You can change the fixings!

Just unscrew them anti clockwise you might need some pliers or something for leverage

Yep did the same to mine.

I just used wire cutters on them in front and back then fitted the vrs plastic screws

Looks better with the OEM vrs mats in.

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Looks spot on bud

I had the issue round the pedals too. Carpet just wouldn't fit right. I had to trim a little bit off in the end. Iirc the early golfs had throttle cables to the throttle bodies, the vrs was electronic so this probably explains the difference.