Euro Cup Holder Install Complete w/ pictures

[B6 Boost]

Alrigth guys, I ordered the cup holder from Dan at Hillside imports and installed it today. Dan posted some removal instructions here the other day for the center console. I used those instructions and there were a few other things that had to be disassembled. So here are some pictures and some info for you guys. I hope you enjoy. By the way I started the install at 3:00pm Pacific and finished about 5:45pm. So it does take awhile, but then again I have never removed the center console before. Also it started to get dark out so the finished pictures are kind of dark. This cup holder is way better, it is worth the time and money. The instructions said to remove the seats, but I was not about to remove the seats too, I just worked around them.

As posted below, this is from memory
The photos are in the order I took the car apart in. But here it goes.
1) Remove footwell bolts and black trim pieces
2) Unscrew (2) hex bolts that are behind the black trim pieces right below the cup holder on either side
3) Move seat forward and up then remove (2) hex screws behind plastic covers
4) Remove rear ash tray and pry a screw driver in between the black and grey plastic piece and pull up to remove large black vent piece
5) Unscrew the two nuts below the rear vents once black piece is removed
6) Adjust seats back to normal position
7) Take a screwdriver and pry the plastic trim piece around the radio off
8) Once trim piece is free then remove plastic trim piece around vent controls
9) Unscrew the (9+) hex screws from vent controls
10) Remove vent controls and unclip the wiring harnesses behind the controls
11) Remove front ash/coin tray
12) Unscrew (2) hex screws underneath ash tray (Leave in place)
13) Pry plastic chrome piece around the shifter
14) Pry/Pull up on the trim piece with ESP, Auto Hold and remove
15) Unplug the (3) wiring harnesses below the trim pieces
16) Once the trim piece surrounding the shifter is removed then you can remove ash tray
17) Reach behing vent controls and unplug spring mechanism
18) Once center console if free, lift up and them remove the (4) hex screws holding the rear storage bin
19) Once storage bin is removed, then remove air tubs under center console (there are (2) hex screws toward the front of the center console
20) Unscrew the (6) hex screws holding the U.S. cup holder in place
21) Place the new cup holder in place and replace all the screws

This is a step by step of what I remember. I hope this can help you guys.

Remove (2) hex 30 bolts behind plastic caps in rear seats

Remove ash tray and pry/pull up on rear black vents. Then unscrew 10mm nutst

Remove footwell hex screws on either side

Remove hex screws on either side underneath black trim piece

Pry Radio piece off and remove vent control trim piece. Unscrew (10) hex 15 screws around vent controls

Pull out vent controls

Unplug wiring harnesses behind vent controls. Remove Plastic trim ring around shiffter. Then remove ash tray.

Lift center console and remove storage box. (4) hex screws holding box in from underneath.

Remove air vent from undearneath center console

Remove vent and unscrew (6) hex screws holding in U.S. cup holder

The other (2 of 6) hex screws holding in cup holder

The Finished Product

Modified by B6 Boost at 9:21 PM 2-6-2006


Modified by B6 Boost at 9:13 AM 2-7-2006

[Fredukas]

how much did it cost you?

[pgonza2723]

awesome job......def. a must-have mod. If you dont mind, like the post above, how much was the new holder? Also, do you have a link for the console removal? Thanks...

Edit: Found the post....


Modified by pgonza2723 at 8:53 PM 2-6-2006

[Niche]

I just ordered mine 5 minutes ago. Thank you for shedding the loght on me, I had no freking clue this was available!!

[B6 Boost]

Hillside Imports: $55
Shipping to California: $12
Total Cost: $67
Euro Cup Holder that is more functional that the U.S. version: Priceless

Just kidding, thanks for the feedback. The removal wasn't too difficult at all. All I can say though is to take your time.

[Stuart_MI]

Do you have the part numbers?

[B6 Boost]

Part Numer: 3C0 858 329 A /30T

[foyii]

thanks for taking the time to take all the pics during the process.

Its hard to tell from the pics, are those cupholders deeper, have some sort of spring loaded size adjuster? What makes them hold cups better?

Thanks,
Foy

[jazzspot]

Quote, originally posted by foyii »

thanks for taking the time to take all the pics during the process. Its hard to tell from the pics, are those cupholders deeper, have some sort of spring loaded size adjuster? What makes them hold cups better? Thanks, Foy

I was wondering the same thing too. How is the cupholder designed to keep a cup stationary and not tip over? Do those two buttons, one each for each cupholder, have some kind of spring activated clasp that keeps the cups in place?


Modified by jazzspot at 10:15 PM 2-6-2006

[B6 Boost]

Yes there is a arm that swings out when you press the buttons on the side. The arms then rotate into position and actually holds whatever is in there. Picture below, I guess I forgot to post it.

I tried to take as many pictures as possible. So I hope everyone can piece them together.

Modified by B6 Boost at 7:18 PM 2-6-2006

[jazzspot]

Quote, originally posted by B6 Boost »

Yes there is a arm that swings out when you press the buttons on the side. The arms then rotate into position and actually hold whatever is in there.

Ahhh.

[pgonza2723]

By far the best thread I've seen on here for a while.......Also, it was hard to see from the directions listed in the other thread, but were are the screws to remove the rear vent pieces in back of the console?


Modified by pgonza2723 at 9:25 PM 2-6-2006

[foyii]

I see now. Thanks. Do you know ( or anyone else) know if it is the same product number and install procedure for 4motion? Seems like it should be, but I would hate to find out the hard way.

