[casualDIYer]

Hi All

Looking into a project car, a 2012 328i xDrive, 160,000 km (100,000 miles) price is really low so I suspect the car has been in a 5-figure accident (i.e. $10+). The car runs. Separately looking at mechanicals vs interior. Car is a smoker's car and stinks of cigar smoke. Interior appears to be BMW's sensatec with no tears in the material. No burns in headliner. Waiting for the VIN to double check. Carpet looks like 10 years of abuse, with a salt mine in the driver's footwell.

Assuming I will need to do the following to get the car into decent shape.

1. Steam or Dry Ice clean the headliner and carpet or should I just chuck both and start from new?

2. Interior wrap the trim

Not sure what interior updates are required. Would iDrive need an update?

Thanks for any tips.

[Onizukachan]

There is a concentrated gaseous deodorizer “grenade” that you can buy at auto zone, Walmart etc. it’s about 5 bucks.

Wipe down interior with a unscented interior cleaner, spray headliner and carpets heavily with fabreze or similar.


Start the car and set to recirculate with windows up, put the spray in the footwell aimed up at the air intake and set it off, let car run 20-30 minutes.


Change cabin filter and wipe everything down one more time.


May have to let sit with windows open a day or two more or repeat the deodorizer spray once more but I’ve been able to get pot smell out of a car so this should work for Cigars too.