I concur with the warnings and advice issued already. I have successfully removed one intact, but I did it indoors with the mirror removed from the car; a process which broke one of the two tabs on the triangular trim piece.
One thing that might help. If the mirror is original then there is a good chance the glue which holds the glass to the plastic backing is on its last legs. I have had one fall off due to this. If you can persuade the glass to come away from the backing then the plastic backing alone is very much easier to remove as it is much more flexible.
Afterwards, glue the glass back on before refitting. If you do break the mirror good quality non-OEM replacements are available for about £20 on eBay. Make sure you get the heated variety if you need it.
If you need to replace the motor be aware that many of the non-OEM ones available will be wired such that left and right adjustments will be reversed. If you want to try and fix this on the motor you will need to do it before reassembly. Otherwise, it is quite easy just to live with it.
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