immediately thought of combining the onstar with the auto dimm/map light/compass/temp mirror.
Yes. You can buy the new add-on kit that OnStar just came out with, to add the OnStar features to any car. It's pretty easy. No harder than installing a car alarm.
Welcome to costco I love you. Lol anyways I was fortunate enough a self dimming mirror was installed and besides the fact that it never turns white its always very helpful. To add about mirror searching in the bone yard and that most vehicles do use different adapters simply pull the mirror off with the plate and buy some adhesive and remount it to your fiero. One other thing that was nice awhile ago I had my window replaced on my 85 Monte carlo and when he replaced the window it had a different plate mounted to the window already and it was smaller than the one my car took. He than pulled this handy little mounting adapter piece that slid over the small one making it larger to fit the mirror and thus never wobbled or came off. My advice to this is if its larger you might be able to get one from a glass place that makes glass windows or break your window and have your insurance company replace it and be like why isn't my mirror fitting on the plate? Might get lucky and good luck
Just a word of advice/caution. If your auto dimming mirror ever starts becoming discolored, UNPLUG IT.
That is interesting my son's GP did the same thing, started leaking. He read somewhere on the net that the stuff coming out is really toxic. Not sure about that but would still be careful with it.
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04:51 PM
JohnWPB Member
Posts: 5222 From: West Palm Beach, Florida Registered: May 2009
Is everything for the OnStar service all located in the mirror itself, or are there other circuits, modules that are needed? I would like to grab one from the Pick-N-Pull, but not sure on if other parts are hidden behind the glove box ect.....
Is everything for the OnStar service all located in the mirror itself, or are there other circuits, modules that are needed? I would like to grab one from the Pick-N-Pull, but not sure on if other parts are hidden behind the glove box ect.....
It's a very integrated system in the OEM installs. If you want OnStar to work, you'd pretty much need everything out of the original car; including the engine/trans swap. If you really want to pay OnStar for some of their services, look into getting one of their new aftermarket kits.
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12:18 AM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Will the aftermarket On Star work with any car? I guess everything is self contained in the mirror. Sounds like a cool upgrade for the Fiero.
EDIT - found out the aftermarket on star is called On Star FMV. It's $379 installed at Best Buy. Not sure if it's Fiero compatible, although since it's a stand alone device I don't see why not.
The deal breaker is the monthly service. For some unfathomable reason the service on FMV is more than the regular On Star in the GM vehicles that have more capability.
Safe and Sound is $18.95 a month and Directions and Connections is $28.90. That is too rich for my blood for what it does. Especially in a car I rarely drive.
[This message has been edited by jscott1 (edited 08-07-2011).]
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01:02 AM
PFF
System Bot
fieroluke Member
Posts: 357 From: Erlangen, Germany Registered: Mar 2001
I ended up getting one from eBay. Pretty cheap and the base fit perfectly (from a Bonneville, IIRC) But I'm going to do something like Bluestar with it, I think OnStar is too expensive month by month. The OnStar mirror is a great way to have a few buttons and LEDs without having to drill holes into the Fiero interior..
Will the aftermarket On Star work with any car? I guess everything is self contained in the mirror. Sounds like a cool upgrade for the Fiero.
EDIT - found out the aftermarket on star is called On Star FMV. It's $379 installed at Best Buy. Not sure if it's Fiero compatible, although since it's a stand alone device I don't see why not.
The deal breaker is the monthly service. For some unfathomable reason the service on FMV is more than the regular On Star in the GM vehicles that have more capability.
Safe and Sound is $18.95 a month and Directions and Connections is $28.90. That is too rich for my blood for what it does. Especially in a car I rarely drive.
Should work fine in any car, yes. And those are the exact same prices as for the OEM OnStar. The free service on my Cruze is about to expire, and so the offers are starting. And the offer I got in the mail the other day has those exact same prices, so it's not more expensive monthly for the FMV version. It's just that you have to also buy the kit as well. Of course, for most people there probably isn't any real benefit to having it. The two features I would have used, aren't that great, and I don't really need OnStar to get the functionality anyway. One of those two requires the DIrections & Connections package, unfortunately, so if I did want to keep it, I'd be stuck for $30 month. But I'm passing, because I don't really need OnStar to e-mail me a monthly vehicle report, or to give me turn by turn directions. The info on the dash, and my phone, are enough to replace them.
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12:19 PM
jscott1 Member
Posts: 21676 From: Houston, TX , USA Registered: Dec 2001
Should work fine in any car, yes. And those are the exact same prices as for the OEM OnStar. The free service on my Cruze is about to expire, and so the offers are starting. And the offer I got in the mail the other day has those exact same prices, so it's not more expensive monthly for the FMV version.
I guess Onstar is more expensive now than I remember. I don't like paying monthly bills so on my truck I paid two years in advance. I guess when it comes up for renewal I'll have sticker shock.
).
