The new car smell is primarily from chemicals used in plastics called 'plastisizers'. They are additives that help to make the plastic pliable and prevent cracking. They are somewhat volatile in that they go into the air over time and produce a smell as well as evenutally, allow the plastic to crack more easily. They are not particularly good for one to breathe anyway.

Leather has it's own chemicals that are used to process the skin and also paints/stains that have volatile components in them.

Opening the windows whenever possible will help the speed of the smell going away as JDN said. That's the only real process that will help.

 

wslam, i have the same ionizer as rudy posted...for at least 4-5 years. you just need to leave it on for a day (couple days if the smell is too strong) and it should get better. if the smell stays, you can get a bigger one instead of this.

car ionizer (larger)

however, you'll get another smell from that little gadget (both have the same smell). it smells like you are ironing your clothes . hope this kind of smell won't create another problem for you .

btw, not too many places in hk are selling that kind of ionizer. they only have some small, cheap looking ones. not sure if those will work.

 

My car had neither that distinct new car smell or a strong scent of leather.

For air freshener, I enjoy meguiar leather conditioner/cleaner.

 

hi wslam good to see you here. i love that new car smell, the longer it stays the better.
if you really prefer not, just open all the windows and roof to air out the car, better yet if you can park the car with all these open. give it at least a week. in any case do not use any other add-ons, it will only make the scent worse.

 

I am a little slow, Beans!! Good stuff.

 

hahaha, what you should do is to replace the seats with old seats to solve your problem. I am complaining about the new car smell fading away after owning my E60 for 6 months. How about we swap cars?

 

This thread is gonna turn to one that reveals strange fetishes from all of you!
I can understand how the smell makes you feel that the car is 'newer' but to actually like the smell? I will really consider JDN's BEANs suggestion!

Do you all like the smell of gasoline as well?

 

I love the smell of the new car. It smells fresh and new.
Now I wonder about the air filters that are in the airconditioning. I thought they would get out odors such as these just like bad outside air?
I love the smell of the old style hi-test or premium. Never cared for the regular, don't care for kerosene or diesel either.
Seriously, where is the smell from? The carpet, headliner, adhesive behind all of these, the leather (I never smelled leather like this), the plastic dash?
In a couple of weeks of owning the car, I had to clean the inside of the windshield because of these volatiles. It needs it again.

 

With the high price of gas, I was thinking about that recently. When I was a kid, I use to love going to the gas station with my parents for that fresh scent of gas.

If I go to the gas station today, I can't detect the same scent. I don't know if it's due to emission standards or whatnot, but that scent just isn't there.

 

No wonder you're all messed up
Have you ever tried glue?


-paasan