jkoh

Hello.

My first MB, and my first time washing my own car.

I see a lot of little black thingys stuck to my paint. I tried to take it off with wet cloth, etc., but I basically have to use my finger nail to scrub it off. It kind of feels like tiny pieces of chewing gum. I have no idea what they are, but I've got plenty of them.

Do you know how I can clean this without hurting the paint? Thank you.

Buellwinkle

Try WD40 first, it's fairly safe. If that doesn't do it try Goof Off. Wash the area well after using it and buff the area because the goof off may dull the paint. If you want to be safe, try the stuff in an area that can't be seen like under the hood to see if it affects the paint.

Harris

Those marks that you are referring to are tar. They are all over the roads. Go to any automative store and get a tar remover and you'll be fine!

mleskovar

Whatever cleaner you use make sure you protect it with a polish and/or wax when through. I wouldn't use WD40 on your paint. I suggest Klasse All In One
as a good protectant. It will probably also remove the globs.

C230K

I use Greased Lightning and it even get's hard tree sap off and does not hurt your paint.

TimmyC230boy

Try a Clay Bar, never used one but I've heard they are good

Buellwinkle

mleskovar, Have you ever used WD40 to remove tar? It works quite well and won't harm the paint. If you put wax on tar I think you would end up with shiny tar but that may be an interesting affect.

mleskovar

Yes, I used it in the past until chemical knowledgeable people from another forum pointed out the harm it can cause. The damage may not be readily apparent but shows up weeks/months/years later (if there is damage done). Klasse All In One isn't just a protective coating (like Klasse Sealant Glaze). It has cleaning properties as well and removes tar as well as other contaminants. The URL is: http://autopia-carport.com/ but the forums aren't available right now. These are some serious detail **** folks with LOTS of car care knowledge and willing to share it.