centre console cup holder

[Baldeagle]

anyone tried to fit ECS centre cup holder to their 135i? Any helpful suggestions?

[JimD]

Are you talking about the cup holder that comes when you get iDrive? If so then yes, I did this. It is pretty easy, easier than I expected. I ordered the parts from Tischer and followed the instructions from Andy for removing the console. The scary part is making the hole in the console. RealOEM said a new one was about $100 so I went ahead. A vibrating saw (available for $20 from Harbor Freight) is nice to have but you can make the hole with a knife if you're careful. The hole does not have to be pretty because the edges are covered by the pieces you screw on for the cup holder to mount to. I had no real difficulty and was done in a couple hours. The additional useful cup holder is a very good addition. It is the one I normally use.

Jim

[Baldeagle]

Jim
Not sure its the same one. Has a stem and sits off centre transmission tunnel. I have 2011 N55 135i. Have right hand drive car so would need to be fitted on passengers side as well. ECS couldn't direct me to anywhere for instructions.
Brad

[Ash83]

Originally Posted by JimD

Are you talking about the cup holder that comes when you get iDrive? If so then yes, I did this. It is pretty easy, easier than I expected. I ordered the parts from Tischer and followed the instructions from Andy for removing the console. The scary part is making the hole in the console. RealOEM said a new one was about $100 so I went ahead. A vibrating saw (available for $20 from Harbor Freight) is nice to have but you can make the hole with a knife if you're careful. The hole does not have to be pretty because the edges are covered by the pieces you screw on for the cup holder to mount to. I had no real difficulty and was done in a couple hours. The additional useful cup holder is a very good addition. It is the one I normally use.

Jim

can you post some pics?

[Yablonski135]

The retaining spring (on that cupholder) broke. I told my service advisor that it was broke and he gave me the most ridiculous look. I said that I guess I expected better from a $40k car. They replaced it.

[JimD]

Brad,

Yes, the one I retrofitted has a stem that goes down into a socket you have to install on the console. This is a link to a RealOEM page that illustrates what I installed:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...21&hg=51&fg=95

I don't understand that page, however, I would look for the diagram of the console and see if it helps. I don't know if you need all those parts, it seems a bit repetitive but I think I paid around $75 so maybe you do.

This is a very good thread on removing the center console:

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...ght=cup+holder

If you do a search on the DIY section using the words "cup holder" you will find others. I didn't use anything other than the above. The only thing it doesn't have is how to locate the base for the stem on the console. When I turned it over (after it was out) it seemed obvious where it went. There was "junk" - reinforcing ribs - in other areas but the space where this goes was relatively smooth on the under side. The parts to form the base just sandwich the console and seemed pretty obvious to me how they installed. All you do is pull the console, cut the hole (scary part), sandich the console with the base pieces (one on each side of the console (out side and under side)) and secure it with a couple screws. Then it's just put the console back in.

I started this one Friday night intending to finish it the next Saturday morning. It went so smoothly I just did it all Friday night. Literally the hardest part is getting the shift knob to disengage. It isn't complicated but you have to pull up REALLY hard.

Jim