4 ms·

Maybe they are getting better, but for a long time German cars' cupholders were breathtakingly bad. I remember a Mercedes SUV a family member drove that you pu

Maybe they are getting better, but for a long time German cars' cupholders were breathtakingly bad. I remember a Mercedes SUV a family member drove that you pushed a button and up popped this complicated structure with arms that unfolded to embrace your cup (if it was in a limited range of sizes). I guessed at least 20 parts, half of them moving, instead of the American car's zero-part hole in the console.

EvanAnderson 8y ago
I broached the subject of cupholders in cars w/ a German expat I worked with around 20-ish years ago. She told me that German attitudes toward driving were such that drinking any beverages while driving is an unnecessary distraction. She said that she was surprised and appalled at how many distractions US cars have. My sample size of German drivers is 1. I'd be interested to hear if others have similar feelings.
- wink 8y ago
  Make it 2. I try to avoid drinking while driving (pun not intended) but I'm not 100% on that. Sure, if you're on the road for a few hours you might take a sip now and then, a cupholder is nice - but I try to avoid it. It's better with a second person who can hold your drink. :P I don't think I've had coffee while driving more than twice in my life (as a driver, 16+ years). Both cars I have access to at the moment do have 2 cupholders in the front bottom middle, but in one car they really suck (not high enough, very small, not flexible, anything bigger than a small can will nearly touch your stick shift) so they're never used. In the other car you can put a coffee cup there, but using both of them at the same time is also not ideal. Oh, and the bottle holders in the doors also kinda suck, you can kinda wedge a small can (250ml, like Red Bull) in, or a 500ml water bottle, but good luck taking it out to drink. The unscrewing part is why I also try to avoid this. That said, I never even looked if and how many and what quality of cup holders a car I was about to use/buy has.
macjohnmcc 8y ago
My wife has a 2002 Mercedes ML320 and it has usable cup-holders near the front door pillars and a place for bottles in the front doors. Not sure about the back since I never ride back there.
skolos 8y ago
Saab's had similar complicated cupholders that broke all the time. To fix it was about $300 just for parts.

EvanAnderson 8y ago

I broached the subject of cupholders in cars w/ a German expat I worked with around 20-ish years ago. She told me that German attitudes toward driving were such that drinking any beverages while driving is an unnecessary distraction. She said that she was surprised and appalled at how many distractions US cars have. My sample size of German drivers is 1. I'd be interested to hear if others have similar feelings.

wink 8y ago
Make it 2. I try to avoid drinking while driving (pun not intended) but I'm not 100% on that. Sure, if you're on the road for a few hours you might take a sip now and then, a cupholder is nice - but I try to avoid it. It's better with a second person who can hold your drink. :P I don't think I've had coffee while driving more than twice in my life (as a driver, 16+ years). Both cars I have access to at the moment do have 2 cupholders in the front bottom middle, but in one car they really suck (not high enough, very small, not flexible, anything bigger than a small can will nearly touch your stick shift) so they're never used. In the other car you can put a coffee cup there, but using both of them at the same time is also not ideal. Oh, and the bottle holders in the doors also kinda suck, you can kinda wedge a small can (250ml, like Red Bull) in, or a 500ml water bottle, but good luck taking it out to drink. The unscrewing part is why I also try to avoid this. That said, I never even looked if and how many and what quality of cup holders a car I was about to use/buy has.

macjohnmcc 8y ago

My wife has a 2002 Mercedes ML320 and it has usable cup-holders near the front door pillars and a place for bottles in the front doors. Not sure about the back since I never ride back there.

skolos 8y ago

Saab's had similar complicated cupholders that broke all the time. To fix it was about $300 just for parts.