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Looking at used car with lingering smoke smell. Can it be removed?


Paulford8

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I know we have some expert auto detail guys in here... Here is the short story. Sold the project Mustang, and looking for a DD/beater so I stop putting a crap load on the SHO. I dont want the SHO to have 100K on it when I pay it off.

 

Looking at a 2006 Mustang coupe pony package, 4.0, spd. 45K miles and in good condition. I asked the guy to detail/shampoo the interior, check the check engine light (runs and drives perfect), and change the oil. Told him to call me back when all of that is done.

 

Question. The interior has a minor smoke smell to it. The interior is not super clean at present... I am assuming a detail on the interior will help. It if doesnt get rid of the oder there is a local detail shop that advertises smoke smell removal. Can a detail place get rid of smoke smell? Is it worth paying somebody to remove oder?

 

It is not bad, but you can tell it is there. Car is otherwise in great condition. Here is a link to his add

 

http://www.crossroadsusedcarsinc.com/2006_Ford_Mustang_Tremont_IL_162566879.veh

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There may be more current or informed sources on the forum, but for what it's worth here is my somewhat limited and dated experience with smoke smells.

There is a process requiring equipment that produces ozone within the enclosed car for a period of time. It is reputed to eliminate many odors including smoke. I did not find it to be a great success.

There used to be a product called "Fire-D" that I've used with some modest success. It's a spray bomb set off in the closed up vehicle for a prescribed period. It's supposed to eliminate smoke smell but it also has a pepsin cover up smell. I'm not sure if it's still available but worth checking up on.

Last but not least if you can be patient, repeated cleanings, open windows, and lots of fresh air seem to work as good as anything. Good luck!

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Not to be a downer but I have heard and read several times that you should stay away from a car that has been smoked inside the car. Apparently the smoke will deteriorate the plastic in the car, this includes causing the wiring to become brittle and crack over time among other problems. I would look for a car that is not a smoker's car. FYI, one of my son's friends' just purchased a new Focus SE. With all the incentives and low financing that Ford is offering, may want to consider looking at one. The sticker on the one he purchased was close to 21K and he ended up with taking it home for about 16.5...very reasonable payments and the warranty. Just a thought.

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Also look at replacing the cabin air filter. That usually holds bad smoke odors. Also crank up the a/c and the heat on full blast and see what it smells like through the vents. There is usually a insulation material back there that absorbs odors also. If its bad through the vents I would pass on it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone while I should be working.

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Not to be a downer but I have heard and read several times that you should stay away from a car that has been smoked inside the car. Apparently the smoke will deteriorate the plastic in the car' date=' this includes causing the wiring to become brittle and crack over time among other problems. I would look for a car that is not a smoker's car. FYI, one of my son's friends' just purchased a new Focus SE. With all the incentives and low financing that Ford is offering, may want to consider looking at one. The sticker on the one he purchased was close to 21K and he ended up with taking it home for about 16.5...very reasonable payments and the warranty. Just a thought.[/quote']

 

 

Hold up with that is no more loans for me until others are paid off. if I cant pay cash I am not buying. Working on the SHO amongst others now. The S197s are still holding their value well. Only a couple others in the midwest I could pay cash for that may or may not have been smoked in. That or one with a 100K+ which is something I am not interested in.

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Run from this car. Cars that have been smoked in have smoke every where in the vents heater core is coated with tar so is the ac coil. Smoke is in the carpet and and in the seat cushions and the foam under the material. Changing the headliner will not remove the smell. Deodorizers will just cover it up. Ozone is the only cure. Not sure how much it cost. I had a discussion on another site from a detailer friend and he said Ozone is it.

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Prior to my Flex, I had a Taurus X and it had a bad smell of smoke, but the deal was so amazing, I couldn't refuse it... I thought a good cleaning and a few days would make it disappear, but it lasted at least a year... : (

Try eating PFK and McDonald in the car twice a week with windows up and I would say that the smell of toxic food should win over the smoke within two months! lol Seems like a joke, but I truly think it could work! ; )

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Hey Paul, as you know, I have seen your car in person and know that you are picky like me.

