[t5pilot]

Great guide & pics. Definitely think I'll be doing this. Just one question, why the need to remove the vent & light switch cluster?

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by t5pilot

Great guide & pics. Definitely think I'll be doing this. Just one question, why the need to remove the vent & light switch cluster?

Hi there

Thanks, there's another guide linked on the first page of this thread so between that and my pictures it should give you what you need. Removal of the vent and light switch is necessary so you can install the locking plate on top of the folding glovebox. You also need to keep the plate pressed down whilst you insert/tighten the 2x screws that secure the box to the plate, you do this by putting your hand down through the light switch hole. It might also be possible to remove the dash end panel to gain access to the area. One thing I forgot to mention, there's a patch of sound deadening material stuck to the back of the dash exactly where you'll be cutting, simply peel it off before you start cutting and discard, the other guy who did the original thread stuck it on top of his folding glovebox once it's installed but I didn't bother.

Hope that helps, feel free to pm me if you need any help/advice

[UKF30]

Originally Posted by Hugrov

Hi there

Thanks, there's another guide linked on the first page of this thread so between that and my pictures it should give you what you need. Removal of the vent and light switch is necessary so you can install the locking plate on top of the folding glovebox. You also need to keep the plate pressed down whilst you insert/tighten the 2x screws that secure the box to the plate, you do this by putting your hand down through the light switch hole. It might also be possible to remove the dash end panel to gain access to the area. One thing I forgot to mention, there's a patch of sound deadening material stuck to the back of the dash exactly where you'll be cutting, simply peel it off before you start cutting and discard, the other guy who did the original thread stuck it on top of his folding glovebox once it's installed but I didn't bother.

Hope that helps, feel free to pm me if you need any help/advice

Well done mate with that storage compartment comes very handy to put keys or spare cash

How rest of mods going mate ?

You need to make your own thread so we can see what you have been Upton mate

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by UKF30

Well done mate with that storage compartment comes very handy to put keys or spare cash

How rest of mods going mate ?

You need to make your own thread so we can see what you have been Upton mate

Hi mate

How's it going, hope you're well.

Cheers, it's definitely a useful cubby and I miss it from my F20. I also missed having the shopping bag hooks in my boot so fitted some VW ones (sacrilege I know) which are sprung and fit nice and flat to the top of the boot when not needed.

I collected the 442's on Thursday, they're absolutely brand new as described by the seller, brand new Bridgestones and TPMS modules as well so I'm well chuffed. Dropping them off with my detailer friend today to get ceramic sealed and will hopefully fit the wheels on Tuesday.

Last thing is the LED headlights on Thursday.........Fingers crossed for the install but the guy seems to know what he's doing and doesn't seem at all phased.

Not sure about doing a thread...............Just think of the trouble I'd be in if my Mrs saw it

[CazuaLLUK]

Originally Posted by Hugrov

Last thing is the LED headlights on Thursday.........Fingers crossed for the install but the guy seems to know what he's doing and doesn't seem at all phased.

Not sure about doing a thread...............Just think of the trouble I'd be in if my Mrs saw it

Your having LED headlights retrofitted, rewired and coded in?

Also grow some balls, make a thread with lots of pictures!

[UKF30]

You need to make a thread otherwise all mods in all different threads mate .

Hide number plate sure someone else will have same car as yours

if she sees it or do what I do , buy her a gift everytime you do any mod and trust me NOT a word

Caz, man with steel balls

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by CazuaLLUK

Your having LED headlights retrofitted, rewired and coded in?

Also grow some balls, make a thread with lots of pictures!

Yes mate, getting them done Thursday, picked up a brand new set of LED headlights for £1500, not a cheap mod but I'll be happier with the car and more inclined to keep it longer term.

Ok, will do a thread at some stage with all my mods

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by UKF30

You need to make a thread otherwise all mods in all different threads mate .

