MotoringFile Review: Pooch Style Car Mats
If you own a dog and a MINI, it’s likely the two come in contact from time to time. And when they do there’s usually a cringe-worth moment the first time those little paws hit the seats. Pooch Style’s car mats are intended to eliminate that moment.
We tested a black seat mat to see if it not only stood up to our tests but our dog’s as well.
When I opened the kit I could not help noticing the care that went into packaging the cover and the included information, instructions and even a biscuit for the pooch. There’s no question Pooch Style makes an effort to thank you for your purchase. It’s obvious that they are a small company who aren’t afraid to show that personal touch – something I appreciated.
Each cover comes with its own bag to stow it when the pooch is not a passenger. Right out of the box I could clearly see that the seat cover and bag where top quality and well constructed.
My test cover was black with checked piping at the edge. Sporty without being too obvious I though. I read the included instructions and had my back seat covered in seconds. While I was initially worried that a pooch could theoretically pull the cover down and expose the seat back, I found that once the cover is installed it will not slide out of place to expose the seat.
To buckle mans favorite copilot in, with a proper pet harness of course, you simply open the hook and loop seam fully exposing the seat belt.
The protection offered by the cover is from top to bottom and it stays in place even while the pooch moves around on the seat. In fact while removing the cover I was able to appreciate how well it stayed on the rear seat. It was easy to remove but there is no chance of it moving around or coming off on its own.
Both the dog and myself are generally pretty easy to please. A product that is sold for an honest price but a great company and performs flawlessly pretty much does the job. I would recommend this to anyone with a furry co-pilot that wants to protect your seats from hair scuffs or dirty paw prints.
You can find out more about Pooch Style’s MINI related products at their website: Poochstyle.com
MF Score: 4.0 (out of 5)
For some context, here’s a peak at how the entire MF Rating system plays out:
5 – Perfect and a must have.
4 – Excellent with little downside.
3 – A Solid buy with one or two trade-offs.
2 – Okay but there’s room for improvement.
1 – Why am I reviewing this?
Aren’t dogs supposed to be belt restrained inside cars?
One of the first accessories I bought for my 2007 MCSC was a Pooch Style mat. It’s been great. And the company is fantastic. I had a few issues when I first got it regarding with how well it stayed put and the size, and the company made some changes to their design based on my feedback and sent me a free replacement. And just recently they made some further design changes to help keep the cover in place better when the top is down and the dog is not on it, and they offered to add the modifications to my current cover for free!
And as C4 says, you ABSOLUTELY MUST have your dog buckled in. Without a seatbelt, in an accident or emergency stop s/he will go flying without something to hold them down. They should be as mandatory as baby seats. I personally use and recommend the one sold by Champ K-9. It’s one if not the best on the market. I buckle it right to the child seat latch. One warning – unlike Pooch Style, Champ K-9’s customer service is horrible and slow. But it’s worth the wait. I feel very safe driving around with the top down and the dog in the back.
The Pooch Style mat is not only incredibly functional, the quality of the sewing is very high quality. Juliana and her mom do an amazing job with these mats. I’ve bought many lesser-quality yet higher-priced items at dog boutiques to save my car from MiniMutt damage but nothing can compare to the Pooch Style mats. For the money, I’ll go with Pooch Style!
+1 Buckle in the pups.
If found out about PoochStyle.com from some NAM postings about a month ago while researching whether the Clubman could work as my dog transport car. I noticed on their site the various options and that cargo area covers were and option with Clubman versions coming soon. I sent an email to inquire about that.
My initial email led to several emails back and forth and a couple phone conversations with Juliana and I soon had a custom cargo cover two weeks before I had a car. I was just floored by the responsiveness and attitude of Juliana. This purchase was probably the best buying experience I have ever had.
The item itself is very well made and the little touches mentioned in the review are a nice surprise in today’s world. I wish the cover was wider right behind the seat, but otherwise it covers the floor very well.
I wholeheartedly reccomend Poochstyle.com.
