Arm Rest?

[Kelleytoons]

Okay, so I'm being bad and not doing a forum search first (so I apologize in advance if this has already been asked -- just point me where if so) but the one thing (and only thing) I didn't like about the C-Max interior is the lack of arm rest for both the driver and passenger.

 

I see on Amazon I can get a Trillium foam rest that most likely will work but I'm wondering if any others out there have come across other solutions to this I might be overlooking.  Thanks in advance for any guidance.  

[fotomoto]

Weird, I thought both of my  CMaxes came with a center arm rest for both front seat occupants.   :headscratch:  :)    Seriously, I have had several cars with much narrower center arm rests and find the one in the CMax more than adequate for two elbows.

Edited July 14, 2014 by fotomoto

[Kelleytoons]

Maybe it's because I sit close forward or just have short arms but the little rest that's there is WAY too far back to use. The natural place to rest my right elbow would hover directly over the cup holders.

 

I'll try the foam one but if there are other solutions I'd love to hear them (even my wife, who is not normally a complainer about such things was bothered as both a passenger and driver).

[kostby]

Maybe it's because I sit close forward or just have short arms but the little rest that's there is WAY too far back to use. The natural place to rest my right elbow would hover directly over the cup holders.

 

I'll try the foam one but if there are other solutions I'd love to hear them (even my wife, who is not normally a complainer about such things was bothered as both a passenger and driver).

I'll point out that the steering wheel both tilts and telescopes - the 'lock' permits both motions when unlocked, so adjusting(pulling) the steering wheel toward the driver might make the factory console armrest workable. I didn't realize it telescoped until I read about it in these forums.

[Kelleytoons]

That's certainly a thought, but I'm not sure in practice how it would help since the seat position I like (forward so my legs are comfortable with the pedals) wouldn't allow me to bring the wheel much closer without it hitting my chest.

 

However, I have to admit I didn't fiddle much with these things during the short test drive so it may well be solvable once I get the chance to experiment.  My wife and I did both find it odd that the cars we tested (three small SUVs and the C-Max) were so inconsistent about arm rests (the best one was the Buick Encore, but even it only had a pull down arm rest for the driver and my wife was irritated by the lack of it as a passenger).  You'd think that most of these smaller vehicles would realize a pull down arm rest is really the way to go since then you can accommodate any desires (but I guess cost is a consideration).

 

Worse comes to worst I'll just engineer my own from foam and fabric (hey!  Maybe I'll Shark Tank them and make a fortune! <bg>)

[ArizonaEnergi]

My wife doesn't like the arm rests vs. our old Odyssey so on long trips she has a pillow stuffed next to the door rest and a slab of cover foam on top of the center rest (much like the Trillium). Problem mostly-solved.

 

Trillium solution mentioned above: http://www.amazon.com/Trillium-CCG-400-Memory-Console-Cushion/dp/B0041GKR6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1405355525&sr=8-1&keywords=Trillium+foam

Edited July 14, 2014 by ArizonaEnergi

[Kelleytoons]

Right, the Trillium is the first thing I came across at Amazon before I started this thread.  I'm not sure how it would work for me until I actually take delivery and start measuring things out (I'd have gone ahead and order one just in case but since there are two sizes I think I'll just wait a bit to see).

 

I suspect there is no one-size-fits-all solution here.  Even in our Durango (which has pretty good arm solutions) I used to take a tiny piece of foam with me on very long trips to stop my elbow from getting numb resting on the very hard rests provided.

[knahs42]

I am 5' 3" and find the arm rest in the Cmax a bit too far back to be effective - I have adjusted the steering wheel some but essentially just the back of my elbow barely hits the arm rest. 

My previous car, Subaru Impreza, had a sliding top on the arm rest that solved the issue for short drivers as you could slide the top forward and then it would be in the correct place.

 

Hopefully Ford will do something like this for future vehicles.

[mtcmax]

Cry me a river.

[kostby]

Hyundai also has the sliding armrest feature on the Elantra GT hatchback.

 

Doesn't make our armrests any 'slidier', but there are two armrest pics (among many of the car) in this thread from GenVibe.com: http://forums.genvibe.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=43545

[mtb9153]

I am 5' 3" and find the arm rest in the Cmax a bit too far back to be effective - I have adjusted the steering wheel some but essentially just the back of my elbow barely hits the arm rest. 

 

My previous car, Subaru Impreza, had a sliding top on the arm rest that solved the issue for short drivers as you could slide the top forward and then it would be in the correct place.

 

Hopefully Ford will do something like this for future vehicles.

my wifes saturn ion has a sliding center arm rest, moves forward about 2 inches

[Kelleytoons]

Yeah, it's still an annoyance to me as I haven't found a perfect solution.

