Ray Magliozzi

Dear Car Talk: I have some really nice rubber car mats that I took out of the last Lexus I leased. They are slightly too big for my new Lexus.

Is it possible to cut them down to fit the driver’s side of the vehicle?

Thanks. — Susan

Sure. Hack away, Susan.

I don’t know how thick the rubber is, but if it’s not super thick, you may be able to cut the mats with a heavy pair of scissors. Or prevail upon a friend with a jigsaw.

There is one caveat. Floor mats these days almost all have a way that they attach to the floor, to hold them in place. It’s often a snap or peg that fits into a hole in the mat. And that’s important. If a floor mat slides out of place, it can get in the way of your pedals — either creeping up atop the accelerator or, less likely, getting underneath the brake pedal. Neither one of those is conducive to safe driving.

So, check that your old driver’s side mat has the same connecting system that your new Lexus uses. And then factor in that fixed attachment point when you trim it.

If the attachment point is the same, and you only need to trim around the edges, then here’s my next suggestion: Visit your Lexus dealer with a roll of brown paper. Tell someone in the parts department that you’d like to have a look at a floor mat for your new Lexus. When they bring one out, get down on the floor, lay it on top of a piece of the brown paper, and trace it.

When they look at you like you’ve lost your mind, just smile and tell them you’re in art school, and you’re doing a still-life study of floor mats.

When you get home, you can then cut out the template, and lay it on top of your old mat, mark the connection point, and use that as a guide.

And if it doesn’t work — if it looks like the back of the head of someone who cuts his own hair after three Tequila Sunsets or the attachment point is wrong, then throw it out and go back to the dealer and buy yourself a new floor mat. Nothing will have been lost, except a little time, and your reputation at the dealership for sanity.

Got a question about cars? Write to Ray in care of King Features, 300 W. 57th St., 41st Floor, New York, NY 10019, or email by visiting the Car Talk website at www.cartalk.com.