Any alternatives to WeatherTech for floor mats?

[NJ-Cali]

WeatherTech gets $430 for California Floor Liners!

Same product for MB SL is $150. Go figure.

Anybody have suggestion for alternatives?

[RickLederman]

I bought the WeatherTech's and do like them. Yep a bit pricey but they work great. Some have had trouble with the right side not fitting perfectly, not me.

Rick

[arcticsilver997]

I like the protection they give but I also have the "bump" on the passenger side mat.

If you think $430 is ridiculous, guess what they charge for a 458 or 599.

That's right, $458 and $599 respectively. Fortunately for California owners they used the old F430 pricing! Amazing that a company can get away with this but when there is no competition....

[hotbmwm3]

The dealer has carbon fibre mats worth looking at

[mjc_123]

Originally Posted by arcticsilver997

That's right, $458 and $599 respectively. Fortunately for California owners they used the old F430 pricing! ..

are you serious?? I never noticed that. If that's the case, that is insult to injury. It's like they're saying " we can charge whatever we like." as much as I like to patronize US companies that manufacture locally, these kind of antics makes me think twice!

[hotbmwm3]

Originally Posted by mjc_123

are you serious?? I never noticed that. If that's the case, that is insult to injury. It's like they're saying " we can charge whatever we like." as much as I like to patronize US companies that manufacture locally, these kind of antics makes me think twice!

On first look, it may appear as simply Ferrari tax

But if the fundamentals are considered, it is probably a sensible pricing decision

The costs of R&D should be amortized based specifically on the SKU's contribution to revenues

The board of the company might make a decision to operate low volume produce as loss leaders but it would not be the norm

So the costs of development (and in this case tooling and I assume moulds) need to be considered specifically based on the 458's contribution to revenues

This is a smaller business, not apple or google.

Market forces are likely to occur in the next five years anyway, someone in the developing world will buy one item of each they make and simply replicate them for pennies

Then sell them as replicas or counterfeits

It's not really worth making anything in the USA anymore

Especially not cars, without government intervention into the supposed "free market" economy the US would have stopped making cars after the war

Let's hope niche products like floor mats can still be made in the US for a couple more years

It's pretty unlikely though given the developed worlds preference for cheap products from the developing world

Or do what Apple does and "pass off" it's made in china goods as being " designed in California", enabling a warm and fuzy feeling about buying outsourced products

Posted from my "designed in California device" because my buying habbits are no different than most consumers, and that's the problem, when we don't buy from the good guys like weathertech then the business closes down

And apple and it's made in china goods becomes the most valuable company in the world

Pricing them at the same price in dollars as the cars model designation doesn't help to justify what appears to be pricing based on what everyone learns in microeconomics 101, base the price on the perceived ability of the consumer to pay the asking price

If I were at weather tech I wouldn't be as disrespectful by being so obvious about the pricing

Consumers like to buy on emotion, and justify with logic, their pricing leaves it hard to not feel cognitative dissonance (buyers remorse when it's experienced post purchase)

Time for a pricing tweak by 10 dollars or so

[mtarvydas]

This topic drives me nutz and sorry if I offend anyone who has purchased the WeatherTech. For $698 you can get the Carbon Fibre Ferrari floor mats that do a great job of collecting the crap from the outside. They are very easy to clean and wash, look great against the rest of the carbon fibre in the car. Also a "California" signature on the driver's side and 2 prancing Horses ( Can't spell Cavllio ) for the punch down on the mats.

[Chrism@er-inc.com]

I purchased them. They did not fit nor look good so I returned them for full credit

[hotbmwm3]

Has anyone got some photos of the carbon mats installed in a car?

It's a lot for a set of floor mats

But I admit I have considered them

I have red carpet factory mats so I'm not sure I want to go away from my red factory mats unless they look amazing

And to pick up on a small difference, on my 2009 right hand drive car, when I lift the factory mats on the drivers side, I don't have a heel pad like in photos of LHD cars show

So no cupholder and no heel protector

[ELP_JC]

Do what I did for half the price . Then keep the stockers in the trunk when it rains. Color looks a little off due to lighting, but both the blue and cuoio are almost dead on; mats look OEM, and MUCH better than stock. By the way, ordered factory 'plugs' (not visible in photo) for a factory look, and to avoid the mats sliding forward (HATE that).
To really need a WeatherTech floor liner you need to drive in the crappiest conditions; can't imagine a Cali going thru that. Plus they must look like crap, but to each his own. Good luck with your decision.

[clockem]

Originally Posted by hotbmwm3

Has anyone got some photos of the carbon mats installed in a car?

