Retrofitting a self dimming / anti dazzle mirror

I thought I would share what I've done for this retrofit. I did this on my regular cars but it was not that easy for my 996 (MK1, 1998) for a simple reason : the ball joint on my stock mirror was way bigger than the donnelly mount for the anti dazzle mirror. The bottom line of any tutorial I read regarding this was to have a donor mirror when it came to repair the LCD (leaks) and obviously the mount of a porsche self dimming mirror is NOT the same as the regular mirror. 2 options : change the windshield and get a button on it that matches the anti dazzle mirror and eventually the rain sensor or KEEP my windshield and button mount and adapt a regular mirror foot to match a donnelly mirror (which I selected). I didn't want to go with the rain sensor and all as I have the wipers adjustable timer **** which I find good enough and I rarely drive my car when it rains. I purchased on ebay a donnelly mirror # Donnelly 011530 (which came from a acura car). For french based readers, that mirror is also used on peugeot cars, 807 models and others and can be purchased second hand for really cheap, 50-60€ vs 450€ at a porsche part (new). Couple of notes : - My 996.1 seems to have a first generation mirror, which explains why it was not matching at all the donnelly ball joint size. regular MK1 996 mirror (big ball joint) - as I wanted to keep my mirror untouched and just mod another in replacement, I got a boxter, that possibly equips MK2 996. It has a compatible ball joint diameter with the donnelly mirror so I got one on ebay boxster mirror The mirror arrived broken (poorly packed) and I got refunded but that was fine as I just needed the foot, which like I said, was compatible with my windshield button mount and had a smaller OD ball joint that would fit the donnelly mirror. It was only missing a hole and channel to route the wires To drill the channel, the foot locking clip must be removed. It's held with a knock rivet that can be simply drilled with a 4mm bit remove the clip Start drilling the channel. A center bit is really what you want to use first place to drill the ball. Wrap the foot with painters tape before securing it in a vise. from there, once the hole was started and aligned, I kept drilling using a cordless hand held drill to better control the drilling effort and keep checking alignment. I proceeded until reaching the flange point where the wires should bend and turn up to the mount / windshield side. I drilled the other side of the channel starting with a step bit to make some space inside and chop a bit of the clip stud, so that my drill bit could be engaged. Maybe I eye-balled well or just got lucky, but I got the 2 ends matching perfectly and I passed the wires. Make sure you heat shrink your wires to protect them inside the channel. also, counter sink the ball end to avoid cutting the wires To re attach the mounting clip, just use a 4mm aluminum rivet and pop it. Before, make sure you can route correctly the wires under the clip and dremel a small channel / exit hole on the mount. Make sure the wires have heat shrink all the way so that it looks nice and tidy (I don't have any rain sensor cover / mount to hide the wiring to the dome light panel) before / after pic WIRING : I just followed the wiring from the car wiring PDF. I just wanted simple operation and didn't bother wiring the backup wire, the mirror has a switch to disable it, so if I ever need to disable the mirror during reverse gear operation, I just need to push the switch. So at the end, only 2 wires to install. I threaded them via the dome panel where I installed a JST 2 pole connector (very common in R/C modeling) then in the ceiling and finally along the left side of the windshield, down to the relay panel. The positive of the mirror goes to bridge plug BS 16/2 (after contact +12V) and negative to the ground point 4 available on bridge plug BS11. If you want to go in the trouble of wiring the backup wire, it's located on the second relay panel and isn't fun to route (I've heard there are alternate locations too). However, if you had already passed a backup wire (hooked on the light itself) for your backup camera activation, you'll be able to get it next to the in-dash receiver. Final install The heat shrink give a ok look and is aligned with the windshield antenna. Looks legit to me and matches my grey / blue interior :-)

Good write up, Nice pictures.

thanks FPB ! it's been a fun project to work on, now my 996 is pretty complete (only missing a spoiler accordion / gasket to replace).

