I washed my Silver MY99 today and noticed a "peppering" of a dark substance over some of the lower the body panels, especially near the wheel arches.

Normal washing doesn't shift it and gentle "scratching" with my fingernail breaks it down to look tar/coffee like.

Thing is, I had the 1st annual body service yesterday and wonder if this is overspray? I know I should've checked the car over before I handed it over http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif

Anyone else noticed this after their body service - or is it just I haven't cleaned it enough recently?

Recommendations for a product to remove it gratefully received too.

Lee

Hi Lee,
sounds to me as if it is overspray from a generous application of underseal, white spirit should shift it but it will leave a slight oily residue, a good polish will sort it though.
Ron

Hiya

if its road tar, the legendary Mr Underwood suggests maragrine
otherwise I would contact him

robski

Just spent the whole day washing scoobs - Silver Sti-3.

Below the waistline of the doors always seems to be a problem. If you run your hand a long the areas below the waist of the door, it feels like sand paper. Closer inspection reveals tiny black and orange specs, which dont wash off. It's similar to the black gunk welded to the wheels. So I guess it's a combination of throw off from the wheels (brake dust) and general grime sprayed up on wet days! Occassionally there are flecs of tar like deposits there too.

First of all I wash the car top to bottom. I then attack the car with some localised cleaning - I use one of those hand held polishers from Halfords plugged into the lighter socket, using the small sponge head, with a bucket of MER in solution. Sometimes it still doesnt come off so I have to resort to a bit of elbow grease; polishing cloth, Mer and copious amounts of clean warm water.

Eventually the areas mentioned above become shiny and smooth to touch, takes a lot of work though, I've tried allsorts of off the shelf products, tar removers, bug removers, road grime removers, etc etc, none seem to work though. Mer in water seems to work really well, Mer is not abrasive either like T-cut and similar products.

Cheers,
Shiney Scoobs and Popeye http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif


[This message has been edited by Howie (edited 19-03-2000).]

Try WD40, it doesn't require any scrubbing and shouldn't damage the car. I had a white car once and used this method constantly for road tar with no side effects.

Cheers

Lee_m

Its road tar and nearly every car has this problem without exception. Being 4 wheel drive the problem is compound as you'll have the spots under the waist line on the door and also on the rear pu.

How to solve? simple really but must fall in line with whatever products u are currently using to maintain the paintwork.

The safest way is as robski says....smear some margarine over the effected areas and allo to soak in for say a few minutes. Rub/work in occaionally with your fingers. Simply then take a terry towel or similar and wipe away. Turn the cloth after an buff to shine. Margerine will not strip your wax layer if u have one.

Another way is to use a clay bar and lubricant.

How to protect against future happenings? You need to thoroughly cleanse the paint work so that it is silky smooth afterwards. Once done apply several layers of carnauba wax. Tar spots then sit on the wax and become a doddle to remove.

Howie...what a routine. Try my cleanse no2 and all done in a few mins..no electric polishers etc.

[This message has been edited by Mark Underwood (edited 19-03-2000).]

Howie - if you think Mer isnt abrasive then think again mate but i dont know how much water mitigates this.

Lee - You actually washed your car?...WOW - i guess you'll be too scared to take it out along Beddington Lane roadworks now?
Buy some gear from Mark Underwood...it'ill get you out of your darkened room! - if you want to see the outcome then i just spent all day today Zymoling (dirty word?) my car (except the bumpers and sills) so have a butchers at it tommorow - you wont be able to miss it http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by sunilp (edited 19-03-2000).]

Wow!

I'm impressed with the speed of repsonse! Thanks all of you!

Margarine? "I can't belive it's not better!" will give it a try soon! Just washed two cars and a motorbike had enough for now.

WD40 - gots loads of that too, I'll try them both.

Sunil, I'll definitely take a gander at yours tomorrow. As you imply I'm not one to exert a huge effort into the washing'n'waxing but if yours is that impressive (and stays that way for a reasonable time) Mr Underwood may well have secured another order!

Ta all

Lee