I’ve never been a fan of the sacrificial break away hardware style mirrors our 1st gen 6’s have. It seems extraordinarily short sided to have to replace a whole mirror when someone knocks into it at a parking lot or it gets bumped by an absent minded driver on a narrow street. Thus, the folding mirrors of the Mazdaspeed 6 have always attracted me. With so many of the parts appearing the same, I decided to see if I could swap them over. So I bought a pair!
The first thing I noticed was that the plugs on the speed 6 mirrors were smaller than the regular six mirrors. I had hoped that I could just remove the pins from both plugs and swap the regular plugs to the speed 6 mirrors to match my regular 6 harness, but I found out that the pins were larger on the regular 6 mirrors.
Thus, I decided I now needed the harness clips from a speed 6 door harness so I could swap those out.
As luck would have it… the clip that holds the socket onto the door was ALSO different between the two models. So, I needed those as well. So much for parts appearing to be the same!
Speed 6 clip:
Regular 6 clip
Fortunately, I had a contact with a speed 6 shell and he was friendly enough to humor my many requests.
I now had everything I needed to get it done!To make it easier for you, here’s what you need to get in advance to make it all go smoothly the first time:
SHOPPING LIST
The first thing I noticed was that the plugs on the speed 6 mirrors were smaller than the regular six mirrors. I had hoped that I could just remove the pins from both plugs and swap the regular plugs to the speed 6 mirrors to match my regular 6 harness, but I found out that the pins were larger on the regular 6 mirrors.
Thus, I decided I now needed the harness clips from a speed 6 door harness so I could swap those out.
As luck would have it… the clip that holds the socket onto the door was ALSO different between the two models. So, I needed those as well. So much for parts appearing to be the same!
Speed 6 clip:
Regular 6 clip
Fortunately, I had a contact with a speed 6 shell and he was friendly enough to humor my many requests.
I now had everything I needed to get it done!To make it easier for you, here’s what you need to get in advance to make it all go smoothly the first time:
SHOPPING LIST
- Set of folding speed 6 mirrors. NOTE: the speed 6 mirrors come as heated and non-heated. The heated versions will have 5 wires in their plug. The non-heated only has three. To maintain your features, make sure you match them up. Or better yet, just make sure you get a set that are heated and then you’ll be covered! Maybe someone out there with a regular six with non heated mirrors can chime in and let us know if the sockets in the door harness has 5 pins or only three.
- Bolts to hold the mirror on. NOTE: the regular six has studs in the sail panel of the mirror and nuts that hold it onto the door. The speed 6 mirrors use self tapping bolts that screw into the sail panel. It’s best to get the factory ones if you can, but you’ll likely be able to get a set at a hardware store that will work.
- Door wiring harness clip of mirror socket and 6” of wiring for both driver's and passenger's door (remember to get one with five wires if you want the heated mirror function)
- Harness clip from door panel that secures the socket to the door.