Forester makes Top Ten list of... most toxic car interiors?

remowgn · 03-20-2007, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Many are concerned with the amount of pollutants that a car is expelling from it’s exhaust, and the harm it does to the environment. But strangely, there is not much focus on toxins inside the car, where it affects you directly the most.

The chart above shows results obtained with non-profit environmental group Ecology Center used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) device, which identifies the elemental composition of any material to look for known toxins such as chlorine, bromine, arsenic, mercury and others. The presence of these harmful chemicals were checked in the dashboard, steering wheel, carpet, armrests and other locations. You actually breathe in these toxins when you drive your car around, as they get released under heat over time.

http://paultan.org/archives/2007/03/...-car-interior/

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Coati · 03-20-2007, 04:40 PM

Nasty! I wonder why it would be different than the Impreza?

culturedetox · 03-20-2007, 04:58 PM

are they testing the cars as new? it doesn't talk about testing methods or sample size.

if the cars are "new" then the answers will be skewed as the glues are still curing for a few weeks.

I'd take it all with a grain of salt because of their own unexplained inconsistencies between the volvo s40 and the v50.

:edit: reading info here - http://www.healthycar.org/about.download.php

still nothing on the sampling size or car selection method. redflag

the impreza scored a 2.7... much less than the forester.. its almost the same car.. aren't they built alongside each other in the same factory?

something smells fishy, and it aint the interior.

vapore0n · 03-20-2007, 05:00 PM

but but..

thats the new car smell!!
I love that smell

only1agam · 03-20-2007, 05:01 PM

hmm.... i'm not sure if i care since the 08 b9 and imprezas are to debut in less than 4 weeks

WRXBob · 03-20-2007, 05:21 PM

Cobalt is best? It kills me just to look at that cheap dash :-)

remowgn · 03-20-2007, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WRXBob

Cobalt is best? It kills me just to look at that cheap dash :-)

Well, when your dash is made out of recycled rubbermaid garbage cans, there's not much to outgas.

Kostamojen · 03-20-2007, 05:53 PM

Is it because some of the foresters interior surfaces are dimpled?

Idjiit · 03-20-2007, 06:21 PM

The lesbians are gonna be pissssssed.

I suspect the Yaris is way up there. It absolutely reeked the first few months I had it.

Mike Wevrick · 03-20-2007, 07:04 PM

Is there any evidence that these supposed toxins have actually harmed anyone?

importdriver · 03-20-2007, 08:33 PM

I inhale the smell of a new car. I think i am gonna die.

jalterio · 03-20-2007, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Idjiit

The lesbians are gonna be pissssssed.

I suspect the Yaris is way up there. It absolutely reeked the first few months I had it.

You drive a Yaris.... I wouldn't gloat who drives the bitch car..

Don't take with a grain of salt.

keepclam · 03-20-2007, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jalterio

You drive a Yaris.... I wouldn't bloat who drives the bitch car..

Don't take with a grain of salt.

Bloat??!

Yes, by all means, if you're bloated, please don't take another grain of salt.

I think you may mean gloat.

EBWRC#1 · 03-20-2007, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by importdriver

I inhale the smell of a new car. I think i am gonna die.

jamest · 03-20-2007, 11:47 PM

Wow a scale from 0 to 5 of "concern". Very scientific, no units of parts per billion, just "concern". As in, "I'm concerned about how much dihydrogen monoxide is in the environment."

Quote:

Detection of bromine in a vehicle component indicates the likely presence of a brominated flame retardant (BFR).

I'll choose the flame retardant, okay?

US2JDM · 03-21-2007, 01:55 AM

mmMMMMmmmm...I loves me some new car smell!

clucania · 03-21-2007, 09:16 AM

I just bought a new Forester XT Sports... and don't get me wrong I love the new car smell... But this car is choking the hell out of me.

I think they went a little glue-happy at the factory.

BigElm · 03-21-2007, 09:18 AM

Didn't they mention the toxics were high in the Impreza couple of years ago?

EDIT: It was more than just the Impreza...

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ighlight=toxic

KrazyKarl · 03-21-2007, 09:57 AM

since when is a pt cruiser an SUV?

SlideWRX · 03-21-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coati

Nasty! I wonder why it would be different than the Impreza?

The interiors are different; different dashes, different door trims, etc. the plastics generally are a fair source of these chemicals, so different manufacturing lines for different pieces can be dramatically different, use different chemicals for pulling plastics from molds, different pigments, different density foams, etc. Not to mention time to delivery at the factory; if a part sits for a day or two longer before being installed, it will outgas a bit more before being in the constrained car environment.

Tom

jasonallenross · 03-21-2007, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KrazyKarl

since when is a pt cruiser an SUV?

It has been since it came out. How do you think Chrysler meets CAFE requirements? There's a lot of their "justification" of how a Neon-derived boxy wagon "is a SUV" out there on the Internet, but there was a lot of "I call BS" when it came out.

Also, the BMW folks will remark that BMW does not make SUV's, they make SAV's.

