By Jil McIntosh
POSTMEDIA
Wheels
There’s nothing like competition to get a company to step up its game. When Ford unveiled its upcoming Bronco, it announced the mirrors would be attached to the body, not to the doors.
In response, Jeep is now offering a Mopar factory-backed accessory mirror kit for its Wrangler and Gladiator for when the doors are off.
Both the Wrangler and Bronco have removable doors, along with a removable roof, which is much of their appeal for enthusiasts.
But Jeep’s mirrors are attached to the doors, so when you take the door off, you’re left without a looking-glass. On the trail, it’s annoying that you can’t see what’s alongside.
It’s even more important on the street. While it’s permissible in most jurisdictions to drive without any doors (if not necessarily the safest thing in case of a side crash), it’s illegal to do so without a side mirror.
The auto aftermarket picked up on that, and a large number of companies offer mirrors that fit into the hinge once the door is removed. But now that Bronco comes out of the box with mirrors permanently attached, Mopar is offering its version, guaranteed to fit and with factory-backed warranty.
Unlike some of the cheaper aftermarket mirrors, which are mounted on a rod that simply slips into the hinge, the Mopar version attaches with bolts and clamps, using a wrench that’s included in the standard tool kit with Wrangler and Gladiator. The Mopar mirrors also have a breakaway feature if you get too close to a tree on the trail.
In Canada, the set of two Mopar mirrors is $398 — a bit more than the cheapest aftermarket glass, which can start as low as $50 per mirror.
In Jeep’s favour, because its mirrors aren’t attached to the pillars, the windshield can be folded down, while the Bronco’s front glass is fixed in place. Your move, Ford.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2020
