Plastic Still on New Car - Please HELP!!

[NorahCRV]

My son bought a new car this week & asked them to leave all the "shipping plastic" on the paint so that "he" could detail it himself (with my "help").

Does anybody have any experience or suggestions for the removal of the plastic? Should it just "peel off"?? Then we can clay, polish, etc??

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v422/coolchid/60531BrycesFit/DSC00211.jpg

Thanks for your help!

Norah

[Neothin]

is that a honda fit?

IIRC you have to wet it down and that'll soften it up. Then you can start peeling it off piece by piece.

Don't hold that against me if it doesn't work though, i think that's what i remeber reading.

[Neothin]

found what i was looking for-

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=57256&page=1&highlight=dealer+plastic+removal

Bill D is actually a member here, so he may chime in here. Apparently there is a solvent that you're going to need to get it all off. Add in some AIO afterwards to get remnants of the adhesive off and you're good to go.

[BILL]

I Dont think you'll have to clay though.......

[justin_murphy]

I worked for dealerships for the last 9 years.
Just peel it off. Slowly. It's designed to release....there will be no adhesive left on the car. There may be a build up on the edges where dirt has mixed with the adhesive. Use WD-40 on a rag to remove the lines.

[NorahCRV]

. . . the plastic has now been peeled off the hood, planning to tackle the roof tomorrow, time permitting. It peels off just like skin after a bad sunburn - mostly large strips, but it left a couple of small bits that I'll go after with the clay this weekend.

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions & good wishes:)

[ScottB]

Some dealers add a hardened type liquid on cars prior to travel (I believe its called Cosmoline) and this needs a cleaner to release. Never seen any of the plastic protection need more than a tug and a wash to remove.

If an area is giving you a hard time with adhesive or gummy ... use a little Poorboys Bug Squash.

[Neothin]

My car had cosmoline on the engine and drivetrain components during shipping to protect against the salty air during transportation (tC's are only sold in the USA, but built in japan, go figure). Just drive it around for a couple of hundred miles and it'll burn off by itself. When I got under the car to install my header a while back, i found no leftover residue either.