If you have a 2003 6MT coupe and would like the new center console with the (useless) armrest found on the 2003.5 MT coupe and sedans...

Big up to the DFW team (danny, todd, carvey). Took me 3 hours pacing myself. No rush. You could probably do it in under 30 minutes if you tried. But its your car, be carefull with it!

1. Unscrew the shift **** by turning it counterclockwise. I was unable to do this by hand. It might be easier for you if you take steroids, or if its during winter. Put a clean rag around around the base of the shifter (so you don't scratch it) and use a wrench.



2. After one complete rotation with the wrench, I was able to do the rest by hand. I think I went around ten times. When you are done, it will unscrew and there will be a washer there. Put the washer and **** away together.



3. Put your fingers inside the shift boot and feel for the edge of the plastanium piece. Put your thumb on the outside corner and pull. It's best if you put both your hands in there (one on each side) and pull together. A gentle pull with your fingers using your thumb as the fulcrum. Sort of like opening a can of soda. Grip I used:


You just want it to pop up a bit, not completely remove the entire thing in one shot.

4. Now grab the edges of the console boot by the hazard light and compartment. Give it a gentle pull being carefull of the wires still connected back there. Once you have the console boot loose, try and lift the piece up over the exposed shifter and onto its side. I put the shifter into 4th gear to make it easier to remove. Be carefull and don't scratch the radio piece. You'll notice that the hazard light wiring is still connected (circled in red):



5. You can leave the boot hanging to the side, but I disconnected the hazard wiring to make life easier. It's one of those child-proof locking clips. Stick a screwdriver in to press down on the tab and then pull. <--- this took me a while to figure out how to do it. You should be able to figure out what I mean when you see it.

6. Remove the two screws in yellow.

7. Remove the ashtray and remove the screw hiding there.



8. From the back seat and rear of console, use a thin flat head screwdriver and pop the cap off, exposing a screw you need to remove. Same for the other side.



9. Five screws total removed at this point and the console is free, but the heated seat wiring is still connecting it to the car. Gently lift the console up and you will see the connecter you need to detatch. My head is under the steering wheel right next to the shifter, looking back into the console for this pic (connector in red):



10. Same pain in the neck connecter. I needed two screwdrivers for this one. One to press down on the tab, and the other to seperate the two pieces.

11. Yank the hand brake up and high as it can go. Put all your effort into it! Console is free and can be removed. Be very careful not to scratch the radio area!!!



12. Afro gets tired and takes a break after finally getting the console out.

13. Take old and new console indoors on carpeted area.



14. Now its time to put the heated seat switches into the new console. I put a piece of tape on the driver side switch so I know which is which later on.



15. "Unscrew now and ask questions later" is the mantra I followed to free the heated seats wiring.



16. Now you should have all the wiring in your hand, along with some plastic pieces. Put another piece of tape on the wiring for the driver's switch, but it was color coated on mine. White for driver, brown for passenger. Carefully just remove the switches leaving the wiring behind. Put the swiches in the new console.



17. Now its time to free the wiring from all of the plastic pieces. You'll notice that there is a light bulb for the old ashtray. It is the blue wire in that picture earlier. You won't need the bulb, so just pull out the wire, leaving the bulb in the plastic housing. Once you hae all the wiring free, attach it to the new console.

18. Put the new console back in the car. Be carefull with the heated seats wiring. It is no longer "attatched" to the console like it was with the old one. You don't want the wires to interfere with the shifter or the hand brake. Once you are happy with the location of the wiring, screw the console back in place. There is no place for the ashtray screw, so you are only screwing in the four corners. Put the two rear screw caps back on.



19. The new console is shorter than the old console. You will probably have an indentation of the old console in the carpeting. It should go away with time and a lot of vacuming.



20. Connect the hazard switch if you disconnected it, and put the shift boot back in place. Again, I put the shifter in 4th to make it easier.

21. Put the shift **** washer back in place, and screw the **** back on. Use the wrench and rag method to make it tight. Be carefull not to tear the leather boot area since it will rotate also.

22. TA DA!!!!



23. Put old console back together and sell it on ebay.

 

I have my Retrofit Kit on order. Thanks for the pix. I only have parts list drawings, now I have a step by step. Thanks Again.

Lou

 

hey afr0puff.....great play by play commentary, hehe
I must admit though, the armrest is NOT useless. I love it. Im so glad they put in the newer 6MT's and im glad i waited. My elbow rests perfectly on the edge of the armrest, and then my hand reaches perfectly to the shifter, so that I can shift while chillin' back in my chair w/ my elbow resting on the armrest.
If the armrest was any bigger, it would be in the way of my shifting, its perfect!

<font color=green>-Rambo</font color=green>
G35c 6MT DG/Willow<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by gsedanman on 07/05/03 03:42 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

I agree with ya Rambo. I love the armrest. 1 Q for you guys with the older console. If your ashtray is in between the seats, what is the drawer under the radio? Thats my ashtray. Only reason I ask, is b/c I'm used to throwing my loose change somewhere, and the G35 really lacks a useful place to put change. My Maxima had the pop-out drawer under the radio, and that worked excellent, but that little area in with the cup holders doesn't cut it. Also, the compartment where the NAV would go (top of the center dash console) is too deep to be useful for change, so I store sunglasses and tire pressure guage. Oh well, guess the PROs of the G over the Max, far outweigh the CONs.

 

Yeah, change seems to be a problem for me too, luckily we have no tolls here in Michigan [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

My suggestion would be to get a small change purse and keep that inside of the armrest compartment, i must admit though, those cupholders inside of the glove comparement are soooooo useless!

A cool thing, im sure some have noticed, in the door compartment pocket, there is a circular thing, try putting a 20oz. bottle of pop or water in there, FITS PERFECTLY!! i love it!

<font color=green>-Rambo</font color=green>
G35c 6MT DG/Willow

 

Look on their web site, they list it for $304.00. If you order one, ask for Carvey.

Lou

 

bringing back from the dead. I need that part # that is circled in pic 7 under the console. Help anyone?

 

k now im so freakin confusedd
your saying that armrest doesnt come with the 6mt 03 coupe's?
THEN WHY DO I HAVE ONE ??????
my car came like that
anyone have answers?

 

Yes I do. Take it easy my friend. There are early and late '03s. The early '03s had the same console as the '03 350Z. This console was a little longer, and was slightly modified to fit the "G". (the "Z" hazard button was covered) The ashtray in the "G" at this time was in the console. There was no armrest. The spot where the ashtray later went was a cubby.

The late '03s got the real "G" console with the padded leather armrest and the two storage locations. One sliding door and storage under the armrest. And, the ashtray moved from the console to the dash. A much nicer package. As, you can see from the above, I retrofitted mine.

So you either have a late '03, or someone retrofitted yours.

Lou

 

I was gonna use this on my 06 but the center consoles are different. The top half of the console comes off by 2 screws towards the front, 3 screws under the arm rest hinge cover, and snap clips all the way around (just pull).

 

is there anyway to put/install just the arm-rest piece onto the 03 console?
(Trying to do this without buying the 04 console)

 

I seem to remember someone having a kit (back in '04 or '05) that put just the armrest on the early console. It looked pretty bad, and as I recall the kit was still born. So the short answer to your question is no The later console with armrest is just a nicer package, IMHO, you should retrofit.

Lou