Added a cup holder

[rodsmith123]

After a recent five day trip in our newly acquired Z4, my wife and I found a need for a second cup holder.

We found the factory cup holder worked very well, so I picked on up off of
e-bay of $45.00 delivered.

I sat in the car and just held a cup in different spots until I decided on the location in the photos.

The weight of the cup in the added holder is supported by the center console on some soft closed cell foam.

There is no permanent modification to the car or cup holders and the second holder can be removed by unscrewing the nylon thumb screw.

This won't appeal to some folks, but it is functional, especially on long interstate stints.

[VailM3]

I give you credit for ingenuity but I deduct that credit for taste. Get rid of them both it kills the interior lines. Z4 doesn't need or justify cup holders.

In my car there isnt even an option for it, in that there is no out let on the right side of the drive-train tunnel.

[rodsmith123]

It's the American fetich for cup holders.

It is purely functional and comes out and is stored if not in use.

BMW could have done a much better job with cup holders in our cars.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by rodsmith123

BMW could have done a much better job with cup holders in our cars.

Really? Where would you put them?

[ManiacGT]

Well as inconvenient as the two in the arm rest are they are At least hidden when not in use!

[rodsmith123]

The retractable models such as those used in the 3 Series? The 5 Series has them as well.

Porsche puts them on a number of their models.

A retractable would have fit in the space used to hold the cupholder in the glove box.

Admittedly, there's not a lot of workable space in the Z4.

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by rodsmith123

The retractable models such as those used in the 3 Series? The 5 Series has them as well.

Porsche puts them on a number of their models.

A retractable would have fit in the space used to hold the cupholder in the glove box.

Admittedly, there's not a lot of workable space in the Z4.

I'm thinking that if they popped out of the dash they would be often hit by your knee. It's tight quarters in there.

[TitanTim]

Unfortunately you can't spec them for UK cars and not an option to fit, for me its an ideal position out the way but within reach for holding a bottle of water etc. Don't know what all fuss is regarding looking out of place etc. There are alot of vain owners in this world

NOTE: Edit to keep mudflaps on as I'm not particularly vain

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by TitanTim

I'm not particularly vain

but I'd like to spec M sport appearance package and debadge the fenders

(j/k)

[BMWZ4RIDER]

The lousy location of the cup holder only is surpassed by the fact that anything put in the cup holder falls out. Just a plian, bad engineered cup hold, The center console Dixie cup, cup holder, even if it was not filled with my phone adapter is another loser. I need my 24 OZ extra jumbo coffee, so this is a grave inconvenience at best.

[Kessler35is]

Originally Posted by BMWZ4RIDER

The lousy location of the cup holder only is surpassed by the fact that anything put in the cup holder falls out. Just a plian, bad engineered cup hold, The center console Dixie cup, cup holder, even if it was not filled with my phone adapter is another loser. I need my 24 OZ extra jumbo coffee, so this is a grave inconvenience at best.

I have never had anything fall out, I put small to large Red Bull's in mine and it holds them very well while I'm taking curves. The ones under the arm rest rarely get used in mine since I always use the arm rest on long trips.

I have been thinking of ordering the full tray to replace in there for more auto locked storage. I hate that I have to manually lock the glove box and the center console locks when you use the fob from outside the car. That way I can move my pistol to the center arm rest when not on my hip and I know the doors and the console lid is locked with a push of a button. The glove-box should have been electrically locked also.

[Kessler35is]

Originally Posted by rodsmith123

After a recent five day trip in our newly acquired Z4, my wife and I found a need for a second cup holder.

We found the factory cup holder worked very well, so I picked on up off of
e-bay of $45.00 delivered.

I sat in the car and just held a cup in different spots until I decided on the location in the photos.

The weight of the cup in the added holder is supported by the center console on some soft closed cell foam.

There is no permanent modification to the car or cup holders and the second holder can be removed by unscrewing the nylon thumb screw.

This won't appeal to some folks, but it is functional, especially on long interstate stints.

If it turns out that any one is interested, I can take this apart on the bench to show how it goes together. There are three pieces of 1/8" x 3/4" aluminum that make up the bracket.

That is not too bad looking, just adding that for long drives shouldn't be too much hassle. I would rather have that than a split drink in the car, be it water or the worse, a dark soft drink with all that sugar.

The only thing I would change is the foam you added, it looks out of place. Go to the auto parts store and look for fuel door stand off's. You can find multi sizes and shapes. Just drill a hole in that plate you have the foam attached to and it will stand off of the trim and it is black rubber so it will blend in.

They look like this, but many shapes and sizes. Or you could just cut one flat and add 3M VHB tape.

[rodsmith123]

Originally Posted by Kessler35is

That is not too bad looking, just adding that for long drives shouldn't be too much hassle. I would rather have that than a split drink in the car, be it water or the worse, a dark soft drink with all that sugar.

The only thing I would change is the foam you added, it looks out of place. Go to the auto parts store and look for fuel door stand off's. You can find multi sizes and shapes. Just drill a hole in that plate you have the foam attached to and it will stand off of the trim and it is black rubber so it will blend in.

They look like this, but many shapes and sizes. Or you could just cut one flat and add 3M VHB tape.

Great idea thanks! I had the foam, but I'll stop at the auto parts store and see what they have.

It's funny how the foam really shows up in the photos because of the flash. In normal daylight the foam blends in with the console. A cup in the holder also covers everything.

[mbetoni]

Have to admit, I'm baffled by all this.

1. I liked the cup holders in my E85s. They never broke for me and held whatever I had in there.

2. The cup holder (slide-in, not under armrest) is less than ideal. In fact, I've hardly used it.

3. I don't/wouldn't use the arm rest cup holders. Just a silly location.

3. The shelf is my new cup holder. The E85s didn't have the behind-the-seats shelf, so now I throw the bottled water/iced tea/whatever up there. No cup holder needed.

4. This could be because neither my wife nor I drink coffee. I.E., no non-screw cap liquid containers in the car.

[Lurcher]

I use it more for my phone storage vs cup holder. Just wrap my cable around the bottom and things fit nicely

[tyrenfroe]

How do you drink a beer?

[SchweiZ4]

I am just shocked by the pictures I just see ..
Oh god why ..

[jparnes1]

Originally Posted by SchweiZ4

I am just shocked by the pictures I just see ..
Oh god why ..

Some people are into function over style (see the mudflap thread). I'm with you on this...next thing we'll see is duct tape.

[Lurcher]

Originally Posted by tyrenfroe

How do you drink a beer?

pop the top
put to lips
invert bottle
swallow

[TitanTim]

I don't think it looks too bad at all and does the job BMW would charge a fortune for.

Forums can be such bitchy places at times

[HABANEROTE]

3 words...:

NOOOOO

NOOOOOOOO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[SchweiZ4]

Why not just install a two-cups holder into the centre harmrest?
In this case, when you don't have cups, you can just hide the holding system into the harmrest.

This compartment is part number 7 here: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...&hl=10&lang=en