Hello --and help with car paint stain

[cshades]

Hi everybody. I'm new, of course! :D

Yesterday I noticed a rust-colored stain along the back door's lining. Now, it's not on the door's paint itself; it's just on the lining of the car (my car silver). It's small, linear, and localized to back door, along the top plastic lining. It's not on the other side of the car and no where else. My dad tried compound wax and I tried clay and but it has not worked. It's almost as if the stain is in the paint. The affected area is smooth to touch just as the unaffected area.

Any ideas on what it is, or how to take it off? I was talking to my dad, and he recommended asking car detailers.

I was thinking it was red rail dust, but it’s not speckled; it’s almost as if somebody just lined a rusty-colored marker on that area.

(My car is a Mazda 6 2006; gives you a picture of the "car lining" that I'm talking about on the side of the doors.)

Thanks in advance.

[Emile]

I pulled up some pictures of your vehicle, but I don't know exactly where you are talking about.

Can you take a picture and post it up here of the actual defect on your vehicle?

I'm not sure if I understand where it is. Is it on the paint or is it on plastic?

[cshades]

It's the plastic. It's sort of a door guard or a trim strip on the side of the doors. Instead of rubber on a lot of cars, it's plastic.

I might be able to take some pictures of it later today or tomorrow. Maybe a picture would be better.

Anyway, thanks for your patience.

[Emile]

Okay, if it's plastic you need to use a trim cleaner.

First, try spraying the stained plastic area with alcohol and rubbing with a microfiber towel. That should do the trick. If not, try a plastic/trim cleaner such as DP Total Interior Cleaner or Meguiar's Quik Interior Detailer. I have also found 303 Aerospace to work very well on stained exterior trim pieces.

[cshades]

Thank you for tips!
Anyway, here is the picture. Bare with me...I haven't used my Canon Rebel in a very long time, and I'm rusty. I used high contrast on the picture to make it show better due to the cloudy, hazy day. High contrast makes the grey look darker, but the rust-color is the same.

Here is a link (hope it works):
pic_rusty on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/46453095@N00/3596278128/)