I've been racking my brain to find an alternative use for the ipod holder in the armrest. Putting the player in there is not at all useful or pleasant to look at with all the hanging cords. It must be useful for something though... any thoughts? --Michael

I've been racking my brain to find an alternative use for the ipod holder in the armrest. Putting the player in there is not at all useful or pleasant to look at with all the hanging cords. It must be useful for something though... any thoughts? --Michael

about the only use i found

I have a little multitool which fits in there without rattling around. I wish they'd do away with that feature and put a decent padded armrest on top of the console.

My cell phone luckily fits perfectly. Other uses could be a handy place to store registration and proof of insurance. Toll tickets. Box of Good and Plentys. Beeper storage. Receipt storage. Little pad of paper for notes. Loose joints... no wait.. ummm errr I mean toothpicks... ummm

I've been racking my brain to find an alternative use for the ipod holder in the armrest. Putting the player in there is not at all useful or pleasant to look at with all the hanging cords. It must be useful for something though... any thoughts? --Michael

You need to go to an electronics store...you can buy a small wireless card transmitter that you put into the bottom of your ipod, then you tune your radio to the same radio channel you set the card to. The things no wider than the ipod Nano I got, and approx 2 inches long.
No wires, and you can flip back the ipod holder while listening to it, and it stores away out of site.
THERES NO WIRES EITHER!!.
I got mine for i think it was 30 bucks..well worth it. I can also leave the nano in the holder and run the charger cable to the DC outlet on the console. Thats very well hidden as well

I keep my phone travel charger/cord in the slot.

But, how about a stash of snickers bars??

Ok, it's pretty much useless. Like nc said, how about a better arm rest.

I agree, it's totally useless. The upper part of the armrest slides forward but you can't do it using your right hand because it doesn't move smoothly and the grip under it is too shallow. And the surface of the armrest is so hard! It gets very annoying on long trips. Same as the armrest on the door.

You can't really put anything in the ipod holder because the end of it is open and if you pull up the top part of the armrest whatever it is that you have in the ipod holder will fall on the rear seats floor.

Designers at Chrysler, was it really that difficult to design a better armrest?

Since I have the iPod kit I lose my Sat presets if I jump back and forth between modes so I keep a little chart in there listing out each station so I can change them all back at a red light without guessing.

Nothing but toll tickets. Coins rattle a lil bit.

The whole center consule needs redesign, but I know they probably picked a predesigned one to save money, yada yada....
Back to topic, someone suggested the small thing of tissues - which I thought was a good use of the space. I personally use it to stash a couple bucks for gas or other emergencies when my card doesn't scan or something. ipod fits under the radio just fine for us :)

I keep a glasses cleaning kit in there.

+1 on the "toss it in favor of a padded armrest" sentiment. I'll also agree with the need for a redesign of the center console, from the dash back. It could have been done in a way that is more usable.

Whichever idiot thought that it would be a "cool" idea to have a sliding armrest with a useless protruding arm should be fired...

It's easily one of the things I hate the most about the Patriot. The damn armrest slides back and forth at its leisure, and the arm, well... I frankly can't find any great use for it to ever be opened.

I actually got an iPod Classic for Christmas...but it doesn't seem to fit in the holder!! I can force it in at an angle, but then you can't read the display or operate the controls very well...I usually just end up laying it in the slot on the top at an angle, and picking it up if I want to change anything. If it would stick in there flat with a clear view of the screen/controls, I could see simply leaving the iPod in the holder and just folding it down when it wasn't in use. I don't know if a Nano would work better or not, but it certainly doesn't encourage iPod use as it's currently set up.

That thing is completely useless...even more so if you have a manual trans, there's no way it could be open and shift gears. They should have had an upgrade available with a plush top and no ipod holder.

I put my airfresheners in it now, so I don't have to have the lil yellow tree visible. I'll prlly stick a pad of paper and a few golf pencils in there, maybe the kleenex....something that won't get used that often.

Keep some decks of playing cards. That way you don't have to go fishing around in the bottom for them when you want them.

Small package of kleenex.

My previous auto was a Subaru Outback. It had an eye glass compartment in the ceiling. Got the Patriot, where can I keep my sunglasses? I found the ipod holder to be perfect.

don't even get me started on the arm-rest. completely useless piece of engineering....

Small package of kleenex.

times two

Luckyly, my Canon digital camera fits right in the "ipod holder". I used to always keep my camera in the center console in my previous cars... Otherwise... useless!

I have never used mine as I have the REC radio and there isn't an IPOD port on it. My phone is too fat to fit and still be able to get it out easily(PDA type of phone).


It's easily one of the things I hate the most about the Patriot. The damn armrest slides back and forth at its leisure, and the arm, well... I frankly can't find any great use for it to ever be opened.
Wheezy,
I read somewhere that if you put the fuzzy side of velcro tape on the track of the armrest it will stop the console lid from sliding too easily.

I cut a hole in the side for the charger cord and now use the holder for my Motorola V3M phone with VZ Navigator. Works great!

I just drove a hair over 500 miles in my new patriot. My longest trip yet. I have two complaints. The first is the crappy console-armrest. My right elbow is actually SORE from resting it on the armrest. The second is the head rest. It is just as uncomfortable as the console.

I am thinking of having my mother make me some kind of cover to go around the armrest (padding) then take that "pad" somewhere to get it wrapped in leather.

The flip up hidden compartment is something I am willing to live without, for some added comfort!!!!

My previous auto was a Subaru Outback. It had an eye glass compartment in the ceiling. Got the Patriot, where can I keep my sunglasses? I found the ipod holder to be perfect.

X2, I will try the sunglasses holder. Thanks!