You’ve had your car for years upon years. It’s stood loyal through thick and thin. Too bad the floor mats haven’t.
Your old ones have kicked the bucket so you’re having to buy replacements. You’ve got a lot to consider when you’re standing in that auto store. Like, what material do you want to go with this time?
You use your car a lot to get back and forth to work. Can any of the ones sitting on the shelf rise up to that challenge or should you order something sturdier online? To assist you in getting the best floor mat for your car, check out this quick buying guide.
Carpet
Carpet is a pure luxury to the feet. It might not be as luxurious as sheepskin floor mats but it will still impress anyone riding in the car with you. Most of the time carpet mats aren’t only a slab of carpet.
They come with some type of padding that not only feels nice to the feet but also restrict the amount of outside noise that makes it into the interior.
Besides having a quieter ride, you’ll also be able to customize your carpeting to get the interior look that you want. You’ll have a lot of options to play with in terms of colors and designs. The price range for these vary so there is a good chance that you’ll be able to find something great in your budget.
They will gather up dirt faster than other mats so you’ll have to vacuum them a lot more often. They also tend to wear out faster than sturdier mats such as rubber.
Rubber
Rubber isn’t as luxurious as carpet but it can be as comfy on the feet and bring sort of a classic look to your car. It’s also made out of quality heavy-duty rubber so it won’t wear out anytime soon. No matter how often you use your car.
On top of looking classy and being durable, they are easy to clean. All you have to do is take them out and spray them down.
They’re made with several deep grooves which make rubber mats pretty much waterproof. So, you may want to pick these up if you live in an area that sees a lot of rain or you’re clumsy and tend to drop drinks in your car.
Rubber doesn’t come in as many colors as carpet so your design choices are more limited. It also may not go well with your interior depending on what your interior looks like.
The price tag for rubber could make your wallet sad if you have them customized for your vehicle. They’re durable unless you park your car in an area that sees a lot of sun. If you don’t park in a garage then the rubber will start to crack over time.
Rubber mats are waterproof this is true but that doesn’t mean it won’t get wet at all. When this happens things will get a bit slippery.
Vinyl
Some people get vinyl and rubber a little bit confused but they can’t be more different. As you may know vinyl is a type of synthetic plastic. It has many of the same benefits of rubber so it’s often used as an alternative for it.
If rubber mats are out of your price range then you’re in luck. Again, vinyl holds a lot of the same features and is way cheaper. You’ll also have more choice when it comes to color and style.
Vinyl is also more resistant to harmful chemicals and moisture than rubber and carpet. Like rubber, if you park your car in the sun then your vinyl mat will curl up or crack. Vinyl also can’t take the extreme cold.
Vinyl is more durable than carpet but not as durable as rubber. You’ll still have to replace it after a while.
Features to Look For
Now that you know what you’ve got to work with as far as materials go, we’re going to go into more detail about features you should be looking for. The main ones you should be worried about are durability, clarity, and cling.
Durability
Vinyl and plastic are two different things. Plastic isn’t as durable by a long shot. If you use your car a lot it will wear down fast.
If you don’t want to have to replace it soon go with one of the more durable options.
Clarity
There are some mats that will fade over time if you park your car in the sun. That’s why you should look for a mat that states on the packaging that it won’t fade.
If the mat does have this feature listed and fades anyway most of the time the manufacturer will replace it if it’s under a warranty.
Cling
If your mat doesn’t have any traction then it will slip and slide around your floor. As you can imagine, this is a huge hazard. Get a mat that has some grip to it but not so much grip that it’s hard to take it out so you can clean it.
Picking Out the Best Floor Mat for Your Car
There will come a time when it’s time to replace your old, worn floor mats. When that time comes we hope that you’re able to use this floor mat buying guide to pick up the best replacement.
Look for something that’s durable, comfortable and matches up with the look of your interior. Happy shopping!
You’ll be doing good if the only touchups you ever have to do on your car are the floor mats. Check out some of our auto repair manuals when your car starts to act up.