I want a floor mat for my '21 Touring. One supplier offers seconds for a lower price. My car is going , hopefully, to be a driver. I don't mind some imperfection in the mat. Anybody use one?
No, but why not? Who's gonna notice and if you can save some money....
Hmmm . . . how much money, and what kind of defects makes for a "second' ??
My experience with seconds in various products has been that the defects are minor cosmetic details. If the discount is significant, I'd go for it.
I wouldn't...first off, are they truly 2nds or are they just old? Usually the rubber of these mats gets rather brittle when it get old and it drys out some...I had some that were 30 years old, never been out of their box in all that time and I finally got a chance to put them into my car...they didn't last 6 months before they cracked and split everytime I had to remove them to get the the trans door or the rocky linkage or anything else under the floor boards. I got tired of patching them with duct tape, so I finally broke down and bought new ones, which have been in my car for 6 years now and haven't had a problem with them at all.
Who is the supplier? If you don't want to say here send me a pm.
Durability depends entirely on the source. Years ago I bought a new rubber floor mat for my Dodge from Andy Bernbaum, a much-advertised dealer in vintage Mopar parts. It was falling apart in six months. That and more recent unsatisfactory dealings with Mr. Bernbaum have persuaded me that he will never get another nickel from me. On the other hand, after more than thirty years the Lynne Steele rubber parts on my Packard are good as new. Unfortunately, you don't know if rubber parts are any good until after you buy them.
I've purchased T floormat 2nds from Smith & Jones at swap meets. Saved shipping and mats are flawed at the embossing of the ribs in places. But that is ok for use in my patina cut off touring Nellie. The smooth places in spots looks like old wear of the ribbing. Love 'em.
S & J is the supplier that I am looking at. The mat that is $40.00 drops to $30.00 for a second. I think I will try one.
I thought Snyder made the rubber mats? I bought a 2nd at Hershey once, and couldn't tell the difference! BTW, it would be nice if someone would make 1925 rubber mats for the wide cowl bodies.
I believe seconds are so designated for cosmetic reasons. If the rubber is good in the full price mats, it's good in the seconds. If it's bad in the seconds, it's bad in the full price items.
I guess the reason I haven't bought a mat is because the last one I bought in the late 90s didn't last long before it started cracking. I think about it every time I order something. I like those white tires but for one, I can't afford them, but if I could what if they turn immediately brown? I can afford a floor mat but I'd want it to last a while.
I would give it a shot.
Wouldn't a shot leave a hole in the mat?
Sorry, couldn't resist.