Working on a Black Honda Pilot with 63k miles of tar and road grime down each side. Best product to use besides belt sander :)

[Grifftech]

There are literally chunks of stuff that are so big that left a good scratch on my hand as I ran it down it to see what was going on down there.

Think I am going to need something strong but safe for clear that I can spray and let set to loosen this stuff up before I even think about clay baring

[BillE]

My first question...Is any of the 'stuff' water soluble? Try and attack that first. As much as I hate to say it, but using an APC will probably be needed.

For the 'tar', if it is really hard...look at using kerosene ("like removing same") to soften it up.

With that much muck and mire, it will difficult to really go easy.

I'm sure there will be more replies coming, let's wait and see what else shakes out before you get into an attack mode.

Just my 2¢...

Bill

[Setec Astronomy]

Pressure wash first, Tarminator or Trix? Mineral spirits would work also.

[Scott@IncrediblyDetailed]

Let APC dwell, scrub, rinse, then use TarX. I wouldn't worry about marring the surface since the paint is already swirled and you'll need to compound and polish regardless.

[refreshauto]

Auto fine obliterate, is my go to for tar. Never let me down before

Sent from my SPH-D710 using AG Online

[oldmodman]

I had a pick up truck that had been purchased used and as-is come by for some work.

It had been used in and around a refinery in Wilmington and was absolutely covered with all kind of petroleum crud.

I ended up using kerosene on a thick rag, folded over and pressed against the side of the truck with a paint pole. I kept it wet with kerosene and moved it after ten minutes in each spot. Then I washed the car with an entire bottle of Dawn in two gallons of water. Then went over several still crappy spots with more kerosene. Then another wash.

Then the truck was compounded with Menzerna, both heavy and light, then several coats of Collinite 476S Double Coat wax.

Truck looked OK afterwards. The interior was another story. The owner ripped it out, threw it all away, and got an entire interior from a junk yard. Best $200.00 he ever spent. I would have used more than that in product and it would still have looked like ten dogs with diarrhea had been locked in there for a month and been fed tacos through the window.

[JLC]

Tarminator using various paint safe scrubbers got me through the worst road tar mess ive ever encountered.

[Romach]

Try wd-40 as I find it does a really good job if tarminator fails

[WRAPT C5Z06]

Tarminator. If that doesn't work, lacquer thinner or mineral spirits.

[Desertnate]

My wife's car was in similar shape this spring. Winter weather destroyed the roads she commutes over and there was a lot of patching going on. Tar was all over her car. It was so bad it would snag my wash mitt and drying towels.

I hit the really bad areas with Goo Gone, let it dwell, and then started wiping it down. I followed up with clay. It destroyed the chunk of clay bar I was using, and took twice a long time to get everything off, but in the end it was smooth, clean, and contaminate free again.