Aspheric lense.... - The BMW 5 Series (E39) Message Forum

It gives you a wide angle of view past the line, and a normal straight view otherwise. Most (all?) cars in Europe have these on the driver's side...guessing the manufacturer did not want to miss the European and Asian markets with these, so they did a "one size fits all" solution and made both sides aspheric.

You can actually buy aspheric glass for your OEM mirror or an OEM M5 mirror from BMW, but they're expensive.
Brian - CCA #273611

03 540iT Sapphire/Sand 540iT [sport, nav, cwp, hi-fi]
01 M5 LeMans/Caramel [full leather, fold down seats, PDC]
02 330Cic Orient/Sand/Blue [sport, PDC, prem, cwp]
94 M3 Imola/Black [not even close to stock]

My M5 mirrors showed up today, no wonder I can't(m (pic) - JimLev 2006-10-26 16:58:52 (5084 views) (31592 thread views)
- Re: My M5 mirrors showed up today, no wonder I can - Dennis 2008-06-15 14:41:26 (316 views)
- paint (nt) - 1bad540 2006-10-30 17:38:01 (519 views)
- Re: My M5 mirrors - Jim ... I notice (url) - kaptom540 2006-10-28 21:32:37 (822 views)
  - Whats that E60 doing in your driveway (m) - JimLev 2006-10-28 23:52:38 (594 views)
    - Re: NOT my E60 ... Took the photos at bodyshop - kaptom540 2006-10-29 12:59:56 (507 views)
      OK, your off the hook (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-30 19:20:20 (430 views)
  - Aspheric lense.... - Brian 2006-10-28 22:35:04 (551 views)
- Easy ... paint. (nt) - RMedure 2006-10-27 23:28:03 (488 views)
- More door switch module info & switch price info(m (pic) - JimLev 2006-10-27 15:48:48 (984 views)
  - When are yours due in? Let's hear results... - Brian 2006-10-28 14:05:42 (442 views)
    - New switch modules should be here by Friday (m) - JimLev 2006-10-28 23:56:03 (455 views)
  - What do you mean it's not winter???? (nt) - doni01 2006-10-27 22:57:58 (412 views)
    - It was 55 today, almost summer Sonny! (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 23:25:09 (391 views)
      It's in the low 40s here and very windy. We were - doni01 2006-10-28 10:33:19 (406 views)
  - External Switch - Shardul 2006-10-27 17:36:03 (549 views)
    - Check here on Sat-I'll draw up a circuit & post it (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 21:36:12 (471 views)
      Switch wiring info to get the fold up motor(m-long (url) (pic) - JimLev 2006-10-29 00:44:59 (2570 views)
      ^---Looks like server is down from last nights (m) - JimLev 2006-10-29 08:02:36 (404 views)
  - Think he would offer 25% to other forum members? - bud4ya 2006-10-27 16:22:09 (431 views)
    - He said he would, just tell him your a CCA and (m) - JimLev 2006-10-27 17:31:28 (424 views)
      Not open Sat or Sun - TrevK 2006-10-28 13:34:14 (407 views)
  - You were one of those kids... - Mattldm 2006-10-27 16:16:50 (444 views)
    - WOW, you nailed that one. That was me, still is! (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 17:32:38 (399 views)
- Looks like black plastic, not suppose to be - GregiT ©⁷⁷ 2006-10-27 14:05:27 (537 views)
  - Don't know what U saw in the black plastic, (m) - JimLev 2006-10-27 15:24:05 (431 views)
    - It might be the dirty fingerprints - GregiT ©⁷⁷ 2006-10-28 09:24:30 (411 views)
      Here is what I see (pic) - GregiT ©⁷⁷ 2006-10-28 21:11:37 (699 views)
      Greasy finger prints and camera flash (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-28 23:48:19 (365 views)
- Do you find driver's mirror hard to adjust outward - Brian 2006-10-27 13:48:35 (433 views)
  - Brian I do on mine. (nt) - doni01 2006-10-31 08:03:30 (369 views)
  - I'll let U know after I mount them...if I remember (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 14:05:37 (389 views)
- I think... Paint them! - Mattldm 2006-10-27 09:45:35 (448 views)
  - 2nd (nt) - bud4ya 2006-10-27 10:35:55 (386 views)
    - 3rd (pic) - 540sport ©⁷⁰ 2006-10-27 11:20:40 (834 views)
      U even painted the mounting part silver (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 11:27:15 (449 views)
