Re: Strange "plastic-like" smell from E46

["Andrew BW Colfelt" <abwc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have the same car with just a few-hundred fewer miles on it than yours.

This smell was quite strong for the first 2000 miles, but has diminished
significantly over the last 1500. I recall it being super-strong the night I
took delivery.

Unlike you, I am rather fond of the smell and I kinda wish it hadn't diminished
so... I can only get it to come back after a hard drive and a few minutes alone
in the garage, and even then I find myself hanging my nose outside the grille
for a good, deep whiff. I have NEVER been so successful as to fill the cabin
with the smell, though, perhaps your situation is, as you suggest, extreme.

After reading a comment or two here before about Cosmoline, I silently concluded
that that was what causes that smell; I can't really confirm that. Maybe there
is a GOB of the stuff hanging on somewhere, whatever it is?

At about 2000 miles, I noticed a cream-colored, sticky substance coating several
expanses of the undercarriage, near the skid plate. This was during a
subsequently aborted attempt to find the drain plug to change my oil (the dealer
was ADAMANT that I wait until at least 5000 miles).

__________________________________________________
Andrew BW Colfelt
E46 328i Sport
BMWCCA #161429


- -----Original Message-----
>Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 14:52:08 -0500
>From: "Jim C." <jimbo@domain.elided>
>Subject: Strange "plastic-like" smell from E46
>
>I have a '99 328i that has 4200 miles on it.  The car runs fine but
>since the day I bought it, it has a strange almost "plastic-like smell"
>(NOT burning plastic) that eminates from somewhere under the hood
>(either from or around the engine or underneath).

------------------------------