elcheapo

hi

do some of the parts of a new car come shrink wrapped (or covered in plastic with adhesives?).

reason im asking is that i noticed that near the pillars that support my front rdx windshield, the color of my vehicle changes from shiny to relatively "matte finish" - granted it's not obvious at all since my car is silver in color.

its only noticeable upon very close reflection at an angle from a flourescent light. i just noticed it now and it's been 5 mos since i had the car - if i wasnt trying to remove the tree saps today, i wouldnt have noticed it. tried removing these "sticker marks"? with wax to no avail.

im wondering if this is clearcoat failure or just stubborn to remove adhesive that prolly stuck to the paint? this "matte" finish is also shaped in a way that has a clear end point (Eg. straight line at the end). since it's not obvious im wondering if i shld bother with it further or just leave it. btw, both sides (left and right) have this too though a different shape... (im guessing the dealership never removed the stickers properly but that's just a hunch)...

any thoughts?
thanks

meowevil

iTrader: (1)

stoxxsp500

you referring to these types of stickies?


http://lh3.ggpht.com/_amYwDSGeVWs/S6...rst%20M37x.jpg

http://www.google.ca/imgres?imgurl=h...26tbs%3Disch:1


OP, you seem to be having the spots where cars have stickies on based on that pic (granted those pics are hyundai and nissan LOL)... prolly goo gone will work? otherwise, time will just wash it away - imho id ignore it...

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

new cars usually come wrapped, but I thought most were static not glue, although anything is possible. YOu should be able to polish the matte finish back to shiney though

elcheapo

thanks guys. yes, i think these are glued... am now 100% sure it's caused by these white stickers (see below).

http://i.tnpv.us/pv/2006/09/26/HON2006092648383_pv.jpg

http://blog.al.com/press-register-bu...arge_honda.jpg

question is: how do i remove this matte finish caused by these stickies without damaging the paint? it seems to have "baked" in... though i can somehow feel it on top and waxing didnt work. as well, how can i tell that the clearcoat is still intact (and the matte finish is not a result of clearcoat failure but rather just adhesives on top of the clearcoat)?

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

what do you mean waxing didn't work? Did you try a rubbing compound? What was your approach to "waxing" and did you try by hand or with a machine?

Also you may want to try 3m adhesive remover before waxing or compounding

elcheapo

thanks for following up with advice.

actually no, {innocent grin}... dont even know what a rubbing compound is? is it like rubbing alcohol - safe to use? i just applied nxt 2.0 wax on it and buffed it... with hand - didnt work, so just left it for now.

also, im quite sure it's dried adhesive (my analogy is like when a very very thin film of superglue gets dried up and you cant remove it). it also "feels" like it's on top of the clearcoat as i saw some ruined clearcoat pics on the web and the clearcoat is not "peeling" in this vehicle (and a 5 month old car prolly wont have clearcoat failure, based on odds). ive read about "claying" it. maybe i can also use goo gone too based on what i found. not too sure about a) clay, b) goo gone, and c) what rubbing compound to use or maybe even d) polish? what's the least aggressive way to start? (i thought waxing would be least aggresive but i guess waxing wasnt the right mode of attack )



what dya think?

exceldetail

Its called Cosmoline.........

elcheapo

thanks for helping exceldetail. i tried to research cosmoline but ended up getting more confused.

it states that it actually prevents rust. so is this what i need to apply to remove the residue or is this the residue itself (eg. what i described as " like when a very very thin film of superglue gets dried up and you cant remove it".

i also read somewhere that cosmoline has been limited by the US govt for use due to whatever emissions. am more confused as ever haha. any help highly appreciated. many thanks in advance!

elcheapo

tried to research a bit more, seems like it may not be cosmoline causing this as the very thin film of "glue" that covers the paint isnt yellow but quite clear. it's like a sticker was on the panels/hood/fenders and the edges were not lifted properly. the pattern is also like a straight edge of some sheet. should i go for denatured alcohol or goo gone?

97BlackAckCL

iTrader: (6)

You could certainly try goo gone, however you have to be careful not to damage the clear coat since goo gone is citrus/acidic it can eat the clear coat if left on for too long. It certainly may help the thin glue breakdown however, I used goo gone when debadging the adhesive that held my badges on the rear of my trunk and with a little elbow grease I was able to get all the glue up

exceldetail

Wheres TOGWT ? Jon you around buddy?

elcheapo

k thanks 97blackackcl

TOGWT

Protective Shipping Film

Remove the RapGard (shipping vinyl) protective film by carefully pulling it at a 45 degree angle; remove any adhesive from the vehicle surfaces with 3M Adhesive Remover a safe solvents that is outstanding for the removal of tar, grease, adhesive, bugs, crayon and stubborn stains on paint, contains no harmful Xylene, Benzene or Toluene.

Transport (Microcrystalline) Wax Remover

P21S Total Auto Wash or 3M Adhesive Remover both are safe solvents that are very effective for the removal of transport wax, a temporary protective transport Microcrystalline or co-polymer wax

Cosmoline

[: is the trade name for a generic class of rust preventative. Cosmoline is similar to petroleum jelly in properties, appearance, and thickness it is the purified residue obtained from the distillation of petroleum oils.]

Is a protection that was used on imported new cars during shipment; it is applied to the paint film surface, engine and wheels to provide a barrier against exposure to the elements.
Cosmoline is no longer used in the US as it is not environmentally sound, but it is still used on imports (BMW, Porsche, VW, Mercedes-Benz, etc); using a petroleum-based solvent to remove it can do irreversible harm to the vehicle finish.

By using a non-caustic, acid-free, d-Limonene (citrus) based, biodegradable cleaner (P21S Total Auto Wash or Zymöl Strik™ Cosmoline Remover and Engine Cleaner ) will avoid any damage and safely remove the Cosmoline, or any oils or grease that may have been applied for protection. Most manufacturers now use plastic film and / or a blend of paraffin and synthetic waxes, but mainly paraffin

Hope this helps

tsxykid105

if you go to the dealer and look at some cars that just came in youll see their wrapped in plastic. and its on the paint and pillars to protech from scratching while in transport. its almost like the 3m plastic cover(bra) [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/Will/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG]

http://www.skyroadster.com/forums/at...ll_file-1-.jpg

but if left in sun to long it could melt a little and leave a residue thats hard to get off.