New Model Renault Megane - Cup Holder Issue

Orson100

Hi there, I can't believe I'm actually writing a thread about a car cup holder, always thought that that was some other person's job.

Story is:- picked up my Grand Megane (TomTom 106) last monday, everything great, very happy. One exception:- Okay, I knew there was only going to be one cup-holder but what the hell, we could flip for who gets it or take turns.

However, it turns out the single cup holder is located in a semi-recessed area backing up to the central console and is not the easiest to access while driving. But okay, I can live with this too.

However. in addition to the hard-to-reach location, I have now found that over 90% of service station coffee containers will not sit straight in the holder due to the overhang from the central console. Best I could do was drink half of it, then jam it in at a tilt of 30 degrees or so.

Right, so I could get my own special suitably-sized mug that I could carry around with me for refill in stations, but let's face it, that's just not going to happen.

I have looked around and have seen some products on the market, specifically the foldaway cup holder from fischer automotive systems but problem is that I cannot identify any area in the cabin suitable for placement of the holder.

Anybody else, other new model Renault owners perhaps, encounter this issue, and more to the point, anybody got any useful suggestions re products or workaround?

Cheers.
Orson.

alwaysadub

I have a 03 Clio-and the cupholders are in a little cubby hole stuck under the radio console. You actually have to tip the cup to get it in. And at that, it will only take a normal size cup too.
I would've thought by now, Renault might've come up with a decent cup holder. Obviously not!
I've been meaning to get rid of my car for a few years,so never bothered getting new cup holders:rolleyes:, but the Renault ones will only annoy you more and more as the time goes on-i've given up bringing anything but bottles into the car at this stage!

Off topic
But I'll never understand how anyone can bother drinking tea / coffee etc while driving, I was on the road for a year and had 80% of lunches and snacks out of servic stations. Anything other than a bottle of water with the sports cap thing I wouldn't try to drink while driving.

Sitec

RoverJames wrote: »

Off topic
But I'll never understand how anyone can bother drinking tea / coffee etc while driving, I was on the road for a year and had 80% of lunches and snacks out of servic stations. Anything other than a bottle of water with the sports cap thing I wouldn't try to drink while driving.

+1 I used to get a lift to collage with a lad a few years ago who used to eat a breakfast role every. pure dangerous.

Zubeneschamali

Orson100 wrote: »

over 90% of service station coffee containers will not sit straight in the holder due to the overhang from the central console.

There's your problem right there: buying "coffee" in a service station.

galwaytt

Sitec wrote: »

+1 I used to get a lift to collage with a lad a few years ago who used to eat a breakfast role every. pure dangerous.

...hey, that's why they invented automatics, isnt' it ?

Explosive_Cornflake

RoverJames wrote: »

Off topic
But I'll never understand how anyone can bother drinking tea / coffee etc while driving, I was on the road for a year and had 80% of lunches and snacks out of servic stations. Anything other than a bottle of water with the sports cap thing I wouldn't try to drink while driving.

I used to drink tea in the car a fair bit. Kept me more alert for motorway driving after being in work all day.

Jip

We have the new Grand Megane and don't have the problem you're having. Have you taken the ash tray container out ? There's basically 2 holders in ours, the one you're talking about seems to be the ash tray holder one but there's a bigger proper one right beside the hand brake that holds all sorts without any problem.

Having said that I do remember seeing a sub heading on a review that complains about the lack of cup holders in a test car which was the TomTom edition. I'm guessing that the extra controls for the sat nav in the arm rest section are taking up extra space which means that while you gain the satnav you loose a cup holder ?

Edit, just googled some photos, I take it this is yours


whereas ours would be more like this


You can see the cup holder in the second photo is where the satnav/radio controls are in the first.

Orson100

Jip,

Thanks for the on-topic response (and alwaysadub earlier) - yes, you're spot on: my satnav controls have indeed taken the place of my [pause] larger-than-standard-refreshing-water-bottle-with-a-sportscap holder. Drat!

The TomTom is very useful so I guess I won't be ripping out the control panel any time soon.

Again, any product recommendations or suggestions welcome but as jip has demonstrated (thanks again) there is no suitable flat space in the cabin so product would have to be mounted somewhere, which I appreciate is quite challenging from both a practical and aesthetic perspective. Bridge too far maybe?

Gerry Ryan RIP, a great broadcaster if there ever was one.

Orson.

Del2005

You can buy cup holders which sit into the gap between the window and the door. Never used one so can't say if they are any good or safe.

stimpson

Get a Gaggia. A double espresso before I leave the house keeps me sufficiently caffeinated until I get to work.

It has the other advantage that it doesn't taste like it was strained through a tramps sock which is something I always look for in a good cup of coffee.

savic04

the Fluence i was driving has a little remote control for the tom tom

kidloco

Just on this subject, on my 05 Master van, there is absolutely nowhere to sit your cup of coffee. i normally wedge it between the top of the dash and the windscreen. Coming from a nation of coffee drinkers, me thought they would of thought of this one.:rolleyes:

Orson100

Del2005 wrote: »

You can buy cup holders which sit into the gap between the window and the door. Never used one so can't say if they are any good or safe.

Thanks Del, will have a look at these.