21 replies to this topic

[Richie83]

I've had my mini about a month and half. When I got him the seats had 20 years of grime and dirt (the previous owner was a welder and used it as his daily too). Since then I've deep cleaner the seats with a heavy duty upholstery cleaning machine and the seats (drivers especially) still smells of oil/musty smell.

Now, it's either:
- ground in dirt from the blighter who owned it before
- a normal occurrence for a mini
- I have a mini problem that keeps stinking up the seats

Any ideas welcome. Is it normal to have a smelly mini?

[TehMarchant]

Mine has a smell, Its not unpleasant though.

[Richie83]

Mine has a smell, Its not unpleasant though.

How would you describe it? Mine isn't unpleasant necessarily, just a tad grimy.

[TehMarchant]

Really not sure, Oily maybe damp cold smell.

[ShaunaFTW]

The past few weeks mine has been a little fuely whenever I get in but he's been a poorly boy. My interior is all under a year old but it didn't smell before taking the old stuff out haha

[Miniminx71]

A good dose of Febreze masks most nasties I've found.

[jpw1275]

I describe it as " an old car smell "

[RedRuby]

Hi, you mention cleaning the seats, have you also cleaned the carpets and maybe the headlining?

[Richie83]

Hi, you mention cleaning the seats, have you also cleaned the carpets and maybe the headlining?

Carpets have had a light clean, but probably could do with a good clean. There isn't a headlining at the moment - previous owner syndrome 😄

[Cerberus]

Minis have a very distinctive smell and it is part of their character and quite reassuring in a way. I have had a 1971 Mini and now have 1990 and 1997 Minis and they have all smelt like a Mini. The 1997 is a bit more refined but the 1990 is the real thing.

 

I've not really noticed much of a smell in mine unless I've done some interior cleaning, .

 

The TVRs though, by god do they have a smell.  You only have to go out for a 10 minute drive and you come back smelling of car fumes,

The 72 one is the worst, but even the modern 2003 one still has a bit of a whiff of car to it,

[miniyellowmini]

Sometimes notice a faint petrol smell in mine, same in other Minis I've owned/been in. They just smell of the 'olden days'

 

Clean it all best you can and stick a nice smelly air freshener in there

Edited by miniyellowmini, 10 June 2014 - 07:00 PM.

[Tamworthbay]

I describe it as " an old car smell "

+1 my MGB GT was the same. I think its a mix of vinyl and carpet glue.

[Badboytunes]

Luckily ours smells minty fresh and nice. No nasty or old smells

[olly33]

Mine did, when I first got the car, but it was a damp carpet underlay.Seems to have gone now I have removed it.