"Old Mercedes Smell"

[flacc]

I was showing the car to someone for the first time the other day in my garage and he states oh ya it has that old mercedes smell.  In thinking on it I realise that the car does have a particular sent, not bad at all, not leather as I have tex, but a sent of age, maybe w/a hint of engine smell.  Is this crazy?  Has anyone else expeienced this?

christopher
1970 280sl
1985 300td wagon
1999 320 4matic wagon

[blue230sl]

i have had 6 different mercedes and the only smell i notice is the doggie/cigar odor in my 190, lol.
but i was in an old jag 3.8 sport sedan last week, a model my brother had in the mid 60s and the fragrance of old leather was exactly the same...

john
64 230sl
89 190e 2.6

[Paddy_Crow]

On my car, the smell is called mildew. Hopefully replacing most of the soft surfaces in the interior will alleviate that.

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch...

[Douglas]

There's definitely an old Mercedes smell, particularly from the ones with original leather. The new leather doesn't have the same "bouquet." :-)

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[J. Huber]

Mine has a certain aroma but it's not the leather (mainly because its MB-Tex!). Instead, its more a combination of some years of baked grease (and degreaser) with a hint of detailer/wax. Its not bad at all.

James
63 230SL

[al_lieffring]

The Tex material in Benz models made in the early 60 had a very distinct (da-stinked) scent, I can remember it from our 62 220s that we owned in the early 60's. becaues these cars also had vinyl matts instead of carpert I am sure that added to the aroma that on a sunny day with the windows closed would be very strong.

Sl's of course have the top off during the summer so they are not as bad, but they can build up the Tex chemical smell too if they still have that old fine grained Tex uppholstery material, and old vinyl floor mats.

Al Lieffring
66 230SL

[hauser]

I have leather in my car at it too has that certain smell.  It was most noticeable when I first got or may I'm just used to it.  I did try a few things such as cedar blocks and Febreeze.  It seemed to work temporarily.

1969 280sl 5 spd
Gainesville, Fl.

[Kemal]

Oh yes, today I went for drive with my daughter & its funny you should mention the smell, my daughter and I both agreed while getting in that the scent is certainly a classic smell which the modern cars don't have.
What ever the scent is we like it, it takes me back to my childhood, what ever that means! I guess it's like opening your grandfathers old leather suitcase or briefcase !

Kemal
280SL
Manual LHD 69

[bpossel]

I think the unique scent is the "horsehair" in our seats...  Of course, the modern day replacement, vs the real horsehair used years ago....  Just my opinion....
Bob

bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320

[suzy]

My 280 didn't have a smell, but my 250 definitely does.  i refer to it as the "old lady smell" since an old lady owned her before me.   it's hard to describe but it's not just the leather, and anyone who gets into her notices it too.  maybe it's the cocoa mats  

suzy
1967 250SL auto beige/green

[Raymond]

My car's aroma always reminds me of the cabins of single-engine airplanes I've flown.

Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[68_white]

Regardless of the seat cover material (MB Tex or Leather), what we are all smelling is the goat skin covered glove box. I presume Mercedes used it because it is much thinner than cow skin and very durable.

DO the test. Smell goat cheese and then your glove box.

HARRY

68_WHITE

[waqas]

quote:Originally posted by 68_white

Regardless of the seat cover material (MB Tex or Leather), what we are all smelling is the goat skin covered glove box. I presume Mercedes used it because it is much thinner than cow skin and very durable.

DO the test. Smell goat cheese and then your glove box.

Good to know... whilst here I'd always thought the smell was a remnant of the actual goat-cheese I left overnight in the glove box some time back... [:p]

Waqas in Austin, Texas

[Raymond]

Well Harry, we must be talking about different aromas as my glove box is lined with MB Tex.

Ray
'68 280SL 4-spd Coupe

[68_white]

ok Ray, you need to do lamb cheese test. Totally different smell.

HARRY

68_WHITE

[France]

Oh, and I thought that funny smell was just all that lolly I've packed into the car!

Trice
1968 280SL US, signal red/bl leather, auto, kinder seat
Sarasota FL; Alsace France; Switzerland
Think of your Pagoda as a woman with a past...stable now including a 92 911 Carrera 2 Tiptronic

[seattle_Jerry]

It is certainly better than that fuel smell all my british cars had from leaky carbs.

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[Bob G]

Stick your nose into a 280SE convertible and the scent of leather and wool carpeting  reeks with joy. My 280SL even though it needs an interor restoration still smells like I remember it as a small boy when I used to accompany my dad to Hollywood Mercedes-Benz the factory store in Hollywood California. Back then they didn't lock the doors so you could slide inside and aquaint your self. My biggest thrill back then was when I was able to sneek passed a salesman into the back seat of a 600 limousine. I still can't get the scent out of my mind. It was a memory I will always remember.

Bob Geco

[JamesL]

Bob

The olfactory memory is the strongest of the senses - as in smells can be remembered and "placed" far more than for the other senses


I used to go shopping with my Mum in Southend on Sea (Look it up, it's a pit)when I was 3/4. The smell of roasting coffee, esecially outside ona  cold day, STILL takes me back to Southend.

[Douglas]

For a mere $6.99, you too can have a Roser leather interior:

http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/car+care/interior+detailing/leather+scent%2C+4+ounces.do?search=basic&keyword=leather&sortby=newArrivals&page=1

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[Benz Dr.]

We use nose fobs to simulate the smell. They're not sellers...

Dan Caron's
 SL Barn
benzbarn@ebtech.net
 slbarn.mbz.org
  1 877 661 6061

[Bob G]

I love Griot's garage. I buy alot of their neat tools and just put a perfessional chammy ringer over my wash basen  and have ordered many neat tools from them in the  passed . They are nice people you can even send back an item if you do not want it anymore and get store credit and my be a refund.
their cataloge's are fun to look through. A great item for thoses with nice four door or two door sedans is the rubber gas flap that prevents spills on you paint.I have a hard time putting their cataloge down.
I have never used their leather treatment, my be next time.
Bob Geco