Discussion
Inspired by a comment in the current SOTW posts, what smells take you back to cars of your past?
Couple of examples, on a hot day the smell of the leather on the dash of our Range Rover L322 instantly reminds me of being a kid in one of the Renault 16s we used to have.
When I was 3 we lived in Aruba (Caribbean) for a bit and I spent a lot of time being driven around in a 1970s Beetle. Decades later in the mid 90s I was looking a buying a 70s era Beetle. As I opened the door and peered in the smell instantly reminded me of being in that 1970s Beetle again. I hadn't been in one during the intevening years but the waft of nostalgia was unmistakable.
Couple of examples, on a hot day the smell of the leather on the dash of our Range Rover L322 instantly reminds me of being a kid in one of the Renault 16s we used to have.
When I was 3 we lived in Aruba (Caribbean) for a bit and I spent a lot of time being driven around in a 1970s Beetle. Decades later in the mid 90s I was looking a buying a 70s era Beetle. As I opened the door and peered in the smell instantly reminded me of being in that 1970s Beetle again. I hadn't been in one during the intevening years but the waft of nostalgia was unmistakable.
Edited by DrSteveBrule on Friday 11th August 22:21
Anything old and automotive.
I love the smell of hot oil and unburnt fuel getting thrown down the exhaust, with a hint of hot rubber tyres. Classic bikes being thrashed, and classic cars getting a workout. Fantastic.
Sightly off topic - fresh cut grass and lawnmower exhaust (a ~1970 Suffolk Punch)
And tobacco and gin take me straight back to visiting my dad.
I love the smell of hot oil and unburnt fuel getting thrown down the exhaust, with a hint of hot rubber tyres. Classic bikes being thrashed, and classic cars getting a workout. Fantastic.
Sightly off topic - fresh cut grass and lawnmower exhaust (a ~1970 Suffolk Punch)
And tobacco and gin take me straight back to visiting my dad.
My 944 smelt awesome, not in a perfume kind of way, its like cuddling the dog, objectively smells a bit whiffy but sort of comforting and pleasant.
Pug 309 smelt of the seaside for some reason
CLS has a whiff of leather and Plasticine for some reason
My wifes car stinks of perfume and air fresheners.
C1 smells clean and a bit plasticy
love the smell of Jap stuff, especially older ones, 350Z had a hint of it, smells the same as the bullet train at the National Railway Museum in York, must be a type of plastic they use,
My dads Mk1 Capri always smelt fantastic, hard to say what of though
Pug 309 smelt of the seaside for some reason
CLS has a whiff of leather and Plasticine for some reason
My wifes car stinks of perfume and air fresheners.
C1 smells clean and a bit plasticy
love the smell of Jap stuff, especially older ones, 350Z had a hint of it, smells the same as the bullet train at the National Railway Museum in York, must be a type of plastic they use,
My dads Mk1 Capri always smelt fantastic, hard to say what of though
Richard-390a0 said:
J4CKO said:
My dads Mk1 Capri always smelt fantastic, hard to say what of though
Old Spice, Brut, Hai Karate & or Feu Orange Air Freshener in period possibly?. 
Edited by Richard-390a0 on Friday 11th August 15:29
plus
Oil
Vinyl
Slightly sketchy carpet from a scrapper
Hammerite
8 track tapes
Diesel (he used to work on buses)
MrAverage said:
All mk4 golfs (and others built on same platform) smell of crayons. its very distinctive!
I've driven a few, can't say I've ever noticed it. Inherited my Dads Mk2 Escort many years ago, even after restoration it still smelled the same & reminded me of him, I used to sit in it in the garage occasionally.
I've owned MGFs and TFs for 10 years. I took a break from them for a year or so and when looking for another the ones I looked at all smelt the same.
As a kid we had two new Suntor Marina campers. Whenever I go into a carpet shop it takes me back to those cars and 1970s family holidays.
As a kid we had two new Suntor Marina campers. Whenever I go into a carpet shop it takes me back to those cars and 1970s family holidays.
crankedup said:
TVR the whiff of fresh glassfibre and resins with a note of adhesive vapour. Lovely.
Somebody had to say it!!
Great cars though.
Yeah. Our Chimaera still smells different to regular cars and it's 19 years old! The Boxster smells a bit of leather, but not so much now. It's fifteen years old soon.Somebody had to say it!!
Great cars though.
MrAverage said:
All mk4 golfs (and others built on same platform) smell of crayons. its very distinctive!
I can't say I've ever noticed that. I used to own a Mk.1 Leon, which are effectively Mk.4 Golfs, and never smelt crayon. However, Fords of a certain vintage do smell of crayons! My brother's old Fiesta smelt of them, and my current 2002 Focus does too! I could tell an early 2000's Ford blindfolded. I wonder if it's the glues and resins as they start to age. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff