[Jon]

Another crucial development on the new-car-smell front .

It looks like this "new-car-smell-causes-cancer" thing is starting to hit the mainstream. New automotive interiors are known to give off very small amounts of VOC's that typically dissipate in under six months. The odor is psychologically associated with the good feeling of getting a new ride, and, considering the very minor VOC content, it probably gives people a very slight "buzz". Anyway, much to the dismay of those with new-car-sniffing habits, this is now becoming the newest "auto-safety" issue.

This isn't getting much play in America, but Japan and Australia are now spending resources on reducing the level of VOC's in new cars.

More info, from various perspectives:

USA Today
Detroit Free Press
EarthTimes.org

Oddly enough, it looks like the Japanese automotive industry is looking to replicate the same odor, but without the apparently harmful side effects.

[BarryK]

Yep, the media will make a big issue out of this.

What they are not telling you is the risk of cancer would fall in line with the following.

Wife getting fingernails done.
Wife dyeing hair.
Working outside for a day around a major city.
Driving a convertible or a motorcycle through a major city.
Shaving to often with a razor blade.

Someone just had too much time on their hands!

[Ghetto Jet]

Someone tell Australia and Japan to wrap up those VOC's and send them to me. I would like to let them loose in my Accord. Seriously, in the past six months my Accord has smelled like:

-Cigar smoke
-Fabreez
-Root beer
-Upholstery/Carpet cleaner
-Beer (not spilled by me)
-Fabreez again
-Carpet/Upholstery cleaner again
-a couple different kinds of perfume (again not mine, usually only sticks around for a day anyway)

Right now the car smells like the vanilla Yankee Candle air freshener I rammed into one of the center vents.


Does anyone sell a product that actually smells like new car smell?

[Jon]

Originally Posted by Ghetto Jet

Does anyone sell a product that actually smells like new car smell?

A new car dealership?

Try googling for "new car scent" (with the double-quotes enclosing the term). There are some aftermarket products available, not sure if any of them smell like the "real thing".

Here's an interesting article from a British used-car retailer developing the scent with "scentologists".

Even though it's purely psychological, many of our customers claim they preferred the special smell you get when a car is new. Given that it's an influential factor in the driving and buying experience for some buyers, we've decided to try out the new scent in selected forecourts to assess customer reactions, after which we'll consider rolling it out nationwide."

Full text: http://www.carpages.co.uk/vauxhall/v...echo=920572409

[Ghetto Jet]

Originally Posted by Jon

A new car dealership?

hehe, wise guy, lol.

A found a couple products, they seem sketchy though. I found that the true smell comes mostly from the adhesives used in the interior. I must find these adhesives.

[poncho62]

Guess I will never get cancer......have never had a new car. Right mow my newest is an 83...........................

[BarryK]

Originally Posted by poncho62

Guess I will never get cancer......have never had a new car. Right mow my newest is an 83...........................

*********************************************
Well you will be happy to know you are still exposed to the VOC's.

The plastic used in these cars are normally made of TEO and TPO very cheap to make plastics.
They continue to deteriorate from the day they are made (releasing solvents)
Until they reach a point where most of the solvents are gone and then they crack from shrinkage.
Once the cracking starts you can figure your pretty safe!

[poncho62]

Originally Posted by BarryK

*********************************************
Well you will be happy to know you are still exposed to the VOC's.

The plastic used in these cars are normally made of TEO and TPO very cheap to make plastics.
They continue to deteriorate from the day they are made (releasing solvents)
Until they reach a point where most of the solvents are gone and then they crack from shrinkage.
Once the cracking starts you can figure your pretty safe!

I'm golden then....my seats are generally all cracked and split when I buy the heap.

[NXS]

I'm late for work but I did a quick search



I heard before that PVC & the softner used to make it "soft" is a female hormone or something. something about barbie dolls and new cars being sexy

http://www.besafenet.com/pvcnewspage1.htm

[gator412]

I worked at a Datsun / Pontiac dealership in the late 70's and I had to replace the seat covers in some new cars cause they were found to be giving off noxious fumes. The EPA was fat with bucks then and going after everything then....this was the beginning of the "superfund". Anybody remember that?

[Kevin45]

I worked at a Datsun / Pontiac dealership in the late 70's and I had to replace the seat covers in some new cars cause they were found to be giving off noxious fumes.

That was from the assembly line workers sitting in the new cars after a night at the local chili house