By fpena944 - Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:53 pm
- Fri Jan 29, 2021 4:53 pm
#55454
Some of you might think I'm nuts for even making this a topic but it's actually a fond memory of mine
Although dad was in aviation maintenance in the US Army, he actually worked on cars in his spare time and to help supplement his income. That meant I got to sit in quite a few American and Japanese cars (aside from VWs, it didn't seem too many soldiers had nice European cars) and even going with him on test drives once whatever problem was fixed.
What I vividly remember from these days though was the smell of these cars. No not a bad smell like an old cheeseburger under the seat but instead a mechanical smell mixed in with vinyl and who knows what else.
My question though is, what is it about cars today where they no longer smell the same way?
I know now there is more liberal use of hard plastics and leather on more upscale cars but I remember the smell of metal, exhaust, gas, oil, vinyl, and all the other stuff cars of that vintage were made out of.
So why are car smells so bland today?

Although dad was in aviation maintenance in the US Army, he actually worked on cars in his spare time and to help supplement his income. That meant I got to sit in quite a few American and Japanese cars (aside from VWs, it didn't seem too many soldiers had nice European cars) and even going with him on test drives once whatever problem was fixed.
What I vividly remember from these days though was the smell of these cars. No not a bad smell like an old cheeseburger under the seat but instead a mechanical smell mixed in with vinyl and who knows what else.
My question though is, what is it about cars today where they no longer smell the same way?
I know now there is more liberal use of hard plastics and leather on more upscale cars but I remember the smell of metal, exhaust, gas, oil, vinyl, and all the other stuff cars of that vintage were made out of.
So why are car smells so bland today?
