The short answer
Repairing a wing (door) mirror in the UK ranges from a low three-figure sum to respray a scuffed mirror cap or replace the glass, up to several hundred pounds for a complete powered mirror unit with indicators, heating, folding or camera built in. The cost depends on which part is damaged. A scuffed cap can be resprayed or a new cap fitted cheaply. Cracked or shattered mirror glass is a relatively low-cost replacement. But if the mirror body, motor, indicator or folding mechanism is broken, a whole assembly may be needed, and modern mirrors packed with electronics and cameras cost much more than a plain manual mirror. A wing mirror is also an MOT item, so a missing or insecure mirror can fail the test.
A wing mirror is several parts in one, and the repair cost depends on which part is damaged. The sections below break down cap, glass and full-unit repairs.
Wing mirror at a glance
- Respray scuffed capLow three figures
- Replace mirror glassLow three figures
- New cap fittedLow three figures
- Full powered unitSeveral hundred pounds
- MOTMirror must be secure and intact
Which part is damaged decides the cost
A modern wing mirror is made of separate parts, and the repair price depends entirely on which one is damaged. The mirror cap (the painted outer cover) is the part that usually gets scuffed or scraped — it can be removed, resprayed to match the paint code and refitted, or swapped for a new cap, which is the least costly fix. The mirror glass cracks or shatters easily and is a low-cost replacement, with the new glass clipping or bonding onto the backing plate; heated or dimming glass costs a little more than plain glass.
It gets dearer when the mirror body or internals are damaged. The housing holds the adjustment motor, and on many cars an indicator repeater, heating element, power-fold motor and sometimes a blind-spot sensor or camera. If any of these are broken, a complete mirror assembly is often the realistic fix, and a feature-packed powered mirror is a far bigger part cost than a plain one. The more electronics built into the mirror, the higher the bill.
| What's damaged | Repair | Typical UK range |
|---|---|---|
| Scuffed cap | Respray or new cap | Low three figures |
| Cracked glass | Replace glass | Low three figures |
| Broken cap / cover | New cap fitted | Low three figures |
| Motor / fold / indicator | Replace mirror unit | Several hundred pounds |
| Camera / blind-spot mirror | Replace + recalibrate | Higher end |
Indicative UK ranges for guidance only; cost depends on the part and the mirror's features.
Repairing a hanging or knocked-off mirror
A common scenario is a mirror that has been clipped by a passing car and is hanging off or folded back. Power-folding mirrors are designed to swing back on impact to reduce damage, so sometimes a knocked mirror simply needs refolding and reconnecting with no parts at all — the lowest-cost possible outcome. In other cases the folding mechanism or mounting inside has cracked, and although the mirror still hangs together, it will not hold position or fold properly, which means a new unit.
If a mirror has been knocked clean off, the cap, glass and sometimes the housing are usually broken, so a full or partial assembly is needed. Where only the cap and glass are damaged but the body and motor are fine, those individual parts can be replaced more cheaply than the whole unit — a good repairer will check what actually still works before quoting a complete assembly. Genuine manufacturer mirrors cost more than aftermarket equivalents, which is another factor in the final price.
Genuine, aftermarket and the painted-cap question
When a part is needed, the choice between a genuine manufacturer part and an aftermarket equivalent has a big effect on price. A genuine mirror or cap comes from the carmaker, fits exactly and carries any electronics to the original specification, but costs the most. A good aftermarket mirror or cap can be a fraction of the price and is fine for many cars, though quality varies and on feature-heavy mirrors (heating, folding, indicators, cameras) a cheap copy may not match the original's function. For a plain cap or glass, aftermarket is usually sensible; for a complex powered unit, many owners prefer genuine for a precise, reliable fit.
Mirror caps also come primed or pre-painted, and this changes the labour. A bare or primed replacement cap has to be sprayed to match the car's paint code before fitting, which adds the cost of paint and a painter's time. Some suppliers offer caps pre-painted to a colour code, which can work out cheaper than a separate respray if the match is good, though factory metallics can be hard to match exactly without blending. A repairer will usually advise whether to respray the original cap, fit a primed cap and paint it, or buy a pre-painted one — the right answer depends on the colour and on whether the original cap is cracked or merely scuffed.
Respray, replace and the cash-versus-claim question
For a purely cosmetic scuffed cap, a respray or a replacement cap is usually all that is needed, and matching the colour to the car's paint code keeps it looking factory. This is a quick, low-cost job and the most common wing-mirror repair. Replacing just the glass is similarly affordable and often a same-visit fix. The cost only climbs when the housing, motor or electronics are involved and a full unit is required.
As with other small bodywork jobs, paying cash is normally cheaper than an insurance claim for a single mirror, because the repair often costs less than a typical policy excess and a claim can affect your no-claims discount. If a mirror has been damaged by another vehicle and you have the other party's details, their insurer may cover it. Whatever the route, a damaged mirror is worth fixing quickly — partly for the MOT, and partly because a cracked housing left exposed can let water into the electrics and make a cheap glass-or-cap repair into a full-unit replacement later.
Frequently asked questions
Can just the mirror glass be replaced, or do I need the whole unit?
If only the glass is cracked and the housing, motor and electrics still work, the glass alone can be replaced cheaply — it clips or bonds onto the backing plate. A whole unit is only needed when the body, adjustment motor, folding mechanism, indicator or camera is also damaged. A good repairer checks what still works before quoting a full assembly.
Why do some wing mirrors cost so much more to replace?
Because modern mirrors can contain an adjustment motor, heating element, indicator repeater, power-fold motor, dimming glass and even a blind-spot sensor or camera. The more electronics built in, the higher the part cost, and camera or sensor mirrors may also need recalibrating. A plain manual mirror is far cheaper than a feature-packed powered one.
Will a damaged wing mirror fail an MOT?
It can. The driver's and nearside door mirrors must be present, secure and provide an adequate rearward view. A missing mirror, one hanging loose, or glass so cracked that it does not give a clear view will fail the MOT, so a damaged mirror is worth repairing promptly.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on your specific car and damage. They are guidance, not a quotation.