BMW Z3

My Kingdom for a Cup Holder!

By: Richard Carlson

I like my cassette holder.
However, I would also like to have a couple of drink holders in the car. I looked at the BMW offering and found both the older style and the newer styles to be inconvenient, as well as removing utility of the cassette holder.

The BMW designs place the drinks by your elbow, just where they're likely to get tipped over when shifting from first to second. I had a similar problem in my Miata - Mazda provided a drink holder which could go in the center console, but the drinks tended to tip (although they were further on down than the BMW placement, you could still tip them while shifting). However, the Miata also had a perfect place for an after market "flip-down" drink-holder: a trim screw could be used to secure the drink holder  to the center console by the passenger's legs. In fact, almost everyone who owns a Miata has one of these installed. It's out of the way, easy to reach and takes away an insignificant amount of room on the passenger side. When folded, they are unobtrusive, looking like a four inch square by .5 inch black box.

When I got my Z3, I was so used to having a decent drink holder, I never considered the "elbow holder" alternatives. Instead, I went out and bought a new  "flip-down" and installed it on the console on the passenger side. Unfortunately, this means drilling into the console. I secured the top with two small screws into the console in the middle with one screw into the carpeting and at the bottom with some "male" velcro. Because I have the wood console and extended leather, I  chose the "wood-look" drink-holders to which I added a piece of leather matching the leather trim on the console.

My wife pointed out that I wasn't the only one who needed a place to put my drinks, so I added a second one. The result is a very attractive and serviceable alternative to the BMW designs.

In spirited driving, the drinks are much more secure than in either of the BMW designs. The pincers which flip up are adjustable, accommodating the common soda can, tall late' cup and the occasional Big Gulp.

Drink holders like these can be found at your local Pep-Boys or Auto-Palace for less than $5 each. They come in flat black or "wood-look". You can also find more expensive versions, completely covered in leather from Beverly Hills Motoring Accessories (To order call: (800) FOR-BHMA or +1 310 657-4800 (outside U.S. & Canada)) for about $30 each. You can specify what type of leather you want them wrapped in.