Calamity Jesus · 03-21-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlideWRX

The interiors are different; different dashes, different door trims, etc.

Forester and Impreza dashes are identical.

Kostamojen · 03-21-2007, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beaverboy

Forester and Impreza dashes are identical.

No they are not.

phoenix96 · 03-21-2007, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beaverboy

Forester and Impreza dashes are identical.

Similar, but not identical.

sential · 03-21-2007, 06:26 PM

maybe that's why my 05 forester still smells brand new...

03-20-2007, 04:58 PM	#3
culturedetox Scooby Specialist Member#: 92204 Join Date: Jul 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: BFE Weatherford, Tx Vehicle: 2005 hybrid swap paint chips and dirt	are they testing the cars as new? it doesn't talk about testing methods or sample size. if the cars are "new" then the answers will be skewed as the glues are still curing for a few weeks. I'd take it all with a grain of salt because of their own unexplained inconsistencies between the volvo s40 and the v50. :edit: reading info here - http://www.healthycar.org/about.download.php still nothing on the sampling size or car selection method. redflag the impreza scored a 2.7... much less than the forester.. its almost the same car.. aren't they built alongside each other in the same factory? something smells fishy, and it aint the interior. Last edited by culturedetox; 03-20-2007 at 05:12 PM.

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03-20-2007, 04:40 PM	#2
Coati Scooby Guru Member#: 9106 Join Date: Aug 2001 Chapter/Region: SCIC Location: 10 Doors, 2 Scoops! Vehicle: 2002 WRX Wagon - PSM 2008 STI - Aspen White	Nasty! I wonder why it would be different than the Impreza?

03-20-2007, 05:00 PM	#4
vapore0n Scooby Specialist Member#: 21356 Join Date: Jul 2002 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: MA Vehicle: 2010 BMW 335i Blue	but but.. thats the new car smell!! I love that smell

03-20-2007, 05:01 PM	#5
only1agam Scooby Specialist Member#: 56183 Join Date: Feb 2004 Chapter/Region: South East	hmm.... i'm not sure if i care since the 08 b9 and imprezas are to debut in less than 4 weeks

03-20-2007, 05:21 PM	#6
WRXBob Scooby Specialist Member#: 12455 Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: CA Vehicle: 02 WRX	Cobalt is best? It kills me just to look at that cheap dash :-)

03-20-2007, 05:53 PM	#8
Kostamojen Scooby Guru Member#: 2272 Join Date: Sep 2000 Chapter/Region: BAIC Location: haha XD Vehicle: 95 L AWD LIFTED!!! 1970 Subaru FF-1 Coupe	Is it because some of the foresters interior surfaces are dimpled?

03-20-2007, 06:21 PM	#9
Idjiit Scooby Specialist Member#: 5310 Join Date: Mar 2001 Chapter/Region: South East Location: Raleigh, NC Vehicle: 08 Highlander 95 Miata M	The lesbians are gonna be pissssssed. I suspect the Yaris is way up there. It absolutely reeked the first few months I had it.

03-20-2007, 07:04 PM	#10
Mike Wevrick RIP 1/19/64 - 7/23/11 Scooby Guru Member#: 24654 Join Date: Sep 2002 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: saraseager.com Vehicle: 1957 Taggart Comet atlasshruggedpart1.com	Is there any evidence that these supposed toxins have actually harmed anyone?

03-20-2007, 08:33 PM	#11
importdriver Scooby Specialist Member#: 96927 Join Date: Sep 2005 Chapter/Region: E. Canada Location: Ontario, Canada	I inhale the smell of a new car. I think i am gonna die.

03-21-2007, 01:55 AM	#16
US2JDM Scooby Guru Member#: 5893 Join Date: Apr 2001 Chapter/Region: E. Canada Location: Fairport, NY Vehicle: 1997 Black GC4 1995 White BK6	mmMMMMmmmm...I loves me some new car smell!

03-21-2007, 09:16 AM	#17
clucania Scooby Specialist Member#: 16002 Join Date: Mar 2002 Chapter/Region: Tri-State Location: NJ Vehicle: 07 Forester XT Sport	I just bought a new Forester XT Sports... and don't get me wrong I love the new car smell... But this car is choking the hell out of me. I think they went a little glue-happy at the factory.

03-21-2007, 09:18 AM	#18
BigElm Always under your radar! Moderator Member#: 1568 Join Date: May 2000 Location: Hawtlanta!!!	Didn't they mention the toxics were high in the Impreza couple of years ago? EDIT: It was more than just the Impreza... http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ighlight=toxic

03-21-2007, 09:57 AM	#19
KrazyKarl Scooby Specialist Member#: 94706 Join Date: Aug 2005 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Ft. Worth, TX Vehicle: 2007 STI 1995 Miata	since when is a pt cruiser an SUV?

03-21-2007, 06:26 PM	#25
sential Scooby Newbie Member#: 105288 Join Date: Jan 2006	maybe that's why my 05 forester still smells brand new...