R129 centre console - replacing the cassette holder with something more useful (pics)

[BTB 500]

OK you have the standard cassette holder in the centre console of your R129 - wasted space.

First order your part ... there's a very expensive (£180+) CD holder replacement, or a nice felt-lined plain storage bin for £12.88 plus VAT

Now you have to get the cassette holder out. You need to know that it's retained by two sprung lugs at the front:

And four at the back:

I used some of the "sample" credit cards I get bombarded with through the post (shown on the passenger seat, below). Slide them down between the end of the cassette holder and the rest of the console and you can push the lugs in. With both ends done like this, the holder unit simply lifts out:

Unplug the lamp holder, I removed the bulb and tucked the wire safely away under the cigarette lighter section.

The new storage bin now just pushes in, and the lugs lock it in place ... ta da:

Now you can plan what to do with all that extra space!

Hope this is useful, that cassette holder seems to be a common source of annoyance on the R129!

 

[AlexR]

You can also gat a rather funky cup holder to put in there.....

 

[BTB 500]

Think I remember seeing 'cup holder in place of cassette storage' as a no cost option in the R129 price list. It didn't show up when I looked in EPC though ... just the plain bin and the CD holder??

 

[GregE240]

You are right Bill - in my PDF it is shown as Option code 309, but no part number, alas

Greg

 

[syfaphonetic]

wooohooo uncanny!

I dont suppose you can help can you? I have a colleague at work who i have given two lifts to in my car........ generous huh?

the first lift he slid into my car and ripped the leather !?!! - the seat has been quite happy immaculate for 14 years he sits in it once and damges it!

Ok so i get it repaired - dont have the heart to tell him.

give him a lift last week - pop out to get something from work - get back in my car and the cassette holder is visible..... strange i thought - he is looking at me sheepishly with a plastic handle in his hands sayin - it just popped off..... IT WAS BL**DY LOCKED!!!!!! - the leather look slidy bit is nowhere to be seen! Plastic snapped - dont worry mate - im sure it was getting brittle i say........

Bought the new bit and that shiny felt bit you have got (dont use cassettes obv like all people) - HELP

How on earth do i get it in - it appears it all comes apart after the walnut trim around the gears has been taken off

MB just said oooooh be careful that wood is £1000 to replace!?!

anyone know where i can get a piccy or insstructions on how it comes apart?

 

[BTB 500]

anyone know where i can get a piccy or insstructions on how it comes apart?

The top of the console is held at the front by the gearlever surround (as you know) ... I've not tried to take that off myself, but the attached diagram might help. At the rear it's just held by the 4 screws (2 per side) that hold the frame for the padded lid/armrest.

Good luck!

 

[syfaphonetic]

thank you

that will b a great help thank you - least i can see what i need to do - still worried about getting that walnut trim of though any ideas?

 

[Doodle]

This one is also on my to-do list for the SL, as the handle has separated from the door. It's not the end of the world, as ours is fitted with that felt-lined cubby hole already, so the lack of door provides very easy access

 

[syfaphonetic]

....

mine has no door and had a nasty cassette holder on show - im too nervouse to take that poxy walnut off - i have all the spares in my hands - does it clip screw slide teleport

not happy now i know im gonna break it

 

[Shude]

not happy now i know im gonna break it

Quit messing about and just remove the trim pieces!

One of the stupidest pieces to remove from any MB is the plastic sill cover, you have to really wrench them off (held on by friction alone) and it feels like you'll break it, it flexes a LOT and then finally comes away from the sill. Nasty!

 

[syfaphonetic]

sill cover

ummm.... there is a plastic gear cover on the centre console.... no sill?

does the wood pull down from the dash air vent area or unclip? see im flummooooxed

 

[Shude]

ummm.... there is a plastic gear cover on the centre console.... no sill?

The sill is the bit you step over when you leave the car, you probably don't need to worry about it if you're doing something with the centre console

Removing the plastic shift frame is easy, push the panel next to it down a little and a gap will appear between the panel and the frame, slip a coin or something between them and lever it up. The frame is about £5 to replace if you break it so that's another thing you don't have to worry about

 

[syfaphonetic]

lol i bought a spare just in case

 

[syfaphonetic]

WOOOOHOOOO!! IVE DONE IT........

little indian pleasure dance follows.......


wooooohooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!

 

[Sp!ke]

Looks like this'll be my next mod - nice clear How To

 

[BTB 500]

You're welcome!

 

[Tan]

Did anyone consider drilling a small hole in the new cubby box and fitting the lamp that was fitted to the cassette holder, as this would be useful for use at night and could be like the OEM cubby hole lights that they fit to other models, such as the W211 E-class.

 

[BTB 500]

I think the problem is that you'd want the light at the top somewhere (so it wasn't covered, when there was stuff in there) ... but you've got no clearance anywhere other than underneath.

 

[Sp!ke]

The price of said part according to Inchcape is now £29.40

Have the prices really jumped so much or is Inchcape getting greedy?

 

[vibesg]

I dont suppose you can help can you? I have a colleague at work who i have given two lifts to in my car........ generous huh?

the first lift he slid into my car and ripped the leather !?!! - the seat has been quite happy immaculate for 14 years he sits in it once and damges it!

Ok so i get it repaired - dont have the heart to tell him.

give him a lift last week - pop out to get something from work - get back in my car and the cassette holder is visible..... strange i thought - he is looking at me sheepishly with a plastic handle in his hands sayin - it just popped off..... IT WAS BL**DY LOCKED!!!!!! - the leather look slidy bit is nowhere to be seen! Plastic snapped - dont worry mate - im sure it was getting brittle i say........

Bought the new bit and that shiny felt bit you have got (dont use cassettes obv like all people) - HELP

How on earth do i get it in - it appears it all comes apart after the walnut trim around the gears has been taken off

MB just said oooooh be careful that wood is £1000 to replace!?!

anyone know where i can get a piccy or insstructions on how it comes apart?

Ever heard the quote "bad things happen when he's around"

I think you need some skates (very old ones mind) in your boot. Next time the destroyer asks for a lift tell him you have an even better option. Offer him the skates (make sure you buckle him in yourself) and hopefully he'll skate away into the horizon never to bother your car again..until tomorrow at work.