Tip: Removing tar spots from paintwork

[evoke]

The paintwork on my 2008 C5 MKIII was looking a bit tired and neglected. Upon closer inspection I noticed that the doors and wings were peppered with tar spots. Ordinary washing simply cannot remove these so I bought a bottle of Autoglym Intensive Tar Remover. This is a watery solvent and you simply pour a small amount onto a cotton cloth and wipe over the tar spots. The key is to allow the solvent to penetrate the tar spots for a couple of minutes to dissolve them before wiping off. The tar spots should dissolve easily enough although stubborn ones may need more than one application.

It takes around 15-20 minutes to do a single panel on the car (depending on how many tar spots it has - my front doors had at least a hundred each!). The end result is as if the panel has been clayed. It is remarkably smooth and silky. You'll need to reapply a polish/wax/sealant as the tar remover is likely to remove any protection on your clearcoat.

The car looks a lot fresher and newer. The process requires a lot of elbow grease but the end result is definitely worth it.

[Gingerposer]

Or you can use a little bit of petrol, it'll do the same for way less money.

[mooseshaver]

I been using a washmit that has a mesh over it. Is that ok? Is supposed to be for tar spots. It's soft noodles the other side.

[old'uns]

I been using a washmit that has a mesh over it. Is that ok? Is supposed to be for tar spots. It's soft noodles the other side.

i'll pop round to see my 'chums'...you know the ones and see what they recommend and let you know tomorrow

[c.morewood]

Butter works well!!

[evoke]

I've heard about using butter, turps, petrol and diesel but was worried what that might do to my clearcoat. The Autoglym product does work well,

[qprdude]

And you would have some comeback if it damaged your car maybe.
Have you seen the price of butter?

Just noticed, there are three people from Aberdeenshire on this thread. Quick question for your local guys. In a city of nearly Quarter of a million souls, how come the nearest Citroen main agent is Elgin and the nearest Renault main agent( don't count Arnold clark) , is in the grand metropolis of Memsie!!!

[Timmo]

AG intensive tar remover does work well, as do most the other tar removers,
the easiest way is to spray the tar remover and then clay bar after as that will remove the remnants of the tar spots etc and leave a lovely fresh panel to work on, if you've a friendly local body shop then pop down to them and slip the guys a few quid for a bottle of what they use, it'll be a lot stronger than the over the counter consumer versions!

i seem to remember from Donkeys years bag something about tea bags (used and damp) being good for removal, Never tried that method mind, something about using it on a white car and resulting in a somewhat leopard skin style finish due to the tea bag marks!!!

[addo]

Who'd have thought - teabagging a car!

[c.morewood]

And you would have some comeback if it damaged your car maybe.
Have you seen the price of butter?


Just noticed, there are three people from Aberdeenshire on this thread. Quick question for your local guys. In a city of nearly Quarter of a million souls, how come the nearest Citroen main agent is Elgin and the nearest Renault main agent( don't count Arnold clark) , is in the grand metropolis of Memsie!!!

When I was growing up in Shetland.... there was a lot of tarring of roads going on and we used to get "clarted" in tar in the "hot" summers.. butter was locally made, cheap and very effective.. and good for your skin!! as well as the car ....none of this expensive Danish stuff!!


As for a lack of Stealers... maybe they've priced themselves out of the market..last time I visited them they insisted on a £90 check before looking at the P bush I'd asked them to check. ... And in the report never mentioned the P bush once!!!
So I did it myself with the helpof the guys on this forum.

Maybe we should have an Aberdeenshire forum get together?

[Gingerposer]

I'm sure Arnold Clark was a Citroen main dealer a few years ago - it's largely irrelevant to me cos I'm not in the target audience for new or newish cars. I use an independent for all work I can't do myself (which is most of it) and have been happy with them so far (3 years plus).
A Shire Citroen meet sounds ace!

[qprdude]

Arnold Clark is still a Citroen Main agent in Girdleness road Torry, but I have to use Ness Motors to keep my dealers warranty active. It's the Renault service thats missing from Aberdeen now. The wife's Clio remote stopped working and a local Indy said they could fix it, charged £31.50, and couldn't do anything, (except change the fob battery which I had already changed). I'm not taking it to another Indy to get charged for nowt again. Memsie is the nearest Renault garage. I expect Aberdeen is too small to have a service centre!

C. Morewood, Butter good for your skin, ho ho, not surprising you Shelties are a slippery bunch! (I used to make butter as a kid when my parents had a farm. 1 lb and half lb butter pats sold in some Aberdeen shops and in "the Green" on a Thursday at the market. (now all long gone)

Not sure if my C5 X7 has any Kudos for a local meet.