Drivers Side Carpet Wear

Are you saying that the Weathertech mats also cover the left side foot rest to prevent the wear that occurs prematurely there?

 

I was going to buy an aftermarket mat but didn't want to pay, so I did this instead:
The car came with black Toyota floor mats, but because I'm silly I wanted to keep them clean, so I went to Home Depot and bought some black, thin, rubber-backed carpet off a roll for about $10 (US). Then I used the Toyota floor mats as a pattern and cut out some mats, which I place on top of the Toyota floor mats. So that is the carpet on the bottom, the Toyota mats on top of that, and my cut outs on top of that. Oh, I did make my patterns slightly larger so as to keep all the dirt on my $10 plus labor cut outs. I did replicate the hole in the driver's side where the hook keeps it from slipping forward. I attached it with heavy duty string, like a shoelace. Looked very good I thought.
That was fine and dandy until I read this thread, went out and noticed that sure enough, the mats don't protect the area at the front of the footwell under the brake and gas. So I got a piece of grey thin carpet for less than $2, again at Home Depot, cut it roughly to size, and secured it under my black cut out mat, tucked up and under the plastic trim pieces next to the gas and foot brake, and secured with a couple pre-existing bolts at the front part of the footwell. I think it looks fine because the grey carpet is thin enough to pretty well follow the contours of the floor where the left footrest drops down to the carpeted area. It is secure enough for me not to have any reason to believe that it could interfere with the accelerator or brake.
I do not bring a lot of water or dirt into the car with my feet, so this solution works for me. If I live in muddy or snowy places I'd probably buy a rubber aftermarket mat like the Weathertech. Heck, if I wasn't so cheap I would have done that, regardless.

In retrospect, I should have just extended my original cutouts forward enough to secure them in the front with the bolts. I'll do that if I've ever the need/desire to do it all over again

 

My Weathertech mats cover the left side.

 

That is why we need to do this.

 

Here is my solution, Weathertech Floor Liners.

Please excuse the dirt.

 

There are two things which have worked well for me on the issue, mentioned in posts in the thread, about keeping the carpet protected, and about Weathertech overflow.

First, I found that a couple cans of 3-M rug protector will more than cover the carpet so that any water etc which gets on them can be cleaned up in a reasonable time. (PS - I sprayed the carpeted floor mats too).

Second, when the weather has been severe enough that I get any real amount of standing water in the Weathertech's, I get it out. Used to use throw-away rags from O'Reilly, but found a small (and easily carried) $25 shop vac which can pick it up quickly and easily. Results are that, despite some deep snow etc., no overflow at all.

The issue of the extra wear where you foot rests is one I'm still trying to figure out how to handle. I may visit my local upholstery shop and see if they can sew something into that area -- don't know if it should be leather, plastic, or something else.

 

So, with just over a year on the car, do you think the bald spot on my carpeted mat would be covered under the bumper-to-bumper?

 

What do you think?