April 2, 2000
By: Ed Bansch

With a trip to your local BMW dealership for one $25.00 part and a visit to your local Home Depot for another $20.00 in hardware you can construct this dual arm rest (uncovered) for your Z3 or ///M with simple hand tools.

This arm rest was inspired by my wife Sharon. I would be the driver, she would be the passenger and as I would raise my arm to shift she would steal the arm rest or as I would raise my arm to steer she would steal the arm rest. I decided to invent my Z3 dual arm rest. In doing so I have also come to learn that it is now possible to rest my elbow on the new arm rest while steering. This is not really possible with the OEM arm rest as it is to far away. I'm 6'4" with long arms and people with shorter arms that have tested the dual arm rest prefer this arm position. So many thanks to my wife Sharon.

I have tried many different variations on this project and what I give you now is the best I have found to work. You have a few choices to make, such as, color of hardware and felt, painting it or dipping it and whether it is going to be leather covered by Jon Maddux at www.leatherz.com. It's REALLY not that complicated once you read through the instructions and get a better understanding of what I'm talking about. My personal choice was brass hardware with a black felt covered forward bumper support catch that was dipped in black Plastic coat. Then sent to Jon M. at www.leatherz.com for matching tan cover with the word Roadster embroidered on it.

Generally speaking the parts will cost you anywhere from $34.00 to $42.00 depending on if you get a discount at BMW dealership, the choices you make regarding felt and plastic dip, sales taxes and what you may already have available to you. The tools on the other hand could add up to $150.00 or more. Then if you are sending it on to leatherz to be covered more $. Yeah, but it's your "baby" right.

You will need to remove the cupholder assembly from your Z. The one in your car now is not the one we will be working on but will be replaced by the new . Note: there may be cases where the one in car is the one to be retrofitted. Anyway this is no big deal. We are talking about removing one screw or one nut and bolt. OK it is a tight spot but you can do it. There is even a great article on the www. leatherz.com site for removing the cupholder assembly. See Rachels excellent cupholder assembly instructions there.

If you are not having this leather covered (why in the world aren't you) you may want to spray paint the top ring of the rivet nut and possibly both hinges black to match the lids. If you are doing an installation WITHOUT the rivet nut the top nut and lock washer should be painted or better yet plastic dipped black to match lids and prevent clothes catching on it. This nut REALLY bothers me especially if it's going to be leather covered so I wish you would reconsider and do the rivet nut option.

Collecting the Parts