Ultimate cup holder mod for B4 Passats, Just say no to the 71.00 VW cup holder!

Ray_G

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
For anyone that is interested I came up with this mod for my Passat after my dog broke my gold plated VW cup holder. When I called the stealership (I do mean stealership in this case) the informed me that the cup holder was available and was 71.00 *cough* *cough* I told them no thanks. After doing a net search for replacement cup holders and found these:
www.ultimatecupholders.com/fischercupholder.html
They are 13.00 a piece, so for this mod I needed two of them, with shipping the total was right around 30.00.
Here are some pictures of the mod :D :D :D





 
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rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
And you can use/replace one at a time. I like it. Using the more forward one would probably keep most of the breakage from happening.

Perhaps I need to order some - since we do use ours, and it's only a matter of timne for it to be down when the seat is being adjusted.
 

Ray_G

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
believe it or not my dog broke mine while it was closed! his paw hit the thing and opened up and he stepped on it..........
If you do the mod the way I did you will need the base of the old cup holder. The back is shaped funny to match the console. I used the old base and attached it the same way the original one was, so there are no extra holes or anything like that. You can always let VW empty your pockets and get an original one and put it back on and there won't be any extra holes or anything like that.
Ray
 

fastvicar

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Joined
Aug 11, 2003
Location
Lancaster, PA, USA
TDI
1996 Passat, Indian Red
They look promising. I'm just glad to hear that I'm not the only one who's holder was the victim of a dog. I was attacking a set of curves when Mika lost her balance and fell into mine, spilling an espresso at the same time. Strange, since she usually leans into the curves.
 

Ray_G

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
Nice looking co-pilot :D :D :D

OH by the way, mine was in the car yesterday with me, cup holders folded up, he put his big paw on them again, only this time it did not open up, the ulitimate cup holder seem to close a lot tighter than the VW one. It is a nice mod, It holds large cups and I am pleased with it so far.
Ray
 

Ray_G

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Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
It is attached with the base of the old cup holder, so it attaches just like the factory did it. What I did is attach the base to the console, then attached a metal plate to the base, then attached the new cup holders to the metal plate. The console was not modified in any way. I can take it apart and take some more pictures of it if you want them,
Ray
 

Richard Berg

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Joined
Sep 10, 2002
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
TDI
B4V
Ray_G said:
It is attached with the base of the old cup holder, so it attaches just like the factory did it. What I did is attach the base to the console, then attached a metal plate to the base, then attached the new cup holders to the metal plate. The console was not modified in any way. I can take it apart and take some more pictures of it if you want them,
Ray
There is/was a factory cup holder?! Never knew that.
 

Ray_G

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
Richard,
Look the first picture, which is looking down on the thing. If you look against the console there is a plastic piece that is formed to the console, it is between the console and the new cup holders, that is the base off the old one. I just sanded it smooth for this mod. I bet you can find a broken one on the forum somewhere. Or you might be able to move them away from the bend in the console and just mount them to the side of it.
Ray
 

rdkern

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 21, 2004
Location
Humboldt Co CA
TDI
Passat 1997 silver (sold after 11 years), Jetta 2000 atlantic blue
I didn't have anything there by the two screw holes. I wasn't aware of the cup holder until this site, and then purchased one on line - probably $70, don't recall. It was expensive. The holes were there.
 

hgeittmann

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2003
Location
Longmont, Colorado
TDI
05 Passat Wagon
Ray- thanks for posting this. I just installed mine last night. Works great. I re-used one of the existing holes in the console, and drilled 3 new holes (1 for the 1st cupholder and 2 for the 2nd cupholder). I used 8-32x3/8 screws w/ lock nuts (keps nuts) on the backside... 2 per cupholder. Plenty sturdy, although I haven't dropped my brief case on one yet to test.
 

fkoed

Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Location
Cohasset, Massachusetts
TDI
2003 Golf TDI, 1996 Passat TDI
Can you install new cup holders without the old base?

Ray_G said:
It is attached with the base of the old cup holder, so it attaches just like the factory did it. What I did is attach the base to the console, then attached a metal plate to the base, then attached the new cup holders to the metal plate. The console was not modified in any way. I can take it apart and take some more pictures of it if you want them,
Ray
Having the B4 1996 TDI Passat without a cup holder is a problem. I ordered two cupholders today. My problem is the old hardware is gone. Any suggestions on mounting the cupholders on that curve? Or does anyone have a base for sale? Thanks for any assistance!!!
 

hgeittmann

Veteran Member
Joined
May 19, 2003
Location
Longmont, Colorado
TDI
05 Passat Wagon
If you don't mind drilling mounting holes through the plastic, it sounds much simpler to me to just use some nuts and bolts. You'll still need to fashion a way to mount the cupholders to the base, which I'm sure Ray would post more pics of. I'm happy to send you my old base (w/ original screws) if you really want it - $3.25 (includes shipping, cost of a pint at my local brewpub). Send me a pm with your address if you're interested.

