Hi Everyone,
I picked up my new Chili red/Black MCS Last Friday March 30th. It's the most fun car I've ever driven. Still only has 125 miles on it. I notice a smell like heated plastic outside by the hood after a long run (20 miles) I'm taking it that this is normal. Anyone else notice this?

 

Perhaps your brake pads wearing in. My MA told me it takes about 250+ miles for brake pads to adjust???

 

That would be the clutch. It's normal.

And congrats on the new ride!

 

That's a different kind of "new car smell." It seemed that the Mini doesn't have a particularly strong new car smell inside, unless you get the leather. My mazda still has new car smell after 2 years.

 

The "new car" smell is carcinogenetic gases being emitted from the various plastics in a car.

Well, they may not be carcinogenetic, but they ain't good for you.

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My MCS has around 300 miles on it and has that "plastic" smell by the hood as well. I chalked it up to new parts "cooking." I agree - the most fun car I've ever driven!! I look forward to climbing into it even to go to work!

 

Yep welcome to the new plastic car smell! Ive had my car a month and a half and am still getting that smell every once in a while. MMMmmm!

 

The new car smell will last until I bring home that first giant veggie/onion thick crust pizza in the back seat

 

That MINI new car smell lasts & lasts & lasts! I started her up to go home tonight and...VOILA! A blast of the stuff! I picked up my MINI on December 31, 2004.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

A Nissan Xterra I had for 8 months had burnt plastic smell for the entire time coming into the cockpit. Dealer says it's normal. I swear that burnt plastic smell is carcinogenic. I traded it in for a new e46 and we still have it 6 years later. Very nice car.

Does the smell find a way into the passenger compartment? Or do you only smell it from the outside?

 

My wife was with me when we picked up our R56 last weekend and by the end of the day she had a splitting headache from that burning plastic smell.

Or maybe it was my driving, who knows....

 

Burnt plastic smell is normal. Mine still has some of it too at 700mi. Don't worry.. In my experience most cars loose it after a couple thousand miles or so.