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Thread: How to remove factory cupholders?

  1. #1
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    How to remove factory cupholders?

    "Cupholders" only by name because they are, indeed, woefully inadequate.

    But how do you remove them from the bottom of the front center console?

    Thought I'd ask before I started prying on fragile plastic.

    Not a firearms expert

  2. #2
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    There are also two small tabs on the top of the cup holder cassette than catch when pulling it out. It helps it slip out, if you insert a credit card or thin putty knife in the crack at the top.
    Last edited by deathwarden5; 05-22-2009 at 07:21 PM.
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  3. #3
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    The screws can be a bit tricky. There are also two small tabs on the top of the cup holder cassette than catch when pulling it out. It helps it slip out, if you insert a credit card or thin putty knife in the crack at the top.
    Last edited by chiefwej; 05-18-2009 at 01:00 PM.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by chiefwej View Post
    The screws can be a bit tricky. There are also two small tabs on the top of the cup holder cassette than catch when pulling it out. It helps it slip out, if you insert a credit card or thin putty knife in the crack at the top.
    this

    Too late.

    During my lunch break I removed the two phillips screws, then couldn't get the catch to release on the top.

    Busted the cover off getting it out, BUT once I repaired the cracked holder arm, it worked fine and reinstalled w/o the cover.

    Thanks for the info.

    Not a firearms expert

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by deathwarden5 View Post
    Thanks for that brief DIY.
    Added it to the DIY Quicklinks.

  6. #6
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    With all due respect, that DIY is incomplete without addressing the tab issue.

    Removing those two screws will not free it for removal.

    Need to add this:
    "There are also two small tabs on the top of the cup holder cassette than catch when pulling it out. It helps it slip out, if you insert a credit card or thin putty knife in the crack at the top."

    Not a firearms expert

  7. #7
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    Well, I found a cup holder replacement on e-bay that's custom made...its' clear and looks kind of cool. I doesn't stow away (always out), but looks OK and very convenient. For $25 it's worth a shot. I like mine a lot. Just look for it on e-bay, I just looked and can't find it today for some reason.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cantesanu View Post
    Well, I found a cup holder replacement on e-bay that's custom made...its' clear and looks kind of cool. I doesn't stow away (always out), but looks OK and very convenient. For $25 it's worth a shot. I like mine a lot. Just look for it on e-bay, I just looked and can't find it today for some reason.
    i saw that one on ebay too, but its only one size, meaning the bigger drinks wont fit...how is that working out for you? and does it look halfway decent?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cantesanu View Post
    Well, I found a cup holder replacement on e-bay that's custom made...its' clear and looks kind of cool. I doesn't stow away (always out), but looks OK and very convenient. For $25 it's worth a shot. I like mine a lot. Just look for it on e-bay, I just looked and can't find it today for some reason.
    Yeah i saw it too when i was replacing mine. IMO, just go OEM with that part. shouldnt be drinking THAT much anyway to need nicer cupholders. yeah, BMW was stingy on it and screwed us, but dont make it worse with those giant cupholders from ebay. they look good when they're stowed away.

    if it helps, when i replaced mine, i had to break the old ones to get them out. the new ones slid right in though.l

  10. #10
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    what size screws are those?I lost mine

  11. #11
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    Just wrestled mine out- good looking out on the putty knife trick.

    A little 3M 2-part epoxy and I just may salvage the oem one and save myself $50.00

  12. #12
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    what about the back one? Same method?

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by sdw2000528i View Post
    what about the back one? Same method?
    The back one just pops up, no screws.
    I removed mine because those things were broken.
    I replaced it with that:
    Part number 6: 51168159701, 12 bucks or so.


  14. #14
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    What size cups are supposed to fit in these cup holders? I can see why these things break... they don't appear to be big enough even for a small Mcdonald's cup.

  15. #15
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    Question Repairable?

    Quote Originally Posted by bigMphan View Post
    Just wrestled mine out- good looking out on the putty knife trick.

    A little 3M 2-part epoxy and I just may salvage the oem one and save myself $50.00
    Old post I know but are the OEM cup holders repairable? Were you able to repair them before I just dive in? They must all "fail" the same way--what exactly do you need to repair them? Is it just a matter of using the 3m epoxy? (an of course some elbow grease)

    Much appreciated.

  16. #16
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    Cheezy cup holders in these e39's... they were designed specially for 3" tall cups.. If you dont have a 3" tall cup they are useless. Mine are broken, and just bought the BMW delete panel. They come in 3 colors for some dumb reason... the one that says black is painted black sapphire looking. it might match the black plastic wood trim.. but still would look out of place. I simply stuck it in brake fluid for about 24 hours, removed it and started rubbing off the paint. In the end, the plastic under the paint looks like it belongs now.
    just posting another option.
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  17. #17
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    These are a misnomer...they are not cupholders, but actually are CANholders. They work perfect with a can drink:


  18. #18
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    Wink

    One thing I would add. Once you get the old one out, fish around in the opening for remaining pieces of the old one. Mine left two very large pieces behind and there is no way I would have gotten the new one in without breaking it had I not removed these.

  19. #19
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    Yup...incomplete DIY without mentioning the tabs that prevent the damn thing from just "pulling right out". Broke mine and I knew about the tabs. It's useless anyway so I am using it to route wires for charging my phone and adding power sockets, which I mounted in the glovebox. The unit still works and you'd never know that the cover had broken unless you remove the whole thing...

    I ended up getting a plastic cupholder for $1 at the local drugstore and mounted it on the lower part of the center console by the passenger's left leg. Holds my large water bottle, doesn't interfere with my passenger's comfort and works like a charm...

    '00 540iA Sport w/235k+ Original TCG's, Vanos and transmission.​*Trans failure at 244k+...FS Now

  20. #20
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    Its easy to remove the cupholder

    Just put a drink in it, drive around, wait until the cupholder destroys itself and then pick out the fragmented remains.

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  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by blackxs View Post
    Its easy to remove the cupholder

    Just put a drink in it, drive around, wait until the cupholder destroys itself and then pick out the fragmented remains.
    Yes.

  22. #22
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    Try this cup holder mod. It works great. http://www.ebay.com/itm/181946715252...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by tylerc66 View Post
    Try this cup holder mod. It works great. http://www.ebay.com/itm/181946715252...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
    I replaced mine with that. Has the right cup holder been functional to you? I haven't tried it but it seems smaller than the left.
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  24. #24
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    @modular93fox do you have a picture of what it looks like bare? Contemplating picking up a set of E39 trim that doesn't have this delete panel (Birch Anthracite), but want to fill in this gap, and willing to purchase a different trim piece if it can be stripped to look normal.

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