32 replies to this topic

[roberts]

Good evening TMF,

As many of you will know over the past few weeks TMF members have repeatedly requested that we include a cup holder within one or more of our interior products (arm rests, centre consoles and/or dashboards).

Information regarding these requests can be found HERE, HERE & HERE.

So, we have seriously looked into it and as I have previous said...

As a company who offer interior products for the Classic Mini we have the responsibility to offer products that:

- Work (usability)
- Are safe
- Are practical (ergonomically)
- Look good (aesthetically)
- Last the test of time

The above aspects are what we consider when developing any product and if a product does not pass the test of each aspect we simply cannot offer it.

This is the problem that we have had with introducing a cup holder.

- A cup holder has to be incorporated within easy reach of the driver
- A cup holder has to be incorporated without obstructing other interior features (switches, vents, dials, gear sticks, handbrake handles etc.)

If we offered a cup holder that compromised any of the above it would be irresponsible of us. As a result, there simply isn't a solution to incorporate a cup holder into an arm rest, a centre console and/or a dashboard.

So, the only solution that we have come up with is a central cup holder console that fits between the front seats, sides covered in carpet with vinyl leatherette faces and a plastic insert for the cup holder itself.

Please also see the photoshopped image below for a rough design illustration:


So the question is:

Would you pay £24.99 (+ £10 P&P to UK Mainland) for such a product?


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Website: www.optimise-automotive.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 1782 579 080

Edited by roberts, 25 February 2013 - 10:36 PM.

[Bungle]

somewhere on here last summer (ish) someone made a very nice and small cup holder that fitted over the hand brake

it looked much smaller and neater that that big thing you have designed

i will try and find a link but i normally struggle to find anything on TMF

[roberts]

I know exactly the thing your thinking of... it looked like a toaster and if I remember correctly it was only for bottles of water?

Edited by roberts, 25 February 2013 - 10:45 PM.

[Bungle]

http://www.theminifo...pic=203424&st=0

[Bungle]

i know you wouldn't want to copy someone else's design but to me that's much neater than that big wooden box

[whuiron]

If you could you make the bottom part a opening storage compartment then i would be interested

[roberts]

http://www.theminifo...pic=203424&st=0

Yeah there the ones, although that's small and neat I personally think it's an item that's pointless and I also have my doubts over its functionality:

- You could only hold a bottle in it and there's no real point to that. Bottles have screw tops so they are water tight, meaning you can throw them anywhere in your car. The main idea of a cup holder is to securely hold a take away coffee mug/McDonald drink etc (that isn't water tight).

- The seat belt buckles would also get in the way of anything large that you put in the space, you can see that in the photos the guy who took them has cleverly held/moved the buckles out the way.

The design that we have come up with isn't particular big it would fit nicely between the seats (just like the arm rests), so you wouldn't see much of it anyway. The open gap is basically where the seat belt buckle sits (goes through), which is the same height as the seat base. and the bottom tray (covered in vinyl leatherette) sits just above the handbrake.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Website: www.optimise-automotive.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 1782 579 080

Edited by roberts, 25 February 2013 - 11:12 PM.

[roberts]

If you could you make the bottom part a opening storage compartment then i would be interested

The back bit is where your seat belts come through (under the cup holder) and the front bit (under the front tray) is where your handbrake is - so that unfortunately couldn't be achieved.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Website: www.optimise-automotive.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 1782 579 080

[roberts]

Before I head off to bed I'll just point out that we have only come up with this solution because it's the only proper feasible solution for a cup holder that doesn't compromise something else within your interior.

It's been put together due to overwhelming demand for a cup holder, we had a feeling all along that it wouldn't be something that people would actually want once they had seen it.

But sometimes, you have to show people the solution so they can see what the possibilities are.

I think from the initial evidence of the vote and comments it is as we suspected... a good idea in principle but not something that many will actually spend there hard earned cash on.

To put this bluntly, adding a cup holder to a car interior is trying to fix a problem that doesn't need fixing. You can last without one, so a majority of people will spend there money on something else instead.

We will give it overnight/tomorrow day to see what else is said/voted and we can see what the out come is tomorrow evening.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Website: www.optimise-automotive.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 1782 579 080

[Noah]

Some one made a Cup Holder using the gear lever binnacle from a Bini.

I'm not saying use that but, it fits over the gear knob and has room for the two cans/cups at the front out of the way.

The arm rest doesn't appeal to me, It's already a tight fit with SPI seats.

[richw911]

http://www.theminifo...pic=203424&st=0

Thats looks a good idea however it would not fit my mini as I have a Newton Commercial carpet which has the original moulded part around the handbrake -

[Bungle]

Some one made a Cup Holder using the gear lever binnacle from a Bini.

I'm not saying use that but, it fits over the gear knob and has room for the two cans/cups at the front out of the way.

The arm rest doesn't appeal to me, It's already a tight fit with SPI seats.

there is a old vw beetle one available that sits over the tunnel on the floor that's quite neat

[roberts]

Some one made a Cup Holder using the gear lever binnacle from a Bini.

Yup know exactly what you mean, it wouldn't work.

If you place the two cup holders behind the gear stick larger cups (Maccy D drinks) placed in the holders would more than likely hit the heater unit and if you placed them in front of the gear stick the seats would hit the holders when folded up to allow access to the back.

Anyway, not interested in ideas any more (sorry), we have completely exhausted ideas (everything has already been suggested in previous threads) - we have come up with this solution and it's the only solution the doesn't compromise another aspect of the interior.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

Website: www.optimise-automotive.com
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +44 (0) 1782 579 080

[Tommyboy12]

My two pence. If your going to make it a half arm rest style would there not be the option to adapt your new storage bin arm rests? Make it a bit deeper/flat bottomed and place the cup holding bit in the bottom? With some sort of locking hinge mechanism to hold open the arm rest lid while your cup is in there (like the ones on some car bonnets)? Youve got little chance of knocking over a coke cup and if you do its only going to pool in the bin if its tight enough.

I would definitely buy that! You get an arm rest, storage bin, and a cup holder!

Edit: I have just read the other threads and seen this being suggested. You said its not possible because the bottle would hang too low. Yet here is effectively that design but with the arm rest bit chopped off the top? Am I missing something?

Edited by Tommyboy12, 26 February 2013 - 02:23 PM.

[Black.Ghost]

The best solution I have seen so far was someone got a water bottle carrier for a bike and fitted it to the inside of the a-panel area arch thing and it seemed to work fine for bottles etc, probably now for coffee cups though.

Having read all of the threads on this, I can see where they are coming from in terms of not taking this any further. I do however think the best solution would be for someone to go to a scrap yard, get a drinks holder mechanism from a car, and adapt that to fit under the dash rail.