32 replies to this topic

[roberts]

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?

Yes you have missed something and (sorry but...) I'm not going to waste any more time going round and round in circles explaining in detail why suggestions won't work. So to summaries why it won't work...

Depth of the pocket versus a large Maccy D cup and the lid open, versus the added cost of a mechanism to hold the lid open or alternatively dropping the holder down so the lid can be shut = the idea doesn't work.

- Plus, if the storage bin is a cup holder it's no longer a storage bin.
- Plus, we need to offer a 'fits all' solution - so the cup holder has to fit bottles, cups and large takeaway cartons.

As I have said several time, this is the solution that we have come up with (it works and nothing else suggested does) - so it's up to you if you would like to buy it or not.

We will be launching this product (despite the vote outcome), as it is something that people have requested and considering there is no other sensible options available on the market, it seems logical to offer one.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

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

[roberts]

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.

Yeah, I couldn't agree more really - but fabricating a custom cup holder isn't for everyone though, so the idea of offering a cup holder product solution would be something for everyone, not just something for those who like to fabricate things themselves.

As a result, we will be taking it further and launching the product - but we can't see it being very successful (in terms of sales).


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

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

[liam-ds]

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

hi, iam the guy who designed these they are very functional. holds a cup properly if you read the thread you will see that, also the seat buckles dont get in the way even had a large coke from McDonalds in on several occasions seat belt buckles never touch the cup and i have never had a cup fall over and i don't drive like a grandad haha.

Liam

[Jordie]

Its possible, but different media/materials been used to create the product.

We are designing fibreglass items which incorperate cup holders for both front and rear passengers. Hopefully we will have these ready soon.

Jordie

[Noah]

I might go and rip one out of an Audi or a golf, one that you press and unfolds? Mount it under the lower dash rail by the passenger next to the radio, don't need to, I tend to have bottles anyway.

[Jordie]

PS. your design wouldnt work with alternative manufactuer seats (eg. recaro, mx5, puma) which takes out a chunk of your market as more and more interior mods include different seats.

[liam-ds]

PS. your design wouldnt work with alternative manufactuer seats (eg. recaro, mx5, puma) which takes out a chunk of your market as more and more interior mods include different seats.

hi my design was first fitted into my car which has a pair of mk1 hyundai coupe seats in and it fitted fine, got a set of hyundai coupe mk3 seats in now still fits fine even with the smaller amount of room. The mk3 seats are 20 mmm wider then the mk1 ones and they are 40 mm wider than mini seats

Liam

Edited by liam-ds, 26 February 2013 - 09:07 PM.

[Sfuller1275gt]

You can buy a universal twin cup holder on eBay which is a stereo replacment so it pops out this with a stereo under mount unit would prob work out and u won't see much of it.

[Jordie]

PS. your design wouldnt work with alternative manufactuer seats (eg. recaro, mx5, puma) which takes out a chunk of your market as more and more interior mods include different seats.

hi my design was first fitted into my car which has a pair of mk1 hyundai coupe seats in and it fitted fine, got a set of hyundai coupe mk3 seats in now still fits fine even with the smaller amount of room. The mk3 seats are 20 mmm wider then the mk1 ones and they are 40 mm wider thAn mini seats

Liam

The comment was in relation to the topic starter and the idea design on 1st post. Sorry for the confusion.

[gerits]

I don't get it, it's not a bump free ride, you will get coffee all over the place. Just relax a bit and drink your coffee before you get into the car.

[Sfuller1275gt]

Haha I was thinking the same it's going to go every where

[Sfuller1275gt]

You will have to have ur carpets cleaned every week.

[liam-ds]

PS. your design wouldnt work with alternative manufactuer seats (eg. recaro, mx5, puma) which takes out a chunk of your market as more and more interior mods include different seats.

hi my design was first fitted into my car which has a pair of mk1 hyundai coupe seats in and it fitted fine, got a set of hyundai coupe mk3 seats in now still fits fine even with the smaller amount of room. The mk3 seats are 20 mmm wider then the mk1 ones and they are 40 mm wider thAn mini seats

Liam

The comment was in relation to the topic starter and the idea design on 1st post. Sorry for the confusion.

sorry Jordie

Liam

[roberts]

hi, iam the guy who designed these they are very functional. holds a cup properly if you read the thread you will see that, also the seat buckles dont get in the way even had a large coke from McDonalds in on several occasions seat belt buckles never touch the cup and i have never had a cup fall over and i don't drive like a grandad haha.

Liam

Evening Liam,

Thanks for the reply - that fair enough (your the one who has tried and tested it).

But personally, I cannot see how a square cup holder would hold a round object upright when accelerating, braking or going round sharp corners/roundabouts.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

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

Edited by roberts, 26 February 2013 - 09:32 PM.

[roberts]

You can buy a universal twin cup holder on eBay which is a stereo replacment so it pops out this with a stereo under mount unit would prob work out and u won't see much of it.

Yeah nothing wrong with the item, but it does then pose the problem of where to mount your CD player - plus that's a readily available item that has been around for years and no one wants it - hence the demand for us to incorporate a cup holder within a product.

PS. your design wouldnt work with alternative manufactuer seats (eg. recaro, mx5, puma) which takes out a chunk of your market as more and more interior mods include different seats.

The product woks perfectly well with any set of front seats that have gap of 14cm between the seats (just as our arm rests do).

- If the front seats have a winder on the lower inside seat squab you would need the later type console
- If the front seats don't have a winder on the lower inside seat squab you would need the earlier type console

Simple

I don't get it, it's not a bump free ride, you will get coffee all over the place. Just relax a bit and drink your coffee before you get into the car.

I couldn't agree more, personally I never have food or drink in my car - but driving with a drink it something that a lot of people like to do, hence the overwhelming demand for us to come up with a cup hold solution.


Thanks
Andy @ Optimise Automotive

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

Edited by roberts, 26 February 2013 - 09:31 PM.