# Guess That Scent! Why does my car smell like tuna? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 31, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745 "2004-07-31T17:58:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/1 "2004-07-31T17:58:39Z")
Well over the past few days I’ve started to notice a smell in my car. As I don’t clean my car out very often, the smell grew stronger until I finally realized what it resembled. Tuna. I’m not a big fan of tuna, although I don’t particularly dislike the smell. Anyways, upon further investigation I believe I found what three smells combined to create this smell. But I’m not going to tell until somebody guesses all three. Hint: There was no tuna in my car. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/2 "2004-07-31T18:03:12Z")
Do you park your car in a place frequented by prostitutes? ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/3 "2004-07-31T18:07:11Z")
> [@hillbilly queen](#): > > Do you park your car in a place frequented by prostitutes? Let me clarify how to play the game. Just guess three items/incidents that combined to guess the smell. So you still have two more to guess. (although I may park have parked my car in a place frequented by prostitutes) ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/4 "2004-07-31T18:08:20Z")
Whoops, that should have said: “although I may have parked my car…” ---
**Author:** ![Susie\_Derkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47774/32.png) [@Susie\_Derkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susie_Derkins)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/5 "2004-07-31T18:44:36Z")
Old dirty socks, a leaking bottle of brake fluid, and some old french fries? ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2004, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/6 "2004-07-31T18:46:38Z")
> [@Susie Derkins (but really harmless)](#): > > Old dirty socks, a leaking bottle of brake fluid, and some old french fries? :smack: That’s what you get for leaving yourself logged in at work, **Sissy**. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/7 "2004-08-01T01:46:21Z")
Umm, magazine sample of some stinky perfume, leaking engine fumes of some kind, and some forgotten vanilla malt in a cup under the seat? ---
**Author:** ![RingOfFire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e47774/32.png) [@RingOfFire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RingOfFire)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/8 "2004-08-01T02:35:16Z")
You accidently left your window down and it rained? (Hey, I did it a couple days in a row, with my NEW car, and it smelt musty/fishy the next day. Thankfully it aired out.) ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/9 "2004-08-01T04:25:28Z")
Thus far nobody has guessed a single component in the equation that equals Tuna Smell. Here’s a hint: One of the items that contributed to the smell was cheesy. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/10 "2004-08-01T04:33:56Z")
A half-finished carton of cottage cheese from when you ate lunch on the run, A bottle of mousse from when you fixing yourself up on the run, and an old jog-bra from when you came back from a run? ---
**Author:** ![ZebraShaSha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/eada6e/32.png) [@ZebraShaSha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZebraShaSha)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/11 "2004-08-01T04:44:01Z")
Alphabet cereal, a mall santa, and a dehydrated dog. ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/12 "2004-08-01T04:49:59Z")
Shoe polish, a dog’s chew toy, and the remains of a Happy Meal. ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/13 "2004-08-01T20:25:45Z")
When I go jogging, like most guys, I don’t wear a bra. One of the components that added to the smell is ILLEGAL ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/14 "2004-08-01T21:08:38Z")
Ummm, are you SURE you don’t wear a jog bra? OK, let me try this: A mostly-eaten snack sized bag of Cheez-Its, your toenail clippings and a VHS copy of Gigli. (Well, I heard that Gigli stunk, but like tuna?) ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2004, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/15 "2004-08-01T21:10:23Z")
Ohh! Ohhh! Ohhh! I know! Pot!!! ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/16 "2004-08-02T06:23:31Z")
Tikki has guessed one component! And fingernail clippings may very well have contributed to the smell, now that I think about it. But it’s not what I originally suspected. Next Hint: Another thing that contributed to the smell is something found often at places where Adam Sandler picks up women (in a movie + in a skit on a cd) ---
**Author:** ![Marlitharn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@Marlitharn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marlitharn)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/17 "2004-08-02T10:31:12Z")
Pot, old beer cans, and a moldy slice of pizza? ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/18 "2004-08-02T18:10:03Z")
Pot, a shampoo bottle, and taco bell wrappers. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/19 "2004-08-02T18:43:38Z")
> [@saramamalana](#): > > Shoe polish, a dog’s chew toy, and the remains of a Happy Meal. _Karnak reads the envelope_ Name three random things to make Ed laugh uproariously… ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2004, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745/20 "2004-08-02T18:53:28Z")
I like the “taco bell wrappers” guess, so I’m going to include it with: Pot, taco bell wrappers, and cat barf. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guess-that-scent-why-does-my-car-smell-like-tuna/257745.md?page=2)