2005 MINI Armrest

[jwardell]

My armrest was delivered today! I will install it this weekend and post details and photos.

Note it was shipped Detsche Post (regular Mail) so that explained the slightly longer than expected delivery. Box was a little beat up but everything was just fine. Ship-out date was 9/30.

[jwardell]

I Installed it right after posting, it took hardly more than 15 minutes and is very straightforward. Just need a Torx 40 bit and a wrench to turn it, loosen the front inside screws, and remove the rear screws, slide it in, and tighten everything back up.

I'll get plenty of time driving with it tomorrow at our MINI meet. So far it seems a perfect height. It does fold up if you need it out of the way. When I pull my e-brake all the way up, it does come in contact with it though.

[tenderidol]

Great to hear that someone finally received the arm-rest! Mine should be here any day now...

I was hoping that it would fold back; and apparently it does. Great!

Someone mentioned in other forums that moving the seats may trigger an ABS warning. Did that happen at all? I assume you only need to loosen the front screws just a bit to allow lifting the rear, right?

Thanks!

[plantain]

I read the PDF instruction file on motoringfile - did you use Loctite like it suggested?

[LombardStreet]

Anyone know if the fellow in Germany is taking any more orders? (Second batch or something?) With the help I found here, I was able to register on the German site and post to the thread, but the next oldest message was from last month.

Any further word on the question of whether this is the '05 factory version or not? (There was a post in this thread from a guy who claimed to work at Oxford and said it isn't the one. I'm hoping the other posters were right that the part number 52 12 0154 307 is the one pictured here.)

Thanks!

[LombardStreet]

Quote: Originally Posted by plantain

I read the PDF instruction file on motoringfile - did you use Loctite like it suggested?

Can't find this on motoringfile - it's not in the main thread or the "how to" files as far as I can tell. Anyone got a link?

Thanks

[plantain]

Here is the link to the motoringfile article which mentions the PDF:

http://www.motoringfile.com/2004/09/...t_instructions

And this is the actual PDF:

http://motoringfile.com/files/mini_armrest.pdf

[RawRats]

My came today as well. It was shipped on 10/1.

[stephenedw]

I got mine on Friday night and installed it Saturday. The installation is as easy as Josh says above. I did use Loctite (green) - I bought it at the same time as the T-40 ratchet bit at my local Sears - $11.50+tax for both. As Josh notes, it does contact the hand brake slightly and when it's in the down position, you can't grip the brake fully with your hand. Anyway, here's the pics. I'll have to do it in a couple of posts...

Before:

[stephenedw]

A few more...

[stephenedw]

And more!

[stephenedw]

OK, here's the last of them. The back of the armrest is maybe 1/4" over the cupholder, but unless your passenger is putting a huge big gulp in there it shouldn't be a problem.

A big danke schön to Alex for putting together this group buy!

[moonshine]

Mine arrived this afternoon

really impressed!

Thamks MacMini - i know there has been a lot of anxious moments

Gerry

[jwardell]

Strange, stephen...mine is an inch or so further forward than yours. It contacts the handbrake halfway up the grip, and does not cover the cupholder at all. Maybe there is a forward/back adjustment that we haven't noticed? I'll check tonight.

I'm very happy with it after several hours of driving, it is position perfectly. The e-brake is an annoyance as I find it needs to fold up some for me to tightly engage the brake. However someone mentioned it should be pretty easy to tighten the e-brake cable so it doesn't need to go up as far, I may try that.

[CurtP]

Still waiting for mine - hopefully it will be here in the next day or two. However, it will be for sale as soon as it arrives (I don't want to post it for sale until I have physical custody of it!). I may just put it on eBay to see what kind of price it'll bring!