With yesterday's announcement of the updated iDrive system for new BMWs, it started me thinking about upgrading the technology in my car as well. Thus: Can someone recommend a good cup holder for the E30? I am looking for one that: - holds one coffee mug upright during spirit driving. - allows me to conveniently sip coffee while watching the Chevy Suburban in front of me lumber around corners at Speed Limit minus 10. - doesn't require me to saw a hole in my pristine automobile or otherwise do any other type of irreversible damage. Alas, I am getting tired of scalding my naughty bits when holding a coffee cup between my thighs. For birthday, my wife tried to buy me the one Satch Carlson once waxed poetically about in one of his Roundel articles, but apparently the fellow no longer makes them.
I only got about as far w/ addressing that as buying the cupholder - but, here's the idea I had for an E30 - I don't know about your car, but mine has these plugs in the door panels that covers the access to where you'd insert a hex to manually crank the windows, or where a manual window crank would mount. If you feel reasonably confident you can forego your ez access to being able to manually crank the window, then - check Bavauto for their vertical sidemount cupholder (picking the color that matches the closest might be a bit of a challenge). Also, buy an extra - if you plan on keeping your car a long time, eventually one thing or another breaks in these cupholders and you'll be jerryrigging it or replacing it anyway. pull the door panel, fabricate a bracket to mount the cupholder to, which will keep it flush to the door panel, and then fabricate a bracket you can secure to the cupholder bracket through the door panel cutout, and in securing the two brackets together, essentially 'clamp' the door panel between the two brackets, without having to perforate the door panel w/ any screw-holes. Perhaps two pieces of flat bar stock appropriately sized, in an 'X' to reach the corners of the cupholder's mounting screw locales, with a machine screw at the center of the X. Mount the cupholder to the bracket, position it through the door panel cutout, place a crosspiece over the machine screw, and lock it in place by tightening it all down. The machine screw would need to be large enough to take some tightening torque, but short enough not to poke through the door's moisture barrier. There may be easier ways to do it, that's just what came to mind for me. The positioning isn't exactly optimal, but it's about the only place I think you can easily do something without having to drill into some part of the car's interior. Some other option might be something elaborately fashioned and tied into the center console somehow. If you know anyone w/ the ability to do good plastic molding, perhaps you could custom make a rear section of the center console (next to the handbrake) with a cupholder molded in.
The problem with that method is that it's only good for left-handed people. Sure, it at least keeps your right hand free to shift and steer, but it just feels strange for a right-handed person to use their left hand to lift a drink. Seeing as most people in this country are right-handed, this overrules the majority of people and can be troublesome... The only solution that I saw viable (sturdy and natural-looking) was custom made and one of a kind, not for sale. It was similar to the one that you can get for the E36; it had two cup holders and a change holder in the center console. Would be a perfect solution if it would be for sale. Currenly, my cup holder is the force that the edge of the passenger seat and the center console provide when wedging a drink in there.
What about this? http://www.bavauto.com/fland.asp?pa...m_campaign=googlebase&utm_source=BMW E30-D BK edit - also this http://www.bavauto.com/fland.asp?pa...m_campaign=googlebase&utm_source=BMW E30-S BK and some more ideas - http://www.ultimatecupholders.com/index.html http://www.ultimatecupholders.com/fischercupholder.html
Thanks for the tips so far. I am hoping for recommendations from folks who have successfully installed a cup holder they are happy with. MGarrison: I don't have the crank plugs, but I think you are on to something. If no solid recommendations come up from this thread, I may try to kluge a bracket to mount in the ashtray area. AZ: I too am a right-handed sipper, but can manage left-handed sipping if necessary. kkratoch: Some good leads. I've been eyeing the "Fischer" cup holder if I have to kluge my own solution.
That's a stunning interior! That cupholder can prove troublesome if there's a passenger in the seat, though.
Not many passengers take too kindly to that. "I don't wanna hold your cup because your car is outdated!" Blah blah blah
The Bavauto double cupholder is attached to the center console using an adhesive backing.It does the job for me.
http://www.ultimatecupholders.com/modelstatus.html No holes needed. Adequate accessibility. I've used mine for about a year. No spills, no problems. With passenger on board, keep the holder in close to the seat and it won't interfere.
I decided that nobody did, and set out to make my own, integrated into the console. It worked out really well there, mostly because I don't have to shift manually . It turned out being a great solution, but since it was my first foray into fiberglass fabrication it eventually ended up cracking. At some point I'll rebuild it, and I can go back to having beverages in the car. Oh, and that photo's a little old, back when I first got the car and it had a weird carpet. That's been rectified now...along with almost everything else
I agree on the Ultimate Cup Holders. Had mine for 5 years now. They work great with drinks that fit properly in place. Skinny water bottle will go all over the place. Have been prone to sliding to the front of the vehicle with passengers getting in and out, and they can slip out from under the paneling that way. Wedge them in place, put your drink down, and drive!] I'll keep mine. Drive on, Alex
If u don't really use the door pocket on your passenger side i can show u a good one it has made me really happy.I can take a better picture of the one in my car but for the moment here is one on Ebay. http://tinyurl.com/559bsn
Here's a combo I installed in my son's '89 ix,an armrest from JC Whitney,and a cupholder from ultimate cupholder.
I dig it! I've never seen this type before and fits the bill perfectly. There are a few other good suggestions that have come up, but so far yours leads the pack.
I've actually got the one in Rickbee's feature...it now does duty in the trunk because I never thought to put it in the door pocket... I always had it wedged in between the shifter console and the passenger seat...lol. No wonder it didn't work well... Changing it right now...hehehe
After you test drive your door pocket cup holder I'd appreciate a full performance evaluation report. Cup holder performance is not an issue to be taken lightly.
i use it everyday and as long as i am not taking a turn to hard the drinks stay centered the only one i have ever had a problem with so far is the new Nestea bottles i use my one the passenger side tho not the drivers.
Okay, so yeah, doesn't exactly mesh well with my 6'4" stature in the driver's side pocket...it does perform pretty well in the passenger's side, if you have the reach to grab something over there. There's a bit of fidgeting over rough patches that I don't like, but that can be rectified with some 3M temporary adhesive squares...or velcro strips...
