Ok, I admit, I've become a slacker. I've owned my MINI for almost 3 years. I was great about taking care of it for the first year and a half but have been a slacker since.

So last fall, I parked under a tree and some sort of sap fell on my hood. I eventually washed it off a couple weeks later but it worked its way into the clear coat and I have let it sit like that since. My question to you detailing experts is can I get it out and if so, how?

Should I use a bug/tar remover, clay bar, etc? And once I have treated the spots I'm assuming I'll have to put on a fresh coat of wax. Will Turtle Wax ICE be good enough or should I use a real wax, like a carnauba?

Many thanks in advance!

 

if it's in the clearcoat you'll have to remove some of the clearcoat off using polish.

try some rubbing alcohol to see if it really etched the clearcoat. if not wash, clay, wax.

if yes, wash, polish, wax. if that doesn't work, repaint or just keep slackin' so the dirt covers the etching well. (I have a feeling you're going to just jump to the last option).

 

Hey now!

I may be a slacker but if I was THAT much of a slacker I wouldn't be on here trying to figure out how to repent of my past slackerness. So now I'm going to have to prove you wrong (besides, I'm extra motivated because I'm think of selling it )

Thanks for the info!

 

clarkdr81

My wife loves to park under a tree at work and gets this tree excrement all over her Civic.

I used her car for the beta test using Prima products for the first time. Before I Prima'd I used a Clay Bar and it took that *hit up. Couple extra passes needed but I made sure kept plenty of detailer on it. I'm assuming tar and bug remover hasn't worked

 

akkkk, carmax is not going to care if the car has some stains on it. they will only give you market value anyways.

just jump to the last option, sell the car, and treat
the new car without slackerness.