francars

So when I purchased my car it had some kind of old/wet interior kinda smell. I have tried Fab Breeze in the carpets with no luck. I roll windows down inside garage but the smell seems to be there once I drive it and parked it in the sun with windows down, etc.

My CTT I just got owner kept so clean it smells like fresh leather and has the new car smell still after 7 years.

Not sure if anyone of you cares about the smell but wondered if there is an effective way to get rid of the smell. I know my car is 12 years old but would love to have some type of "new car" smell in it. I know the easiest way will be buy new car... TIA

ivangene

my old car never smelled...that would bother me, the new one smells.... like oil

something is getting wet maybe... have you cleaned the drains? Check cabin air filter, remove mats and feel the floor, remove seats look for food or other things. If its musty the SUN Uv rays should kill it...unless its coming back due to continued leaking....

francars

Drains? (I should know where they are but what do you mean?)
Cabin filter - checked
Mats and floor - checked (long time ago when I bought) no evidence of dampness
Under seats - checked
Car is dry IMO. Not sure if previous owner kept car outside with windows up and water got in.

kr3678

The best method I have come across for ridding a car of a smell is a multi-step process:

1) Thoroughly clean every surface on the interior of the car. This includes the headliner.

2) Apply appropriate protectants and let them sit overnight before wiping off the excess.

3) Leave the car in a very COLD environment with the windows down overnight. Don't know what it is, but the cold temperature seems to remove a lot of odors.

4) Use Ozium air freshener inside the car, spraying several times over the course of a week or so.

5) Place a scented dryer sheet under each seat.

My wife's car picked up a nasty cigar odor when a mechanic smoked one near her car in the service bay when it was being worked on. (She's extremely sensitive to cigar smells.) The steps above worked to completely rid the car of the odor.

Good luck!

Pac996

The battery compartment area has a couple of drains. Review the PET diagram for where they are and make sure the tubes are there and draining. Those drains wont always get all the water out. Could even be a smell from an a/c leak possibly. At least I think the oil in the refrigerant smells a bit.

Sneaky Pete

Stop the "Bean Diet"?

francars

I roll windows down when I drive...

KrisPKreme

As a professional show car/exotic detailer, I can vouch for and say get this product: http://www.autogeek.net/so2pure-air-purifier.html. You really need to find the source of the water first. Stop the source then treat. So2 is magic stuff and I havent come across any smell it cant kill. Dont forget to also change the cabin air filter.

Shark Attack

I put one of these in the car for the weekend. And it actually worked. This was my trailblazer.. Not porsche.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=330557922679

redridge

look for block drainage...

wyovino

If it really is damp inside, you can try one of the moisture absorbing bags or buckets. I use the bags in my boat and used the bucket in a previous car after leaving a window open during a rain storm. (But first try to find and fix the source of the problem)

A tip that I read about but haven't tried, is to place a sheet of new leather under each seat.

jdog

Buy Wizards brand odor eliminator and spray the crap out of the interior and then let it bake in the sun for a good day or two.
This stuff took away a pig farm smell from the interior of my truck.
You might have to do a couple of times before it goes away but it will work.

mikehelms

Thanks for the image showing the location of the various drains. It's helpful.

I'm curious - how exactly do you check these? Do you just blow compressed air through them? Can you even get to them without a massive disassembly effort?

I've thought about this with my 996, but I'm not sure where to start ...

Cheers,
-- Mike

Dennis C

I'd have to agree with the blocked drain comments. My car is 9 years old, and it smells like a saddle shop inside. Pure, wonderful leather smells...

redridge

Maybe you can do a controlled test with a garden hose and see if you can see where the dampness is coming from.