Vert Rear Window Visibility?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,012
Likes: 15
From: Jensen Beach FL
Originally Posted by 50 4Ever
I have an '03 Vert with over 50,000 miles and have the mirrors adjusted so there is no blind spot, but it does take some getting used to. Here is how they are adjusted.
In a driving position with your hands on the wheel looking straight ahead, move your eyes to look out the rear view mirror. The mirror should be centered, if need be tilt the mirror down so you can see the C5 Emblem on the trunk. The emblem should be in the center of the mirror. tilt it back up to driving position.
Adjusting the side mirrors requires driving on a multi lane highway with light traffic. Let's take the drivers side first, before you start driving on the highway do a "best guess" adjustment as follows, it's best to do this just before getting onto the freeway (while stopped). From a driving position move your body to the left until your head is against the window. Then adjust the drivers side mirror out until you can just barely see the left rear quarter panel in the right side of the mirror. Now get on the freeway in the slow lane and wait for someone to overtake you on your left. Looking straight ahead, glance in the rearview, when only the back 1/2 of the car can be seen in the rearview, the front 1/2 of the car should be seen in the outside mirror. Adjust the mirror so this happens. When you can only see the back 1/2 of the overtaking car in the outside mirror the front fender should be roughly even with the front of your door. Now move over a lane and wait for someone to overtake you on the right. The adjustment of the passenger mirror is the same, when 1/2 of the overtaking car is in the rearview mirror, the other 1/2 needs to be in the outside mirror.
With mirrors adjusted like this, when changing lanes you can no longer just look in the outside mirror and glance over your shoulder. You must look in the rearview, outside, then look over your shoulder.
I had my mirrors adjusted like this three years ago for racing on the road course and have loved this adjustment every since. While racing I can see everything that is around me with 100% confidence.
The only downside I have noticed with the mirrors adjusted this way is when in rush hour traffic and the lane slows, or stops, and there is a big SUV/Pickup behind me I can't see if the lane beside me is clear so I could move over. But this is not my daily driver and the pros far outweigh the cons.
One other thing, I have memory seats and have set memory #3 to the same as my driving position except I bring the mirrors in and down to help me back into a parking spot.
In a driving position with your hands on the wheel looking straight ahead, move your eyes to look out the rear view mirror. The mirror should be centered, if need be tilt the mirror down so you can see the C5 Emblem on the trunk. The emblem should be in the center of the mirror. tilt it back up to driving position.
Adjusting the side mirrors requires driving on a multi lane highway with light traffic. Let's take the drivers side first, before you start driving on the highway do a "best guess" adjustment as follows, it's best to do this just before getting onto the freeway (while stopped). From a driving position move your body to the left until your head is against the window. Then adjust the drivers side mirror out until you can just barely see the left rear quarter panel in the right side of the mirror. Now get on the freeway in the slow lane and wait for someone to overtake you on your left. Looking straight ahead, glance in the rearview, when only the back 1/2 of the car can be seen in the rearview, the front 1/2 of the car should be seen in the outside mirror. Adjust the mirror so this happens. When you can only see the back 1/2 of the overtaking car in the outside mirror the front fender should be roughly even with the front of your door. Now move over a lane and wait for someone to overtake you on the right. The adjustment of the passenger mirror is the same, when 1/2 of the overtaking car is in the rearview mirror, the other 1/2 needs to be in the outside mirror.
With mirrors adjusted like this, when changing lanes you can no longer just look in the outside mirror and glance over your shoulder. You must look in the rearview, outside, then look over your shoulder.
I had my mirrors adjusted like this three years ago for racing on the road course and have loved this adjustment every since. While racing I can see everything that is around me with 100% confidence.
The only downside I have noticed with the mirrors adjusted this way is when in rush hour traffic and the lane slows, or stops, and there is a big SUV/Pickup behind me I can't see if the lane beside me is clear so I could move over. But this is not my daily driver and the pros far outweigh the cons.
One other thing, I have memory seats and have set memory #3 to the same as my driving position except I bring the mirrors in and down to help me back into a parking spot.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 947
Likes: 0
From: MS
Originally Posted by OrangeVegaGT
I find no problem with the rear view with my vert, but you have to be careful with the readward side vision with the top up. Any sort of an angled turning view like if you are trying to look back over your right shoulder is impossible.
Crossing RR tracks is problematic, so you have to be extra careful. But the benefits of driving a vert far outweigh the drawbacks! 
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,378
Likes: 4
From: I don't deserve this car, but I have arthritis and I don't deserve that either. Bay Point, FL
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I've owned 6 convertibles and the C5 has by far the best visability of any I've owned or driven. The large rear window and side windows provide excellent visability, but the exterior mirrors on the C5 are undersized for the car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 896
Likes: 1
From: Ewing NJ
Up into the Seventies today. Took a spin through the country tonite with the top down. Nearly a full moon this evening. An amazing sensation....especially with the instrument lights turned off (except for the dim HUD). Thank God, no deer. Incredible experience!
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 105
Likes: 1
From: Westminster MD
There's a back window on my vert ? Never noticed it. Seriously, I find it very hard to see out of with top up, and large blind spots too. I can tell when a big truck is about to run over me, but that's about it.
