My friend just got 11' Countryman and absolutely hates the cup holders. Everytime she puts a paper coffee cup in the holder it squeezes so hard the top pops off.

Anyone ran into this issue or know of a way changing the holder?

 

Not sure about the Countryman but with my 07 MCS you can pull out the rubber tabs. They are all attached in a circle and come out together.

 

It appears they have gone to a spring-loaded system now versus those rubbery tabs.

 

Yea the spring loaded things are both good and bad, they work much better with travel mugs, but they are very strong so I would imagine a flimsy paper/plastic cup would have problems. Still overall moch more usable than the R56 cup holders.

 

MINI sort of prides themselves on having hard-to-use cupholders. That said, I'm OK with the ones in the CM. They're just big enough for a travel mug and have just enough clearance that the mug doesn't turn on the seatwarmers. A disposable cup, though, might be crushed to death, so I see the flaw.

I wonder if there's a way to tame those spring-loaded tabs. Maybe a narrow metal holster of some kind to hold them out of the way?

Or switch to a reusable travel cup. I know it's ridiculous to change your cup in order to be compatible with your cupholder, but it might be the easiest solution and cheaper in the long run too.

 

Sound like it would be great for zits. I quit using lids a long time ago. Use over-sized and don't fill all the way. I also keep a variety of sturdy plastic take out cups - you can usually find at least one that works. Right now I've got a clear one that's unmarked, so I don't know where it is from. But, it fits well - holds steady and doesn't spill.

 

My friend, you live far more dangerously than most of us dare. While I admire you, I cannot emulate you in this regard.

 

Whilst lidless, I am not wreckless. Note that I use big cups, partial fill, and only use secure mounting. I'm also considering a big covered cup in one of the back cupholders and a flex tube up to my headrest that I can sip from. Just a thought.

 

Go to a marine supply store. Get a gimbled cupholder for a boat. They piviot side to side and front to back. Many of them are easily removeable so you don't have the big cupholder always sticking out off the dash. Find a good place to mount it in your mini and screw it in good. That way when you go honkn' around a corner the gimbled cup holder will swing out to compensate for the G's. They're pretty neat.

 

Good advice for some situations, but not for my Pure Orange.

 

You're right. There is no all incompassing answer for every situation, but it has worked well for me in some of my other cars. I have an OEM cupholder and I use a travel mug so that works for me.
Have a great day.

 

Oops. That would be encompassing, wouldn't it?

 

The original cup holder (actually from minifini) attached to the post in the 2005 models. I bought one at parts for my 2007 and screwed in onto the post so it cleared the CD and glove box. Worked great until I traded in for Misty. I now have it with velcro in the same place in the Countryman. There is a photo in my gallery. Four years ago I paid $60. The version Minifini sells today is more like the ones that come in the car, but, they may have an older one if you ask. Also, the one they now sell may take a larger cup, but I don't know that.

Bill

 

Keysersozeh…You can tape the spring loaded tabs or in my case I have my center console apart for modifications...and the spring loaded tabs can easily be unsprung..so they won't squeeze the flimsy cups but also less support in general. I'd try tape first. Good Luck! And WeaverNH…those gimbled cup-holders to work great…at least at 30,000'

 

I had some disposable cups in my front cup holders, and they were OK. Maybe the springs aren't so strong on mine?

My current beef is that there's no place for a Nalgene bottle. WAAAY too wide for the cupholder.

 

the cupholders in my CM are virtually unusable.
none of my water bottles fit.
and if i find a purchased bottle of water or pop that fits jammed into it -- then they block the dashboard buttons and often the heated seat button is bumped on.

i can't add the supplied rail cup holder behind the emergency brake b/c even when the cupholder is empty, it has a severe interference fit with the armrest.

hello?

 

Same here…that's why I removed the armrest….all the room in the world
And when I start to miss it..I'll just reposition it..

 

I removed the armrest as well. I mounted it to a piece of 3/8" plywood that just fit between the rails with a glued on ship that fits under the rail attachment gizmo from the useless phone holder. That clamps it in and holds it down. I used one of the rubber rail dividers to keep it snugged up.

Crude but effective until I come up with a better fix. You can position it anywhere on the rail.

Bill

 

Nice modification! Sounds interesting... Perhaps a picture when convenient.

 

Here is a picture. I turned the armrest around so it fits back between the seats. When I have time I will mount it to something thinner to get the height done to normal. It will go anywhere on the rail and DOESN'T rattle or squeak.

When in the rear the seats will fold down, but, you can't use the flat floor option. Easy - take it out and put in rear foot well.

Bill

 

Very nice. .Hopefully I'll have the one in for the rear seat passengers by the weekend and I'll post some pictures as well. So thats the armrest w/o the cradle and wiring ?. I have one due in any day from Outmotoring.
Nice effort!!

 

Drinking and eating and texting and dialing your cell phone while trying to drive is just plain "STUPID" & "dangerous." What the hell happened to paying attention to what you are supposed to be doing (DRIVING) Cars should not even be equipped with _CUP HOLDERS_.

Don't flame me because of this because I have been hit in the rear while sitting at a red light twice in the past five years because idiots were drinking their morning coffee and not paying a dam bit of attention to driving the car at all.

If anyone thinks they can eat a stupid sandwich and drink anything safely while driving down a busy street that are out of touch with reality.

Texting and dialing a cell phone is even worse.

 

I don't think any one here was supporting texting and dialing…Pretty much thats what all the talk is about..bluetooth, connectivity working or not working correctly. And the removing of the armrest or repositioning is just for convenience to store items in. I would hope that we have enough intelligence to sip on a cup of coffee and still be attentive of the traffic. I do it at 30,000 agl at speeds in excess of 400 mph. But that is why the cup holders are not as convenient to us Americans because those in Europe feel cars are for motoring….fast !! and sipping coffee is for those road side cafe's. Wish we were a bit more relaxed as they..and not have to multi task as much. Perhaps us Countryman drivers are more alert! Your point is well taken though.

 

(any more would just be silly)
Flame you? I'd campaign to elect you president of the ADAEWDA. The Anti Doing Anything Else While Driving Association.
Only people in the world that think it's OK to do other stuff instead of drive while driving are 'merikans. The Germans have put those cup holders in as an afterthought just for the US market I'll betcha. Not slurping and driving like many of us do, they are not well versed on the finer points of cup holder design.

 

disposable cups are wasteful....get a travel mug