Yep, Kyle is right. My 96 also is self-dimming. Love that green cast.

 

This is the mirror I ended up going with. It's a Gentex mirror with auto-dim, compass, and HomeLink. I bought it at the local Nissan dealer, it's marketed as a dealer installed option on the 350Z, Maxima, and a few others. Paid $279, which is more than the regular one with just compass, but I wanted HomeLink, and this one has cleaner lines, the bottom is even all the way across, instead of dipping down where the two buttons are on the compass-only model. Just waiting to have a friend help me carefully remove the stock mirror from the glass.
Oh, and since I have a black car with black interior, the color works fine for me

 

Any glass shop should be able to remove the mirror-no problem. They do that kind of thing all the time when they replace windshields. Just make sure you find one that you trust, and not one that just wants to sell you a windshield.

 

hell, just bounce a basketball on the glass precisely above the mirror. did this by accident at a friend's house - the ball flew up on the roof then rolled down the garage and right into his windshield and the rear view mirror just popped right off he didnt notice it until a day later lol

 

Did some looking into this and found the site....

LINK

I will be looking into getting one of these and letting you all know how I like it....... LOL I need to make up my mind now on what I want, seems they have ALOT of options to choice from hehe......

If anyone else has info getting one of these please share.............


Shawn

 

Hey Squarehat,

How did the install go. This looks like a nice unit. Did the wiring harness mate up okay, or did you have to do some work to get it wired in?

 

Well I read a bunch on these, and went ahead and had 60% of the work done today, and I wanted to add some information to the forum since there arent any good writeups on this I'm adding the data in this post.

I have a 1993 SC400, I wanted to wire up my V1 Radar and my new Gentex Replacement Mirror with compass(no temp, too much wiring I didn't want to do).

Facts:
1. The map/dome lights are 12V, but cannot supply enough power to draw any accessories, DO NOT TAP up here, well at least do not draw power from here, it wont work. I wanted to run 2 12V devices up in that area, my new mirror and the V1, so I wanted alot of power.

2. Constant/non-constant: On the gentex replacements, you want constant power for the map lights and switched for the mirror. You do not need map lights, cuz the SC has them, so I wouldn't even buy that mirror, unless you want alot of light!!. Anyways back on track, we need switched power, none of which is available up there becuase the map lights are all always on..

3. We tapped new switched power from the ignition and ran every everything up top and all is working well so far.

Tommorrow I will have the heat treatment done to my winshield, I saw some people do it for free, I found a shop who said $24 and it'll take an hour, so tommorrow I will switch mirrors.

Just wanted to put some of this info out there.

Mods: This information is both electrical and SC400 related, use WISE discretion if/'when moving.

 

Well I read a bunch on these, and went ahead and had 60% of the work done today, and I wanted to add some information to the forum since there arent any good writeups on this I'm adding the data in this post.

I have a 1993 SC400, I wanted to wire up my V1 Radar and my new Gentex Replacement Mirror with compass(no temp, too much wiring I didn't want to do).

Facts:
1. The map/dome lights are 12V, but cannot supply enough power to draw any accessories, DO NOT TAP up here, well at least do not draw power from here, it wont work. I wanted to run 2 12V devices up in that area, my new mirror and the V1, so I wanted alot of power.

2. Constant/non-constant: On the gentex replacements, you want constant power for the map lights and switched for the mirror. You do not need map lights, cuz the SC has them, so I wouldn't even buy that mirror, unless you want alot of light!!. Anyways back on track, we need switched power, none of which is available up there becuase the map lights are all always on..

3. We tapped new switched power from the ignition and ran every everything up top and all is working well so far.

Tommorrow I will have the heat treatment done to my winshield, I saw some people do it for free, I found a shop who said $24 and it'll take an hour, so tommorrow I will switch mirrors.

Just wanted to put some of this info out there.

Mods: This information is both electrical and SC400 related, use WISE discretion if/'when moving.

 

Can the stock dimming wire be tapped for power instead?

 

no becuase it is constant.. your mirror/compass will be on 24-7 draining your battery.

 

This is untrue. If this were the case the factory dimming mirror would always be on and it's not.

This circuit is activated by switched ground via the key-in-cylinder switch (yellow wire). It is activated only when the key is in the ignition. This is the same switch that activates the auto tilt away feature. The red wire provides constant +12v.

These two wires can be used as-is for aftermarket mirror installs.

The OEM Lexus auto-dim mirrors are plug and play. You do not need to mod ANYTHING. They clip right up to the older windsheild mounts (no bolts or screws are to be removed -- leave them) and plug into the old harness. It couldn't be any easier.