Buying a Used Car in Brisbane? Check the Side Mirrors First
By Duber, The Car Mirror Man · Car Mirrors Australia · Updated October 2026 · 12 min read
Short answer: before you buy, fold, adjust and look at both mirrors. Check the glass, the indicator, the heating and the cover colour. Each fault has a known repair cost: glass from $135, a cover $150 to $300, a powered unit $350 to $500. Blind-spot, camera and auto-dim mirrors are quoted per vehicle. Use the numbers to negotiate.
In Brisbane? We can price any mirror fault before you buy at your home or work, anywhere across the metro — see our full Brisbane mirror service.
Most people checking a used car look at the paint, the tyres and the odometer. The mirrors get a glance. That is a mistake, because mirrors tell you about the car’s history and they are one of the easier repair costs to put a number on.
This guide is a one-minute checklist for each side, what a fault usually means, and what it costs to fix. It is written for buyers in Brisbane, where a safety certificate is part of the sale.
The parts, and what each one costs
A side mirror is made of separate parts. Which one broke is what decides the price — not the badge on the car.
Why mirrors are worth a minute
A mirror is knocked more often than any other exterior part. Carparks, driveways and narrow streets all take their turn. So a used car’s mirrors show how it has lived.
They also hold a lot of electronics on a newer car. Folding, adjusting, heating, indicators, blind-spot lights and cameras all live in the housing. A fault in any of them is a repair bill.
Check one: the glass
Look at the glass in good light. You are looking for cracks, chips, and dark blotches or a peeling edge, where the reflective coating has broken down.
Sit in the driver’s seat and look at the view. Can you see the lane beside you clearly? A glass-only fix starts from $135 fitted, so a fault here is a small number, but it is still a number you can take off the price.
Check two: fold and adjust
Fold both mirrors in and out. Listen. A smooth hum is normal. Grinding, clicking or a mirror that stops halfway points at the folding motor.
Then adjust each mirror in all four directions. If it moves in some directions and not others, the adjuster motor is failing. These are powered-mirror faults, and a powered unit is $350 to $500.
Check three: indicators, heating and warning lights
Turn on the indicators and walk around to each mirror. A flickering or dead repeater is a wiring or unit fault.
On a cool morning, press the rear demister and feel the glass after a minute. Heated glass should warm up. Check any blind-spot light in the mirror by driving past a vehicle in the next lane, or ask the seller to demonstrate it. Those parts are quoted per vehicle.
Check four: the cover colour and fit
Stand back and look at both mirror covers. Do they match the car and each other? A cover that is a slightly different shade has been replaced or repainted. That is not a problem by itself. It tells you the mirror has been hit.
Then press the housing gently. It should not move or rattle. A loose cover or a base that wobbles means the mounting has been damaged.
What each fault is worth
| What broke | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Mirror glass only | From $135 fitted |
| Cover / housing | $150 to $300 |
| Plain full unit | $200 to $350 |
| Powered unit (fold, adjust, indicator) | $350 to $500 |
| Blind-spot, camera or auto-dim | Quoted per vehicle |
These are the same bands we use for every job in Brisbane. Use them to put a fair figure on a fault rather than guessing.
Using it in the negotiation
A seller is more likely to move on a specific, small, known cost than on a vague feeling that the car is tired.
You do not need to be rude about it. You are pricing a repair, not criticising the car.
What it means for the safety certificate
In Queensland a safety certificate is needed when registration is transferred to a new owner [1]. A mirror that is cracked through, loose or missing is the kind of thing a tester looks at, because the mirror has to give a clear rear view [2].
Our guide to safety certificates and side mirrors goes through what the tester checks. Whoever is responsible for the certificate, a mirror fault is better dealt with before the day of the test.
Do not rule a car out for a mirror fault
Almost every mirror fault is small next to the price of a car. A $135 glass or a $200 to $350 unit should not decide a purchase by itself.
What should give you pause is a pattern. If both mirrors are damaged, the covers do not match, and the paint along the door edge looks different, ask what happened to the car.
Getting a price before you commit
If you are about to buy and want a number, take a clear photo of the mirror and the car, and send it to us with the make, model and year. We tell you the part and the price.
One of the mirror, one of the whole car.
With the make, model and year.
Glass, cover, motor or whole unit, with a price.
Or book the fix once the car is yours.
Before you inspect: what to bring
You do not need a toolkit. You need your phone and about five minutes at each side of the car.
Heated glass: the cool-morning test
Heated mirror glass has a thin element on the back that warms the surface and clears fog [5]. It is usually switched on with the rear demister.
The simplest test is to turn on the demister, wait a minute and put your palm on the glass. If it stays cold while the rear window warms up, the element or its connection has failed. That is a glass or powered-unit repair, so price it as one.
Blind-spot and camera mirrors
Many newer cars have a blind-spot monitor, which uses sensors and an indicator that lights in or near the mirror [6]. Some also have a camera in the mirror housing.