It's a lot for a set of floor mats

But I admit I have considered them

I have red carpet factory mats so I'm not sure I want to go away from my red factory mats unless they look amazing

And to pick up on a small difference, on my 2009 right hand drive car, when I lift the factory mats on the drivers side, I don't have a heel pad like in photos of LHD cars show

So no cupholder and no heel protector

I have the carbon fiber mats in my 458. After only two weeks, the passenger mat's plastic coating started to come off. The dealer is contacting Ferrari. My experience would say DON'T BUY them. Way too expensive and they don't hold up (of course this is just my experience others may have had better luck)

[Mrosenthal]

Originally Posted by ELP_JC

Do what I did for half the price . Then keep the stockers in the trunk when it rains. Color looks a little off due to lighting, but both the blue and cuoio are almost dead on; mats look OEM, and MUCH better than stock. By the way, ordered factory 'plugs' (not visible in photo) for a factory look, and to avoid the mats sliding forward (HATE that).
To really need a WeatherTech floor liner you need to drive in the crappiest conditions; can't imagine a Cali going thru that. Plus they must look like crap, but to each his own. Good luck with your decision.

Love the look! How'd you do it? Do tell.

Thanks, Matt

[RickLederman]

Originally Posted by ELP_JC

To really need a WeatherTech floor liner you need to drive in the crappiest conditions; can't imagine a Cali going thru that. Plus they must look like crap, but to each his own. Good luck with your decision.

It is silly to lock up these beauties all winter! I drive mine in the snow & salt too, all year in NW Ohio. The WeatherTech keeps the salt out of the carpets.

Rick

[mjc_123]

Originally Posted by ELP_JC

Do what I did for half the price . Then keep the stockers in the trunk when it rains. Color looks a little off due to lighting, but both the blue and cuoio are almost dead on; mats look OEM, and MUCH better than stock. By the way, ordered factory 'plugs' (not visible in photo) for a factory look, and to avoid the mats sliding forward (HATE that).
To really need a WeatherTech floor liner you need to drive in the crappiest conditions; can't imagine a Cali going thru that. Plus they must look like crap, but to each his own. Good luck with your decision.

Please tell us where you ordered. I love the Weathertecs because I hate sand and dirt getting into the creases, seams and corners of the footwell so I rather sacrifice a little in the looks dept. they are also a bit slippery. however, once a while I do miss the feel of carpet.

[ELP_JC]

Originally Posted by Mrosenthal

Love the look! How'd you do it? Do tell.

Originally Posted by mjc_123

Please tell us where you ordered.

Happy to oblige gentlemen. Ordered them from Nick Forza Ferrari. I believe he's a contributor to this site, so all the better. Great guy to deal with. Mats fit perfectly (even better than factory ones), and feel a lot better too. Only thing I wish they had was a denser 'heel pad' rectangle (not a plastic/rubber one, like OEM), to avoid matting over time. But at least they're quite dense, minimizing the issue; only time will tell. I also highly recommend ordering the factory 'plugs' thru Ricambi, which are pretty cheap at $30 or so for the set of 4, to keep mats in place, and for a factory look. But most importantly, INSTALL THEM YOURSELVES; it's quite easy with any sharp blade. If you just measure from the stock mats, they'd be off. With the horse and binding in a different color, they add a needed contrast. I think the cost was $265 shipped, if memory serves me right. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Happy to contribute something after all the help I've received from this great forum. Take care folks.

[NJ-Cali]

Wow! I really didn't anticipate this many responses! That's what's great about this site....passion.

After reading all the opinions, i think my decision will be to go for the WeatherTechs and just suck it up.

I'll repost after they're installed - maybe with a few pix.

Thanks guys for all the help.

[RickLederman]

You made a good choice. I actually pulled my WeatherTech's for this summer so the carpets show for the car show season. Now with all the dirt in the carpets I am about to clean the dickens out of the carpet then put the WT back in.

Rick

[atomicskiracer]

Originally Posted by NJ-Cali

WeatherTech gets $430 for California Floor Liners!

Same product for MB SL is $150. Go figure.

Anybody have suggestion for alternatives?

I think that makes sense, on account that they will probably sell 1/3 on the Cali mats compared to the MB ones.

[mtarvydas]

Originally Posted by clockem

I have the carbon fiber mats in my 458. After only two weeks, the passenger mat's plastic coating started to come off. The dealer is contacting Ferrari. My experience would say DON'T BUY them. Way too expensive and they don't hold up (of course this is just my experience others may have had better luck)

OMG you are RIGHT! I thought the passenger side was dirty but it is definitely the plastic coating coming off. And I know the culprit - the wife's Louis Vuitton purse that she drags around under her feet. SH$T will have to contact the dealer.

[clockem]

Originally Posted by mtarvydas

OMG you are RIGHT! I thought the passenger side was dirty but it is definitely the plastic coating coming off. And I know the culprit - the wife's Louis Vuitton purse that she drags around under her feet. SH$T will have to contact the dealer.

Let me know what response you get and I will do the same. We likely have the "same purse issue"