Which floor mats to go for ?

cnu · 28th April 2005, 00:10

Which type of floor mats should one go for - the rubber ones or the fabric ones ?

I think each of these has their own adv/dis-adv but which ones are more practical ? Expert comments please.

Thanks

iceman91 · 28th April 2005, 10:26

looking at the weather in bangalore these days and if you dont have a guy to wash your car and keep it spic and span every morning go for rubber mats. they are easy to clean do not leave any stains nor do they stink. very easy to clean.
fabric mats look good bt once wet or dirty will stink till you wash them and cannot be wiped dry....leave a mouldy feel to the car.
had fabric mats but through them out for the above reasons have rubber mats now.very happy

tsk1979 · 28th April 2005, 10:45

There are these transparent mats made of nylon/synthetic material which last much longer. Downside is that the material is a little slippery when wet so make sure buy one with grooves. They give the same grip as rubber but cost about 50% more. Rubber tends to crack and break

navin · 28th April 2005, 11:00

real gold embossed..with diamonds studs would be nice................just kidding..............

tsk1979 hit the nail on the head. i use these on my wife's car and they are better than the dealer installed "skoda" mats on my RS.

manaa45 · 28th April 2005, 11:55

as far as i know rubber, they will tend to crack only if they are directly placed on the hot bottom of the car. but with another kind of mats already there on the bottom, mats made of good rubber will remain good atleast for three to four years.

this is due to my experience with mats put in my accent for 3 years, which are not the HGP but are purchased from a business associate who manufactures them. they are simple but are with grooves and havent cracked or hardened.

then there are mats which are made from high quality are made from silicon rubber and that is what makes it transperant. they are of very good quality and give higher shelf life.

but rubber mats are always preferable to fabric mats as for the reasons already mentioned in other posts.

shubbhi

Rtech · 28th April 2005, 12:02

I use carpet mats in the dry season, and switch over to rubber for the monsoons. The mats only cost a few hundred rupee's, so its a buy-use-throw thing for me.

The car originally came with clear plasticy/rubber kind of mats which were dreadful! Would never stay in place and slide up under the pedals. Not sure what transparent mats you guys are talking about, but I sure don't recommend them to anybody.

iceman91 · 28th April 2005, 12:04

i too cannot stand the transparent prefer plain black rubber on the floor.
i know some one is going to bring it up that i have chrome finish....but those are reversible mainly on the black side!!!

cnu · 28th April 2005, 16:29

I read somewhere that carpet mats help in reducing outside noise into the car. Is this true ?

Rtech · 28th April 2005, 16:34

yes, that would be true. Notice what the hood insulators in Skoda's and Tata cars are made of as well. They absorb some of the noise.

mithun · 13th March 2006, 12:35

When I bought the car I got rubber mats for free from the showroom. But someone told me that there is a mat called "felt mat" which should me used below the rubber mats.

Is there any need to use any other mats just below the rubber mats OR can I use rubber mats alone ?

androdev · 3rd January 2009, 22:45

All the rubber floor mats I have seen are *NOT* designed to accommodate the floor-mounted accelerator pedal. How do you guys manage? I have chopped off a portion of the mat to accommodate the A-pedal, but the mat keeps creeping up the A-pedal after few hours of driving.

white_vdi · 3rd January 2009, 23:26

fabric mats are a pain to clean even during service as some dust always remains within. they just look good. rubber mat might not look that great but are a practical choice.

luvjascha · 4th January 2009, 11:11

What about the boot mat? Does it matter if it's rubber, fabric or is it recommended to get the transparent nylon/synthetic material mats for the boot too?

HappyWheels · 4th January 2009, 11:22

Check out the ones on JKDas's Safari. I think they are really nice one. I have them at my house and they are doing good duty.

ascertain · 4th January 2009, 11:35

In India, especially down south , where it's all about rains, rubber's the best you could go in for. Makes it easier to clean, plus the 'moisture stink' factor isn't there.

Once the fabric gets wet and soggy, I bet no one would want to touch it with bare hands

in the rubber mat section- go for grooved rubber black mats- you can see the mud, which will WANT to make you clean it (unless you keep the bedroom the same way!

) plus the grooves prevent spilling over.

The plastic sheet Idea isn't good at all- simply because they can't keep water localised to an area.

