What Is This!? (paint)

[liquid]

Because the weather was so nice today, I decided to give my car a nice wash today... and it's first "real" cleaning of the spring. It looks great, until I rinsed off the tail of the car. It seems that on the left hand back side of the car (where the exhaust is), there is this layer of whiteish film. I can't seem to get it off with soap and water, and it almost seems like some kind of build-up or oxidation. The wierd part is that over the rest of my car... the paint is sooo smooth. This part feels like it was gone over with some sort of sand-paper. I can seem to get some of it off little by little with my finger nail.... but that can't be good.

I thought it was perhaps something wrong with the paint.... but this build-up is also on the bottom part of my left tail-light. It seems to be originating from the exhaust. Anyone have any ideas as to what this is.... and how to get rid of it?

[R_Ethug]

Re: What Is This!? (paint)

sounds like exhaust build up or something like that.. try clay bar colin should do the trick

jettas have the worst rear design for air flow it gets dirty so fast sometimes i feel like putting a bookshelf wing on my car so it gets dirty instead of my shaved baby

[liquid]

Re: What Is This!? (paint)

Sounds good. I just posted on the tex, and two people mentioned the same thing... so I'll give it a shot. Could I clay-bar the tail-light too?

[Tromping_Maniac]

Re: What Is This!? (paint)

I had that problem too coming out of winter, give it a clay bar and a couple coats of wax, cleaned it right up for me.


Good Luck

[liquid]

Re: What Is This!? (paint)

I'm glad to hear it's not a huge issue. It really played with my mind there when I saw it for the first time, since it looks horrid.

[Flanders]

Re: What Is This!? (paint)

yep, you can clay bar the rear light too.

When you rub the clay on the paint, you'll "hear" it making almost a scraping noise. But as you keep rubbing it, the noise eventually goes away -- and that's when you're done Nothing but buttery smooth paint! (don't forget to apply a coat or two of wax/polish afterwards!)