time to get the euro armrest.
anybody been there done that and can walk me thru removal of the oem armrest on r56 justacooper?
or point me to a link...I couldn't find one.
did find the installation instructions though.

thanks in advance for your assistance!!!

 

You'll need a selection of Torx drivers. I don't remember exactly which ones but something like T20, T25 and T10. Maybe someone else here remembers exactly. I'd seriously just buy a nice set because you'll use them alot if you plan on doing things on the MINI. Anyways, here's the steps the best I can remember:

-remove the rear cupholder and side plastic pieces (one screw each).
-remove 5 or 6 torx bolts holding the base of the armrest to the car
-remove the two torx in the front cupholders
-slide the center console forwards a little so you can lift up the rear.
-reach up under the rear of the center console to the right of the handbrake
-unplug the wires coming from the armrest...one antenna cable and one black plug
-slide the armrest straight up out of the mount

To make this clean, you will need to purchase a new bracket for inside the center console (that does not have the mount for the armrest) as well as a new rear cupholder. Without these, you can simply reinstall all the plastic parts but it will look a little funny without the original armrest in the car.

 

Thanks VERY much ... I got fed up with the crappy US armrest sagging and sliding open, and bought the Euro armrest from Minspeed --

You don't have to take the whole console out if your goal is to "just remove the old armrest":
-- two T20 screws, one on each side behind the rear cupholder
-- one T20 screw inside the rear cupholder
-- five T30 screws under the cupholder to remove the armrest bracket ... then the whole assembly comes out.
You'll also need a T40 to loosen the four seat bolts (two each side) for the new Euro armrest.

Pete at Minspeed advises that separating the old armrest from the console will leave two 1.75-inch-diameter holes at the armrest hinge-points. Apparently, there is an alternate "console" that MINI sells without those holes for around $65 ... ORRRRRR, you can "go to AceHardware and buy a couple of grey plastic furniture plugs for $2" -- looks almost pro.

When you put the two plastic halves behind the cupholder back, it's actually very easy to get them to stay together IF you cut and insert a small block of wood the same width as the bracket you just removed ... one wood screw on each side into those two holes to hold it all together, and voila! -- just add the plugs and you're done.

BMW really oughtta be SHOT for charging $200 for that piece of junk OEM plastic they sell in the North American market --

 

^Thanks for the how-tos! I may do this too as I keep my garage door opener in the armrest and after a year of sliding it out to open the garage the top of the armrest is pretty loose.

 

yeah, the new armrest is pretty sweet ... holds more stuff, supports your arm better, doesn't interfere with the rear cupholder, and STAYS WHERE YOU PUT IT.

 

Forgive the off-topic post here -- but a better place for the remote is to put it into that othewise-unused slot on your door that's under the door handle with a strip of automotive double-sided-tape ... second nature now to reach across my belt with my right hand and hit the button.

 

Anyone have a part number on that?
I'm wanting to remove my OEM armrest and console.

- Erik

 

Mine is smaller and light gray, so I used tape to put it right up in the upper console above the rear view mirror. Barely see it. Real convenient.

 

Center console parts drawings and p/n's on this site:

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...88&hg=51&fg=35

It shows all the parts for cars with and without factory center armrest.

That page is for 2008, but has links at top to "select another car".