Fixing down mats

[Susanna]

I don’t know if I am doing something wrong, or I am just a bit weak!

I really struggle to fasten the car mats. I can turn the ‘buttons’ a tiny bit on the drivers side, but the passenger one is impossible. Should the mats push right down? Mine seem to sit a bit above the actual car carpet, so I am wondering if this is the reason the buttons are so difficult to twist and lock.

 

[ARealHuman]

In the gen1, the holes in the mats align with the twisty bits on the car floor. Pressing the mats over the twisty bits makes the plastic bevel of the hole in the mats flat enough to turn the twisty bits so they lock the mats in place. They twisty bits do require a bit of effort to turn, but they aren't too hard. Perhaps the bevel on your mats isn't flat enough to make twisting the twisty bits as smooth as it can be.

I hope that helps and that my technical jargon hasn't added to the confusion!

 

[N2STY]

I don’t know if I am doing something wrong, or I am just a bit weak!

I really struggle to fasten the car mats. I can turn the ‘buttons’ a tiny bit on the drivers side, but the passenger one is impossible. Should the mats push right down? Mine seem to sit a bit above the actual car carpet, so I am wondering if this is the reason the buttons are so difficult to twist and lock.

Did not have a problem is it down to the quality of the mats?

 

[steve1973]

I struggled with mine but managed to do it in the end. My problem was the drivers side having ordered a thicker mat.

 

[Gadget Geek]

My car unespectedly came with mats, and the passenger side wasn't fastened down. I had to put all my weight against the mat to be able to turn the fixing.

 

[Roldorf]

Same on mine and I have the original MG mats that came with the car.

 

[Les burrows]

Hi Susnna they are very tight on all models my 5 And the wife’s 4 is the same I just use a pair of pliers on ours to turn the toddles hold the pliers at an angle and apply a bit of pressure on the jaws and turn same to replace
Les

 

[Susanna]

Thank you all for your replies and helpful suggestions. I have the original MG carpet mats, and it seems my struggles are not unique. It makes me feel a bit better knowing I’m not being daft. I will try using pliers, and maybe, over time, they will become less stiff.

Edited to add - using the pliers worked! Thank you @Les burrows

 

[Vipar]

I used a small spanner upright and a screwdriver to turn it plus a bit of washing up liquid.

 

[Bluesparky]

we bought a used zs, had to pay mg extra for mats , didn't notice for several months that the holes in the mats do not quite line up with the fixings. I assume mg have been lazy and given us new shape mats instead of gen 1 , although the cheap feel of the mats wouldn't surprise me if it was just poor manufacturing.

 

[Les burrows]

we bought a used zs, had to pay mg extra for mats , didn't notice for several months that the holes in the mats do not quite line up with the fixings. I assume mg have been lazy and given us new shape mats instead of gen 1 , although the cheap feel of the mats wouldn't surprise me if it was just poor manufacturing.

Yeh I have also noticed that to its not to bad on our MG 4 but that only as fixings on the drivers side, which is not good but now I’m on my 2hd MG5 and they are worse still on both sides of both car, bit like the bulging in the under tray on the 4 the fixing holes for that for that I don’t think or quite inline making it bulge maybe Chinese tape measures have some differences to ours who knows
Les