Universal hands free beverage holder "mod"
08-21-2011, 04:40 PM
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Universal hands free beverage holder "mod"
First of all, this is by no means a new idea. I learned it from my brother and sister-in-law who use it all the time in their car. My friend uses it while we are on vacation. And some of you may already do this in the S2k. The differences are that their cars all have functional cup-holders. Ours is a lame excuse of a cup holder that the manufacturer felt we needed one because we're fat and stupid Americans (some of us anyway) who buy vehicles based on cup holders. Ok... maybe for people who buy S2000s, that's not true. ...but in any case, the cup holder in our cars is utterly pointless. It's ergonomically all wrong. Seriously, have you ever tried to shift your car into second gear with a big tall bottle of Ice Mountain or Mountain Dew sitting in there? It gets really really really annoying and I'd just assume let it roll around on the floor than put it in the cup holder. But we don't want that either. What about spillage, the cap, handling the bottle, and God forbid loosing carbonation of our fizzy friend! *gasp* ....
FEAR NOT! There is a solution!
Behold! The S2000's useless cup holder!
Who actually uses this thing for it's intended purpose? I sure don't.
Our S2000s (not sure about AP2s) come with these fantastic hooks behind the seats. They are great for hanging stuff on, what exactly do you hang there? (yeah, I know there is (or used to be) an accessory which is a S2000 folder that hangs from those hooks My first S2k came with them)
Now all we need is something to hang there. I use my 2 liter insulated CamelBak. What you wish to use is up to you, but the 2 Liter insulated unit works well for me. I would not recommend the back-pack style, as this adds bulk. The bladder and insulation already approach the limits of feasibility with space usage behind the seat. You can put whatever nectar of life you wish in there. Coffee, Mountain Dew, water, if it's an ingestable beverage, you can put it in there. However I would not advocate filling it with beer or whiskey, or getting yourself 2 liters of 5-hour energies if you plan on driving with it. I've only put water or electrolyte powder packs/tablets in it so I cannot speak for what Mountain Dew or coffee is like coming from the bladder.
The nice thing about the insulated unit is that it will keep things warm/cold for extended periods of time. I've had cool water stored in it in my car for three days when the temperature outside reached the lower 90s. And whatever is in the bladder won't freeze easily (can't say the same for the hose, though tube insulators are available). You can find a variety of sizes from 1 liter to 3 liter units to fit your thirst. My 2 liter insulated unit is pictured.
The other thing about the insulated units is they have webbing and other things to run webbing through to lash it on or hang it with. Now we can use that, and our mysterious hooks behind our seat for something! The side clips can be used to thread webbing through to raise the unit up and give yourself a few extra inches of tubing and flexibility.
The bladder stays safely out of sight once the seat is back into position. Looping the hose over the seat shoulder allows access to your choice of nectar of life.
Each unit comes with a mouth-piece that is auto-closing. You must bite on it to open it. There is also a finger-operated valve on the mouth-piece that keeps air from getting in and liquid from leaking out when you let it hang free. The result is a nearly hands free beverage holder for you while you drive.
Letting it hang, you can either get a clip accessory that will attach it to the seatbelt or on your clothing to hold it in place. I don't have that clip, so mine just hangs free.
Don't want to bother with it for a while, or the tube hanging in front getting annoying? just toss the tube in back out of sight out of mind. Just don't forget about it.
Speaking if forgetting about it, I highly recommend washing it out frequently, and getting a cleaning/drying kit for it as well. Starting out, it will have a funny taste, and I would also highly recommend starting out and practicing with water first so you learn how to avoid the small little drips that linger in the mouthpiece. No sense getting coffee stains on your shirt. Also, if you DO forget about it with something sugar laden left over inside, expect to replace the bladder and hose.
One other thing I'd like to mention is that these components CAN come apart, so tugging on the mouth-piece can twist it off, resulting in a very unpleasant mess. You CAN get tube extensions, and like anything that holds a liquid, careful manipulation keeps things clean and people happy.
All in all, this is a great "mod" for those who take long drives in the S2000. The only downsides are the odd taste starting out, the need to clean it on a regular basis depending on what you put in it. Otherwise, it keeps the hands free, you can focus on driving while enjoying your nectar of life, and even shift gears, unhindered while taking a gulp.
