Hand buffing residue/scratch on new car??

**raysaint** · 11-13-2023, 10:56 AM

Week old car, Soul Red Metallic, after my first wash, I saw a few spots grouped together that looked like tar or sap.Tried Duragloss Bug/Tar and bug sponge, that removed some of it but not all. Then clayed the spot, no luck. I can still slightly feel the spots and see them, and a light scratch (probabaly from the spots smearing into the clear coat.) One spot is almost still completely as it started; if it wasn't car paint, I'd use a razor blade scraper to scrape it off, it's that kind of spot.

Called the dealer, he said their detail guy would look at it; I"m thinking that way if he buffs it and damages anything, they gotta fix it, but I'd rather not have it damaged at all, not that buffing would.
My local bodyshop told me I did nothing wrong, and that a mild orbital buffing will probably work. My concern was dulling the clear coat, but it shouldn't because paint correction always involves power buffing with no clear damage.

My question: I have mild finishing polish and foam pads, could I try to remove the spots with hand buffing, with no clear damage? Or any product that at this point would dissolve the spots/residue? If I damage anything, the dealer will throw responsiblity back to me maybe.

**Setec Astronomy** · 11-13-2023, 11:10 AM

Slow down, if you used DG 471, that's not a solvent. If what you have is really tar, you need a solvent-based product. Go to Home Depot and get some odorless mineral spirits, or to an auto parts or big-box store and get some Stoner's Tarminator. Check back with us after you've used that. Also, your body shop has plenty of solvents that will get that off, if it's tar, and maybe if it's something else.

**Bill D** · 11-13-2023, 11:39 AM

We need a photo to better assess

**Desertnate** · 11-13-2023, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Slow down, if you used DG 471, that's not a solvent. If what you have is really tar, you need a solvent-based product. Go to Home Depot and get some odorless mineral spirits, or to an auto parts or big-box store and get some Stoner's Tarminator. Check back with us after you've used that. Also, your body shop has plenty of solvents that will get that off, if it's tar, and maybe if it's something else.

This is my recommendation too. Tarminator knocks out tar and tree sap with ease. Recently I used it to remove a number of small black material transfer marring on a white vehcile. No idea what caused them, but I used Tarminator before going to a clay bar and they wiped right off.

**raysaint** · 11-13-2023, 06:01 PM

Spots are too faint for a good photo I think. And I'm not sure it's tar, that's the thing.
I'll try Stoners if I can find it, or what about Carpro tar. Or might Eraser remove it.
Mineral spirits I have, but first I'll try a product made for car paint.
Thanks, and I'll be back.

**Setec Astronomy** · 11-13-2023, 06:17 PM

The CarPro tar remover should be fine, whatever that is called (edit: oh yeah, TarX). BTW, Tarminator etc...are made from...mineral spirits. IIRC the CarPro stuff also has another solvent, I haven't used it lately I'm still trying to use up my Turtle Wax tar remover from the 80's.

PS Mineral spirits is kind of a broad term that encompasses a range of hydrocarbons.

**vaced** · 11-13-2023, 10:27 PM

My vote is to go to a reputable detailer near you (or the dealership detailer if they are good) and ask them.

If there is a scratch it could be from claying or the bug sponge.

**raysaint** · 11-15-2023, 04:50 PM

So today I tried Stoner Bug/Tar, did nothing. Tried Pinnacle Advanced Finishing polish I had from a while ago (has no abrasives), it did nothing. So my thinking was that the substance got mushed into the clear coat and the chemicals can't separate it from the clear. Figured I'd need a mild abrasive polish. And as vaced says, the scratch was probably from the bug sponge dragging the substance.
So I finished my project (clay the car, wipe with Eraser, apply Klasse SG). Once done, now I can't really see the spots (still see the scratch), so is the KSG just hiding the spots or did something else happen during KSG application?

**MisterSnoop** · 11-15-2023, 10:14 PM

This is a Mazda, I take it? That paint is different than most. it's not just paint and clear coat. it's metallic flakes (2 different types), a tinted clear coat, and then a clear coat. hopefully, you aren't trying to chase something in one of the base coats.