28th April 2005, 00:10	#1
cnu BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR/HYD Posts: 297 Thanked: 114 Times	Which floor mats to go for ? Which type of floor mats should one go for - the rubber ones or the fabric ones ? I think each of these has their own adv/dis-adv but which ones are more practical ? Expert comments please. Thanks
	(1) Thanks

28th April 2005, 10:26	#2
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/banga Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	looking at the weather in bangalore these days and if you dont have a guy to wash your car and keep it spic and span every morning go for rubber mats. they are easy to clean do not leave any stains nor do they stink. very easy to clean. fabric mats look good bt once wet or dirty will stink till you wash them and cannot be wiped dry....leave a mouldy feel to the car. had fabric mats but through them out for the above reasons have rubber mats now.very happy
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 10:45	#3
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,812 Times View My Garage	There are these transparent mats made of nylon/synthetic material which last much longer. Downside is that the material is a little slippery when wet so make sure buy one with grooves. They give the same grip as rubber but cost about 50% more. Rubber tends to crack and break
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 11:00	#4
navin Team-BHP Support Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Mumbai Posts: 25,176 Thanked: 9,264 Times	real gold embossed..with diamonds studs would be nice................just kidding.............. tsk1979 hit the nail on the head. i use these on my wife's car and they are better than the dealer installed "skoda" mats on my RS.
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 11:55	#5
manaa45 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: nerul, navi mum Posts: 357 Thanked: 49 Times	as far as i know rubber, they will tend to crack only if they are directly placed on the hot bottom of the car. but with another kind of mats already there on the bottom, mats made of good rubber will remain good atleast for three to four years. this is due to my experience with mats put in my accent for 3 years, which are not the HGP but are purchased from a business associate who manufactures them. they are simple but are with grooves and havent cracked or hardened. then there are mats which are made from high quality are made from silicon rubber and that is what makes it transperant. they are of very good quality and give higher shelf life. but rubber mats are always preferable to fabric mats as for the reasons already mentioned in other posts. shubbhi
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 12:02	#6
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	I use carpet mats in the dry season, and switch over to rubber for the monsoons. The mats only cost a few hundred rupee's, so its a buy-use-throw thing for me. The car originally came with clear plasticy/rubber kind of mats which were dreadful! Would never stay in place and slide up under the pedals. Not sure what transparent mats you guys are talking about, but I sure don't recommend them to anybody.
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 12:04	#7
iceman91 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: melbourne/banga Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 34 Times View My Garage	i too cannot stand the transparent prefer plain black rubber on the floor. i know some one is going to bring it up that i have chrome finish....but those are reversible mainly on the black side!!!
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 16:29	#8
cnu BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR/HYD Posts: 297 Thanked: 114 Times	I read somewhere that carpet mats help in reducing outside noise into the car. Is this true ?
	() Thanks

28th April 2005, 16:34	#9
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	yes, that would be true. Notice what the hood insulators in Skoda's and Tata cars are made of as well. They absorb some of the noise.
	() Thanks

13th March 2006, 12:35	#10
mithun BANNED Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cochin Posts: 2,195 Thanked: 268 Times	When I bought the car I got rubber mats for free from the showroom. But someone told me that there is a mat called "felt mat" which should me used below the rubber mats. Is there any need to use any other mats just below the rubber mats OR can I use rubber mats alone ?
	() Thanks

3rd January 2009, 22:45	#11
androdev Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2007 Location: bangalore Posts: 3,089 Thanked: 21,999 Times	All the rubber floor mats I have seen are NOT designed to accommodate the floor-mounted accelerator pedal. How do you guys manage? I have chopped off a portion of the mat to accommodate the A-pedal, but the mat keeps creeping up the A-pedal after few hours of driving.
	() Thanks

3rd January 2009, 23:26	#12
white_vdi BHPian Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: new delhi Posts: 857 Thanked: 38 Times View My Garage	fabric mats are a pain to clean even during service as some dust always remains within. they just look good. rubber mat might not look that great but are a practical choice.
	() Thanks

4th January 2009, 11:11	#13
luvjascha BANNED Join Date: May 2006 Location: BOM Posts: 429 Thanked: 2 Times	What about the boot mat? Does it matter if it's rubber, fabric or is it recommended to get the transparent nylon/synthetic material mats for the boot too?
	(1) Thanks

4th January 2009, 11:22	#14
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	Check out the ones on JKDas's Safari. I think they are really nice one. I have them at my house and they are doing good duty.
	() Thanks

4th January 2009, 11:35	#15
ascertain BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Cannanore Posts: 155 Thanked: 41 Times	Rubber-the lord of the car floors In India, especially down south , where it's all about rains, rubber's the best you could go in for. Makes it easier to clean, plus the 'moisture stink' factor isn't there. Once the fabric gets wet and soggy, I bet no one would want to touch it with bare hands in the rubber mat section- go for grooved rubber black mats- you can see the mud, which will WANT to make you clean it (unless you keep the bedroom the same way! ) plus the grooves prevent spilling over. The plastic sheet Idea isn't good at all- simply because they can't keep water localised to an area.
	(1) Thanks