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We recently inherited my late Father-in-Law's 2007 Lincoln Town Car. It's in pristine shape with only 17K on it, but it reeks of Cigar Smoke!
We've washed out the ashtray, and wiped down the dashboard, instrument panel, a/c vents etc. We've changed the cabin air filter. We rented a steam-cleaner and did the carpets, floor mats, headliner, door panels, rear window deck, etc. Also steamed the trunk liner and carpet too.
After that we used a pint of Febreeze on it and a week later the car still stinks.. If you keep the windows closed, you'd never know we tried to clean it.
Even the leather seats still smell.. Any of you car detailers have any secret weapon to get rid the odor?
There is a aerosol (sp) can of stuff you fog the car with. You start the can spraying with everything closed up and let it fog work for 24 hours or so.
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1996 F-250 extended cab long box five speed. Home made Tymar, 203 Stat, 60 gal in bed fuel cell, 315/75's, no muffler, ebpv welded open 3" to 3" DP, Babies. 290K, still chugging, and still smoking when cold.
UPDATED 1/1/09 Replace so far. 1 LUK flywheel+clutch, 2 thermostats, 2 set of brakes, 1 set of calipers, 5 CPS, 3 sets of tires, 2 Transfer pumps, 1 Injector modual, 1 Computer, 2 Alt, 2 sets of batteries, 1 Water pump, 6 Belts, 1 PS hose, 2 Sets ball joints, 2 set u-joints, 2 carrier bearing, 2 Speed sensors, 1 oil pres sender, 1 temp sender, 4 sets of e-break cables, 1 front fuel tank, 2 rear fuel tanks, 2 set of glow plugs, 7 Glow plug relays, Oil galley o-rings, Turbo pedistal o-rings, EBPV o-rings, 3 sets of Injector O-rings, 1 Vac-pump, 1 new carpet, 1 total paint job.Total $$$ in repairs v/s miles driven = 4.6 cents per mile. Add fuel to that it jumps to 16.5 cents per mile over the life of the truck.
Sorry but that smell ain't going away. You can try going to a used car place and asking them to run their ozone machine on it overnight. This will help quite a bit, but if you leave the windows up on a warm day, it's back.
My suggestion; if it bothers you, sell the car.
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02 SWB CC 4x4 auto, AIS, DPTunerF5, FTVB, 4" Banks Monster SS Exhaust, HPOXover, AirDog, Amsoil ByPass, Centramatics
if the car has semental value, you may have to replace the headiner and carpet. the leather can be cleaned. take it to professional leather cleaner. it wont be cheap
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100% Disabled Viet Nam Veteran (Agent Orange and its' complications)
SOMETIMES I'M ALL CAPS...BECAUSE OF MY DIABETIC EYE DEGENERATION
Pic under name is record holder high mileage vehicle. 3469.6 MPG. Built by UNLV Mechanical Engineering students.
2009 Mitsubusi Outlander SE - (24 MPG in town)
2004 VW Golf TDI - (42 MPG in town)
I once bought a former smoker's car. Never again. I bought it when it was five years old from the second owner (a non-smoker) and figured I'd be OK. Wrong! Ten years after the last cigarette was smoked in there, the smell still came back when it was warm or humid.
Short of replacing every porous part in the car, right down to the speaker cones, you will never be rid of the smell. Either sell it to a smoker, move to Nunavut or give it the Oshkosh conversion.
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Douglas Campbell, P.E.
1986 Isuzu P'up, 177,673.8 miles.
- Hella headlights (highly recommended)
- DOT C-2 back end (also recommended)
- R-12 air conditioner converted to R-406a. Saved ozone and money
- 4.1:1 final drive converted to 3.4:1. Quieter, better mileage but it's a good thing I live in the flat Midwest.
- 9/22/2007, age 21: Still running well when reluctantly sent away for reincarnation, due to body & frame rust.
Last edited by drcampbell; 02-17-2009 at 04:35 PM.
Change the carpet and Jute, shoud get rid of 95% of the smell for good.
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Red 2001 Crew Cab 2wd Short Bed Lariet, Mac Cold Air Intake, Banks Big Head, AIH Delete, Wicked Wheel, DP Tuner 6 position Chip, 18' KMC black Dielsels, 2' front leveling kit, 325/60/18 Nitto Terra Grappler
Try to find a product called CHAMP. It is usually sold in pet stores to eliminate pet odors, but it works wonders with smoke odors. you'll need to spray down every part of every surface you can get the spray into. It will help to pull the carpet and pad out so that you can get to the bare metal underneath. But, the stuff works pretty good.
