Old car Smell

[marcva]

I have a very clean E36 M3 that is 19 years old. The interior is getting classic "old car smell from burning rubber and plastic. Are there key elements that I can work on to address the smell? The car is garaged just about full time now (home and work) and I have a cockpit cover for other times. I can pull the seats and go after the carpeting, and the seats are in nice shape, not hard and dried out, the dash is in nice shape, but i assume that all of the runner and plastic around the edges is drying out.

What is the short restoration list to recover the car's smell?

Thanks

Marcva

[Court M3]

Shampoo the carpet and then put the windows down and let it air out, and the get the rest of the interior professionally cleaned and detailed

[aaron07]

I would thoroughly clean every interior pieces including the carpet and headliner. Try to rent an ozone generator to remove the pollutants and bad smell.

[marcva]

Have pulled the seats and shampooed the carpet. Headliner is new. I've also extensively leatheriqued the seats. Drivers seat is replaced by a recaro which is in nice shape and shampooed regularly. Gues I just keep the windows open and replace old plastic as much as I can.

Marc

[mcleod52]

Get yourself a good interior detailer (megs, Griots - pick one), some MF towels and some small brushes. Go to town on the nooks and crannies of the car. Probably make a big difference and you'd know the car is clean.

[jlb85]

The smell is a characteristic of the plastics and will always return. You may have more than one source of smells, though. Cleaning, fogging, replacing parts will help with the other sources, but plastics are gonna plastic. Just be happy it does not smell like old american car plastics

Once cleaned, an air freshener or a routine cleaning with an interior detailer will help mask and freshen up. I'll keep one in the car over winter storage and then remove it before the first drive spring cleaning. My favorite has been to use a bar of Sex Wax surfboard wax (on a plate, wax will melt easily if the car gets any warm) under the seat. That smell always takes me back to the lineup

[bmw42ofus]

Take your time with the detailing. I've found "Surf City Garage" products have a great smell that counteracts my 14 year old 330ci vert. Good luck and keep us posted

[#1P4PKing]

My favorite car smell (after the new car smell) is the armor all scent.

I have a very clean E36 M3 that is 19 years old. The interior is getting classic "old car smell from burning rubber and plastic. Are there key elements that I can work on to address the smell? The car is garaged just about full time now (home and work) and I have a cockpit cover for other times. I can pull the seats and go after the carpeting, and the seats are in nice shape, not hard and dried out, the dash is in nice shape, but i assume that all of the runner and plastic around the edges is drying out.

What is the short restoration list to recover the car's smell?

Thanks

Marcva