Any chance in heck a car lot would be able to remove smoker smell from a car? Prior owner appeared to be very very heavy smoker. Looking at a used camry hybrid (09) with leather interior. Dealer says they have a system/machine? that they run for a few hours to remove smell but I'm doubtful of how well something like that would work and might instead just mask the odor for awhile. Anyone not a smoker but purchased a used car the was owned prior by a smoker? Noticed the 2011 camry hybrid has a slightly different energy gauge cluster (green zone coloring line has been added it). thanks.
From what I understand an ozone generators can remove smells like this - this is likely what the dealership has. I do not have any experience with this, but I do understand that it works pretty well.
I presume you are buying the car only if/when they remove the smell. I'd say it's possible. Maybe it will be subcontracted to a detail shop.
If you already purchased the TCH, wait about a year the smell will go away. If not, ask the price be reduced by $300 for suffering.
I inherited a 2001 Civic from my father, a very heavy smoker. I took it to a carwash chain, Motor City Car Wash, here in South Florida. Paid $115 for the "full detail", and they got the smell out. (Didn't ask how, didn't care.) I drove the car another 70000 miles before trading it in on a Prius. The Civic had cloth seats; it may be a different matter to get the smell out of leather. John
It will fade over time. My GF bought a used car that REEKED of cigarette and pot smoke. We fabreezed and ozoned the hell out of it. The stink remained. But after about 1 year (!) it just faded on its own. BTW, the pot smell hung around much longer than the cig smell. I joked that she better never get pulled over...
Put 1/2 quart of vinegar inside and leave it in the sun for any extened time. The more heat the better. The car will smell like vinegar for a few days but will go away (more bearable than smoke, yuk!). I did it on a ford pickup with cloth seats...... in the hot Texas sun and it removed all the smoke smell.
