Black Stuff.

[PlopHole]

Only just had time to ask for help! There's some sort of black dirt on one side of my 500, the right side. It goes half way along the side skirt, there's dots on the door panel and some around the rear wheel arch. To me it seems as though its tar or tarmac of some sort. The only way I seem to be able to get it off is to scratch it off, but clearly I don't want to be doing that. I've tried warm soapy water but just doesn't work, its quite rough and stuck on hard. There is quite a thick layer underneath aswell. I've attached some images - anybody know of what it is, how it got there and how I should go about removing it?

 

[Tris Harris]

looks like tar- you must have been on a newly laid road.

I'd recommend trying to get it off by claying it rather than scratching it off with your fingers as this will damage the paint.

 

[tim1989]

looks like tar best bet is this http://www.autoglym.com/enGB/product-proddetail.asp?v06VQ=GD&Range=1

 

[StuGP86]

As above, clay or some autoglym intensive tar remover should rid the car of that.

 

[tim1989]

there is to much there to clay out you will need about 5clay bars use the autoglym tar remover then if there is anything left use clay

 

[PlopHole]

Thanks. And someone just suggested I use a dry cloth with a dab of WD40 and wipe it over the tar. Shall I try it, or will it completely ruin the paint?

 

[Andy Monty]

Thanks. And someone just suggested I use a dry cloth with a dab of WD40 and wipe it over the tar. Shall I try it, or will it completely ruin the paint?

WD'40 is fine soak it in it then wipe off using a cheap microfiber cloth DON'T RUB (too hard) as there is likely to be grit amongst the tar....


this is really what you want

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/autosmart-tardis-clean.html



failing that any waterbased or solvent degreaser...

 

[PlopHole]

I think I might order myself some of that stuff, just gonna shop around because I don't really want 5 litres of it - I'm not intending to drive through a pit of tar on a regular basis.

Many thanks.