Got a call from the dealer about them getting a car with my color combo soon to ask if I’m interested and agree on price which includes $5k markup.

So I stopped by the dealer and looked at some of the other cars they had there and all of them smelled a bit weird — too strong of a chemical odor. Some time during the conversation he mentioned that they treat the interior with some thing and they do that for all the cars as a part of prep.

Do you guys find the interior smell too strong when new, or could it be due to the chemical treatment? Sales guy says it’s just the vinyl/leather smell.

 

Our 2023 NX bought 12/14/22 smelled like new leather. We passed on all extras extended warranty, tire package leather and paint protection etc.

 

It's almost certainly the junk the dealer sprayed into the vehicle and is planning to overcharge you for.

 

Our was/is virtually odour free.

 

We had the typical "new car smell" but it wasn't at all overwhelming. During the cold months we rarely if ever notice it after 4 months of ownership.

 

The product they use is GlassCoat Ceramic.

Anyone know if this is known to have a smell?

 

I'd describe the off-gas smell as mild and sweet in my 350h Nuluxe. Not unpleasant, and certainly not awful like in Chrysler and GM cars that I've rented. Keep in mind people have widely varying perceptions of smell.

 

Run away from a $5k markup.

 

All things considered I decided to forego this deal and even getting an NX for now. The chemical odor was too bothersome. Also I started to get cold feet looking at the approx $65k out the door price. I also felt like I was compromising a lot—run flat tires and 20” wheels, lack of spare, the way the trunk cover is done (definitely not fitting for a car in this price range), not particularly a fan of the big screen (would have preferred physical controls for HVAC), the plastic/unpainted wheel arches, etc. What attracted me to the car initially was the seat comfort and the mpg. I thought gas prices would be $10 by now but instead they are < $6 (northern CA). So that urgency has gone away.

My current car (2019 RDX) is doing ok, so I think I will keep driving it for a bit. My only regret with not getting the NX is that I think I could really use the seat comfort. But I will reevaluate later when I’m closer to getting out of extended warranty, probably mid 2024.

 

If you are waiting until next year hopefully car prices will stabilize and NX's can be had for below MSRP instead of marked up. Around here they seem to already be at MSRP without ADM.

 

Markup here is only for hybrids. But yes I hope that goes away along with things like GlassCoat treatment. There also appear to be some tweaks for MY2024 per a video in one of the other threads. I doubt prices will stabilize but they will probably trail the rate of interest and on short term treasuries, and if supply improves there may be less loaded models. There may also be other options available by then.