[sbachmeier]

Wow, this has to be a first: Euro cupholders that are better than the US version? I mean, we invented the cupholder here! Nice photos though -- that German engineering makes things so fun to take apart.

[B6 Boost]

Quote, originally posted by sbachmeier »

Wow, this has to be a first: Euro cupholders that are better than the US version? I mean, we invented the cupholder here! Nice photos though -- that German engineering makes things so fun to take apart.

Talking about German engineering, when you remove the air controls the large clip is easy to remove, two prongs on either side. The other two wiring harnesses took me some time to figure out. What you are going to do is, take a small screwdriver and wedge it in bewtween the red click and black clip. Once it is wedged in between the two, push the screwdriver towards the radio player or away from the face of the knobs. The red clip should then slide out and you will be able to remove the wiring harness by pulling on the entire thing.

[Stuart_MI]

I swear I'm going to get one of these.

[B6 Boost]

Here is the link from Dan at Hillside Imports showing the center console removal.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2424542

[basietrane]

Nice job!

I was wondering if the sliding door on the Euro cup holder was detachable or is it one whole piece?

I'd like to just add the sliding door part to the exising U.S. cup holder...well I actually dont even use my plastic cupholder and took it out. But I like the open space and the fuzzy texture on the U.S. version cause it's friendly towards my Ipod.

[B6 Boost]

The sliding door is on a track and it looked like it was one piece. You cannot take the door from the Euro one and put it on the U.S. one. There is no possible way. Sorry

[nu-to-vw]

perfect!!!! thanks for all the pics, it looks great, you mentioned 3:00 P.M. to 5:45 P.M. was that all on the same day? A lot of work but well worth it.

[B6 Boost]

Yes, that was in the same day. Took about 2 hours 30 min. No one has ever removed the center console before and I think I was the first to do so, from my knowledge. So with no experience with this car, I took my time and made sure I didn't screw anything up. I didn't break any thing and I used every screw I removed. Success. I plan on helping on another car and I should be able to finish that one in no time. Definetly work the time and $67 dollars.

[Spyris]

How's your navi working out? And what was the guys name that did it for you? Want to take it to the same place, but don't want a newbie breaking my clips from my dash.

[B6 Boost]

Navi is working great. West Coast Audosound is where I got it done. I'm not sure what the guys name was, but they had about 3-4 guys working on it.

[gezuvor]

Looks great!

[pgonza2723]

If you have time or desire, I'm sure a whole lot of people would greatly appreciate a step-by-step write up while its still fresh in your mind. Looks to me like you started an epidemic

[B6 Boost]

The photos are in the order I took the car apart in. But here it goes.

1) Remove footwell bolts and black trim pieces
2) Unscrew (2) hex bolts that are behind the black trim pieces right below the cup holder on either side
3) Move seat forward and up then remove (2) hex screws behind plastic covers
4) Remove rear ash tray and pry a screw driver in between the black and grey plastic piece and pull up to remove large black vent piece
5) Unscrew the two nuts below the rear vents once black piece is removed
6) Adjust seats back to normal position
7) Take a screwdriver and pry the plastic trim piece around the radio off
8) Once trim piece is free then remove plastic trim piece around vent controls
9) Unscrew the (9+) hex screws from vent controls
10) Remove vent controls and unclip the wiring harnesses behind the controls
11) Remove front ash/coin tray
12) Unscrew (2) hex screws underneath ash tray (Leave in place)
13) Pry plastic chrome piece around the shifter
14) Pry/Pull up on the trim piece with ESP, Auto Hold and remove
15) Unplug the (3) wiring harnesses below the trim pieces
16) Once the trim piece surrounding the shifter is removed then you can remove ash tray
17) Reach behing vent controls and unplug spring mechanism
18) Once center console if free, lift up and them remove the (4) hex screws holding the rear storage bin
19) Once storage bin is removed, then remove air tubs under center console (there are (2) hex screws toward the front of the center console
20) Unscrew the (6) hex screws holding the U.S. cup holder in place
21) Place the new cup holder in place and replace all the screws

This is a step by step of what I remember. I hope this can help you guys.

[gietl]

Thanks for the writeup B6 Boost, I just received my euro cupholder today and plan on installing in on one of the coming weekends. CTRL+D this post!

[jammy959]

This is a truly inspirational post... I definitely want these legitimate cupholders installed now!

[vascott1]

Best thing about this post is that the console can be removed and the cupholders changed without removing the seats. The first post had that as step one I think. That turned me off totally. After seeing this and hearing the holders actually HOLD a cup, I am so there

Thanks for the great post.

Scott.

btw - I wonder if we can get some of these threads pulled to get and made "sticky" THis one for cupholders, there is one about the clear turns and the post I did about the wood trim. I am sure there will be more coming. Would be cool.

[pgonza2723]

Thanks a bunch B6 Boost for the write-up...think you'll have a bunch of people following your lead. Now I can't wait to see the updated sigs:

APR Chip
H&R springs
Vortex bodykit
Euro cupholders

[Flipppped]

Nice to see this can be changed. If I do decide to get a B6 I will definately be doing this mod.

[salseroH]

B6 Boost

You da' man!

Def on the to do list.

[rayleiwu]

Is it silly VW spent extra money on designing a less-functional version of cup holder just for U.S. market?

[rayleiwu]

I saw yours has ambient interior lights (two LEDs), which packages you have? My standard 2.0T(not VE) however doesn't have LEDs, only see two sockets(little holes) at that place

[B6 Boost]

Mine is the 2.0T Auto no packages. The sticker did not say it was a VE, so I'm not really sure what you call it.