Hi guys!

About a month ago I was involved in an accident where a guy slammed into my passenger side door and ran down the side of the car. His insurance has been very good about the repairs, but today I get a call from the agent saying the body shop guy says that he can't seem to make a connection between the door impact and why the cup holder is now jammed in. Outside of the cd changer being knocked loose and damaged by the impact, there was no other interior damage.

The ins agent says we will now have to take the car to the dealership and have them fix the cupholder which will entail removing the entire dash (something she says we do not want the body shop to do) and that it will be covered either under her insurance if the dealership says its accident related or by our warranty if it isn't accident related.

Considering it was working fine before the accident I don't know how it can be anything but accident related, but I don't have any proof it was working before the accident.

So, does the dealership really have to remove the entire dash to fix this thing? And will it be covered under our warranty?

Jerry

They do not have to remove the entire dash. There is a screw (under a cover I believe) on the top part of the vent under which the cupholder resides. It comes out as a unit to which the cupholder is attached.

Unless there is a change that was made to the newer models they should all be the same.

Riaz

They do not have to remove the entire dash. There is a screw (under a cover I believe) on the top part of the vent under which the cupholder resides. It comes out as a unit to which the cupholder is attached.

Unless there is a change that was made to the newer models they should all be the same.

Riaz

^+1
2 scews; one with a cover cap (upper corner of the vent)
the other behind the cup holder trim, accessible when in extended position.

The vent & C.H. come out as a unit.

BMW cupholders are crap, and always have been. The dash does NOT have to come out to replace it.

have done 5,000,000,000,000 cupholders, and NEVER taken a dash out for a cupholder. but, good luck on an E38 7 series cup holder. center console supposed to come out, but it can be cheated.

Thanks guys!

I'm going to pick up the car on tuesday from the body shop and take it over to the dealer for the cup holder repair. Hopefully, I'll have the car back before the weekend!

Jerry

If anyone has some pics pointing at all the screws - I'd appreciate it. I put my knee through my crappy cupholder. Ugh.

Thanks

These were posted over on the still-defunct Z4um. I saved them when one of my cupholders got a little dodgy, and needed replacing. The gent who posted them is from Iceland, but the English is decent enough, and he did a good job with the how-to, so it's definitely quite helpful.

DW

http://www.mindspring.com/~d0cwh/cphldrs/e85ch1.JPG
http://www.mindspring.com/~d0cwh/cphldrs/e85ch2.JPG
http://www.mindspring.com/~d0cwh/cphldrs/e85ch3.JPG
http://www.mindspring.com/~d0cwh/cphldrs/e85ch4.JPG


:cool

I pick up my 07 3.0I last Thusday 7-5-07. Wife and I took it for 250 mile ride yesterday. Passenger side cup holder would not ratchet down to smaller size and then would not close. I took it out today and removed the broken parts so it will now close. The hardest part of the job is getting the *&#$%@* cap off of the top screw without tearing anything up. 5 minutes max R&R. I guess this is common. The cup holders a flimsy. GH

They are weird - my experience has been that they like cylindrical containers much more than tapered. Mine have held a standard water bottle for a 1000-mile roadtrip but I can't make it the 2 blocks back from Starbucks without having to clean white chocolate mocha from somewhere, because the tapered cups seem to somehow work loose until the cup's flailing around. Heck, I don't even eat or drink in my car, I just want to use them for transport.

I am an American, but I've never, repeat NEVER used my cupholders in my old Z3 or my new Z4. As far as I'm concerned, they are there for looks, or to play with.

If I am thirsty, I stop and get a drink, and if I absolutely have to take it in the car, I get a bottle, and seal it shut, then put it in a bag (to avoid condensation) and throw in the passenger footwell. Sure, BMW could have designed better cupholders, but my old Z3 didn't even have a cupholder, so I'm used to it.

A little off topic:

It seems like a difference in priorities (and nothing more) that German cars in general have substandard cup holders. For instance, my M Coupe has flimsy cup holders fit only for a Skoda, while at the same time it has a sturdy and well-located cigarette holder and ashtray. I never smoke, but do like to bring water on long drives. You tell me which is more distracting/dangerous a flaming cigarette butt or a water bottle.

Well guess what; I have an e38 that needs a cup holder repair - any suggestions?

When my passenger cupholder broke, my 2003 z4 was still under warranty and the dealer replaced it for free. However, since my warranty expired, the driver side cupholder forst got stuck, then finally the arm broke. I bought a new cupholder assembly and replaced it myself. That was real easy!

Its true though, with the stiff suspension of a sports car, Starbucks cups can't take the beating. If you're not careful coffee spills not only make a mess of your air vents, but can drip onto the Side Mirror controls and cause a short. That will usually require replacing a fuse.

Before placing your favorite Latte or Mocha in a Z4 cupholder, drink or spill out a couple inches off the top, or poor into your own sealed coffe thermos.

Good Luck!