Smoked-in Car Purchase: Return Possible?

Make sure they do the roof lining. Few valetors ever think of looking up

I got a smokers car and along with having to clean the headliner I also had to take the back seats out and clean them. Every service needed to be cleaned from the windows to the dash, parcel shelf and door cards. The car stank when I got it, after a deep clean of everything it didn't.

Leave windows open for a day

• Since the salesman stated the car was not owned by a smoker, the condition of the goods was misrepresented.
  Sale of goods act 1980:
  "The buyer, promptly upon discovering the breach, makes a request to the seller that he either remedy the breach or replace any goods which are not in conformity with the condition.
  If the seller refuses to comply with the request or fails to do so within a reasonable time, the buyer is entitled:
  (i) to reject the goods and repudiate the contract, or
  (ii) to have the defect constituting the breach remedied elsewhere and to maintain an action against the seller for the cost thereby incurred by him."
  
  First step: Send a registered letter to the dealer informing them that:
  1. The goods were misrepresented. Use that specific term, which is in the legislation.
  2. You expect a repair (ozone treatment, costs about €100, may work)
  3. If that is unsuccessful, you expect a refund or a replacement vehicle.
  
  Keep all receipts related to expenses incurred.

Might not have been owned by a smoker, could have been the owners partner that smoked in it, technically the salesman might not have lied at all.

I do not understand the fixation, a friend of mine freaked out when he figured out that a car he bought had belonged to a smoker, he removed and power washed the carpets, dismantled the entire interior, cleaned everything including the headlining, bought an ozone generator which he left running in it for weeks and still ended up selling the car, I could not smell anything, yet he hated the car because of it, some people seem to be more sensitive than others to it?

Our Neighbour had the same problem as you.

He went back to the dealership and was firm but fair with them and they refunded him.

I wouldn't expect to pay 40,000 euro plus for a car and then have to start cleaning bits of it and swapping out filters etc. Its 40k

Go to a proper 'showroom valeting' place yourself.

and ChatGPT won’t represent you in court

Febreze, carpet cleaner and baking soda in cups gets rid of smell. I once owed a Xsara Picasso bought from a chainsmoker owner of 10 years and after a week of cleaning and leaving baking soda around the car the smell has gone. Check the ash tray if it’s still installed:)

I had a problem with and odor in my car after a soup spill a few years ago, I cleaned it 10 times and still couldnt get the awful smell out of it.

went to my local car valeter who sold me an odor bomb, pina colada flavor, 25 euro, it did a great job, smell gone, never to return.

like the link below

https://www.autozone.com/interior-detailing-and-car-care-products/air-freshener/p/armor-all-freshfx-smoke-x-odor-eliminator-fogger-2oz/915810_0_0

Dealers don't allow valetors to properly clean a car with time restrictions. It's very much get it done and out the gate as quick as possible. I'd take the car to a proper detailer and get the dealer to pay the bill

just keep in mind if the car was bought in Newry, UK legislation applies. Not saying you’re wrong in what you’re saying, but the SOGA 1980 has different wording to the equivalent UK act.

It was posted already but I'd give an Ozone machine a go. We had a similar issue with a second hand car recently

I bought this machine from Amazon and ran it a few times. Have a look at ozone videos on youtube. It does work. Also as others said - replacing the cabin/pollen filter will also help. Ozone is dangerous so keep that in mind when using the machine. You leave it in the car while its running and ventilate after. You can pay to get it done as well. I ran a few times in the car, 15 minute cycles and it worked well. I noticed the smell is still in the boot! So i need to run it with the seats down again. When running leave the car on with the air con on internal air circulation and it helps kill anything in the air con system.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0B3XDCQJS/ref%3Dppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Taking the seats out is a bit extreme and unnecessary in my view! I bought a 2 year old car from a dealership back in 2014 and it had been heavily smoked in by the previous owner. A good valet, wet vac and some cleaning products and it was almost gone. I then went and bought an Auto Glym Odour Eliminator product from Halfords and after 2 applications (seats, carpets, seat belts, boot floor and headliner) there was no detectable cigarette smell from the car at all.

As for the OP: Definitely keep on the right side of the dealership. They can try another round of cleaning and then the Ozone treatment and hopefully that will do the trick. If not, give Auto Glym product I used (above) a try. It is a spray and leave type and does not need to be wiped away. An Air Con "bomb" may also be in order to get the smell out of the air vents and HVAC system in the car. Definitely get the cabin pollen filter changed out as this will hold on to the smell also.

Best of luck, I too hate the smell of cigarettes in a car. It is detestable!

Absolutely agree, given the sums of money involved there is even more expectation that things will be as described.

Regarding your disclaimer, surely it is not slander if someone posts exactly what happened?

Yes if it comes to it, the legal route as the car they have now received is devalued and needs money spent to get it right. Be respectful but firm and more than likely they'll return the car as it won't cost them much if any money to retail again.

The dealer may not ask it but it there is a smell in a car it will lower its value regardless if its smoke or mould.

I don't think people realise that some are more sensitive to certain odours than others. To those it is extremely difficult to remove smoke odour, especially from fabrics.