Hi all - first time on the Board. Hope you can help, I couldn't find any previous posts on this specific topic.
I have a 981 S, purchased new in 2014. At that time, it had a typical new car smell - leather (with outgassing plastics). The issue is the smell has never gone away, and if anything is getting stronger, such that long drives with the top closed are a problem. Plus, six years of new car smell? It's not an unpleasant smell in low doses, but enough is enough. Plus, I have a little time on my hands, courtesy of the pandemic.
Symptoms :
- Smell returns within a couple hours after a long drive with the top down, parked in the garage.
- Cabin Air filters have been changed regularly, serviced by local Porsche dealer.
- Smell does not appear to be coming from the AC vents (closing them doesn't reduce the smell's return when parked). -
- I've recently cleaned the leather seats and all interior surfaces, to no avail.
- I've never seen any drips or "low coolant" warning, but recently topped up the coolant so the pin floats (about 60 ml required). After a couple hours of spirited driving, it required another 50 ml - maybe just returning to equilibrium level?
- Smell doesn't appear to be from the closed convertible top itself - because with the car open, I draped a blanket over the interior, and after a few hours the smell was there.
- The smell doesn't go away when the car is just sitting in the garage for a couple weeks.
Anyway, I'm perplexed. What am I missing? I called the Porsche dealership, and absent a full inspection, all they could suggest was a ClO2 bomb, which I'd like to avoid.
Thanks in advance, and stay healthy.
-Dave