My .02 cents worth on the smell. I had the identical smell in my old 80's BMW 320is and have 2 of the Xfires with the same smell. I was told long ago that it was "horsehair"??..used to stuff the seats and used in the sound deadening material under the carpeting. Don't know how true this is, but its what I once heard and I thought I would share it with yall...peace