Tar removal?

[New2Mercs]

What's best for removing tar spots from car paintwork?
My recently purchased Brilliant Silver W202 looks great but when you get really close EVERY single panel is splattered in tiny tar spots!
Tried a soft muslin cloth and white spirit but took 20 mins to do an area 6" X 6"!
Are the proprietary sprays/lotions available from car accessory shops any good or is there a cheap old fashioned and effective method of doing it?
This is probably a job best left for the Spring but the fact that I KNOW the tar is there is now really bugging me!

Cheers,
Paul

 

[jimmy]

AutoGlum do an Intensive Tar remover, it is good but also removes the wax so you have to re-apply wax after.

Somebody once mentioned using margarine, not sure if it works but is supposed to be kinder to your wax and paint.

 

[marcos]

WD40 removes tar very well and works out cheap too.

 

[New2Mercs]

Thanks for the info, have bought a bottle of the Autoglym stuff, just waiting for some decent weather to wash the car and try it out...


Cheers,
Paul

 

[fuzzer]

The autoglym stuff is superb

 

[GregE240]

Failing that, why not try olive oil or a cheap brand margarine**?

It works. I use a cheap olive oil on mine.

Both are very effective and won't remove layers of wax already on the car.


**I cannot be held responsible for your neighbours looking at you strangely when you open a pot of Stork SB and start smearing your body panels in marg.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Originally posted by GregE240
**I cannot be held responsible for your neighbours looking at you strangely when you open a pot of Stork SB and start smearing your body panels in marg.

You can tell them it's to reduce the drag coefficient and hence makes the car go faster

S.

 

[Flash]

GregE240,

Which is more effective from ur experience the margarine or olive oil ?

How do you apply the above i.e. do u just apply a small amount of olive oil onto a wet/damp cloth and rub it over the tar spots and wash it off afterwards ? How do u apply the margarine ? are any oily marks or slight dark coloured stains/patches left.

Regards,

Flash

 

[GregE240]

Originally posted by Flash
GregE240,

Which is more effective from ur experience the margarine or olive oil ?

How do you apply the above i.e. do u just apply a small amount of olive oil onto a wet/damp cloth and rub it over the tar spots and wash it off afterwards ? How do u apply the margarine ? are any oily marks or slight dark coloured stains/patches left.

Regards,

Flash

Flash,

Whatever you have more of!

Olive oil on a cloth or rubbing in butter or marg either on a cloth or with your finger tips.

My missus bought some soya spread that she didn't like (I'm not kidding here!) so I used that on my Merc.

Just smear some over the tar spots and rub in....allow to stand for a minute or so and then wipe off with a paper towel and buff with a clean dry buffing towel. Using this method does not remove any wax protection.

In terms of oily marks, if you then wash the car with your usual car wash solution it will remove any oily deposits.

I use this method as I use the hand crafted Zymol waxes on my cars, which are sensitive to petroleum based products.

You could use something like WD/40 or petrol but it would strip any wax layers off your paintwork. Of course, if you're happy to reapply the wax then the latter two products work just fine.

Finally, a clay bar is also very effective at tar spot removal, although you must keep turning it and use something to keep the paint surface lubricated.

Cheers,

Greg

 

[Flash]

Thanks for the advise their Greg - much apperciated. I will definitely try your method in future (if i am unfortunate enough to be blessed with the preseance of tar stain/sspots...)

Is there a difference between "wax" and "polish" ? In the past I have always used TurtleWax polish. If I was to ever use for example, Autoglym Tar Remover would TurtleWax polish be sufficient to rewax the paint or would I have to buy some "wax"?

Regards,

Flash

 

[GregE240]

Originally posted by Flash
Is there a difference between "wax" and "polish" ? In the past I have always used TurtleWax polish. If I was to ever use for example, Autoglym Tar Remover would TurtleWax polish be sufficient to rewax the paint or would I have to buy some "wax"?

Regards,

Flash

Flash,

In a word, yes.

A "polish" is a very very mild abrasive coupled with wax ingredients that provide the shine. The abrasive part of the polish removes a fine layer of paint (which may be damaged by oxidation and so forth) and shines whats underneath.

A wax however, is just that. It shines what is already there.

Your Turtle Wax polish falls into the first category. Use of the tar removal product or anything petrochemical based will remove the polish layers so you will have to reapply.

So, in summary thats the difference between something like AutoGlyms Super Resin Polish and the higher end Zymol waxes. With the latter, prior to waxing you use a cleansing product that removes mild oxidisation and removes light scratches. Having done that, you MUST put a layer of wax over the top.

Hope this helps.

Greg

 

[Steve_Perry]

Originally posted by Flash
...Is there a difference between "wax" and "polish" ?...

Just to add to Greg's explanation, I remember reading a brief summary here, posted by Koolvin I think, that I always liked... "Polish takes layers off whereas Wax puts layers on."

So if you really want to bring a filthy car back to showroom shine, 1.Wash, 2.Polish & finally 3.Wax.

If your car is pretty clean then just Wash 'n' Wax.

S.

 

[Flash]

Thanks Steve

Regards,

Flash

 

[smartbrabus]

For baked on tar deposits or, crusty nuclear waste dumps from the local pidgeon, Turtlewax Bug/Tar remover is the strongest stuff I have found, and will get rid of them no problem and little effort. Just be careful you don't get it on any plastic bits, otherwise it can be a bugger to get off

 

[Flash]

SmartBrabus,

I saw that tar stain remover on the TurtleWax website…. do u still have to re-wax the paintwork with the TurtleWax tar stain remover product – reason I ask is because it said on the website that after applying the product it leaves a deep gloss shine…

When u say avoid plastics do u mean painted side skirts, bumpers etc. ? – reason why I ask is because from past experience it is usually the lower side skirts and rear bumpers that are covered with tar spots.

Cheers

Flash

 

[smartbrabus]

Originally posted by Flash
I saw that tar stain remover on the TurtleWax website…. do u still have to re-wax the paintwork with the TurtleWax tar stain remover product – reason I ask is because it said on the website that after applying the product it leaves a deep gloss shine…

Yeah, it does wipe off to a leave a nice shiny finish, so I would guess it already contains some kind of polish/wax.

When u say avoid plastics do u mean painted side skirts, bumpers etc. ? – reason why I ask is because from past experience it is usually the lower side skirts and rear bumpers that are covered with tar spots.

As long as the plastic surface is painted/laquered, you will be ok. The lower skirts on my car are matt, sort of "pitted" unfinished plastic, and this stuff sticks to those surfaces like sh*t to a blanket.