New car smell on the way out?

salty · 09-26-05, 09:59

I seen an article that some Japanese car makers are toning down new car smell, for health reasons, and it is expected that others are to follow. I know that most people like the smell.

Do you think it is a big deal? for sales or health or does it matter.

Lots of people apply vinyl protectant, though most not solvent based.

The same could be said about air fresheners. Bad for health.

truzoom · 09-27-05, 02:46

I've become somewhat tired of the new car smell, and I know that evaporating glues and materials can't be too healthy for breathing. Now the smell of luxury car leather is a different story...

a.k.a. Patrick · 09-27-05, 04:07

Quote:

Now the smell of luxury car leather is a different story...

I hate to tell you, but that "new leather" smell....It's artificial. After all the tanning process, leather is stripped of what we consider "leather"smell.
That leather smell you smell in all those products, as well as leather? Its added.

Carlos_B5 · 09-27-05, 04:12

i really dont use eny of the products that offers smell, i really just clean my leather seats, and a nice smell (leather maybe) comes out nicely, the thing is just not to let the interior small bad .

truzoom · 09-27-05, 05:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by a.k.a. Patrick

I hate to tell you, but that "new leather" smell....It's artificial. After all the tanning process, leather is stripped of what we consider "leather"smell.
That leather smell you smell in all those products, as well as leather? Its added.

aw man.

zippymbr · 09-27-05, 05:09

The new leather smell is dependant on what the leather in tanned in. I worked in a luggage and leather goods store while going to school. We had some cheap briefcases that wee make in Mexico. Customers would open them up and breath in deeply saying "I love that leather smell". Little did they know they were smelling cow urine which was used the tan these cheap cases. It was so hard to keep a straight face.

Setec Astronomy · 09-27-05, 05:26

We've talked about "new car smell" before and as Patrick says, in today's (higher-end, anyway) cars, it's engineered. See here.

salty · 09-27-05, 09:15

Very interesting article. I just took it for granted that it was solvents and such. I never thought it was marketing.

Hemi57 · 09-28-05, 01:29

There has been some "press" over here about how bad Korea car interiors smell when new. Marketing research show people think they smell "cheap" and the manufacturers are trying to do something to improve the smell, especially GM who shafted all the Daewoo dealers and local distribution company by pulling the supply to them, taking the product off the market for a year and then re-introducing Daewoos rebadge at "Holden" (the local GM product name).