A Boxster or Audi auto dimming mirror would have fit your existing windshield mount and saved you a lot of trouble. Audi part # 4D0 857 511D.

Which wiring PDF did you use?

Quotes source post: 15256576

That's the route I'm going. I'm using an Audi self dimming with compass mirror. I really only cared about the compass but the wiring harness from Porsche was only $10.00 and it plugs directly into the Audi mirror plug, so what the hey, auto dimming too! It also has the little plastic trim piece that hides the plug/wiring as it goes up the windshield.

Quotes source post: 15256576

Thanks ! Saving this info if I need another mount that is pre drilled. Not a fan of the audi mirror itself and I prefer the donnelly with the on/off switch. The mount is nice though, especially since it has the wire cover. Since my windishield only has the blackening on the mirror button mount, I don't think it would look as nice from the outside, as you can see the connectors and wires, even if it looks really clean from the inside. Based on the cost (zero) of the spare mount, it's a fair deal IMO based on the fact it only takes 2 drills and one pop rivet to make the mount. If I have to replace the mirror + electronics (LCD leakage like it happened to me on my other cars during extreme heat / weather) I only have to swap the inside of the mirror and keep the foot. I look forward to see the audi mirror installed regarding the question above for the wiring, here's the link: http://arma.free.fr/porsche/996/GT3/...01999-2000.pdf

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I didn't show it in my first post but the Audi mount has a trim piece that hides the wires/plugs from the windshield side. It has some kind of felt or other soft fabric on it so it doesn't scratch the glass. The mirror was $60.00 from Ebay and the Porsche wiring harness was $10.00. Of all the dumb things I've spent money on for this car, I don't think this will make make the top ten. Where on the outskirts of Paris are you? I lived in the 16th when I was a kid/teenager but I went to school in Saint-Cloud and Meudon my last year there. Many fond memories.

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with the felt backing / cover, it looks definitely professional ! I'll refrain from redoing mine from now, I've spent too much time on my car for the past 2 months, I got it mid june and change the steering column switch, installed OBC, cruise control servo (it's a MK1), backup camera, relocated HVAC + 2 DIN pioneer unit, dyed the seats, new mirror, footwell lights, anti thief switch, interior LEDs and more ! Thanks for detailing your install, I keep collecting knowledge and part list especially VW / audi equivalent parts, so handy. I'm located souther in Essonne, between Bretigny and Etampes near road N20. Very close to the Monthlery speed track ;-) I haven't been there yet with the car, that's possibly for next spring.

[edit] oops, wrong thread

Though his is an older thread it is a great upgrade for our cars. I see the posted wiring diagrams. . . does anyone have any advice/how to steps on how to tap into the wiring in the center top light console? Obviously you want a +12v switched circuit. Which circuit in that overhead console would best fit that bill and be used to power the mirror? (so it turns off -loses power when the car is off). The original post states: (Which one is the bridge plug?) The positive of the mirror goes to bridge plug BS 16/2 (after contact +12V) oh, and does anyone know the part number to the Porsche wiring harness that fits into the Audi mirror?

Great job!! I retrofitted my car but with the OEM retrofit kit for auto dim mirror and rain sensor (two separate kits) With the OEM mirror kit, you dont have the problem of the connection to the wind shield as it fits in the previous mount (actually is the 993 auto dim mirror, with the same shape that the non auto dim mirror pre 2002 and it comes with the cover for the cable for both, the mirror and the rain sensor Regarding the rain sensor, how did you make it to work? With the kit, it comes a new relay that substitutes the wipers intermittent one.

Quotes source post: 17628336

I used part # 996.612.984.00 Here are the install instructions and a TSB:

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Maybe I dont understand the instructions regarding the BK/BL wire supplied with the kit. What I did was crimp a ring onto the supplied BK/BL wire in the kit and connected it to the ground bolt under the driver's seat instead of soldering to weld point 21 which goes to ground anyway. I'm assuming you don't bridge the supplied BK/BL wire with the existing BK/BL wire under the seat and ground them both out.