What does diesel smell like in the cabin of a car?

Question

I've heard people refer to it as a 'new plastic toy smell' combined with an oil/gas smell. That's far from a sulphur/egg smell I thought it would be. So to everyone who owns a diesel car, what does it smell like?

The same as the outside of the car? which smells like?....

Answer 1

It smells like sh!t. If diesel exaust or diesel oil on your hands after pumping was to get in your car it stinks. If you really want to smell diesel oil stand near a diesel pump and take a whiff. If you want to smell diesel fumes drive behind a tractor trailer. I hate that smell,but if you want to buy a diesel car I wouldnt rule it out just because the way the exaust smells,..they get 30-40MPG and the new turbodiesel engines are very peppy....go test drive them. VW,mercedes,volvo all have diesel sports cars and sedans.Go for it, just you might want to use gloves while pumping the fuel,especially for a female,the smell of diesel oil is very offensive to the nose! As for the exaust, just get into the habit not to stand and idle with the windows open.

Answer 2

On any newer diesel car the smell should be the same as a gas car. None of the exhaust or diesel should be getting into the passenger compartment. Of the cars I work on the type of fuel has the least to do with the smell in the car, but that could be a topic for a whole article by itself.

Answer 3

Smells like diesel outside of the car....
It smells like diesel fumes....no other way to explain it...smells like fresh air...and burnt diesel

Answer 4

I drove a diesel truck while working lawn maintenance one summer and it always smelled like Satan cooking breakfast to me...that's your sulfur/egg mixture...heh heh...mmmmm...extra crispy...

Answer 5

smells the same as the outside fumes.