Car Shopping Update

"ImmoralMinority" (araimondo) 03/31/2018 at 00:23 • Filed to: None

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As many of you know, my son wrecked his truck and needs a new vehicle. I looked at a Honda CR-V before I left for Italy. It is a one owner car in great shape, EXCEPT one of the filthiest interiors I have ever seen that smells like a Siousxe and the Banshess show in 1986 (mostly clove cigarettes). But its leather seats and Oppo feedback that the small can be Svended, I am trying to lowball this purchase. I told him I was interested, and would contact him once I get home. This happened in the last 24 hours.

First, he knocked $600 off the price, $3900 from $4500. When I looked at the car, he said he would take $4200. My guess is the smell is scaring people off. Next, I got this:

I am beginning to think this could work out to be a deal. What do you think, Oppo?

Your boy, BJR > ImmoralMinority 03/31/2018 at 00:36

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Tell him you want it for $2k or he can GTFAC.

shop-teacher > ImmoralMinority 03/31/2018 at 00:43

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Oppo is wrong about that smell. It will come back. First hot humid sunny day, and it’ll smell like ass and cat food all over again.

lone_liberal > ImmoralMinority 03/31/2018 at 00:47

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Ah, the 80s. When you said that it smells like a Siouxe and the Banshees concert I immediately knew the exact smell. Fantastic simile.

TheRealBicycleBuck > shop-teacher 03/31/2018 at 00:50

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His son’s first big project could be replacing the carpet and headliner which are the pieces that will hold most of the smell. It would be good practice for the Thunderbird.

shop-teacher > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/31/2018 at 00:53

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Replacing both of those would be absolutely necessary to truly evict that smell. All the other stuff only works for a while ... Like maybe long enough to sell it.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > shop-teacher 03/31/2018 at 01:04

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And there are about 200 hot days a year in Fresno.

Svend > shop-teacher 03/31/2018 at 02:49

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I’ve done many a car with cigarette, mould and dog smells, all sorted with a good day with antibacterial cleaners, deodorisers, a good wet vacuum and extractor nozzle.

For really ingrained smells, use odourbombs or chlorine dioxide sprays or tablets such as Clobberiser, future smells can be eliminated with a photocatalyst Odour destroyer such as CarPro So2Pure.

Svend > ImmoralMinority 03/31/2018 at 02:52

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Sounds good.

Is it just the interior that’s funked or is there any other issues. He seems to be wanting shot of it rather quick.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/31/2018 at 06:52

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I can’t imagine finding a carpet and headliner would be too hard in a pick and pull yard .Headliner would be a pain to replace due to having to glue it up, etc, but the carpet wouldn’t be TOO bad.

Monkey B > ImmoralMinority 03/31/2018 at 09:33

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I don’t like ozone, I don’t like the smell of it after it’s done. The guy that does at one of the dealers I service somehow manages to make twice as much of that smell.

Cleaning is the real cure for stink. If the carpet is that bad remove and pressure wash it. If not either take it and have it extracted or grab one of those Bissell spot cleaning extractors...while not as powerful as what the pros use they work extremely well.

As for the rest of it, I’d mix up some Simple Green and water (50/50) in a spray bottle and clean every square inch of what you can see. Spray evenly on the surface and either scrub with a brush or a light duty Scotch Brite pad then towel dry. For the leather seats do the back then bottom, spray evenly and wet the entire surface, scrub quickly and immediately then towel dry. Sometimes it can take 2 attempts depending on severity. Leather in Honda’s will typically look discolored when wet, it will dry normally but working quickly is key. Some of the color will likely move, but don’t worry as it’s what Honda leather does.

Take a can of Lysol or Febreeze and put the AC on recirculate. Spray directly where the air pulls in and keep spraying until the product can be seen exiting the vents. Repeat the process with re circulation off only spray it in the fresh air vents under the windshield.

With all the plastic/leather/vinyl clean it won’t have any smell. The headliner and carpet may retain some odor. In that case I use a product called Hogwash. Liberally spray the carpet and headliner, this stuff kills any odor it touches. It has it’s own smell that’s neither good or bad, it dissipates quickly. It’s also a good product for pets when they get skunked as its organic....or any stubborn odor.

boxrocket > ImmoralMinority 03/31/2018 at 09:48

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If you’re in the Midwest, I have a line on a 2006 Kia Sportage EX I4 2WD automatic. Not the fanciest thing, but under 90k miles and only $4500. Pretty well taken care of other than door dings and light scratches.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 03/31/2018 at 09:50

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Gluing up a headliner isn’t so bad. Headliner material is relatively cheap - wholesale it’s around $4-6/ yard. Retail shouldn’t be more than double that Keyston and Aftermarket industries are

Just pull the whole board down, rip the old material off - which should be pretty easy. Then sprinkle cornstarch all over the old board to dry up the oils and stuff from the clove and tobacco. Then use a stiff brush to clear most of it. Then a brush wheel to clean the rest.

Use a low VOC spray adhesive and work from one end to the other.

Then just put the board back in the car.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 04/01/2018 at 07:55

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You should do a video of the process. Start with where to buy the material. You aren’t going to get it at your local Hancock Fabrics. You could be internet famous!

CaptDale - is secretly British > ImmoralMinority 04/03/2018 at 11:29

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I would think you’d get him some nice vintage metal or something.

How’d the Sport Trac get totalled?