535iM 1991 - rubber smell occasionally

[AllanS]

Same here- not much commute, and it has almost the same mileage. The clutch shows no signs of age or wear, and I'm pretty (ok not really) easy on it most of the time. I can't find any service records of it ever having been changed either, but I'm sure it was, since it has over 100k on it.

[Thanos]

Sticking brakes (carefully touch each wheel next time you smell this).

Could you please be more specific? Where would I touch and what would I be looking for?

[kiNGMak]

could be coming apart.. the rubber smell is usually from my tires and brakes.. oh how i love this car

[MikeV]

Sticking brakes (carefully touch each wheel next time you smell this).

Could you please be more specific? Where would I touch and what would I be looking for?

Yeah - if one or more wheels is HOT, it's probably from excess friction - and it could mean what you smell is burning brake pads.

[AllanS]

just fyi, I had the smell before and after I changed my brake calipers and pads, front and rear.

[Thanos]

Well...I have to get my yearly state insepction within a month, and I am pretty sure that I will have to have the rotors/pads/sensoors replaced, so I guess I will see if this takes care of it. Thanks.

[Bill R.]

slipping to the point where you might be smelling them... Do you every hear a squeal from the belts on startup or when you turn the airconditioning on?

Well...I have to get my yearly state insepction within a month, and I am pretty sure that I will have to have the rotors/pads/sensoors replaced, so I guess I will see if this takes care of it. Thanks.

[Thanos]

No sqeals, but good thought. Will check them.

[Warren N.CA]

This is a good application for consumer credit (credit card). Let's say the sky falls, and the car needs a $5000 repair. This could be a major inconvenience to pay that out in cash, and some folks simply might not have it lying around. But credit card payment allows the pain to be spread out over time, so that it can be more manageable. I do NOT suggest using credit for "upgrades" or mods. Having a sound older car repaired for several thousand seems much better to me, than replacing the car with a REALLY big installment loan for a new Honda, or whatever.

When my 3-year old Corvette needed a valve job (about $2500 in today's money), I traded the car in, because there was no such thing as a credit card back then, and I couldn't see my way clear to spend that much on a car repair at that time. But I could easily afford the relatively small monthly payment for the new car. Maybe I would have kept the 'Vette, if I could have financed the repair with a credit card.

Maintain the car fastidiously, and chances are your major repairs will be modest and few. But you will have them, so you need to be prepared emotionally, psychologically, and fiscally, to deal with the situation.

That's good news. Boy, I do love this car...but that earlier thread about the money pit they can be continues to rattle me and I fear every little whiff! I cross my fingers. One thing in my favor is that I only drive the thing about 6k miles a year (with 125k on it). So maybe I can continue to dodge some bullets.

[TimGinCentralNJ]

I am frankly afraid of asking this question...but I have noticed that there is faint rubber smell when I get out of the car. When I look into the engine bay nothing looks amiss and I do not see any smoke.
I am hoping that it is just a rubbber tube touching something hot, but I fear that I am naively optimistic!
Thank you in advance,
Thanos