My RX8 didn't come with the auto self dimming rear view mirror. Has anyone bought this and installed it themselves? Is it a difficult job? I have the sport package, do you think it would be a plug and play? Do you need to buy some harness to connect it up? Just wondering what some of you think.

 

did the research for this about a year ago. it is not plug and play. no wiring in headliner in sport package. the mounting button on the windshield is also different.

can be done, but a bit of work.

hope this helps.
'
beers

 

FYI, bit of a different vehicle, but I added the upgraded mirror to my Jeep Wrangler.

If you are capable of doing basic wiring, disassembling/reassembling some of the interior to run wiring, and gluing on a new winshield button... it's not bad.

(On the jeep I also had to run a temp sensor through the firewall, but I doubt you would purchase that mirror for the RX8, since there is already a temp sensor displayed on the dash.)

Personally, I'll never buy a vehicle w/o the self-dimming mirrors again (or at the least I'll add them myself). I love them. The homelink control is just a happy bonus for me.

I got my mirror from Mito Corp, apparently the company the actually builds them..

http://www.mitocorp.com/

I didn't see the HomeLink mirror there, but at least the kit I got included the wiring harness, and everything I needed except for a few wire taps and some zip ties.

 

I tried pretty much every single dimming mirror that Mazda makes. It's not going to work. The tab on the windshield is a different size.

I'm thinking of just getting the back tinted.

I hate packages..

 

The dimming function on the stock auto-dimming mirror is not that great. Infact, it is pretty useless. I have seen better. It just gives a funny greenish tinge that's all. So if I were you, I wouldn't bother looking at the Mazda auto-dimming mirrors.

 

It's funny, like I said, I have auto dimming mirrors in both cars. and they both work great. My RX-8 has the stock autodimming mirror and I've never had a problem with it. (Even have the stock spoiler which many have complained about.)

nt5k, the stock window mount will not work with a mito mirror. You need to either get an adapter, or remove the mount and put on a chrylser style mount. (There are instructions as part of the mito kits.)

 

I was thinking more for the home link garage door opener, but it sounds like double stick tape my existing garage door opener to the sun visor is easier to do.

 

I wasn't very impressed with my auto dimming mirror either... in fact, I didn't think it was even working until I tested it by covering up the sensor on the front and shining a flashlight directly into the sensor on the back... then I could see that it actually did something... although the response time was pretty slow.... on the order of maybe 3 seconds or more ( I didn't actually time it, I'm going from memory) and the contrast ratio didn't seem that great. And like sunilseru said, it has a pronounced greenish tint to it....

As for the Homelink controller, the range is abysmal compared to my remote control for the gate opener... if I'm sitting right next to the antenna, the Homelink MAY open the gate if I push the button 4 or 5 times... I've repeatedly tried to retrain it, followed all the instructions carefully, no difference... the remote that came with the gate opener works flawlessly and has a range of about 80 feet or more... and the gate opener is one that is compatible with Homelink...

 

Yeah, the GENK40 will work - just completed the installation. See it here.
The auto-dimming function works very well on this one.

 

Yeah, the OE auto-dimming mirror is pretty second-rate. I had them replace my first one because it was so bad. The replacement is better, but still not that great. Go with an after-market, not the Mazda one.