Enjoy!
FEAR NOT! There is a solution!
Behold! The S2000's useless cup holder!
Who actually uses this thing for it's intended purpose? I sure don't.
Our S2000s (not sure about AP2s) come with these fantastic hooks behind the seats. They are great for hanging stuff on, what exactly do you hang there? (yeah, I know there is (or used to be) an accessory which is a S2000 folder that hangs from those hooks My first S2k came with them)
Now all we need is something to hang there. I use my 2 liter insulated CamelBak. What you wish to use is up to you, but the 2 Liter insulated unit works well for me. I would not recommend the back-pack style, as this adds bulk. The bladder and insulation already approach the limits of feasibility with space usage behind the seat. You can put whatever nectar of life you wish in there. Coffee, Mountain Dew, water, if it's an ingestable beverage, you can put it in there. However I would not advocate filling it with beer or whiskey, or getting yourself 2 liters of 5-hour energies if you plan on driving with it. I've only put water or electrolyte powder packs/tablets in it so I cannot speak for what Mountain Dew or coffee is like coming from the bladder.
The nice thing about the insulated unit is that it will keep things warm/cold for extended periods of time. I've had cool water stored in it in my car for three days when the temperature outside reached the lower 90s. And whatever is in the bladder won't freeze easily (can't say the same for the hose, though tube insulators are available). You can find a variety of sizes from 1 liter to 3 liter units to fit your thirst. My 2 liter insulated unit is pictured.
The other thing about the insulated units is they have webbing and other things to run webbing through to lash it on or hang it with. Now we can use that, and our mysterious hooks behind our seat for something! The side clips can be used to thread webbing through to raise the unit up and give yourself a few extra inches of tubing and flexibility.
The bladder stays safely out of sight once the seat is back into position. Looping the hose over the seat shoulder allows access to your choice of nectar of life.
Each unit comes with a mouth-piece that is auto-closing. You must bite on it to open it. There is also a finger-operated valve on the mouth-piece that keeps air from getting in and liquid from leaking out when you let it hang free. The result is a nearly hands free beverage holder for you while you drive.
Letting it hang, you can either get a clip accessory that will attach it to the seatbelt or on your clothing to hold it in place. I don't have that clip, so mine just hangs free.
Don't want to bother with it for a while, or the tube hanging in front getting annoying? just toss the tube in back out of sight out of mind. Just don't forget about it.
Speaking if forgetting about it, I highly recommend washing it out frequently, and getting a cleaning/drying kit for it as well. Starting out, it will have a funny taste, and I would also highly recommend starting out and practicing with water first so you learn how to avoid the small little drips that linger in the mouthpiece. No sense getting coffee stains on your shirt. Also, if you DO forget about it with something sugar laden left over inside, expect to replace the bladder and hose.
One other thing I'd like to mention is that these components CAN come apart, so tugging on the mouth-piece can twist it off, resulting in a very unpleasant mess. You CAN get tube extensions, and like anything that holds a liquid, careful manipulation keeps things clean and people happy.
All in all, this is a great "mod" for those who take long drives in the S2000. The only downsides are the odd taste starting out, the need to clean it on a regular basis depending on what you put in it. Otherwise, it keeps the hands free, you can focus on driving while enjoying your nectar of life, and even shift gears, unhindered while taking a gulp.
Enjoy!
08-23-2011, 10:45 AM
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Great idea.
Just out of curiosity and a little off topic, how do you like the suede/alcantara upholstery on the seats? I have been considering having the same thing done at a local upholstery shop. Does the different material help keep seat temperatures down when the car is left out in the sun?
Just out of curiosity and a little off topic, how do you like the suede/alcantara upholstery on the seats? I have been considering having the same thing done at a local upholstery shop. Does the different material help keep seat temperatures down when the car is left out in the sun?
08-23-2011, 02:57 PM
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To answer your question, I love the Alcantara inserts! Yes, it does help lower the temperature and also is cooler in the sun than the oem blue. I may switch things up when the blue bolstering goes bad, but as they are, I like it a lot. Holds me in place so much better when I throw the car into turns.
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