The Random E46/ZHP Question Thread

[az3579]

This....
Never thought about that BP, Great idea!

I've thought about this dilemma myself quite a few times and is the best solution I could come up with. lol
I don't keep anything else in my glovebox save for maybe a Lightning cable for when a friend wants to charge their ... Apple thing-a-ma-bob...
So, the cupholder fits perfectly in there, which will be a handy quick-swap for when I get my euro tray and new console.

[UWISHU1]

Hmm, maybe I'm being dense here.

This is the euro tray that was linked, so I'm assuming it's the one everyone's talking about:


And this is how someone modified the stock cupholder to work with the euro console:


If I understand what you're saying correctly, you're talking about quickly interchanging the stock cupholder for the euro tray. Do you mean quickly exchanging the whole console? Plz halp me understand this.

[BMWCurves]

The center console is broken up into two pieces for US cars. The front section has two cupholders, like so:



The rear section has an open storage "tray" with a coinholder:



As far as I know, there are two European or "euro trays." There is a third, but that's for cars with built in phones or something, so I won't touch on it.

1. There is the "short" that is the same size as the cupholders and can swap out directly with it. Part no. 51167043093 (black), 51167043094 (gray), and 51167043095 (beige)



2. There is the "long" tray which replaces both the cupholders and the coin tray as a single piece. This is considered the "true" euro tray. Part no. 51167038323 (black), 51167038324 (gray), and 51167038325 (beige)



3. There is also a third option that is just two open bins. Personally I prefer the sliding cover of the euro trays, but some may prefer the open nature of this bin:

[UWISHU1]

Great post man. Thx for breaking it down for me. Interchanging the short euro tray with the USDM cupholders seems pretty simple, but not simple enough to just throw in when I happen to know I'll be using a large cup, especially since it may not help much anyway. I like the idea of using a Taco Bell type large cup, but it just seems so jenky. I was really sad that the Ultimate doesn't sound like it works very well. Can anyone elaborate on the problems it has? I'm wondering if some modification can overcome them? If so, I'd get the long, covered euro tray and just use a pair of Ultimates as cup holders on each side of the console.

[UWISHU1]

...just so you guys know where I'm coming from- I use my cupholder(s) every day since I'm drinking something on the way to work, and often a drink from lunch (varying sizes), and regularly use a variety of protein shake shakers. Sometimes I'm juggling two at a time, plus a water bottle. So yeah, you could say the cupholder situation is important to me. With that said, I also need more space than in the armrest for things like chargers, etc. that I don't want to put in the door card.

[az3579]

Great post man. Thx for breaking it down for me. Interchanging the short euro tray with the USDM cupholders seems pretty simple, but not simple enough to just throw in when I happen to know I'll be using a large cup, especially since it may not help much anyway.

What's not simple about it? It takes very little effort to do. I just want to make sure you know that they literally just lift up and out when you grab them by the little notches towards the front on both sides.

I like the idea of using a Taco Bell type large cup, but it just seems so jenky.

I've never had an issue fitting the largest of fast food chain cups in my cupholders, and they are pretty stable if left untouched. Unless Taco Bell offers some kind of gallon size I don't know about, I don't foresee this being an issue for the stock cupholders.

The shaker - these cars weren't designed with cupholders in mind, and shakers are too big for the standard cupholders. What I do with non-standard size bottles is extend the passenger seat thigh rest all the way and let the bottle sit on its side in the ridge between the bolster and the seat cushion.

[Vas]

Any thoughts opinions on ecstuning version of brake caliper sliders?

https://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-33...per/ES2918637/

[UWISHU1]

I suppose it just comes down to preference. I don't want to have to retrieve and install a different console piece as often as I'd need to, regardless of how simple the swap is. I intend to find a solution that always works for both storage and cup holders, one way or another. That's the beauty of the aftermarket- there's always a way to get what you want. I know cup holders are far from what BMW engineers are focused on, and that's probably a good thing. All the shakers and larger cups I use fit in my Subaru, my Hondas, and the wife's RDX, so I'm gonna say BMW screwed up a little by making them too small. Another problem I have is that I use a gatorade water bottle from time to time for sports like indoor soccer, and that doesn't fit either. I think this is why The Ultimate Cupholder exists.

I'm genuinely curious as to what about the ultimate cupholder doesn't work well so I can see if I can overcome it. I've got resources up to and including talented engineer friends who have made me some pretty clever designs over the years, so it's also possible I call on them to come up with a better solution.

Thx for the idea on extending the thigh rest...I'll definitely be using that for some things. I think that ultimately a euro console (for storage) and a couple modified/optimized ultimate cupholders could be the solution I need.

[Sockethead]

Europeans think cup holders are silly, that's why they suck in BMWs.

I use the extended thigh rest for everything, works great as a convenient storage bin

[danewilson77]

Does anyone else have a mirror like this?



Sent from an S6 Edge