Replaced Cup Concole/BeverageMate
Posted: November 3rd, 2015, 7:44 pm
After reading on here about some people changing their cup console and gaining more storage space, I got interested. Blue was good enough to point me to a seller on Ebay that had one for under $100. When I started looking everyone wanted $140 or more so I snapped it up. I believe it came out of an '03. Do a search for "Ford Econoline Van Console Cup Holder" and you'll see what's available.
What was shipped to me had black scuffs, black sticky covering the bottom of the cupholders as well as compartments, ashes in the ashtray, and smelled of cigarettes. While disappointed I could see it just needed some elbow grease to get it presentable. I put it in my bathtub and filled the cupholders and compartments with a mix of water and lavender Pinesol (don't judge me on my lavender). I let it sit for several days and using an old sponge, it cleaned up good. I then used a product similar to Armour-All for the exterior and that helped get rid of the cigarette smell as well as the black scuff marks.
Removing the BeverageMate took longer than installing the new console. There were 2 screws at the top and what I didn't know, a 3rd screw hidden at the bottom. I took the 2 screws out and could barely budge it when trying to lift it up off the posts that secure it. After a bunch of cursing and attempts at dead-lifts I got on my side and looked under the bottom. Hidden behind the main plastic was the 3rd screw. Once I got that out it lifted up easy. I disconnected the wires and secured the wires coming from the floor with electrical tape and removed the 7.5a fuse. The new console just slid down on the 3 posts and it's holding tight. Perfect fit. I lost the foot/floor space that was under the BeverageMate but that's ok. It doesn't affect me getting out of the seat and going to the back. It will actually help keep one of my Shepherds who likes to sleep next to me on long trips from trying to crawl behind my legs while I'm driving.
What was shipped to me had black scuffs, black sticky covering the bottom of the cupholders as well as compartments, ashes in the ashtray, and smelled of cigarettes. While disappointed I could see it just needed some elbow grease to get it presentable. I put it in my bathtub and filled the cupholders and compartments with a mix of water and lavender Pinesol (don't judge me on my lavender). I let it sit for several days and using an old sponge, it cleaned up good. I then used a product similar to Armour-All for the exterior and that helped get rid of the cigarette smell as well as the black scuff marks.
Removing the BeverageMate took longer than installing the new console. There were 2 screws at the top and what I didn't know, a 3rd screw hidden at the bottom. I took the 2 screws out and could barely budge it when trying to lift it up off the posts that secure it. After a bunch of cursing and attempts at dead-lifts I got on my side and looked under the bottom. Hidden behind the main plastic was the 3rd screw. Once I got that out it lifted up easy. I disconnected the wires and secured the wires coming from the floor with electrical tape and removed the 7.5a fuse. The new console just slid down on the 3 posts and it's holding tight. Perfect fit. I lost the foot/floor space that was under the BeverageMate but that's ok. It doesn't affect me getting out of the seat and going to the back. It will actually help keep one of my Shepherds who likes to sleep next to me on long trips from trying to crawl behind my legs while I'm driving.
They hold a chapstick for about three days then randomly let it fall out and roll under the gas pedal 