My gripe defender visibility - warning parents

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 26th July 2007, 11:49 PM

Ok, here is my gripe about Defender visibilty. Since coming back from our trip I've had our two car seats out for cleaning. Low and behold I can now see out the back, and down towards the ground. It's just sensational. It's so long since I'd driven it without them I'd forgotten how good the visibiltiy is.

So, this is also a warning to parents. Due to the height of the rear seat, and just about everything else about the car, if you install car seats in your 110 wagon be warned that your rear visibilty will be massively reduced. In my case with one each side you can see out the middle, but with the tyre on the door all your low visibility is gone, and you can't see out the side windows. AARGH.

**p38arover** · 27th July 2007, 08:18 AM

I really suspect that any car would be the same (except for the wheel on the rear door).

Ron

**solmanic** · 27th July 2007, 08:36 AM

Heh? Are you actually suggesting the Defender's rear view is good?

I'm sorry, but I can still lose an entire Toyota Corolla in the blind spot below my rear window - without any additional obstructions. As far as I'm concerned, Defenders should probably have rear-view cameras as standard (this is some trickle-down technology I would like from the Range Rover). I tend to rely heavily on memory when driving - eg. I remember seeing a Corolla coming up behind me, I guess if I can't see it now it must still be there below the wheel somewhere...

**Quarks** · 27th July 2007, 08:44 AM

Yeah, I find the rearview mirror only really useful for counting the cars in the 'creep club' behind me

. I do find the side mirrors far more useful - but I too have lost cars in the blind spot.

However, does anyone know how well those little spotter mirrors work at reducing the blind spot?

**Michael2** · 27th July 2007, 09:24 AM

The convex mirror heads work sensationally at removing blind spots on the side. I had them on the SIII with Defender style mirrors and arms. Unfortunately the ball on the arms is a different size, so if I want to fit them on the Defender, I need to get the arms too.

On the back window I have one of those perspex convex reflector things that gives me a better view, but they aren't crystal clear.

**thebeast** · 27th July 2007, 09:41 AM

The very first thing we bought and most probably the cheapest addition for our beast was to get the concave mirror for the passenger side mirror. Get a large size concave one, not the little bitty spot ones.
The Beast

**haggisbasher** · 27th July 2007, 10:12 AM

i always thought those mirrors were illegal here in Vic....

if not i might have to get some

The solution i had at home was to use bus mirrors...worked very well!

**solmanic** · 27th July 2007, 11:04 AM

You need one of these little stick-on jobbies on both side mirrors...

From the driver's position it occupies the useless corner of the mirror which only shows you the rear door.

**DeeJay** · 27th July 2007, 11:14 AM

Or go one better.
Rear Camera

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 27th July 2007, 11:38 AM

I guess it's just I'd forgotten how much better it is without the kids seats! I'll definitely get a couple of those little spot mirrors, and I might look into a reversing camera at some point in the future.

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