Hello all. If you noticed in the vendor announcements, I will soon be selling armrests for 1st Gen MINI owners. I have attached some pictures of my prototype and would appreciate any feedback you can give. Please feel free to make suggestions and tell me what you would like to see.

Please keep in mind though, the more additions we make to the design, the higher the price will be in the end. My intention is to provide the MINI community with a quality, affordable armrest, so lets not go crazy here!

P.S. the control **** you see on the front is for my Harmon Kardon Drive+Play and will not be included in the final design.

 

If that hole in the front could be made large enough to accept the ash tray/coin holder, I'd be VERY interested in this. I think if it were relatively flush with the top, it would not interfere with your arm all that much, and I'd love to get my cup holder back...

 

Are you saying you would like there to be a cupholder in the front of the armrest, or just a hole big enough to fit the ashtray, so you can take it out of the front "mini" cupholders?

 

oo this looks very interestering, will you be making one in a more minimalist design?

 

Any chance of making one for the R56?

 

doesn't the R56 come with an armrest or at least have that option?

 

Well, a cup there would get in the way of your arm, but since the ash tray/coin holder has a smooth, low-profile lid, I think it would go well there. If you provided a removable plastic cap/cover for the hole people could use it without of course...

How's the storage volume inside this compared to the later-model arm rest?

 

I like what I see. I prefer no whole where the ash tray is being suggested though. When will it be available? Do you need a beta tester .

 

Nice job on the design. How it the height of this compared to the OEM one? My wife has one in her MINI and I don't even reach it because I am to tall/big. If it is taller than the OEM one, I may really consider one.

I to don't want a hole on top.

 

A few questions answered:

1. Yes, the design will be minimalist. The simpler the design, the easier it is to make, therefore the cheaper it will be for you guys. Also, having a simpler design makes it less obtrusive and more prone to be seen as a preexisting part of the car.

2. The storage space in the prototype is 0. This is where we get into cost effectiveness. Perhaps it might suit the crowd best if I offer 2 models, one with and one without a storage container. I do not know yet how large I will be able to make the storage volume, but it will be comparable to others on the market.

3. The need for a replacement cupholder needs to be discussed, as obviously installing this armrest will delete your rear cup holder. Now, if the majority of you feel it is absolutely necessary to add a cupholder to the armrest (as seen in the back of the prototype) then it will be included as standard in the final product. However, if enough of you say you don't want or need a cupholder, it will be taken out.

 

I agree on the taller height... I never use mine either because it's so low.

And if he uses a removable cover, then the hole can be optional, I'm thinking.

EDIT: This totally deletes the rear cup holder and gives zero storage space? Sorry but that would kill it for me I'm afraid - my son needs access to the rear cup holder and I keep small items in the OEM arm rest that have no other easy home. Maybe if you attach a screw-on cup holder to the rear of the unit to replace the one that's deleted? You can always make things like that optional for a higher cost - that way, people that know they'll never need a rear cup holder can get a "stripped down" version for less, and people like me can pay the additional $10 or whatever for the rear peice?

 

I do not know how the height compares, since the reason I designed this was to spare myself the $200 or so the stock one costs! I can tell you, I am 6 feet tall and the position allows my arm to rest comfortably on top. What I can do is measure the height upwards from the rear cupholder where it attaches, and this will give you an idea of how it compares.

Also, as FPM asked, I will probably need to get someone to test the final design on their post-04 MINI. As you may or may not know, MINI changed the center console around 04 to include a change cubby just under the E-brake. I have the old version interior, where there is nothing but carpet underneath. I believe the design of the center console did not change enough to make this an issue, but I will need someone to make sure of that.

 

As I said, the prototype has no storage. However, storage is easily added to the design, as there is a good amount of unused space under the arm pad. Don't have hesitations yet! This thread is meant to discuss what you people want! I plan to provide an armrest that meets everyones needs, and if people want storage, they will have it! Also, if you see in the prototype, it does included a rear cupholder. I did not want to completely get rid of the rear cupholder, but I did need to use that spot as a mounting point. Because of this, I added a new cupholder at the rear of the armrest.

 

I don't need a rear cup holder because I don't have back seats, but if others do, I am totally open to that. My biggest thing is height though, no pun intended.

I know there are lots of things to do to an arm rest, but like spingq said, let's keep it MINImal and inexpensive.

 

Even though i am 6'8 i don't need the height, i have such long arms that when i shift and have a cup in the rear cup holder i hit it., and i need the rear cup holder, simply because i have no other place to put drinks, the two in the front are for cans and i have no place to put my drinks other then there. I also need ease of access, no parts sticking up to jab me if i randomly decide to hit the hand brake on a turn. Best of luck

 

It looks nice & interesting - I have an OEM one and find it nearly useless as it doesn't go far enough forward or high enough to be useable. This one looks like it goes a little farther forward but it's hard to tell.
I may have missed it but does this one just sit in the original rear cupholder? Or does it bolt into that hole?

 

No screws or bolts.

 

OffTopic: can i see how you mounted your drive+play? the screen, etc

 

I'm assuming those of us with the OEM armrest will need to find a center console without an armrest for this to work, correct? I believe the OEM is a complete replacement for the center console, and I don't see any way of retrofiting this (or any other) design on top of what I've got today.

That would make a nice kit: a true retrofit that somehow fits on top of the OEM armrest but makes it really usable...

Nice design in any case; it sounds like it might be worth me trying to find a replacement center console...

-Ed

 

Yes, but most people who have it hate it (and I don't have it), and this seems to be a good design

 

Sounds sweet, but i'm going to wait for more info and other people to be the first buyers and see how it turns out before i get one.

 

ok, so far here is what seems to be in demand for an armrest:

1. storage
2. replacement cupholder
3. proper height

ImagoX suggested a hole in the front to put the ashtray in. This is possible, but it limits the abilities of storage. To make the most of storage for this design, it will be a top hinge, just like the majority of armrests on the market. It will not be a slide back like the one MINI offers.

Imagox, if it is the difference between getting one or not, I can try to make you a custom one that features this hole.


The rest of you, keep telling me your ideas, because I would like to start producing the next test product.

 

I'd be more likely to get it with a place to relocate the coin holder, yes... I'd sacrifice some of the storage space to do so - I understand that the coin holder would intrude into that interior volume, sure.

But I also need my rear cup holder for my kids, and I'd like storage space inside as well. If you can get all 3 of those ***** in the air, then I'd consider it.

 

What about one of those generic coin holders that are rectangular in design? Perhaps put one of those inside on the side or something. Most armrests that I have had in vehicles were side mounted.

Something like this.

 

Any update on this?