Are Towing Mirrors Really Worth It?
Trucks are vehicles that are made for towing stuff, though sometimes doing so is not as simple.
The process may just become a bit more complicated once you start thinking about pulling those big ol’ campers, enclosed trailers, as the stock mirrors can end up providing you with too little view, which in result createsblind spots.
Tow mirrors are essentially mirrors that you are able to stick out further out from the pickup truck, and that in turn makes it possible for you to see more of what’s going on in the back.
This post is about whether these types of mirrors are any good of an investment, and if so, why.
In my opinion, yes
Tow mirrors are a great mod to have put on your truck, so let me explain why.
As i already noted in the introduction, they provide you with the invaluable cure for many of the blind spots – now that might seem not that big of a deal at first, but again, if you tow anything that is wide and long, you instantly recognize the benefits.
Pulling something big, like an RV, can essentially make it impossible for you to see any other cars in the back with the stock mirrors, which is obviously only downright dangerous, and a pair of good quality towing mirrors solves this exact problem.
I also think that this modification is a great idea for those who don’t even think of towing anything – the fact that the towing mirrors provide the driver with so much more field of view, any sort of daily commuting becomes a bit easier, i.e. parking, highway driving.
Still, not perfect
Even though it seems that i can only say good about this accessory, there are still some undeniable negatives you should consider.
The main one is certainly the added width. Being more wide than usual will in turn make it more of a headache to park in tights spots, get through car washes and places of that nature, especially if you won’t have the mirrors that are controlled from the inside.
Some enthusiasts also don’t like the way they look – more or less a personal opinion than anything, though still a factor to consider.
How much will a pair cost?
Having a dealer install them can end up costing more than a thousand $’s with the labor, so if you want to save some money while you’re at it, chances are you should consider looking into aftermarket options manually.
How much are you going to pay for the mirrors also has a lot to do with the features you want. One of the most wanted is surely the power-fold option – it’s definitely a huge help to be able to put the mirrors away with just the push of a button, but this adds to the cost, so are the turning signals and things of that nature.
Instead of purchasing a pair of towing mirrors and messing with the installation, why not consider the clip-on type (Amazon link)? They are just additional mirrors that can be snapped on the already existing ones – they clearly will not provide you with as much vision as actual tow ones, but hey, it is still a great alternative.
In case you are in the process of purchasing a new truck, the best time to get them is with the whole package, as this way it can be a lot cheaper.
To wrap it up
Towing mirrors, many of the times at least, are one of those things that you’d think you would never need at first, but once you try them you can hardly do without a pair on a pickup truck, even if you aren’t much of a “tower”.