When I took my car in for service, I received an '09 as a loaner.

The armrest lid flipped up as opposed to my '08 that slides back. Anyone with an '09 that can comment on this. It seemed much more functional with more space and doesn't keep sliding partially open like mine.

Wonder if anyone is selling them other than the dealer.

Thanks,

Mark

 

mine slides..

 

Dealer told me that they used to install these:>

http://www.minspeed.net/MAR.htm

I ordered and installed myself (>:20 minute job) and just love it.

It is a high quality, sturdy unit, made by MINI for the European Market.

Unfortunately, if you already have the sliding version,
there are extra parts you should replace to restore the rear of your console after removing slide-top.

 

Do you know what these extra parts are and where one can get them??


P.S. I have an '09 and the armrest I got from the factory slides...

 

MA recommended I go with the flip up version rather than the slide back version. I was very very very happy he said that! That accessory was a dealer-installed one rather than the factory-installed slider (from what I understand).

 

Just recently got an '09 R56 and the arm rest is pretty sturdy. It doesn't slide open and my elbow is on it all the time.

 

Give it time......


Mark

 

agreed. mine didn't start sliding back easily until my car had hit the 4-5K mile mark.

 

Any idea on what parts these are? I have one that I'm hoping to remove SOON. Are there part numbers or Thanks!

BTW, my '09 rest is a slider as well... doesn't slide on it's own just yet. Maybe the one in the loaner was bluetooth one? Didn't it used to be a bit different?

 

Mine also... my first two minis were bought used so they were already loose.

When I bought my '08, it was still up until about 4-5K miles also.... now, I have to keep sliding it closed.

Not an overly large annoyance but the new armrest I saw that flipped up was HUGE in comparison and much easier to access.

Mark

 

7k miles and mine doesn't slide easily.

i sat in a car with that arm rest... it's too tall for me. When I would shift to 2,4,6, my elbow hits the arm rest.... pretty annoying.

 

Anyone have a picture of this new armrest?

 

Will try to remember to take some in the daylight tomorrow.

 

Mine came without any armrest, so this would be my guess:

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

Others have reported good, discounted parts service from this MINI Dealer:

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...?siteid=214217

(Use 'realoem' site to get p/n's first.)

Again, I have no personal experience with this operation, but there was an extensive thread on this Board on the subject last year.

If I were in that situation, I would hope to recover most of the cost by offering the slide-top armrest in the for-sale Board with its console parts after finishing the Euro-Armrest project.

Link in my sig below to minspeed site with photos, also have photos in my Gallery of it installed (as well as extra memory foam and custom cover).

 

I wish I hadent gottten my arm rest, but I picked mine from the lot... Is it hard to delete the factory armrest? I need to take out my center console anyway to put a new shift boot/e-brake boot in...

 

If you do delete it, I'll take it off your hands!