- Hans
 

Ray_G

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
hgeittmann said:
I'm happy to send you my old base (w/ original screws) if you really want it - $3.25 (includes shipping, cost of a pint at my local brewpub). Send me a pm with your address if you're interested.

- Hans
A nice gesture. The only reason that I did this the way I did is so that I can remove the cup holders one at a time from the base by just removing screws. There are no nuts on the back of mine, I use rivnuts. (blind nuts, you remove the screws and the nuts stay in place. I am sure that adding the holes in the console and using nuts on the back side is much easier to do. I also used just two screws in the top of each holder, still very sturdy. Now that I have used them for a bit I have to say these are pretty nice. I am curious what yours looks like done like that Hans, if you can post a picture I would not mind seeing it, or you can email it to me.
Ray
 

hgeittmann

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May 19, 2003
Location
Longmont, Colorado
TDI
05 Passat Wagon

Here's a picture of just one installed. You can see the outline of the vw cupholder (I don't keep the cleanest car). 2 Ultimate Cupholders are a little wider than the original, and I'm still trying to decide where I like them. The front screw (right side of image) is in the original hole, the left one I drilled. Ray's right about the nuts... holding the nuts in place behind the console was a pain (hold it with a finger to get the screw started, then use a needle nose pliers while tightening the screw), but I'm hoping I don't have to replace mine too often. The screws are hex heads- what I was able to "obtain" from work.
 

new2tdiguy

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Dec 25, 2004
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Orange City (between Orlando- Daytona) Florida
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jetta, 98, black
fastvicar said:
They look promising. I'm just glad to hear that I'm not the only one who's holder was the victim of a dog. I was attacking a set of curves when Mika lost her balance and fell into mine, spilling an espresso at the same time. Strange, since she usually leans into the curves.
...even stranger is that she drinks espresso...............
 

Ray_G

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
hgeittmann said:

Here's a picture of just one installed. You can see the outline of the vw cupholder (I don't keep the cleanest car). 2 Ultimate Cupholders are a little wider than the original, and I'm still trying to decide where I like them. The front screw (right side of image) is in the original hole, the left one I drilled. Ray's right about the nuts... holding the nuts in place behind the console was a pain (hold it with a finger to get the screw started, then use a needle nose pliers while tightening the screw), but I'm hoping I don't have to replace mine too often. The screws are hex heads- what I was able to "obtain" from work.
Thanks for the photo Hans, yeah, thats why I wanted to see a picture, and another reason I mounted them on the base, you can push them together and the look and function comes close to the original. That bend in the console kinda messes things up a bit. If you just need one it should be fine that way you have yours.
Ray
Ray
 

Foiled

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Joined
Mar 1, 2005
Location
Green Bay, WI
TDI
Passat, 96, wagon 295K + (sold), Jetta, 05.5 (Sold)
I just completed the ultimate cup holder mod like Ray G's, thanks. Now, any ideas on replacing the rear cupholder :confused:

Kurt
 

Ray_G

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Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Location
Tulsa
TDI
98 Jetta TDI
The only thing that I can think of is going to Vortex and find a car that someone is parting out and replacing it. I just try to keep mine all closed unless they are in use.
Ray
 

86turbodsl

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Sep 2, 2003
Location
Albion, MI
TDI
05 Golf GLS TDI (retired), 04 A4Q (swap candidate)
I think I only paid about $30 for my cupholder from Impex.... factory too.
 

michTDI

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Sep 11, 2000
Location
Charlotte, MI, USA
TDI
2003 Jetta and 2015 GSW MT
I just ordered two-thanks for the information/letting us know about these!!! That is one of the improvements that are in my 2001 Jetta over my 1997 Passat (cupholders that actually work)........looking forward to the upgrade.....
 

hgeittmann

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Joined
May 19, 2003
Location
Longmont, Colorado
TDI
05 Passat Wagon
I wish it were as simple as removing the gearshift ;)

just reach behind the thin black plastic where the cup-holder goes. It will flex enough to fit a finger or two behind.
 

redmondjp

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Joined
Jul 1, 2004
Location
Redmond, WA
TDI
'96 Passat Sedan
hgeittmann said:
I wish it were as simple as removing the gearshift ;)

just reach behind the thin black plastic where the cup-holder goes. It will flex enough to fit a finger or two behind.
The other possibility is to use two small clipnuts, slid over the edge of the plastic console. Go to www.mcmaster.com and search for 'speed nut'--then look at the J-style clip-on nuts. These can be found at 'good' hardware stores, usually in one of those drawer-type hardware centers.

I don't know what the clearance is behind the console, but you should be able to use some short sheet-metal screws with the clip nuts without a problem.
 
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