Today I chucked in the bin the floor mats out of my MG ZT and quite frankly the interior is better for it in my opinion. Certainly looks tidier.
With exactly the same carpet trim as what underneath I wondered what on earth there purpose was?
They get under the pedals (sometimes). The retaining clips break. They curl up at the edges... Rubber ones just look plain tacky and hard to clean too IMO.
If your car has them why not take them out for a day and see how much tidier the floor looks.
The last time we discussed it was here....that ran to 155 posts - PU
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=17...8
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 08/11/2007 at 22:31
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try and sell a car where a heal has eroded a hole in the factory carpet,no matter what the mileage :-)
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>>The last time we discussed it was here....that ran to 155 posts<<
Is it possible that the answer to your question lies there?
I think that was my fault - a mismoderation, I should have put my bit in in italics - PU
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 08/11/2007 at 22:32
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Carpet mats are a sacrificial component - they take the wear and can be easily/cheaply replaced - it's a no-brainer, doesn't need any discussion.
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Well I was going to tack it on to the 155 post one. Not that this a Volume 2 thread or anything !!
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doesn't need any discussion.
Dead right.
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PU locked the thread on mats, since it's so obvious their purpose is to protect the delicate carpets beneath. So, in that case, what's the point of carpets in cars? Wouldn't it make more sense to use rubber flooring that can be cleaned with a sponge - on top of a layer of sound-insulating felt if necessary? Them as wants 'em can then always put replaceable carpet mats on top. I seem to remember my parents' 1970s Renaults had just that.
If we must have carpets, then I vote for the addition of porches to cars, where we can change out of our wet and muddy outdoor shoes, before we get in and make the place untidy. (Maybe this is the hidden point of those enormous 4x4s that I've been missing all this time.) };---)
Edited by WillDeBeest on 10/11/2007 at 12:45
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Having been brung up with rubber mats i can assure you WillDeBeest they are NOT the future,they are just grrreat in my transits but not in my cars,plus mats move around on the floor on top of rubber.
The Times have moved on, we all want carpets now, unless we live on unmade roads or like going off road :-)
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Surely the futures either Hardwood or Laminate flooring! just sweep off the bits, quick sponge an polish, so much more class ;-)
Billy
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you do need to add the occasional rug if you're going with hardwood or laminate flooring.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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does that mean i'll need to get proper floor polish or will normal car polish be ok for giving it a nice shine
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If going for a softwood make sure all women whether wife/girlfriend/secret lover/pavement pickup removes their high heals before entering the car as otherwise permanent marks will ensue........
Brought to you courtesy of bellyboy whos ahead of the times in most cases
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1 inch thick oak for bmw and jags
1.99 ikea laminate for all kia's
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Or you could go for the flag stone flooring as in one of the Top Gear conversions. IIRC it was in an old merc with armchairs and woodburning stove.
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as an aside what about wood paneling instead of some awful plastic for the dash area.
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Rubber mats are a good idea, step in dog pooh and you can hose them clean, prevents pooh going into expensive optional mats.
On a moderating note, this will be moved into the other mat thread later on (when I can be bothered) and that unlocked, obviously the topic fulfils a function in members' lives.....!
PS
Roomster comes with bespoke mats, which is more than a Beemer did the last time I bought one !
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 10/11/2007 at 15:48
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I had a car with rubber carpets in 1967. They made the car look even cheaper than it was. Eugh!
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L\'escargot.
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Carpets in cars appeal to the fitted carpet types I'd wager. The obvious, sensible, practical & hygienic choice is rubber overmats , with non-absorbent cord type coverings beneath. I always kit my car with proper rubber mats - result is an easy-clean interior & no accumulated ground in muck. Come resale time, the interior is spotless with no lingering undefinable smells. Unfortunately manufacturers do pander to the petty bourgeoise concept of luxury & fit (in the main) cheapo bonded carpet that quickly loses its pile & is difficult to clean. It's makes as much sense really as carpet in the bathroom, eeuurrgh.
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I've had cars in the past with rubber floors and mats...and thought they were awful (floors and mats that is) and now i've got cars with decent carpets i think they're great. Surely they must improve sound proofing as well as giving it a more luxurious air. No way i'd want to revert.
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I'd favour cushioned tiles myself, and replace the headlining with Artex. You could freshen it up with a coat of emulsion every few years. And perhaps wallpaper on the dash and the inside of the doors.
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one could always go into a carpet shop and ask for any old offcuts to cover the floor with,cheaper than wood and you could change the pattern every other week and instead of tints you could have swags at the windows (with pelmets for the low november sun)
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My 1929 Riley had curtains at the rear controlled by little cords. It made student days much more private in the back seat:-)
Not of course I did anything in it...(In case SWMBO reads this : I sold the car before I met her:-))
madf
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Ford Anglia vans had a wooden floor, the Escort van that replaced it had steel & plastic.
I like carpet mats, my right shoe doesn't get scuffed like it does on the inbuilt heel-pad fitted to most cars.
At about £40, carpet mats are good value, they can be thrown away at 100,000 miles when the car is sold on with pristine OE carpet.
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"Surely the futures either Hardwood or Laminate flooring! "
also the past. I saw a very nice restored Chevy Blitz buggy with wooden floors. I believe the Ford T had them also. Very classy and hardwearing. Easy to clean also.
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I've recently replaced carpet mats with more sensible plastic ones with a lip around the edge to stop water and muck running onto the carpets.
On a wet day I'm surprised at how much water is left on the mats if I'm in and out of the car a few times. That, usually dirty, water would just have seeped into the carpet mats before to fester until I could give them a good clean.
I would favour waterproof, hoseable interiors like the old Landies used to have. I mean, who takes their shoes off in the car to appreciate the lovely shag pile?
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Volvo have long had the best compromise. Proper carpets throughout, but with individually moulded mats with 1" lips for use in muddy conditions. The mats lift out, catching all the dirt which can be tipped away. The carpets are preserved for smarter occasions.
Or for real offroaders, old Landovers were best. High level floor with no cill, and open-weave bendy mats. The floor could easily be brushed out and then hosed down.
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It?s worth having carpets for sound insulation alone. Ever lived in a terraced or semi-detached where neighbours have replaced their carpets and underlay with wood block flooring?
Having read a review which suggested my Mazda6 could suffer a little from road noise, I also installed a set of their luxury carpet mats as additional insulation when I bought the car five years ago
I owned a mini in the 70?s with rubber mats. OK then, but not now.
Clk Sec.
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The father of a friend of mine converted an LDV 400 into a camper.He put in a tiled floor for the cooking area,looked good but must have added to the weight.
I had a Renault 4 van which came with astroturf in the footwells,it seemed to be a good compromise between carpet and rubber mat.
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Moved into the "locked" thread, I clearly underestimated the enthusiasm for bits of carpet :-)
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