Old school: I used to order this stuff (along with seat covers) from J.C. Whitney. It’s pretty clear from the malfunction(s) on their website that they are fading out. Rock Auto doesn’t seem to sell this sort of thing. Any advice on where to go? Also, what are the good brand names? There seem to be a few on Amazon, but it’s hard to find what you need in the maze…any advice appreciated.
If you want the best–and are willing to pay for it–you can’t beat WeatherTech floormats, made by MacNeil Industries.
In addition to a perfect fit for your particular make and model, one of the more attractive things about their product is that their mats are manufactured in the good old USA.
We have had Huskey floor mats in our last four cars and trucks. I can’t think of any mat we would rather have. They are custom fit for your car and are very easy to keep clean. On our cars older then ten years, they still function great.
I see these are heavy duty things. This is more of a city car, and I’d be looking for more carpet-like mats, but still kind of heavy duty, and definitely custom fit.
I’ve been happy with Weathertech mats in one car, and Lloyd carpet mats in another:
http://lloydmats.com/
Not cheap, though…
“This is more of a city car, and I’d be looking for more carpet-like mats”
City usage or no city usage, IMHO it comes down to this question:
Do you ever have occasion to get into the car during the winter when there is snow adhering to your shoes/boots?
If the answer to that question is “yes”, then carpet-like mats are not very practical and something like the MacNeil WeatherTech mat is much more functional.
If you want custom mats, either of these mentioned are the way to go. If you don’t want the advantages of these liners, either one, just go to Sears, Walmart auto section or any auto parts store and by a pair of junker rubber mats with carpet inserts to throw in there. Thought you wanted something good ? I don’t know why you would want a carpet mat that requires cleaning to cover a carpet to prevent it from needing the same thing. Elastomer mats from Huskey are light and very easy to handle and “empty” and clean. Isn’t that the whole idea ? To get the dirt and moisture out of your car as quickly and easily as possible without damaging moisture soaking into your carpet and encouraging mold and odors.
I’ve looked at 5 different places today for affordable front mats at least 20" in width. $25 is about the lowest there is.
JC Whitney does have mats, including Weathertech and Lloyds. I had no problem locating them on the JCW site. The prices are reasonable, but neither is inexpensive.
http://www.autosportcatalog.com/ Might not be quite as cheap as you expected but if you put in your year/make/model you can usually get the mats cut to fit that vehicle and in a choice of colors. They have a variety of styles and brands with varying price points.
I’d prefer either factory or weather tech all weather rubber mats myself. Does come in handy particularly the cargo liner which can take the accidental milk spill and be washed out easily.
This is a car, not a pickup. So I am imagining that the Weather Tech floor mats might be stiff and hard to remove in cold weather, without spilling the contents. Maybe also the Lloyds rubber mats. Anyone know about that?
The Weather Tech’s aren’t real stiff, but they are large, so some careful maneuvering is needed if there’s much liquid in it.
The WeatherTech mats retain their flexibility, even in very cold temperatures.
So, JCW doesn’t know there is a Touring trim for the hybrid, and autosportcatalog doesn’t even know that there is a hybrid. New chimpanzees are needed for website design. Any other ordering outlets particularly recommended?
I like Summit Racing for stuff like this. Don’t let the “racing” in the name fool you, they carry WeatherTech liners at decent prices as well as replacement (not just racing) parts.
Also www.carid.com They carry interior accessories. I bought MacNiel window shades from them. Good service, wide selection.
Some years back, I bought a Weather Tech cargo mat for the rear space in my 1990 Ford Aerostar extended minivan. It worked quite well and fit very well. I think I ordered it from J.C> Whitney. I am thinking of ordering another Weather Tech mat for the cargo space in my 2011 Toyota Sienna.
You can get floor mats from Weathertech, There also might be a local authorized dealer that would be willing to show you at least a sample to see if the mats are too heavy or bulky to remove. There are a few companies that make custom fit carpet mats as well but for most of us the rubber mats make more sense.
Huskey mats are cheaper, lighter (plastic polymer) very durable and very easy to “dump” water and debris out of.
Melott, do you think it might help us to help you if you told us what you’re driving?
I have places I go specifically for things like this for my car, perhaps if we knew what you’re driving we could refer you to a source that specializes in your make.
So, I just bought a new 2014 Toyota Avalon Hybrid (Limited). I have also ordered the Lloyds Rubbertite floor mats and trunk liner from Autoaccessories garage. A lot of manufacturers and/or websites had nothing for the hybrids. These are medium-weight flat rubber things.
I might put some carpet inserts on the floor inside the car. Or not. But my base has been ordered.
Thanks for all the advice, everyone.