arm rest

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laiek

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I want a armrest for my car, however i dont want a audi one because everytime you pull handbrake up, the armrest gets in the way.

Is it possible to get an armrest that wont get in they of the handbrake????
 
It 'just' touches it mate, but really doesn't cause that much of a nuisance to me. Maybe your handbrake needs tightening! You wont find an AM one that's any good I doubt.
 
Mine does a little bit more than touch it, but it's also the positioning of the armrest, you have to reach forward and over it because it throw the angle of your forearm out. Of all the bits on the A3 the armrest, centre storage bit is easily the worst designed....
 
My armrest is nearly always up for short journeys. Going long distance, it is down to give good comfort. Don't have a problem with that kind of operation, and therefore no real problems with the handbrake. Not the best design in the world, but OK generally.
 
Dont bother with aftermarket & the audi one is the best option, yes it has its annoyances, but also is a godsend tbh as I hate driving without now.
 
It has always amused me that my old company Vauxhall Vectra, yes that's a plain old blue collar oft sneered at Vauxhall, had a centre arm rest that slid backwards should it obstruct the handbrake, which it didn't.
 
Me and my arm rest have a love hate relationship, more hate at the moment due to the fact I can't lower it.

I ....er .....broke the relese button!

oops!
 
NHN said:
Dont bother with aftermarket & the audi one is the best option, yes it has its annoyances, but also is a godsend tbh as I hate driving without now.
Click to expand...

Agreed, can't stand having it up now even on short journeys. My elbow just naturally falls onto it when I put my other hand on the wheel haha! Always joke to people that its the best thing about the car :rock: the simple things ay
 
TBH I dont have any issues with the handbrake anymore, become routine & automatic, so water of a ducks back, although I do look forward to the electric handbrake lol.
 
If you have the armrest at a right angle i.e. perfectly horizontal it shouldn't interfere with the handbrake should it? Can put my handbrake up and down without it touching the armrest. Might be different on different years though?
 
audi upgrades
interesting views guys as always, if i was to put in an armrest in id reach over the armrest to pull up handbrake,

but then i realised i dont even use my handbrake that much, even when im going up a hill just use the brakes looool

so probz ill get an audi one i guess, does any1 no how much it will set me back????????
 
Depends on what lid you want, but the fittings a little pita tbh mate, there's a specific process to follow for oem fitment.
 
I had a hire car the other day for a week whilst mine was in the body shop after some idiot drove into the back of my bumper at a roundabout.

I cannot tell you how much I missed the car - and funnily enough - the arm rest!

You just don't know what you've got till it's gone.......

The arm rest in the hire car (2012 Vauxhall Astra) was so far back you just couldn't use it, it was more of a storage compartment for the rear passengers, even though it opened from the front!

I will never knock the Audi arm rest or many other Audi designed items after this.
 
NHN said:
Cutting the plastic isnt really the issue, its fitting the rivet cap nut properly so its tight.
Click to expand...

Agreed but at least people who don't have the confidence to cut free hand and want a template / instructions now have something to work with.

When I fitted this to my old car which was brand new, I was bricking it that I was going to make a mistake.
 
****** armrest release catch is fragile. Mine broke and Audi wanted £70+ for a new lid (leather) ... glue-gun time me thinks .
 
To be quite honest I think it has to do with the design, and I really wanna tank the designers for designing us such arm-rests in Audi A3s... seriously ridiculous and annoying...

What an earth they were thinking of when were designing such stupid arm rests...
I tried to buy a smaller one if possibly could fit one it but couldn't, so really pointless and stupid...
 
i had one in my passat the handbreak used to hit it.... now in my a6 i have auto and electronic hb, the armrest works mint, perfect for resting arm on while using mmi controls, hopefully the new a3 will be just as good
 
Kamei makes an armrest for the A3, only available in black though. It's not quite as sturdy as stock, it is secured by the bolts for the seat rails instead of the stock location, and it can't sustain too much weight (works fine for resting your arm, but don't use it to lift yourself it if the seat.) That said, it is adjustable, both height and length. Very easy to set it so the handbrake doesn't hit it.
 
i love the arm rest, im same with my elbow, straight on it long and short journeys, doesnt help that the clip is broke so if i have it upright everything inside it ends up in the back so best to keep it down really lol.
I admit the drinks holder positioning is a little wacky, especially if your drinks holder has a straw lol
 
Cruiser89 said:
Agreed but at least people who don't have the confidence to cut free hand and want a template / instructions now have something to work with.

When I fitted this to my old car which was brand new, I was bricking it that I was going to make a mistake.
Click to expand...

Its common sense though when cutting the hole, just look at the bottom of the armrest, for someone concerned, just make a small hole in the center to fit the metal part through & widen to the required, but the template helps for the cutting yes, but its fairly useless instructions for how to fit the rivet cap nut, you need a spare nut & bolt to do this part, dont use the one supplied as you have to use a fair torque to get that rivet nut to stay tight in place.
 
Hi Cruiser89,

Thanks for the fitting instructions, does look easy enough. One concern, when I remove the ashtray and small storage compartment and judge where I will be cutting, it looks like the hole will not line up with the cut out.

Can you recall thinking the same or am I just worrying over nothing?

Thanks for any help.
 
I've brought an armrest from a breakers for £35 and ready to have a go. Don't want to cut out the console to find the hole doesn't line up.:sos:
 
audi upgrades
The size of the gasket on the armrest support is much larger that the hole you need to cut therefore you have a large margin for error.

If you do seriously mess it up you can always buy a new centre tunnel with the cut out already made !!!
 
Thanks for the reply Mike. I feel ok about cutting the hole it's just looks like the hole will not line up. I have seen some pictures from above with the cut out and you can see the screw hole. I don't think this is the case with mine. I can't imagine it's any different from any other, just wondered if any other owners had noticed the same.
 
The support arm is angled forward at the base thereby needing the hole to be cut behind the apparent correct position.. Offer the support arm into the correct position for the fixing bolt and see how far back the hole needs to be cut. As NHN said, the biggest problem is getting the fixing bolt to tighten properly. The bolt as supplied by Audi needs one hell of a torque to tighten it properly.
 
Thanks for your time Mike, time to stop talking about it and do it.:icon_thumright:
 
You cant tighten it just by using the bolt supplied & I seriously dont advise this as it could be rendered useless, you need to use another bolt & nut to make the rivet nut tight in the hole before even considering fitting the armrest, there's a slow process to follow & if you **** up the rivet nut, you have a bigger problem of having to remove that nut from the hole, which is a bar steward to do tbh considering location & space available.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the advise about the rivet nut, have now ordered one from Audi Watford. One more concern I now have is that I have a Sportback 8P2 and the armrest I have purchased came from an 8P3.

Can anyone confirm that they are both the same fitting?

Many thanks

Lilysdad
 
Howdo!

Just fitted a second hand armrest,however occasionally it doesn't always sit at 90 degrees - bit of brewers droop??? Is there some way of adjusting the arm??? Via the side covers maybe?

Cheers Pablo
 
Take the handbrake off, push the arm right down and then lift back up to the desired height. It will stay there.

It's on a ratchet mechanism and does not need any adjustment.
 
Cheers Mike,

I was being a duffer! Trying to adjust with the handbrake on so the ratchet never engaged. Sorted!.
 
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