But, as drcambell said, unless you can get into every nook and cranny, including the speakers, the smoke smell will still linger.
just my .02 cents worth
short-stuff
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Y2K F250 CC PSD Auto, Short-bed Lariat, Woodland Green/Gold, ordered 07/10/99, born 09/12/99, delivered 10/08/99, Access bed cover, Bed Rug, Zoodad mod, Viper Remote Start Alarm, Fumoto valve, 103K somewhat error-free miles (so far) [never back to dealer for anything]
Repairs: CPS, Water Separator Valve assembly, rear axle bearings, VSS, batteries, brakes, alternator, serpentine belt (x2), driver door pwrlock actuator, water pump
2009 VW Tiguan 2.0 l turbo 200 hp gas engine (TDI engine not available for it yet)
Gonna check with one of my friends - I seem to remember him having an Ozone generator that they'd tried to use for some sort of water purifier project at their cabin.
Meanwhile - we'll look for the "CHAMP." At this point I'd be happy just to reduce the odor - if we can cut it down, the car will be tolerable - At least my F-I-L smoked aromatic expensive cigars - not the ones that smelled like burned rope
I was trully amazed when we steamed the car - all the fabric and carpet came out 10 shades lighter as we pulled out the cigar smoke resins. When you dumped the dirty water from the Steam Cleaner it looked (and sorta smelled) like urine.
Made me understand why smokers get Emphysema!
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'01 F350 XLT, CC, 4x4, V10, SRW, LWB, Auto, 3.73LS, Island Blue, Off Road Package,
Auto Hubs & Cab Clearance Lights. Autometer water temp, tranny temp, & vaccuum
gauges. Line-X Bedliner, & the "incredible self-locking tailgate." White Night Backup
Lights & Volvo-eating Class V Hitch. Reverse Sensors.
Last edited by RightWingNutJob; 02-18-2009 at 09:09 AM.
rwnj--go get 2 lbs of coffee--anything--ground. get four aluminum pie tins--put 1/2 lb in each of the tins--set one one each four corners of the seats--shut car--set in sunlight--(heat)--leave for a few days--dont ask my why it works---
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94 f250 idi turbo sc e4od alum fac rims 149,289 --dana 60 frt with posi--10.25 rear w/posi--shouldnt get stuck!! ats turbo 3" parts on--what a diff from stock turbo!!!!!--- also 96 F250 with 305,000 is fixed!!-- 7.3 rattler-also 85 6.9-needs new engine!! tired!!
rwnj--go get 2 lbs of coffee--anything--ground. get four aluminum pie tins--put 1/2 lb in each of the tins--set one one each four corners of the seats--shut car--set in sunlight--(heat)--leave for a few days--dont ask my why it works---
We used to use that trick when we had a stinky trailer (semi-trailer.) We'd spread 2# of grounds across the wooden floor and Presto! no smell.
When you dumped the dirty water from the Steam Cleaner it looked (and sorta smelled) like urine.
Imagine what their lungs looked like.
Quote:
when we get some sustained "warm" days.
In Ct ?.....I'm still waitin'.........LOL
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2002 F-350 SC SRW long bed 4X4 7.3 PSD Auto, Island blue,
38 Chev sedan delivery all steel, 350, TH400,A-C PW PS PDB, Yellow,
2000 Kenworth W900 600Hp Cat 18 spd 3:70 green
When I used to detail cars we would scrub all surfaces by hand with upholstery shampoo then shop vac it dry. Then we set off 2 odor bombs and let them fog for at least 8 hrs. Lastly open up the drivers side window and fold down the back seats and open the trunk lid about an inch and leave the fan on for a day or two and if your lucky it will be much more tolerable but you will never get that smell out completely.
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Diesel Tech For Yardmaster INC.. College Degree In Heavy Duty Diesel and Power Generator Systems
1997 F-250 Heavy Duty 4x4 Off Road EX.Cab Short Bed. -4" Suspension Lift - 4" exhaust - 3" Downpipe - 5" Stacks - 10Kmod - Shimmed FPR - Home made air intake - Rosewood Stage 1's - TS 6pos Chip - 4:10 gears - Valair SMF conversion - currently tore apart for restoration
2004 F-350 FX4 - 4" Turbo Back - WORST truck I have ever owned - For sale
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Smoker's Car
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