Ask the seller to show you the warning light working, or drive past a car in the next lane. A light that never comes on, or a camera that shows a blank screen, is a fault. These parts are quoted per vehicle, because the part price is what moves. Send us a photo and the car's details before you negotiate.
Check your excess before you rely on insurance
An excess is the amount you pay towards a claim before insurance pays the rest [7]. For many small mirror jobs the repair cost can be lower than a typical excess, so a claim may not help.
Check your own policy before you decide. If a seller says an earlier mirror repair was claimed through insurance, ask to see the paperwork.
Put the numbers in writing
When you find a fault, take a photo and get a written price for the repair. The Queensland Government has plain guidance on getting quotes in writing before you agree to work [8]. On the road, a defective mirror can also draw a defect notice, which requires the owner to have the vehicle repaired [3].
A photo of the fault and a written quote for the fix is a far stronger position than “it looks a bit tired”. It also means you can be sure the number you negotiate on is real.
Buying from a dealer or from a private seller
The rules differ. When you buy goods from a business, consumer guarantees apply, and a faulty item can be put right by the business that sold it [4]. A private sale is a different situation, so check where you stand before you pay.
Either way, the mirror check is the same. Do it before you pay, not after, and keep the photos.
If you find a fault after buying from a business, the Queensland Government explains the remedies that apply [4]. For a mirror, a written quote to fix it is the first thing to collect.
Your first week with the car
In daylight, when you are not distracted by the sale.
Adjust them so the view suits you, not the previous owner.
Send us a photo. We give you a fixed price.
We come to your home or work, across the Brisbane metro.
The walk-around, in order
A fixed order stops you missing something when a seller is talking to you.
Glass, cover, mounting. Look and press.
Fold, adjust, indicator, heating.
Same again. Note if the cover colour matches.
Fold, adjust, indicator, heating. Compare it with the first side.
Compare the two sides. A difference between left and right is often the clearest sign that one side has been hit and repaired.
Mistakes buyers make with mirrors
None of these is hard to avoid. A minute at each door, and a photo of anything that looks wrong, puts you in a better position than most buyers.
What Brisbane drivers tell us
Short notice is fine. Send a photo and we take it from there.
Every review quoted on this site is a real, verified customer review. We do not write them and we do not edit them.
After you buy
If you do take the car with a mirror fault, we fit it where the car is. Your driveway, your work or the carpark, across the Brisbane metro. Most jobs take 20 to 40 minutes.
Side mirror glass replacement is the most common first job on a used car.
Every band above comes from our national price guide, which is the single source of truth for what we charge. If you want the full breakdown by part and by vehicle, read our side mirror replacement cost guide.
We come to you in five cities
Every job is mobile. We drive to your home, your work or the car park the car is sitting in, and the mirror is fitted where the car is.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check on a used car's side mirrors?
The glass, folding and adjusting on both sides, the indicators, the heating, any warning light, and whether the covers match the car and sit tight.
How much does a cracked mirror glass cost to fix?
From $135 fitted in Brisbane.
What if the mirror will not fold?
It is usually the folding motor. A powered unit is $350 to $500, and we confirm the part from a photo.
Does a mirror fault fail a safety certificate?
A mirror that is cracked through, loose or missing can. The mirror has to give a clear rear view.
When is a safety certificate needed in Queensland?
When registration is transferred to a new owner, among other cases listed by the Queensland Government.
Should I walk away if a mirror is damaged?
No. Mirror repairs are small next to the price of a car. Use the cost to negotiate.
Can I get a price before I buy?
Yes. Send a clear photo of the mirror and the car's make, model and year and we quote the part.
Do you fit mirrors at my home in Brisbane?
Yes. We come to your home, work or wherever the car is parked.
More on Brisbane mirrors
Based in Brisbane? These cover the rest of it.
Sources
- Safety certificates, Queensland Government — when one is required — www.qld.gov.au/transport/registration/roadworthy
- Australian Design Rule 14/02 — Rear Vision Mirrors, Federal Register of Legislation — www.legislation.gov.au/F2006L02663/latest/text
- Vehicle defects, Queensland Government — random inspections and defect notices — www.qld.gov.au/transport/buying/vehicleinspection/randominspection/defec
- Guarantees, warranties and refunds, Queensland Government — consumer guarantees for goods and the remedies for faulty goods — www.qld.gov.au/community/fair-trading/consumer-rights-complaints-and-sca
- Defogger, Wikipedia — how heated mirror and window elements work — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defogger
- Blind spot monitor, Wikipedia — how the sensors and indicators work — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_spot_monitor
- Moneysmart — car insurance excess, cover types and claims, ASIC — moneysmart.gov.au/car-insurance
- Getting quotes and signing contracts, Queensland Government — www.qld.gov.au/community/fair-trading/consumer-rights-complaints-and-sca
Prices and information in this article are indicative only and reflect real quoted jobs at the time of publication. Costs vary with vehicle, part availability and features. Send a photo for an exact fixed price.