 

I would never buy a smokers car, but I have seen the ozone machines do amazing things. They usually set it up and let it run in the car overnight. If the smell is still there, they do it again. I have a pretty sensitive nose for smoke and have first hand witnessed a car that smelled, suddenly not smell and be acceptable to my standards. But, you have no idea if it is going to work in the car you are buying. I am guessing the type of cigarette, years of use, type of plastics/cloth/leather in the car, etc all come into play. If you dislike the smell of smoke, I would walk away instead of hoping it can be cured.

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Normally I would be all for walking but not many S197s with low miles in the price range I am looking. Also wife doesnt like road trips..... If I buy one far from home it would almost be easier to buy one someplace I would have to fly into to, instead of having the wife drive me a couple hundred miles.

 

I do keep my interiors very clean. I never did understand how people can trash their interiors, keep garbage inside their car?, smoke in a nice car, never clean it out, etc.

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People around here have found an easy way to keep their interiors clean. Just toss it out the window. The $250 littering fine deters noone.

 

This is my A#1 pet peeve in the history of the world. I actually got out at a stop light one time and picked up a butt someone threw out and put it on their windshield wiper. It almost got ugly. But me being 6'3" 230 deters a lot of people.

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Agree. Hate when people throw anything out of the window. Dont know if I posted but a while back a turkey tossed a full soda can at me dinging the back door of my SHO. I get behind the guy to get his plate and he takes off running, chase him, write down his plate, and get off for work. He then pulls next to me and says "do you want to through down". He appeared to be lit up on something.... He then exclaims he did it because I tossed a coffee cup at him. I was like "buddy I dont drink coffee or litter, BTW I am calling the cops with your plate". Of course police were worthless, $60 later a paintless dent removal guy fixed.

 

 

Anyhoo starting to turn from the Mustang. There is a 95 Cougar XR7 with 43K for $2990 local. I thinking now of saving some of this cash and looking at this Cougar instead. Had a 94 back in the day and it was a pretty good car.

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Like the XR7 V8, also the TBird SC. But Ford car transmissions, are, in my experience, less than bulletproof, tho not bad when carefully driven.

 

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I owned a 93 T-Bird SC (bought new), and that is still one of my all time favorite cars. It was a joy to drive and loved having the cruise set at 85mph or so. I would still love to have one, but mine had a blown motor @ 86k. The super chargers were to much for the V6 engine tech of the day and they had a lot of failures.

 

The 87-89 mercury Xr7's had the super coupe motor in them. That would be the one to get if you could find one.

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Paul -

 

The smoke smell can be severely diminished, or even removed, depending on how bad it is, and what you are willing to do. There are a few things you can try to do yourself if you are going to be happy with diminished smell. to get rid of it totally, you will either need to take it to a pro (a good pro, not some hack calling himself a detailer), or use professional methods on it yourself.

 

A couple of places to start. - A complete interior detail, including all hard and soft surfaces in the vehicle, all mats, headliner, etc. Replace the cabin air filter if the car is equipped with one. steam clean the carpets and seats. Be very careful with how you clean the headliner .. they are usually very fragile, and can be damaged easily. If the smell is bad, sometimes replacing is a quicker/easier answer.

 

Once the vehicle is clean, the you can try a deodorizer.

 

I will start with this:

Meguiar's M23 Odor Eliminator. this is the professional level product, ans is not the same as the Meg's bottle you will find in the auto parts store or Wal Mart. that stuff is junk.

 

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Sometimes, multiple applications are required. If that doesn't work, then I will use a Dakota Odor Bomb and /or Dakota No Smoke. If that doesn't work, I will user an ozone generator.

 

Ozone generators are very effective once the vehicle has been cleaned. If you can find a pro that has one, that is a good avenue to choose. Just make sure it is an ozone generator, and not just a purifier.

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Thanks for all the info guys, I have packed much of it away for future use. I ended up passing on this car. Loved it, beautiful, 5 spd, S197 body, really wanted it. Prob was it would have cost every penny from the sale of my Coyote swap Mustang. SO I bought a Cougar 1995, 4.6, 43,xxx miles, XR7. $2500 and it is in excellent condition. Now I have some extra cash for the SHO!

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