08250AWD

I have searched a few threads and read some interesting stories... but mine is also kind of funny (though, not to me) so I have to share and get people's opinions.

I took my car to Lindsay Lexus in NoVa (where I purchased the car a month ago) to have some rock chips cleaned up. They did an excellent job with the rock chips because, while the previous owner used touch out paint, he opted for a beige-ish tan color... on a starfire white car.

It's a hot summer day and I get in the car and start it up to get going and I get punched in the face... by the detailer's B.O. I immediately turned off the car and got out because it was that bad. I asked the manager to sit in my car and tell me what he thought and he actually said, "that's how the car smells." When I told him that's not how the car smelled when I brought it in, he justified it by saying, "well, they're detailers. What do you want?"

First of all, if you just dropped $30K (I bought it used), you don't want your car to stink like SOMEONE ELSE's body odor. Second, I would not have bought it from a dealership and paid extra for a car that I could have gotten from an individual for less if I didn't care about Lexus's stellar customer service and warranty. That was the whole point. And as a Lexus dealership, if your detailers are leaving a horrid stench behind in every car they sit in, perhaps it's time to reevaluate your relationship with that detailer. Especially if the same detailer is going to sit in the brand new LS you guys just sold.

So on the way home, I had the windows down and the A/C blasting, switching from recirc to fresh air. Then I also blasted the heat, again, switching from recirculate to fresh air. By the time I got home, the odor was mostly gone... I chalked it up to "being in my head" when I did smell it.

Until today. I got in my car and before I even turned it on, the car stank like that guy. It's in the seats. I can't very well Febreeze leather... so now what? I'm already going to replace the cabin air filter but this odor will not go away! (It's transferred onto me as I sit in my office writing this post)

Has anyone else had a similar problem? Did you just clean/condition the leather? I'm guessing this guy was sweating like a champ that day and I'm afraid it's worked its way into the foam/cushion in the ventilated seats...

I feel like I'm on an episode of Seinfeld...

08250AWD

Sorry, this should go under "general discussion"

edgeucated

iTrader: (4)

are you sure its the BO of the detailers and not from the AC? i doubt a person BO can stay in a car for that long. try running the air at high, not on recir mode, without the AC on for atleast 10 mins straight.

IShokie

i think most people are having the same problem... its not the detailer's BO that is making your car smell its your AC that is producing the bad BO smell, try searching AC smell and you might get some answers

08250AWD

I did all of that... It's no longer in the vents. I dropped the car off one day. Picked it up the next day. It's the distinct smell of sweat. not the A/C. I DID, however, read about all of the A/C problems that people were having and I did the heater trick, too.

I'm sure that it's sweat and in the seat because after getting to work, I turned my shirt backwards and could smell it on the back of my shirt. Not on the front. This is someone's present to me.

If you've ever been to an indoor go-karting place where they require you to wear a fire suit, you're probably quite familiar to the odor I'm talking about. It gets on you and STAYS on you. The problem is that it's in the seats now. I have not had a chance to clean them yet, but I'm afraid it won't be enough.

PaPaHoFF

iTrader: (19)

lmao this thread is funny. Detailers do take showers fyi. Well atleast I do lolz

brociouz

iTrader: (65)

That's absolutely disgusting. I'd be pissed.

08250AWD

Lol. Yes, I realize that. And some people sweat and don't smell bad at all. Clearly, this guy wasn't THAT GUY.

As for it being funny, that's part of the reason for posting... Might as well get some laughs at my expense. It eases the pain. haha

shadowman

iTrader: (2)

Once you get in your car without A/C on, does it smell like the detailer BO? If yes, then it probably is.

If you turn on your A/C and smell mildew/urine/sweat/BO/etc... then it's mold build up within your A/C evaporators. You need to deep clean the thing to really get it out.

If it's BO, then try putting a Air Freshner to mask it.

08250AWD

I think it's actually out of the vents (for the most part). I got in my car today after it had been sitting in the sun (no more garage for me) and I could smell it before the car was even turned on. And I have the car on recirculate when I turn it off, so it could not have been an outside smell that "got in" through the vents.

Thanks for the suggestion but I'd rather not mask it. It's like someone who stinks putting on cologne. Now you just smell like sweat AND cologne.

brociouz: Yes, I was pissed. I'm never going back to that dealership again. I have another one that is a lot closer to home and I've heard nothing but good things about them.

08250AWD

PaPaHoFF: any suggestions as to what I can do to get the smell out of the seats? Would cleaner/conditioner cut it?

Rash

iTrader: (1)

What would Seinfeld do?

PaPaHoFF

iTrader: (19)

I mean if it really stinks, you could always clean and condition the seats and use an air freshener. I would also run the heat for a couple of mins to get rid of the moldy smell from the AC

08250AWD

Drove up to a shady person, got out of the car, threw the keys in there. Even that guy wouldn't take it. And I don't have money like that, so this isn't an option. LOL.

SC3coupe

iTrader: (4)

Sorry to hear but everytime I take any car in anywhere to fix something small, out of my sight
stuff happens.. and never good stuff, I always notice it..
either they take it for a ride, dirtied my seats or left dark prints on my cashmere interior.
It's best to do as much as possibly can yourself.. or watch your car while it's being worked on.