Replacing 2003 cup holder

[Joe B]

After 2 years of putting my coffee cup in a foam holder in the center storage compartment, I finally found a nice used cartridge cup holder. My original one was broken. I'd like to install it, but I can't figure out how to get the central AC vent in the dash out. Removing the horseshoe surround piece was easy. I've done a thorough search, and saw one picture showing 2 clips that have to be opened with a long, thin screw driver, or barbeque skewers or something. All I managed to do was to internally disconnect the left vent slider from the vanes! Can anyone help me get the central vent out? It seems like there's no other way to replace the cup holder. This is for a 2003 with the weird, flip out cartridge cup holder. Pictures? Here's a link to a pic of the one I'm talking about:
https://www.google.com/search?q=boxster+cup+holder&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=iuZoU4aMGMnsoASxq4DoCg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1280&bih=585#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=RASV8K9aPEZD6M%253A%3BVlqJFqSE9dyPFM%3Bhttp% 253A%252F%252Fwww.****************************************************.com%252Fmm5%252Fgr aphics%252F00000001%252FG2CUPHOLDER.jpg%3Bhttp%253 A%252F%252Fwww.****************************************************.com%252Fproduct%252F9 965521830201C.html%253FCategory_Code%253DPOTEBXINd ash%3B350%3B265
Here's a pic of how to remove the central vent, which did not work for me:
https://www.google.com/search?q=boxster+cup+holder&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=iuZoU4aMGMnsoASxq4DoCg&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg&biw=1280&bih=585#q=boxster+central+ac+vent&tbm=isch&facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=nMPvXtV6CvWtEM%253A%3B7jF3ysyhUdMFiM%3Bhttp% 253A%252F%252F986forum.com%252Fforums%252Fuploads0 1%252F2002_upper_console1327518403.gif%3Bhttp%253A %252F%252Fwww.renntech.org%252Fforums%252Ftopic%25 2F42488-center-ac-ventcupholder-removal-2003-boxster-s%252F%3B285%3B345

I know they are an over-complicated, crappy design, and I should get an after market holder to clip on somewhere, like Eagleday, but I just want to replace the original one, so the car doesn't have broken parts in it, even if I don't end up using it at all!

Sorry for the ridiculously long links to the pictures, but I didn't know how to shorten them.

[Joe B]

65 views and no one can help ?

[BruceH]

Sorry, I have a 2001. My cup holders (the big ones) came out pretty easily, so easy in fact I don't remember exactly, that and getting older seems to have that effect on me There has to be some sort of clip that releases like you said via a thin screw driver or something similar. Good luck!

[BruceH]

Looking at a picture on Pelican looks like the clips are on top? Insert on both sides and it should pull out, hopefully.

[Joe B]

I'm taking it today to a body shop that I trust, before I screw something else up !