Do I need specific glass to replace the missing glass in my heated wing mirrors?

[Ej1749]

So the glass has come out of my right wing mirror and they are heated mirrors. Is it okay to replace them with any old cheap replacement of eBay with a bit of glue or do I need specific glass like on a heated wind shield. I'm being quoted about £120 for a replacement, but on eBay they are like £5-£20. However, those cheap ones may not allow it to heat up as well.... and as we live in England I want to make sure its working for winters.

Any help would be appreciated 

[clubsport]

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/macht-mirror-glass-490441381

apply discount code = £35.63

[willni]

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/macht-mirror-glass-490441381

apply discount code = £35.63

You'd get a genuine one from VW for £35

[SRGTD]

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/macht-mirror-glass-490441381

apply discount code = £35.63

You'd get a genuine one from VW for £35

@Elliott Smart; if a genuine VW replacement door mirror glass is around £35, then presumably the £120 you were quoted was for supply and fit.

I’d not pay £120, but then I’d be happy to fit it myself, and £35 or thereabouts sounds OK price-wise for a decent replacement from ECS or a genuine one from VW.

[Lordie]

I got a quote for mirror glass from my local VW garage last year and they said £60

After not driving the car for a number of weeks during the first lock down I went over a slightly bumpy road and the drivers side glass just dropped out (seems to been quite a common thing on the MK7 after a quick search)

Got one from Ebay for around the £10 mark with the blind spot curve as it's a drivers side one. Came with adhesive on the back so stuck it straight on the rubber hear pad and it's been fine. If use use something like glue or silicone it may block the effectiveness of the heat so I'd avoid it. The product page said it was suitable for heated mirrors but I don't know if there's a difference or not. There might not be as mirrors have to survive direct sunlight anyway which would be the same temperature if not hotter

[Pixwix]

I got my replacement from Europarts.. then drove 2 mins to the nearest VW garage and they fitted it! They were out of stock so didn’t feel bad.. drivers side so very weird driving without it.
It fell out at speed on the M62!

[Ej1749]

Yeah tbf I do most of the general maintenance myself and will fit this as well. Just picked one up for £23 from Parkers as had no clue where to go for it. Looks identical to the VW genuine part, so hopefully it absorbs the heat through the glass and defrosts properly. Just wondering whether the sticky pads attached to it are suitable for the heat transfer, or whether I should rip these off and glue it on so that the glass is closer to the heated backing plate?

https://www.eurocarparts.com/p/macht-mirror-glass-490441381

apply discount code = £35.63

You'd get a genuine one from VW for £35

@Elliott Smart; if a genuine VW replacement door mirror glass is around £35, then presumably the £120 you were quoted was for supply and fit.

I’d not pay £120, but then I’d be happy to fit it myself, and £35 or thereabouts sounds OK price-wise for a decent replacement from ECS or a genuine one from VW.

[Ej1749]

Cheers for the advice!!!

[Ej1749]

Oooh okay so you would recommend not using the glue and to use the sticky pads? I was trying to foresee any issues and wondered if maybe glue would actually get the glass closer/flush with the heat pad so better heat transfer. If you are saying it still works fine with the sticky pads I'll give the glue a miss. Cheers for that.

I got a quote for mirror glass from my local VW garage last year and they said £60

After not driving the car for a number of weeks during the first lock down I went over a slightly bumpy road and the drivers side glass just dropped out (seems to been quite a common thing on the MK7 after a quick search)

Got one from Ebay for around the £10 mark with the blind spot curve as it's a drivers side one. Came with adhesive on the back so stuck it straight on the rubber hear pad and it's been fine. If use use something like glue or silicone it may block the effectiveness of the heat so I'd avoid it. The product page said it was suitable for heated mirrors but I don't know if there's a difference or not. There might not be as mirrors have to survive direct sunlight anyway which would be the same temperature if not hotter

[SRGTD]

The issue of the door mirror glass falling out does seem to be quite common - it gets quite a few mentions on various VW forums. A few people who’ve experienced this leave their rotary mirror adjustment knob on the ‘heating’ setting all the time. I don’t know if the heating automatically switches off after x minutes, but if it doesn’t, then for anyone who does leave the adjustment knob in the ‘heating’ position, continuous heating of the mirror glass might degrade the adhesive on the fixing pads over time.

IMHO the VW door mirror heating function is a poor design. Non-VW’s that I’ve owned in the past have had a warning light that illuminates when the heating function is being used, acting as a reminder to switch off the heating when the mirrors have cleared.