Right Side View Mirror Smoking On 04 Rx330

[milehigh5280]

My wife's 04 RX330's right side view mirror started smoking yesterday. Today I started it up and let in run for about 10 minutes and noticed it isn't smoking but it no longer will adjust from left to right or vice versa. You can still make it go up and down electronically and you can adjust left to right manually. I called Lexus and they said it would have to be replaced as you can only replace the entire unit or just the mirror. Quoted price .... nearly $900. I figured it would be easily $300 but $900 is insulting. I've found aftermarket mirrors for this car on Ebay with memory for $157 - new. It is black and would have to be painted to match the color.

So my questions are:

1. Has anyone ever just replaced the motor for one of these side view mirrors and if so how difficult was it?

2. What is a fair price to pay a body shop to paint this mirror if I get it off ebay? And yes I'll call a body shop or three tomorrow.

3. Does anyone have any suggestion on this problem that I may be over looking?

Thanks in Advance,

Don

Denver, Colorado

[code58]

My wife's 04 RX330's right side view mirror started smoking yesterday. Today I started it up and let in run for about 10 minutes and noticed it isn't smoking but it no longer will adjust from left to right or vice versa. You can still make it go up and down electronically and you can adjust left to right manually. I called Lexus and they said it would have to be replaced as you can only replace the entire unit or just the mirror. Quoted price .... nearly $900. I figured it would be easily $300 but $900 is insulting. I've found aftermarket mirrors for this car on Ebay with memory for $157 - new. It is black and would have to be painted to match the color.

So my questions are:

1. Has anyone ever just replaced the motor for one of these side view mirrors and if so how difficult was it?

2. What is a fair price to pay a body shop to paint this mirror if I get it off ebay? And yes I'll call a body shop or three tomorrow.

3. Does anyone have any suggestion on this problem that I may be over looking?

Thanks in Advance,

Don

Denver, Colorado

Why don't you see if you can find out if the motor in the E-bay mirror is the same as the OEM mirror. If it is, just take the motor out of the new mirror, put it in your existing mirror and you don't have to have it painted. The motor in the original mirror is probably a $1. Chinese motor like the expensive door lock actuator motors are. Pathetic that you would even have to pay $157. for it much less $900.

[milehigh5280]

Why don't you see if you can find out if the motor in the E-bay mirror is the same as the OEM mirror. If it is, just take the motor out of the new mirror, put it in your existing mirror and you don't have to have it painted. The motor in the original mirror is probably a $1. Chinese motor like the expensive door lock actuator motors are. Pathetic that you would even have to pay $157. for it much less $900.

Good point. That could be a decent solution and yes I agree Lexus is insulting to think I'd pay them $900 for a side view mirror.