Jim
02 DS/W MCS
08 HC/S Clubman
I just had to say, very cute long-haired dachsie in the photo! Looks like the long-haired version of my sister’s little guy.
I don’t currently own a dog but plan to in the future, so thanks for the review. The Pooch Style mat looks like a very useful product!
I bought a pet sheet cover for my BMW from the dealer, and now used for my MINI cooper. It was a bit oversized, but perfectly fit on MINI. The material is quite durable, and you may taka a look at any BMW dealer.
WRT harnesses. Personally, I have never seen one that would actually keep the dog in place or keep them from moving less than 3 or 4 feet in a collision before a whiplash style stop, so I am not sure it will do much to protect the dog at all. Plus, have any harnesses been crash tested?
<blockquote>Plus, have any harnesses been crash tested?</blockquote>You didn’t Google it!
<a href="http://www.immioutdoors.com/petbuckle/sledtest.htm" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.immioutdoors.com/petbuckle/sledtest.htm</a>
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_yyCS49D6k" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_yyCS49D6k</a>
I just purchased a PoochStyle dog mat, and I love it. They provide friendly, personal service, and I got TWO dog biscuits with my order! 🙂 Seriously, it is a very well constructed and stylish seat cover. The velcro seams allow you to use your seat belts if you like. Excellent workmanship, excellent product.
Thanks for the review Ken. I think something like this is a great review, if for nothing else to identify a good product that others may not have been aware of.
One additional question for your review: How well does it cover the cargo area if you flip the seats down and use it on the back of the seats?
I purchased one a while back and it’s been great. The design could be further improved by making it more “one seat down” friendly, but the current fit, material and construction are already very good. Very impressive customer service as well.
Has anyone compared these to the factory cargo cover? I know they seem to be about as expensive.
Nobody mentioned (perhaps it is too obvious to mention?) how well this cover doubles as a way of protecting the back seat from the harmful effects of children? Children are wonderful treasures, of course, and not harmful terrors, but sometimes their wonderfulness gets out of control. And what about protection from the indentations that kid seats make in MINI upholstery?
So Ken, 4 outta 5? Downside was?
Bought my first poochstyles cover at the dragon last year and loved it. Since then we have purchased a cover for when the seats are down and the boot is exposed (cabrio) and they have held up very well. On top of that my wife decided she wanted one for her Volvo V70, poochstyles designed one for us and my wife never removes the pad. Awesome company and product.
Michael
<blockquote>DeathCab4QT Apr 10th, 2008 Link
So Ken, 4 outta 5? Downside was?t</blockquote>
As someone else pointed out it would be nice if it were possible to split the cover when the need to lay one seat down to carry longer items. I was surprised to find this was not an option. With the flexibility of Pooch Style they will probably find a way to offer this type of seat cover.
<blockquote>Kevin Apr 10th, 2008 Link
Nobody mentioned (perhaps it is too obvious to mention?) how well this cover doubles as a way of protecting the back seat from the harmful effects of children? Children are wonderful treasures, of course, and not harmful terrors, but sometimes their wonderfulness gets out of control. And what about protection from the indentations that kid seats make in MINI upholstery?</blockquote>
While writing the review I almost included the idea of using this cover with children in the car. I just could not imagine anyone letting the little ones eat ice cream while driving the twisties. But it did cross my mind. The cover would come in handy with little ones in the back on a long trip.
<strong>Kennedy</strong>, The cover works just as well with the seats down. My car gets used to haul all kinds of stuff and the cover works fine. I do recommend consulting with Pooch Style to be sure you get a cover that will fit you MINI and your needs.
Long time readers will remember this product:
<a href="http://www.bridger.us/mini/accessories/unreleased&new/pages/A0039721.htm" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.bridger.us/mini/accessories/unreleased&new/pages/A0039721.htm</a>
a rear seat cover for Victor the Cleaner motoring goodfellas.
I have the cargo liner for the R53 – which completely covers the rear seat and cargo area up to and including the rear tailgate, side panels and rear of the front seats. In addition to the dog, I’ve used it for transporting goods without damaging the MINI’s finish. Highly recommended accessory.