Hide number plate sure someone else will have same car as yours

if she sees it or do what I do , buy her a gift everytime you do any mod and trust me NOT a word

Caz, man with steel balls

Lol, she gets enough gifts anyway..............Although LED headlights are in lieu of an engagement ring but she'll hopefully appreciate it more if she has to wait longer for it

[willjames]

Great Job with the Cubby Hole. Not sure I'd have attempted that, but fair play, it looks good. A truly handy man!

[Hugrov]

Originally Posted by willjames

Great Job with the Cubby Hole. Not sure I'd have attempted that, but fair play, it looks good. A truly handy man!

Cheers mate, definitely not one of the more enjoyable mods I've done but it's nice to have a cubby again............ Definitely not worth potentially ruining your dash for though!!

[CazuaLLUK]

Originally Posted by Hugrov

Yes mate, getting them done Thursday, picked up a brand new set of LED headlights for £1500, not a cheap mod but I'll be happier with the car and more inclined to keep it longer term.

Nice, what guy you using to fit/code/wire them?

[Racing Teatray]

Thanks for this thread....I had no idea that cubby hole existed until I read this and went to investigate...

[tony325ci_51]

I miss the cubby hole from my e90. Not impressed that you had to specify the "extended storage package" from new to get it.

This diy looks good, parts are ordered

[Craig-SM]

I used the sunglasses holder from a 1 series that replaces the handle above the drivers door

[t5pilot]

I never updated this thread while I had my F30... But I did fit the box, despite reservations to hacking the dash to bits.
I did the cut out with a flat blade in a vibrating multitool. A doddle & next to no dust.
When I got my F82 I fitted one in that straight away. It's a really cheap, useful OEM mod & relatively easy to do. My F30 probably took me over an hour. As I'd done it before, the F82 only took me about 15 minutes

[muffking]

I got lucky, twice.
First, my F30 came with Adaptive Cruise, so I already have the cut out.
Second, I found one on eBay for £20 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-2019-...72.m2749.l2649

[JustChris]

If it's for sunglasses you could fit the BMW holder that goes in place of the grab handle, or the blanking plates in place of this. (Can't recall if the F30 has one on drivers side)

I did this in an F56 mini so there's room in an F30.

[tony325ci_51]

Templates made. Here goes..

[tony325ci_51]

Whole thing took me about an hour, though I was being careful. Measure twice, cut once and all that. And taking pics to document the process. Here goes..

Put my template in place, marked it up. Then checked again with the inner piece of the template.

Removed top vent, it prises out fairly easily with trim tools, and when it's far enough out just pull it to work it out with your fingers. (I hooked it up out the way with a bungee cord as I've added an LED light in the rotary heater control so couldn't just remove it because of the wire, was just easier to hook it up out the way than disconnect the wires. Wrap the bungee cord around anything with a bit of weight on top of the dash, I used a hammer). If you don't have the LED and wire attached to it you can just set the vent down to one side.

Pop out the side panel, you don't have to remove it completely or the weatherstrip, just prise with a trim tool till you can get fingers in, then fold it open. May not be not essential but helps access.

Disconnect the plug from the light switch. It's keyed so can only go back in one way. Tuck it up out of the way. The two metal clips on either side of the top of the light switch were very hard to release, it was in tight. Couldn't do it with fingers, had to get a trim tool in there and push down on them quite hard to get the clips to compress enough to clear the hole, pressing on the light switch from behind. This is where having access from the side panel came in useful. Once the clips at the top of the light switch clear the hole it pops out easy enough.

Remove the sound deadening felt from behind where you're going to cut. It's a small rectangle piece, comes off easy enough. I cut it down by a few cm, then stuck it back under where the the new box was going.

Put some newspaper down. There won't be tons of debris from the cutting but there will be some, just makes cleaning easier afterwards.

I carefully cut with a Bosch cordless vibrating multi-tool and a wood/metal blade. It went through, as the saying goes, like a knife through butter. Very easy to accurately follow my template's outline. Just rounded off the corners at the top (don't do them square as the door flap which closes has rounded corners, you don't want to make the hole bigger than the flap / door will cover. I erred on the side of caution with the template. Once you've cut the hole offer the box up for a fit. I had to trim a slither more off the bottom as the bottom was catching, wouldn't quite go in until I did.

