Sweet Vinyl

Sweet Vinyl

That Sweet Scent of New

Take a deep breath… It's that rich and wonderful new car smell. There are not many aromas that offer up so much pride and enjoyment.

There have been some concerns over general health concerns. These concerned are largely based on what creates the smell.

Evidence about a hazardous nature of the smell coming from a new car is wishy-washy. Some say it's toxic and others say there are no harmful effects from exposure. To play it safe, keep your new ride ventilated, particularly during hot summer months.

The luxurious fragrance comes from the materials used to manufacture vehicles. The vinyl, adhesives, carpeting, leather and other materials release fumes over time. This process is called outgassing. The term "fumes" does lead to some negative connotations.

Over time, the release of these fumes slows and after about three weeks 90-percent of that fabulous scent has all but disappeared. Don't fret though, there are many products on the market that can help you maintain the smell. Some come in aerosol form and others are decorative hanging pieces.

How do they get that new car smell to thoroughly permeate a used car?

No one wants to purchase a car the smells "used". Though, it might come in handy to learn about the previous owners. You would know if they were a heavy gym goer, construction worker and if they had small children. Mmm, love that stale fry smell!

The first step for a dealership is a thorough cleaning. And by thorough, I mean thorough. You know that coffee stain that spread under the seat? Yeah, they get that out too.

On each and every surface in the vehicle they use unscented cleaners that bring out the original scent of the materials used to originally manufacture the car.

All the carpets are shampooed inside the cab and in the trunk. We all know how well carpets like to hold on to every horrid smell they come in contact with.

Finally, the engine and area under the hood is thoroughly cleaned. This removes any odor from burned oil and other engine-use by-products. To complete this process a new cabin air filter is installed.

In most cases, this process will get the job done. Some dealers, though not all, will then use an after-market new car scent, similar to the ones you can purchase, in the vehicle to finish the job.

About the Author

Dawn Hatchard currently resides in Tyler, Texas.

She has worked in both the journalism field and auto industry. The articles she writes are informative about the car-buying process and other entertaining articles that generally pertain to cars.

Obscure rocker by Gary 'US' Bonds - This Little Girl