ChrisMTS

Hi all,

My newly acquired C230 has 4 significant glossy spots on the dash above the glovebox/airbag compartment.

Here's a picture;
http://www.chrisftp2.us/images/mb_dash.jpg

Any ideas as to what these might be and how to get rid of them? I've tried a simple interior cleaner (Meguiars Quick Interior Detailer) but they seem to be pretty stubborn. In certain light they're not so visible but in bright sunlight they stick out like a sore thumb.

Any suggestions much appreciated.

Thanks
Chris

Glyn M Ruck

Try cleaning them with some rubbing alcohol.

tommy

My guess is that was where the radar detector and/or nav was stuck to the dash.

I'd do what Glyn suggested, but also try something like goo be gone to see if that will remove the residue, if there is a residue that's tactile.

Good luck.

jcnash

+1 on the goo gone.

ChrisMTS

Thanks for all the responses. There's no goo/residue, it's just glossy. If you run your finger over the spots there's no discernible difference in feel. I'm thinking perhaps that the rest of the dash has faded while the part which was under suction cups may have retained it's original finish.

Glyn M Ruck

Yes - that was my best guess.

samaritrey

Wow that sucks never seen anything like that on a w203. Interested to here if you can fix it?

C280 Sport

I would take a damp paper towel and wipe it down and see what happines from there. Maybe an armoral whipe after that.

tommy

I agree with you now. Either the rest of the dash needs to be cleaned to try to get it to the better condition of the dots, or the dots need to be weathered.
That's going to be a tough fix. Maybe get a nav and radar detector, and put them in the same exact spots.

jcnash

Or get one of those weird fluffy monkeys and attach the hand vacuum cup to one of the spots and the leg vacuum cup to the other.

Itll be a gymnast monkey...

dirtdiggler

Try the Mr. Clean erasure on the surface, just a test spot.

ChrisMTS

Thanks for all the suggestions. I went with Glyn's rubbing alcohol (primarily because I already had some). It worked a treat.

It was a bit worrying at first because although my "inconspicuous test area" worked fine, as soon as I started on the spots it went all gooey and almost felt as though the alcohol was attacking the plastic. I guess what I was feeling was the offending blemishes starting to soften and liquefy under the rag. Pretty gross to think that if these marks were from suction cups then their composition was most likely baked-on saliva!

Anyway, grateful thanks to one and all for another mission accomplished.
Chris

Glyn M Ruck

Great. Alcohol will not damage plastics or leach out plasticisers.

LILBENZ230

By the way, whoever stuck stuff there is a blithering idiot. That is perilously close to sitting directly on top of the passenger airbag deployment zone and most definitely in a spot where it would be hit by the airbag once inflated. You don't want something like that flying around at 200mph in the car.