• I now have new 9 1/2" mirrors with flush mounted reading lamps. The photo shows the new mirror (on the right) next to an earlier style GM reading lamp mirror. You can click on the photo for a view of the back side. This mirror has a nice streamlined shape to it. There are two lights mounted on the underside of the mirror that will turn on when you open your doors or you can manually turn on each light via the flush mount pushbutton that is also mounted on the bottom of the mirror. The nice thing about these lights is that they are not visible as you look into the car or from the passenger seats. The light does not shine in your face, but down into the passenger compartment.This allows you to use the lights while you are driving and not be blinded by the stock dome lamp. You will have to connect a power source ( from your header mounted stock reading light) to the mirror which will require more time to install this mirror. Link to the wiring instruction page.
• Yes, bummer.... you have to do the wiring job to have the reading lamps operate. The mirror will help eliminate your blind spot without doing the wiring, so you can install the new mirror now with no tools in about 60 seconds and then do the wiring at any time. ( Makes a good winter project) Once you do the wiring, which is not really that difficult, you will be rewarded with a set of really neat reading lamps that light up the interior of your Z without blinding you like the stock dome lamp. Check out the photo below of my ///M with the lamps on at night.

   

  My ///M Roadster with the reading lamp mirror installed and the lamps turned on at night. Notice that the passenger compartment is fully illuminated from the two lamps mounted out of sight on the bottom of the mirror. The light is projected downward and does not blind you while you are driving like the stock dome lamp. You can not see the lights from a sitting position as the mirror is designed to hide them so they do not blind you. This is my favorite setup for the Z3. You do have to run the wires to the mirror from the existing dome lamp, but the results are well worth the effort. The lamps automatically turn on when you open either door and there are buttons on the mirror to turn on either lamp while you are driving.

Electrochromatic mirrors

There are several electrochromatic mirrors with a built in compass, temperature, and reading lamps. Most of these mirrors will NOT adapt to the Zs. The stem on the mirror has a smaller range of travel and will not allow you to adjust the mirror so that you can see out the rear window. You will get a view of the rear radio speaker at its highest setting. However, a few of these mirrors will work. The key is that the stem has to be mounted towards the top of the mirror, not in the center. The Gentex GNTX-177 series mirrors WILL work. Check this page for more information on how to tell if one of these mirrors will work in your Z.

I find that Electrochromatic mirrors do NOT get dark enough for most drivers. If you have a truck or SUV with high mount headlights close behind you, you will be ducking below your mirror because you are being blinded by his lights. The manual mirrors do a much better job of dimming bright lights. I do not stock any EC or compass mirrors. You can purchase the adapter without a mirror and buy an EC or compass mirror locally. I have adapters for both GM/Chrysler and Ford style dovetail bases. The GM base is on about 80% of all new mirrors.

The 2001 and newer Zs have the keyless entry receiver mounted inside your rearview mirror. If you see wires connecting to your mirror, you have this feature. If you replace your mirror you will need to disassemble it and relocate the printed circuit board to a new location. Here is a page with instructions for relocating the receiver