To be annoyed that my new car stinks of smoke?

[QuestionableMouse]

Bought the car at the end of Feb. It was fine until the weather started to get warmer and now whenever the sun is on the car for a bit, it stinks of smoke. I hate getting into it and feel like I stink when I get out.

It's been back to the dealership once already- they valeted it and 'smoke bombed' it (it releases a chemical through the car that's meant to get rid of the smells.)

It reeked of chemicals after the treatment and now a month on, it's back to smelling of smoke. I feel like handing it back and getting something else. It was pretty damn expensive (10k+) and I don't want to put up with the stink any more. AIBU to want to send it back?!

YANBU to want to send it back, but I don't think if you've been driving it since February you will have a hope in hell of getting any cooperation from them.

YANBU to want to get rid of it

Was it a used car ?

I remember looking at used cars last time I was in the market for a new car - and was appalled at how many smelt of dog. It's just as bad as cigarette smoke imo.

So, i got a new car.

sorry - unhelpful

I can't fault the dealership really- we've had three cars from them and they've always treated us well. I'm just sick of getting out of it wondering if I stink of smoke! Maybe it's worse because I've never smoked so I notice it more?

Car is only three years old FFS!

Can you try Febrezing the hell out of all the upholstery?

Lost- I have a Fabreze air freshener and I'm keeping a bottle in the car. IT works until the sun gets on it then it stinks again!

I'm only it's second owner- I feel like asking the first what the hell he was doing it in!

Does anyone know where I'd stand with the finance if I wanted to send it back?

You need to get the air filters changed, then get the car valeted by someone who specialises in removing smoke smells (just Google, there's lots around). A normal valeting won't get rid of the smell. A specialist will clean everything, including headlining, seatbelts etc where the smell lingers and will also spray the vent system and clean the air with ozone equipment. Costs about £70-£90 for the valet (probs more in London!) but should solve your problem without you having to revert to the expense of changing the entire car!

I'm only it's second owner- I feel like asking the first what the hell he was doing it in!

...smoking?

I have no advice but this would really piss me off. There's a reason why they advertise cars on Auto-Trader with "Non-smoker" in the previous details. Stale cigarette smoke is the worst.

You could have a word with a specialist upholstery cleaning company, see if there's any more aggressive options available and if the dealership would consider paying for further work. But as you bought the car "as seen" presumably I'm not sure what recourse you would have re. handing it back four plus months after purchase.

Could you use a steam cleaner I know that is supposed to remove smells.

You are being unreasonable to expect to be able to change it after owning it for so long! You have no chance of this happening after all this time. Unfortunately unless you buy a brand new car there a possibility of something like this happening, the dealer you bought it from probably had no idea either until you did and were very good valeting and smoke bombing it for you after you had already bought it and driven away.
If you hand it back and walk away from the finance it will adversely effect your credit score. The smell will ease in time,I'd have the interior steam cleaned yourself it it bothers you that much.

I know this might sound silly but are you sure it still smells of smoke or have you just associated it with the smell of the car. Your brain can do that. Can you ask someone else if they can smell it?

The reason I ask is that once a fish tank burst in my old house that I shared with Db and the fishy water stank (my db wasn't very good at cleaning it out) It all got cleaned up and I put a plug in air freshener in. In a completely different house I bought the same plug in air freshener and I swear i thought it smelled of the dirty fishy water so much that I had to throw it out.

I don't blame you wanting to get rid of it. Ds1 bought a car two years ago and even though it doesn't smell of smoke it has a smell of food, whoever owned it must have eaten in the car or had take out all the time. He had it cleaned out at the dealers when he complained, and Dh has used all the tricks he knows from when he worked in his younger years at a used car dealership. It seems to go away, but as soon as it gets hot it's back. All the vents have been cleaned, and filters changed, Dh scrubbed the seats and carpets and sprayed the headliner more than once. He wants to sell too. I can't blame him, it's grim getting in a smelly car.

Not just me who can smell it- my mum was in it today for the first time in a while and she commented on it straight away.

That's a shame op you'd think there would be some affective way of removing the smell. I wouldn't like it either.

You won't get rid of it.

I had a clio and smoked in it for a year, then I stopped. Every summer when it for hot the smoke smell appeared. I spent eight summers trying to clear it but it never left the car unfortunately.

I tried all manner of cleaning bombs, valeting, leaving the sunroof open etc. It bothered me massively as an ex smoker I hated the smell.

It sticks to the upholstery and head lining and just doesn't go. I was so glad when I had my new car and it smelled nice again.

I checked this morning and the air filters have been charged. I'm going to look into the specialist companys.

The specialist company sounds a good idea. DH has just bought a used car which stinks of wet dog . It's also got other issues so from bitter recent experience I don't think you'll have any luck trying to return it for that reason.