Before you even try and fit the top plate, screw the screws in and out a couple of times to cut the thread in the plastic. It's easier to do this with a screwdriver while holding it in your hand than struggle trying to turn really stiff self-tapping screws in situ. If you've bought the BMW screws with the retainer plate these will be a T20 Torx bit.

When the hole is right and box can sit in flush, put the retaining plate in from above, and screw in the screws from below using a low profile ratchet and that T20 Torx bit. Get the position right then final tighten the screws. Check it opens and closes nicely. Reconnect the light switch plug and pop the light switch back in. Re-fit the top vent, clear up the debris (that you're now happy you put newspaper down to catch). Enjoy your new extra storage (that BMW should have provided in the first place)!

[jcdub]

Originally Posted by tony325ci_51

Whole thing took me about an hour, though I was being careful. Measure twice, cut once and all that. And taking pics to document the process. Here goes..

Put my template in place, marked it up. Then checked again with the inner piece of the template.

Removed top vent, it prises out fairly easily with trim tools, and when it's far enough out just pull it to work it out with your fingers. (I hooked it up out the way with a bungee cord as I've added an LED light in the rotary heater control so couldn't just remove it because of the wire, was just easier to hook it up out the way than disconnect the wires. Wrap the bungee cord around anything with a bit of weight on top of the dash, I used a hammer). If you don't have the LED and wire attached to it you can just set the vent down to one side.

Pop out the side panel, you don't have to remove it completely or the weatherstrip, just prise with a trim tool till you can get fingers in, then fold it open. May not be not essential but helps access.

Disconnect the plug from the light switch. It's keyed so can only go back in one way. Tuck it up out of the way. The two metal clips on either side of the top of the light switch were very hard to release, it was in tight. Couldn't do it with fingers, had to get a trim tool in there and push down on them quite hard to get the clips to compress enough to clear the hole, pressing on the light switch from behind. This is where having access from the side panel came in useful. Once the clips at the top of the light switch clear the hole it pops out easy enough.

Remove the sound deadening felt from behind where you're going to cut. It's a small rectangle piece, comes off easy enough. I cut it down by a few cm, then stuck it back under where the the new box was going.

Put some newspaper down. There won't be tons of debris from the cutting but there will be some, just makes cleaning easier afterwards.

I carefully cut with a Bosch cordless vibrating multi-tool and a wood/metal blade. It went through, as the saying goes, like a knife through butter. Very easy to accurately follow my template's outline. Just rounded off the corners at the top (don't do them square as the door flap which closes has rounded corners, you don't want to make the hole bigger than the flap / door will cover. I erred on the side of caution with the template. Once you've cut the hole offer the box up for a fit. I had to trim a slither more off the bottom as the bottom was catching, wouldn't quite go in until I did.

Before you even try and fit the top plate, screw the screws in and out a couple of times to cut the thread in the plastic. It's easier to do this with a screwdriver while holding it in your hand than struggle trying to turn really stiff self-tapping screws in situ. If you've bought the BMW screws with the retainer plate these will be a T20 Torx bit.

When the hole is right and box can sit in flush, put the retaining plate in from above, and screw in the screws from below using a low profile ratchet and that T20 Torx bit. Get the position right then final tighten the screws. Check it opens and closes nicely. Reconnect the light switch plug and pop the light switch back in. Re-fit the top vent, clear up the debris (that you're now happy you put newspaper down to catch). Enjoy your new extra storage (that BMW should have provided in the first place)!

Good write up. I think I'll do mine!

I just checked where the storage should go. And there's a fuel flap release button right in the way!

[Somebloke]

I replaced the grab handle with a sunglasses holder:

[winther1]

Originally Posted by Somebloke

I replaced the grab handle with a sunglasses holder:

Looks like a quality product - where did you buy it and was it a straight swap?
Found a random one on ebay which looks similar, but not sure if it has the smooth self-closing mechanism
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303107907...r=602038887592