center console? Whats the hole for??

[Kibokojoe]

OK guys no jokes. Next to the hand brake is a rectangular hole about 2.5 inches wide and 7 or 8 inches long about 2 inches deep. What use to go into this hole? Cell phone?

[angusbn]

German-made semi-automatic rifle. Optional equipment.

[BMWCCA1]

Flashlights, gum, stamps, and sunglasses. My phone goes in the cup-holder.

[glen-sj]

Yes. the BMW factory mobil phone. I use my to hold my bottles water.

[Dave M]

Lets see, according to my car:

-gooey things
-other stuff stuck to the gooey things
-pens with no ink
-parking tickets
-advil

Dave
-

[Kibokojoe]

You have a cup holder?

[BMWCCA1]

You have a cup holder?Yeah, the BMW accessory one that's supposed to go on the side of the shift console, but mine has been modified to fit on the console compartment just next to the handbrake lever.


(this should be post #7 in this thread!)

[karl1171]

My First e34 had a cassette storage system in it. I think it was made by Fischer Cbox

It clipped in, was connected to the night illumination and would hold 6 cassettes in spring loaded compartments. there was a spring loaded flap on top.

I removed the cassette compartments when I replaced the cassette player but decided to let it go when I sold my previous e34

[repenttokyo]

My car has a factory phone there.

[BMWCCA1]

"factory phone" is a misnomer, at least in the US. We always had Audiovox or Motorola phones that were easily two-generations out of date by the time BMW NA configured a kit to install them. At least on later cars they could display the phone book in the dash and use the stalk controls. Other than that, they're not really heavy enough for a boat anchor.

[repenttokyo]

"factory phone" is a misnomer, at least in the US. We always had Audiovox or Motorola phones that were easily two-generations out of date by the time BMW NA configured a kit to install them. At least on later cars they could display the phone book in the dash and use the stalk controls. Other than that, they're not really heavy enough for a boat anchor.


i'm not in the US. And my phone has hands-free operation as well. It is an analog phone, which was fine technology for 1991, I don't have it activated but I can use it to call 911, and I have in the past. however analog coverage in Canada is not longer extant.

[ScottyWM]

Mine has the flip-up two cup holder. Guess that was an accessory.

[BMWDriver]

The p.o. kept the phone. So now there's a small piece of wood to shut the holes that are left.

[bubba966]

Mine has the flip-up two cup holder. Guess that was an accessory.
Not an OE accessory, it's aftermarket. It's probably the same one I bought for my car.

[Kibokojoe]

Any pics?

[bubba966]

Any pics?
I don't have any pics of it in my car, but there's pics of it on their site.

http://www.drinkholders.com/bmw/e34main.html

Best cupholder solution I've found for E34's. Though I did modify the one in my friend's 525iT so that she could get the passenger side armrest down fully while the cupholder was in there.

I've got no problems with it though since I've got sport seats that don't have armrests.

But if you do get one and want to 'fix' it so that the passenger side armrest doesn't hit the cupholder (this is when the cupholder is in it's upright in-use position) you need to cut the bottom of the cupholder off (it's hollow plastic), fill the bottom that you just cut off with Bondo until it's flush with the top of the piece you just cut off. Then use a good thick epoxy to float the underside of the cupholder to level out the underside so that you have a good, flat surface to re-attach the now Bondo filled base to. Once the base and the underside of the cupholder are both filled an flat you can now epoxy the base back on, but do it so that the base is all of the way to one side so that the cupholder now sits as far to the left (so that it's closer to the handbrake & driver). Once you've got it re-attached all of the way over like that the armrest will then clear the cupholder when the cupholder is in use.

[Travis_WA]

Still the phone in mine... and numerous receipts and gum wrappers under it. Any problems caused if I rip it out and cut the wires?

[repenttokyo]

Still the phone in mine... and numerous receipts and gum wrappers under it. Any problems caused if I rip it out and cut the wires?


you'll make the god of ancient technology cry :(

[bmwrp8]

hmmm.. gum , some bolts and nuts , receipts , coins. And ohh some condoms hahaha:D :D

[Travis_WA]

The PO of my car kept his condoms under the spare.... no joke.

[bmwrp8]

The PO of my car kept his condoms under the spare.... no joke.

hahaha at least he's also like a scout " always prepared"!:D

[repenttokyo]

hahaha at least he's also like a scout " always prepared"!:D


i guess, but it's really not that easy to get under your spare in the heat of the moment.

[bmwrp8]

i guess, but it's really not that easy to get under your spare in the heat of the moment.

hahaha i know! :D

[rnrn]

factory phone and pull it out every now and again at stop lights and have empty conversations. Its a riot.

[bmwrp8]

factory phone and pull it out every now and again at stop lights and have empty conversations. Its a riot.

lol did that also with my cordless landline telephone..people was wondering and had funny look on their faces !hahaha

[Travis_WA]

factory phone and pull it out every now and again at stop lights and have empty conversations. Its a riot.

Hmm... that might be reason enough to keep mine installed.

[Ross]

A place to catch the spills not absorbed by your window switches.

[Travis_WA]

So.. aside from the ancient technology god crying, is there any procedure I need to follow to remove the phone? Did a search and couldn't find anything.

There is that singular wire coming up from the center console... looks like taking the console out to get at the wiring would be a pain.

[Ross]

Chop the wire, stuff it in the hole, find a plug to fill the hole and call it a day.

[Kibokojoe]

Hey if you taking the phone out I will take it. Even if it doesn't work its the nostalgia:-)

[Frzninvt]

Removing the rear portion of the console is pretty easy actually, remove the black plastic cover in the back below the fresh air vents and there are two screws on the inside. The other one is right under the handbrake cover and mine had another right inside the phone carrier console. The PO just hacked the wire, the rest of the phone was under the seat next to the battery. It was a Motorola.