 

I did get the Trillium but it really is *way* too small (even the large) to help.  I ended up buying a tiny little throw pillow (from Wally World, of all places) that actually matches the interior and is a much better size for me but because the real issue is that the tiny little arm rest we have isn't quite high enough AND it's too far back the pillow ends up kind of tilting forward into the drink holders and being a little awkward in use.  I can live with it, but I'm still always looking for something.  If I ever find it I'll report back here.

[MomsHugs]

Coming from 5'8" with long arms/legs, I am having the same problem with the arm rest covering the center console. First thought I had was why the devil didn't they make it movable so I could slide it forward on longer trips. Second thought was to move my seat back & the steering wheel forward to compensate, which worked... somewhat. This is ripe opportunity for those 3rd-party folks to make us one that would fit tightly over ours with a padded front sticking out like a cantilever. Anyone???

[Kelleytoons]

Well, my first thought was to custom make something (cut out of foam rubber and covered with fabric) and if it bothers me too much I might do just that.  If that happens I'll post pictures.

 

We're taking the first long trip today in Maximis (to Fiesta Key beach, about 2 1/2 hours away) so it will be a good test to see if my throw pillow solution is acceptable or not.

[Brent Bevil]

Check this little gem out. http://www.ebay.com/itm/231291121005?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT  

 

Looks the part without being huge and it's adjustable.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Brent Bevil

[ArizonaEnergi]

That seller has a number of those arm rests. Here's the one for the Fusion: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Center-console-armrest-storage-box-elbow-supporting-for-FORD-FUSION-2013-2014-/331242872848?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4d1f9d2010

 

Very interesting.

[MichaelM]

Escape interior is very close to the C-Max. it may work if they don't have C-Max model specific.

[Kelleytoons]

Well, we took our long trip today and my pillow worked fine for me so I don't think I'm going to worry about it anymore.  It's still not the ideal solution, but things like that posted above wouldn't be either (one nice thing about the pillow is it is very adjustable -- coming back from our trip we both had water in each water holder and I was still able to use the pillow by just turning it sideways and positioning it between the water and me).  I also like the color matches so well (might take pics sometime -- got to clean up Maximis now from all the sand, though :>).

[MomsHugs]

This Red Line Black Leatherette Armrest fits the 2013 C-Max SEL, but not the 2014 (yet).

[MichaelM]

Wow, it's unbelievable but my company email today had a survey to ask about preferences for, 'yup, you guessed it', center arm rests. I answered with the consensus of the respondents to this thread and, who knows maybe in the near future somethings will change.   

 

Attention Drivers -- Armrest Feature Survey -- Responses accepted through Monday, September 15. Our product development teams ensure they are designing features for customers that are competitive and
innovative, the Interior Team is asking for your opinion on an Adjustable Center Armrest for your vehicle.

 

Who'd have thought.

[Kelleytoons]

I guess that would only be significant IF:

 

1) You worked for Ford and

2) They were talking about a C-Max like vehicle (or whatever it is I'll be interested in somewhere down the line :>).

 

Or, I suppose, you worked for some after market company that could make things to fit existing vehicles (but in the case of the C-Max I'd only be interested if it was something that would be so close fitting and replace what was there that it was seamless -- so far all the "solutions" folks have posted here don't seem any better to me than my pillow <g>).

[MichaelM]

Yes at least two of those are right.

[MomsHugs]

I think my bone-shaped pillow will do the trick as an arm rest extension in my C-Max.

Photo of one on Amazon -- http://www.amazon.com/Healthy-Living-Bone-Shaped-Pillow/dp/B008J7PH90

[kostby]

Anybody popped for one of those 3D printers of sufficient size?

I suppose you could craft an add-on nosepiece extension that fits over/anchors to the existing armrest.

[Kelleytoons]

My hunch is about this time next decade we'll all have those -- not necessarily the really large ones, but every home will have one to be able to print out small parts and such.

 

However, even if I did have one (and I also happen to have all the other tools necessary, like 3D software and scanner because, well, that's kind of my job nowadays) it wouldn't be the solution I'm looking for.  I want something soft, at least as soft as an arm rest normally is.  So the best that could do would be to give me a skeleton on which I'd still have to place some kind of cushion (and if I'm going to go that route I might as well just craft the whole thing out of harder foam, which I also have tools to do since I used to do a lot of puppeteering). 

 

Which I would do if the pillow I'm using didn't work (and may still give a shot down the road).  None of which is as good as a sliding armrest, though, so perhaps we'll see what MichaelM's cryptic posts have in store for us (if it's "waiting for the next Ford" that might not be an acceptable solution, though :>).