Approved Used Car - Strange Odour / Smell, what are my options

AC20

Hi, 

Looking to buy a used approved car but during inspection i noticed a strange strong odor (wet pet / dew).

Flagged to the dealer before delivery of the car. Dealer responded will try best but cannot guarantee.

Also, trying to cross sell optional product which includes steam cleaning, polishing and lifeshine autoglym ceramic coating (around £450).

What are my options?

Is this a standard issue with used cars, shouldn't the dealer clean the car to an acceptable standard.

Nearlyold

If you don't like the smell and the dealer can't get it out then don't buy it.

Nearly all dealers try to flog customers some sort of fancy car polish. Basic cost of the product itself is typically about £30 and that's often enough to treat more than one car.  Most dealers just get one of the on site car washers to slap it on after a quick wash of the car. Contact a local car detailing firm with good reviews if you want a proper job.

tacpot12

Deffinitely don't buy it. Don't trust the dealer to be able to eradicate it. In my experience it is nearly impossible to get rid of such smells - pet smells are especially difficult to eradicate and will become much worse if the inside of the car gets wet at all. 

The damp smell could just be from a window having been left open in the rain, but it could also be a subtle door seal leak or even that the car has been flooded. Don't take the risk unless you have no sense of smell and know that no one who will ride in the car has a sense of smell either. 

Tucosalamanca

Lots of cars can leak these days, it's often a case of form over function.
I can think of one model that even has a plug in the boot to drain water.

If it smells damp, that would be a red flag for me. 
It might just be pets (bad enough) but the risk of water damage is too high to ignore.
I would be looking for an alternative vehicle...

Mildly_Miffed

Surely you noticed it before agreeing to purchase it? In which case, why are you going ahead with buying it?

The more relevant question is perhaps if you trust that dealer's prep that little, why are you buying ANY car from them...?

AC20

Mildly_Miffed said:

Surely you noticed it before agreeing to purchase it? In which case, why are you going ahead with buying it?

The more relevant question is perhaps if you trust that dealer's prep that little, why are you buying ANY car from them...?

was looking for constructive suggestions rather than open questions.

facade

Don't buy it.

If that smell is damp from a water leak you will have no end of problems, permanently misted windscreen in the mornings, mouldy carpets & seats, and possible health problems from breathing in the mould spores.

Water leaks are extremely unbelievably impossibly difficult to rectify.

If it isn't damp, then you have simply passed on a car that doesn't feel "right" and there are loads more about.

Never buy a car that feels a bit "off", and never believe a seller that says they can "sort out" something obvious and off-putting. If they could have easily sorted it out, they already would have, they know it is putting buyers off...

Mildly_Miffed

AC20 said:

Mildly_Miffed said:

Surely you noticed it before agreeing to purchase it? In which case, why are you going ahead with buying it?

The more relevant question is perhaps if you trust that dealer's prep that little, why are you buying ANY car from them...?

was looking for constructive suggestions rather than open questions.

I thought that was a constructive way to get you to revisit your seeming determination to go ahead with an unwise purchase.

Let me try again:
The car you want to buy smells.
The smell is making you question the supplier's prep.
Why are you determined to buy THAT car from THAT supplier?

Nobbie1967

Your options are to buy the car and hope the dealer who didn’t bother to prepare it properly now permanently eliminates the smell or find another car. In my experience, once you’ve smelt it, it will be almost impossible for the dealer to remove that smell completely and permanently. Most treatments just mask it for a few months and come spring/summer when it warms up, it will be back with a vengence.

If you buy it and the smell comes back, but only slightly I doubt you’ll have any comeback on the dealer and you’ll regret proceeding.

born_again

Dealers answer to smell. Put strong air freshener in car...

Dealers tend not to spend more than they can on a car prior to selling (so wash & quick interior clean) As if they do not sell, then they are off to auction instead.

Constructive answer. Plenty of other cars out there, so keep looking 👍

Herzlos

facade said:

Never buy a car that feels a bit "off", and never believe a seller that says they can "sort out" something obvious and off-putting. If they could have easily sorted it out, they already would have, they know it is putting buyers off...

This is worth repeating, for any car.

If this one smells funny now, it's almost certainly not going away.