      Yes, I wanted them to look stock. (nt) - 540sport ©⁷⁰ 2006-10-27 17:13:58 (391 views)
      M5's have the mounting part painted also (nt) - Mattldm 2006-10-27 14:11:08 (432 views)
      Jim u pretty much have to paint the mounting part - K-Bud ©⁷⁸ 2006-10-27 12:54:46 (430 views)
      K-Bud, my current mirrors have the mounting part(m - JimLev 2006-10-27 13:50:25 (453 views)
      Jim I left the mounting part black. (nt) - doni01 2006-10-27 15:29:44 (362 views)
      I'm doing the same, maybe the mirrors too (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 15:50:24 (389 views)
      Cool, I'm in Arizona right now on vacation - k-Bud ©⁷⁸ 2006-10-27 13:55:30 (411 views)
      Welcome to AZ (nt) - Tucson 540i/6 2006-10-27 14:59:21 (393 views)
      Nice place to vacation at, I'll be in CA next week (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 13:57:29 (385 views)
- Where did you get them? (nt) - bya8 2006-10-27 09:10:52 (432 views)
  - Link doesn't work ... what is your emai address ? - kaptom540 2006-10-27 10:39:12 (451 views)
    - Could you send me the link too? - jeff 2006-10-27 14:46:24 (410 views)
  - Re: Check it out - kaptom540 2006-10-27 10:36:16 (490 views)
- I'm liking the flat black, but that's just me (nt) - Keith A ©⁵⁵ 2006-10-27 08:31:05 (448 views)
- More pics and info (m) (pic) - JimLev 2006-10-27 00:53:49 (1002 views)
  - You are the Man - Shardul 2006-10-27 13:36:53 (408 views)
  - Nice work Inspector Gadget. (pic) - 540sport ©⁷⁰ 2006-10-27 11:16:45 (654 views)
    - Looks the same. How long is the "get of jail free" (nt) - card good for?? JimLev 2006-10-27 11:55:00 (387 views)
- I just bought the same ones [PICS] (pic) - Brian 2006-10-26 23:45:23 (880 views)
  - Yours are painted? I assume so, look it (nt) - GregiT ©⁷⁷ 2006-10-27 14:07:02 (365 views)
    - Yes, Sapphire Black (nt) - Brian 2006-10-28 13:59:49 (381 views)
  - Looks good, did you hook up the fold up motor? (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-27 00:15:44 (433 views)
    - Nope, couldn't swallow the $300+ for parts (nt) - Brian 2006-10-27 08:13:19 (397 views)
- here are mirror removal instructions (pic) - catchuk 2006-10-26 22:58:12 (1534 views)
  - oops, page 2 first then page 1 followed (nt) - catchuk 2006-10-26 22:59:34 (419 views)
- Finally ... you got the mirrors ... ! - kaptom540 2006-10-26 22:44:05 (460 views)
  - Thanks for hooking me up, I took them apart to (m) - JimLev 2006-10-27 00:18:19 (448 views)
    - do they keep key/driver memory? (nt) - 1LT 2006-10-27 01:07:12 (394 views)
      These do keep the memory, there are 2 (m) - JimLev 2006-10-27 01:09:54 (437 views)
- no module - lawrence c 2006-10-26 21:42:51 (456 views)
- I bet you a stella that you paint them! (nt) - catchuk 2006-10-26 20:13:32 (402 views)
  - Ummm, a Stella, maybe they will stay black! (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-26 21:02:36 (354 views)
- I'd say paint the housing, but not the base. (nt) - Philipp 2006-10-26 19:57:04 (393 views)
  - Yes, base will stay black (nt) - JimLev 2006-10-26 21:01:37 (374 views)
- Why not just put some pasties on them? - 540sport ©⁷⁰ 2006-10-26 19:23:25 (458 views)
  - Now why didn't I think of that! Did you say rock(m - JimLev 2006-10-26 20:55:27 (383 views)
- At least mount one side then step back - Wayne 2006-10-26 17:43:21 (401 views)
  - I will do that, take a pic, not send them to U (m) - JimLev 2006-10-26 18:04:50 (393 views)
- Leave em black! (nt) - Lunker325 2006-10-26 17:31:42 (367 views)
- Pfft...If U figure it out YOU'LL Be doing Mine!!!! - Blue4U 2006-10-26 17:30:19 (428 views)
  - I have Jesse's number at my job . drop me an email - kaptom540 2006-10-26 22:48:54 (374 views)
    - I emailed u earlier this evening...thx - blue4u 2006-10-26 23:02:09 (399 views)
  - I ordered them on 10/10 and they showed up today(m - JimLev 2006-10-26 17:56:52 (462 views)
- Re: My M5 mirrors showed up today, no wonder I can't(m - 1LT 2006-10-26 17:10:28 (562 views)