GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Has anyone tried to cover the hard plastic center console armrest? It's literaly a pain in my elbow and I would like to have a softer place to rest it. I would like to have a permanent fix to this. I thought about trimming the inner lid smaller and maybe leather or vinyl wrapping the lid and adding some foam insulation inside. The trimming of the inner lid would accomodate the wrapped material so it doesn't look like crap when I opened it up.

Nobody has done anything like that yet (at least nobody has posted about having done that here). I would probably go the easy way and come up with some add on pad to put on top of it, but that could end up looking cheesy. Might be worth finding out what a replacement console top costs, with my luck I'd be worried about messing it up and having to buy another. There was an entire center console on ebay a couple of weeks ago, nobody bid on it, at http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...55182. Maybe you could get a replacement top ahead of time to modify, and still have the original one until the modded one was ready or if the modded one doesn't work out.I have thought about doing something similar to the door, because the center console doesn't bother my right elbow, but that lack of padding on the door can make my left elbow sore sometimes.Whatever you do come up with, take and post pictures

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »Might be worth finding out what a replacement console top costs, with my luck I'd be worried about messing it up and having to buy another.Definitely be careful...ARMREST ASSY, CONSOLE 88970586 $235.93

$240? wow. Is that for just the armrest or the enitre center console?That makes the $25 one on ebay that nobody bid on a really good deal, if you needed a replacement.I looked at the Matrix parts list (see http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=1232 ) and it shows that Toyota offers the console top separately, maybe GM does too , who knows, but the interesting thing is that they list two different armrests, one for the base matrix, another for XR/XRS. Wonder what the difference is? Do vibes get the deluxe matrix armrest, or do we get the basic cheapo model?Here's the section from that parts list, I think it's a year or two old, so I wouldn't count on any accuracy in the prices listed in the attached file.

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Rereading my parts list, that must be for the entire console, because it appears the armrest itself is not available independent of the entire console.That bites.

My last car I just used some extra Dash Mat material (they will give you scraps when you buy the mat from the factory) and glued it onto the top of the armrest. Everyone thought the car came that way. In the Vibe I use a pillow 8" in in dia. x 18" long while driving, the armrest is too low for me. It is actually very comfortable this way on my 1 hr. comutes.

Maybe with the cost of a replacement, maybe I'll hold off on this. But if I do I will definately post pics.

here's one on ebay for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...33116

Quote, originally posted by trdvibe »here's one on ebay for sale: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...33116 looks like a relist of the one that ended a couple of weeks ago with no bids.

Since this thread is about the armrest, I think I'll ask this question: My armrest and center counsel are getting scratched and stuff...I have no idea how, but I was wondering if there was something you could buy to either... 1) Protect it from further scratches 2) Hide the current scratches

Quote, originally posted by Merzbow »Since this thread is about the armrest, I think I'll ask this question: My armrest and center counsel are getting scratched and stuff...I have no idea how, but I was wondering if there was something you could buy to either... 1) Protect it from further scratches 2) Hide the current scratchesother than armorall, i don't know. maybe you can cover it like they are discussing in the thread...?

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I have Armorall so I think I'll try that...thanks

You could also buy a replacement one from that ebay auction that's ending in a couple of hours.

I was warned by a mechanic not to use Armorall due to it's tendency to eat away dashes. He also told me that the Armorall company makes replacement dashes for cars, convenient, eh?

try this from j.c.whitney cat.or website

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Meh, I'd rather get it done at a custom shop. I know you can get custom velour covers for dashes, I'm sure the armrest would be easier. At least that way you can decide the color/s and pattern out of any material in the world ^^

i'd have it covered and padded in leather.

Hope, please try to keep this conversation on armrests! Lol

i remember awhile back seeing a cover for the matrix/vibe armrest....you could choose color and all..i dunno what it was made of and i cant seem to find a website or anything...ill have to look throught my favorites i suppose....anyone remember what im talking about?

Quote, originally posted by waveresponder »i remember awhile back seeing a cover for the matrix/vibe armrest....you could choose color and all..i dunno what it was made of and i cant seem to find a website or anything...ill have to look throught my favorites i suppose....anyone remember what im talking about?I'm sure I read about someone using leather to cover the arm rest console. EDITOK, I think it was Hope's VibeGT when she got the Katzkins kit

thanks but thats not it..actually a site where you could select options...and it coverd the whole top part of the armrest i think it was...ill have to check my favorites on my home pc as i havnt found it on my laptop that im on right now..hopefully i favorited it or at least have a pic saved with the url...