Clearview towing mirrors just got a whole lot cheaper…

Clearview Accessories has launched a new no-frills range of towing mirrors, slashing hundreds of dollars off the cost of their Australian-made base product.

The new Classic range replaces the Clearview Original series, giving caravanners the chance to cash in on genuine Australian-made gear for a fraction of the price.

The Clearview Classic mirrors start at $529 and provide the same function and footprint as the Original, without the expensive bells and whistles. A push back against ‘dupe’ culture, the new affordable range is aimed squarely at thrifty towers who might otherwise be lured by cheap imported imitations.

The Classic mirrors have the same standard specs as the Originals – 530mm extended profile and an extra-large, 310mm design. They also have the option for indicators and electric mirror adjustment. What you don’t get are the pimped-up extras like powerfold, heated glass, chrome colour option and position memory.

Clearview Accessories co-founder Mike Cowan says it’s an exciting time for the manufacturer. “We’ve refined our process to stay true to our legacy of reliability and durability while making our mirrors accessible to more drivers.”

What will it cost me?

Looking to upgrade your towing mirrors? Want to know how much it will cost? That depends on your car. The Clearview Classic towing mirrors are compatible with more than 30 vehicles.

Let’s look at the Ford Ranger PX, manufactured 2011 to 2021. The Clearview Classics with indicators and electric adjustment would set you back $559. This compares to $885 for the old Original mirrors, which also had the option to upgrade to powerfold, heat and memory.

Of course, the Classic won’t suit every vehicle, and the more features you have in a mirror, the more you pay. This is especially true for top of the range vehicle models, which have extras like blind spot monitoring and indicators. If your mirrors have these functions and you upgrade to an all-in-one towing mirror, they must retain these features to remain ADR (Australian Design Rules) compliant.

For this reason, Clearview does not make a Classic mirror for the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series or the Next Generation Ford Ranger and Everest. The LC300 GR Sport mirrors have a swag of high-tech features, including indicators, puddle lights, heat, memory, 360 camera provision, powerfold, blind spot monitoring and auto reverse tilt.

For the same functionality in a Clearview, you would need to upgrade to the Compact mirror, nudging $1800, or splurge on a Next Gen set for $1835.

So, Clearview’s announcement is good news for those with a tow vehicle low on tech, but offers little for drivers at the premium end of the spectrum. But if you’ve got $100K to splash on a car, maybe that doesn’t matter.