Buy clear floor mats for new car?

October 22, 2007 1:12 PM

I just bought a brand new car and wondered about buying clear floor mats. The car comes with floor mats that are rubber on one side and carpet on the other side and right now I have them turned to the rubber side because we have wet weather. I live in a drier area of the Pacific Northwest but do not want my carpet dirty when we do get snow and slush. If I buy clear mats, are the ones at the local car supply store good enough? some people cut their own from the clear runners you find at office supply stores but that sounds like a pain. Any advice? Thank you!
posted by seekingsimplicity to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Not a direct answer, but I don't know why you wouldn't just buy these.
posted by Kwantsar at 1:22 PM on October 22, 2007

The cheap rubber ones from Target/Wal-Mart/K-Mart/Autozone/Checker/Wherever work just fine.
posted by The World Famous at 1:28 PM on October 22, 2007

The rubber floor mats with the little channels for water work really well. I think I got mine at Target or Wal-Mart. Kwantsar's link is pretty similar to the ones that I have.
posted by Ostara at 1:28 PM on October 22, 2007

I have the ones like Kwantsar's link; I buy them for every car that passes through my hands. I live in mud country, forever tracking wet leaves and gunk into the car, and these hold up to being hung up and pressure-washed at the car wash or on the driveway. They run a little larger than the carpet kind, as well, so they provide better coverage.

Clear floor mats are nice as long as you live in a dirt-free world. They look like crap with smudges and footprints all over them.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:07 PM on October 22, 2007

I used the clear rubber kind. They fade (?) turned to a gross yellow color after some time. In hindsight, for a few dollars more, I would go with the kind to that which Kwantser links.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 2:41 PM on October 22, 2007

What model/make car is it? Most of the time, the manufacturer makes rubber mats designed specifically for their cars. You can often find them online and at a dealership parts counter. Subaru made some really nice, thick rubber mats with water channels. I don't have the car anymore, but I still have the Subaru mats in my Mustang :)

I will say that these type of mats are a great thing to have no matter where you live. You just hose them out once a month and your floors stay really clean.
posted by ninjew at 4:32 PM on October 22, 2007