That BMW smell
Discussion
Does anyone know what gives BMWs that wonderful waxy crayon-y smell? I love it (unlike a lot of people apparently) but unfortunately my E34 is losing its smell unless it's really hot... What I want to do is find something, that could be perhaps made into a diffuser, that would restore the smell!
Maxus said:
Happy memories there, I had an E34 and it had a very nice distinctive smell. Was a 1995 manual 525i Sport in Daytona violet. Loved it.
My E46 also had a distinctive smell which it maintained even at 21 years old. Newer BMWs not so much.
The smell in the newer ones seems random - we had a 2010 1 series office pool car, and it just smelt like a normal car. My uncle had a 2012 6 series, and that had the proper BMW smell. My E46 also had a distinctive smell which it maintained even at 21 years old. Newer BMWs not so much.
I did wonder if it was just my nose dulling it, but I poked my head in an E38 7 series recently and that smelt "proper"
Doing a bit more digging, it seems cosmoline smells the same. Might get a tin!
Its the glue they used on the interior trims/panels in that era. The Wurth cavity wax they used back then has a different, also distinctive oidour. Replaced now with wafer thin e-coat instead.
A really nostalgic smell sadly missing from modern German cars. VW/Audis of the same era had the same horse glue or whatever it was they used back then.
E90 onwards doesn't have that smell at all, in fact they are completely odour free, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your POV.
I have found though that liberal use of Gliptone liquid leather on the seats brings about some old school BMW leathery gluey pongs.
A really nostalgic smell sadly missing from modern German cars. VW/Audis of the same era had the same horse glue or whatever it was they used back then.
E90 onwards doesn't have that smell at all, in fact they are completely odour free, which is either a good or bad thing depending on your POV.
I have found though that liberal use of Gliptone liquid leather on the seats brings about some old school BMW leathery gluey pongs.
Edited by rottenegg on Friday 2nd August 22:03
MitchT said:
rottenegg said:
I have found though that liberal use of Gliptone liquid leather on the seats brings about some old school BMW leathery gluey pongs.
I have a Gliptone leather scented air freshener in my E36. As a result it smells like an old Jag! 
I was convinced the Dakota leather in my F30 was that stupid vegan leather, or vinyl or something as it smells of nothing, but no, it is leather and just smells of nothing
The gliptone stuff always gets good comments from passengers about smelling all leathery and BMWey 
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