Anyone else not want a new car just because of the smell?

Toyota Passenger and Sports Car Forums Corolla and Matrix
1

i don’t want to buy a brand new car because of the smell from the materials used. i test drove a few and felt weird and got a bit of a headache. i can’t picture sitting in that every day for hours. they say it takes 6–12 months for most of it to go away, but it can take years to fully disappear. i wish there was a way to speed that up.

this is honestly the only reason stopping me. is there no other way around this?

2

i like the smell of new cars honestly. i wish it stayed longer but it usually goes away in a month, especially if you drive around with the windows down.

there’s something called a chlorine pack that chrisfix talks about in a video. costs about $10. you leave it in the car overnight after adding water to it, and it helps remove most smells from the car.

still, i’d go for a new car — no miles, less risk of problems, and better loan rates.

3

i love the new car smell :drooling_face:

4

mine was built like a year ago so the smell is light and actually kinda nice. plus it’s spring, so i usually drive with the windows down. feels fresh.

a used car might be perfect for you! try to find one someone barely used, like from an old lady or someone who barely drove it.

5

@Haze
how do you find cars like that? and does the build date matter more than the model year? like how do i know when a 2025 model was actually made?

6

then just get a used one :person_shrugging:

7

my 2024 gave me slight headaches in the beginning. i kept my windows down as much as i could and i got a car air purifier with a carbon filter. it helped a lot.

i thought about using a hydroxyl generator to clear it out faster but the purifier was good enough.

8

@Marlowe
how long did it take before it felt okay?

9

wait this is a real thing?

10

maybe just wear a mask then lol

11

never heard about this before

12

Fallon said:
never heard about this before

you probably heard of ‘new car smell’ though

13

Fallon said:
never heard about this before

the person who started the post is talking about off-gassing. when cars are new and sit in the sun, they can release chemicals called VOCs (volatile organic compounds).

14

@Roux
so this can happen to any car, right? even a used one?

15

@Roux
so it’s like the car is overheating and releasing stuff?