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Buy Used Cars: They’re (much) Better for Your Health

The reasons for buying a used car keep piling on top of each other as if they’re trying to protect us from whatever is at the bottom of pile. Well, something came out of the pile and it could make you sick… literally. The highly coveted new car smell turns out to be an unpleasant concoction of chemicals such as arsenic, toluene, and formaldehyde that comes from the outgassing of materials used to make cars - things you would never use at home to freshen up the smell of your bathroom.

Europe seems to be more progressive in this area, but Europe is working on an entirely different aspect - allergies to common materials. Removing materials such as latex, chrome, and nickel is great for the allergy sensitive people, but why isn’t arsenic in this list? Probably because we don’t talk about “arsenic allergies.” After all, it’s a poison so I guess were all technically allergic to it. Right?

What about Toyota? They are a progressive car manufacturer and have their environmentally friendly image to preserve. Bill Kwong, Toyota’s Product Communications Manager, says they “strive” to meet Japans voluntary vehicle volatile organic chemical (VOC) standards set by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association by 2011. It feels like lip service to me, but I will dedicate a blog to praising Toyota if they prove me wrong.

Max Gates, Chrysler’s Safety and Regulatory Communications Spokesperson, says the organizations that independently test cars are using, “scare tactics,” and making claims with, “no data to support any claims of risk.” Wow. Where do I start? First, it’s widely acknowledges by the car industry that chemicals gasses such as arsenic, toluene, and formaldehyde are in new cars. Second, science has shown that these chemicals are harmful to our health. Third, places like the Ecology Center have found new cars to be the, “most universally contaminated environment that we spend (our time) in.” Does Chrysler want somebody sit in a car until they get sick to prove that it’s harmful? Better yet, why doesn’t Chrysler spend $100K on an independent study and put this to rest ? Lip service, lip service, lip service.

Used cars end up being a great way to reduce your exposure to the harmful chemicals in new cars. Outgassing, a process where materials release toxic gas, is highest when the materials are new and go down significantly over time. Buying a two year told car could be a very smart decision if you’re as concerned about these gasses as me. Just waiting to buy an older car could be better for your health, especially with these used car prices that we have now.

Don’t be too pessimistic here. Car manufacturers are really trying to remove these harmful gasses from new cars. However, with car manufacturers across the globe having a hard time surviving, I’m betting that returning to profitability and developing new fuel efficient cars is a much, much, higher priority than removing chemicals from cars - especially since that most people don’t realize the smell is harmful. Until I start seeing “Chemical Free” labels on new cars, I’ll stick to buying used cars and get my great deal through Carsala.

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