Do you really need floor mats? For a number of reasons the answer may be yes. You could think of them as a way to protect your investment. The actual carpet or flooring material in your vehicle can be very expensive and difficult to replace. Having something between it and greasy shoes or two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun with mustard and ketchup could have an effect on the resale value of your vehicle.

In addition to the protection they offer they can make cleaning easier and perhaps even make your vehicle look nicer. Being able to remove the mats to dump off debris and wash or vacuum is handy. To have matching color or custom logo on the mats can add to the “nice look” factor.

You do have some options. There are carpeted and rubber versions. The carpeted mats can be made of a variety of materials, but most offer a plush look and feel. The rubber mats are made of a rubber or plastic type of material and often have a raised lip around the mat to contain dirt and water.

There are many suppliers of mats. Many make universal fitting mats and some make custom fitting mats. Universal mats are made to fit a wide variety of vehicles. They can be a less expensive option, but they usually will not be a very good fit to the floor shape of your vehicle and there will be gaps and unprotected areas. Makers of custom fitting mats can be rather expensive, need time to make, and often will not color match or have your vehicle logos.

Genuine factory mats are made specifically to each year and model. Means they will fit correctly and the color of the mats will match the interior color. They will usually also have vehicle logo or model name on the mats.

Most genuine factory mats will have mounting attachments that match up to anchor points on the floor to make sure the mats stay where they belong. This is an Important safety feature that many aftermarket mats do not offer.

Do you need it? A genuine floor mat set ranks up there on our “do you need it” scale. If you want some protection for your flooring that makes cleaning easier and can even add a little “nice look” factor , they are the way to go. See our on-line catalogs for what types of mats are available for your vehicle. http://www.autopartspeople.com