After using the usual seat belt holders available on the web for our R56 and having them break repeatedly, I decided to think outside of the box. Found these for a 2008 Chevy Cobalt and thought I would give them a try. So far they have worked out great. They are made of molded plastic and are very sturdy. Easy to modify for a Mini (two holes to drill) and the price not too expensive (I'm sure someone can find them cheaper on the web) makes them even more likeable (although I think they look good on our white interior, they would look better on our old black one).

 

Good mod! I agree they would look even better on a black interior. I was able to get the Mini versions to work by gluing them where they pivot using some thin CA glue. No way they will separate now.

 

Yea I'm about to superglue the two pieces together of the MINI versions that I have. Hate having one side snap out when I go to get out of the car.

 

Great find, BandB! These look much sturdier than the Mini one. Do you have a picture of them uninstalled to see how they attach?

 

Having had a few requests for the parts numbers and diy instructions, here you go. Driver's side #10386174-$12 and pass. side #10385983-$16. Just need to drill two new holes for the headrest posts (first photo, blue tape factory drilled holes and masking tape new holes). Took off excess (second photo) with a hacksaw and smoothed the edges with a dremmel (just for cosmetic purposes). Then just remove the headrest and slip it on the posts and replace headrest (third photo). The holes have to be moved over so that the seat will go all the way back (if needed) but it could be moved over further (and make the seat belt closer to the headrest). My wife likes the fact that it holds it out a bit so as to not be too tight, so I did not move the holes on the driver side (her car anyways).

 

Tried that with mine before and it worked for a while. Might be that it didn't hold for long because the intense heat where I live, Palm Springs area of Ca. Also why we switched to white interior, those black interiors get awfully hot

 

Oooo, and they're made in Canada!

 

Of course, nothing but items from the "empire" for our "Big Ben".

 

Thanks BandB.

Parts ordered from GMpartsclub.com. Great mod! Will post my DIY when my parts arrive

 

I forgot to mention that these also come in a gray color (different order #s however). Not very appealing to me but if anyone wanted it

 

awesome find!

 

I had the Mini brand holders and they were nice...for about a day or so. Parts came in the mail today...these are an easy mod and seem really sturdy. Black does look sweet w/ black seat covers. I used GMPartsDirect...$30.73 total with shipping...PartsClub wanted a few more bucks.

 

When I just ordered online my shipping came out at $119.86.....must have done something wrong?

 

Just found the identical part numbers on eBay.. Paid $33.08 delivered

 

Thanks for this! My wife is always complaining about finding her belt. I ordered them from GMPARTSDIRECT.com for 30.73 dellivered.......

 

Of course I did this mod for me, but too am selling it off as for the wife who can never seem to find the seat belt...as if I stuck it behind the seat on purpose. "GMPartsDirect" pacts the stuff real well...they'll process by Tuesday, UPS by Friday, local post office by Saturday.

 

I was finally able to order them under my wife's email at the same price several of you have purchased them for $30.73 delivered.

 

I am glad to see how they look on the black seats, smooth! This is really the best and easiest mod ever (I mean for our wives of course). GM will really have a run on their Cobalt parts if this gets out.

 

Thanks BandB for a good, simple & cheap mod. Bought the parts last week after seeing your post, installed them this weekend. 15 minute job & works well.

 

The main issue I see with this mod is during a front end collision...While somewhat frail the MINI one was designed to break away past the shoulder when the ballistic tensioner fires.

The way this device has been installed it has the potential to snap off behind the head of the occupant and drive a plastic section into their necks, or the metal rods from the head rest.....

 

As with all mods, the owner is doing something to the vehicle that the manufacturer did not intend originally (otherwise Mini would have included it on the car from the start). That goes also for the aftermarket "Mini one" that you show in your diagram. Although it is "designed" to break away, one could conclude that the remaining plastic and metal pieces could as you describe snap and be dangerous also. As for the comment about the metal rods from the headrest coming out, well there again, if they were to come out (highly unlikely as all manufacturers make them with a locking mechanism) they would come out with either unit. As these are being installed the exact same way they would be on a Chevy Cobalt, obviously if it were a problem, we would have heard about it. I am sure GM took this into account when designing a durable, molded plastic product.

 

Looks like they were meant to be! What seat covers are those? Is the logo a custom add-on?

 

check out my signature when you have a minute....done more mods than most.

Secondly, THAT is not an aftermarket MINI one in the image I posted. It's a genuine MINI part....

And with respect to you a brand new MINI owner with just 14 posts here, and General Motors, you are assuming the American made Colbolt has the same ballistic tensioner set up design/load......

As a responsible person, one has to consider some folks reading about this may not actually think all these things through. Have been a few mods I have seen done to MINI's which ended later with somewhat catastrophic results......hence the reason for my post and professional opinion....

 

I get it, you either don't like the mod or you have stock in Mini parts (you did mention you are a professional).
The only assumption being made is that I am a new Mini owner (have owned Minis since 2008). However if this is a comparison, some of the points you make are true, yours is longer and more impressive (list of mods, of course) and 14 (size of my post).
As I stated above, mods are something and owner does to improve their car and they are liable for any outcome.
The one thing that is not an assumption (according to the amount of posts here) is that the seat belt holder offered by the Mini sites and Mini itself are not worth the money (had one and surprise, it kept breaking off). I just happened to look outside of the box for an answer and obviously there is a need or no one else would be interested.

 

His point might be a little more valid if he also attacked the people in here that have stated they have (or are going to, like myself) superglue the two pieces together to keep them from breaking into two pieces when doing everyday things like getting out of the car or shutting a door when buckled in.