Tar Removal and DIY valetting

phog

The lower side panels on my car has splashes of tar behind the two front wheels, passenger side is worse than the drivers side.

What is the best method/product for the removal of the tar without damaging the paintwork?

Also, what are the best products and where to purchase them for doing my own car valetting, inside and outside.

For tar removal i recommend the autoglym "intensive tar remover". Worked great for me with some elbow grease. It says safe for paint and lacquer but i gave a good wash with the autoglym car shampoo after to be safe.
Best products i have used:
autoglym car shampoo
autoglym super resin polish
autoglym egp after the above.
from halfords

for glass:G1 ClearVision Smart Glass
for trim: C4 Permanent Trim Restorer (is actually permanent)
from: http://gtechniq.com/main-page/

for rubber seals: http://cgi.ebay.ie/EINSZETT-GUMMI-PFLEGE-STIFT-RUBBER-CARE-STICK-/320619741341?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4aa66d009d
the above is really excellant, keeps rubber supple and stopps any squeeks, lasts from 6-12 months depending on location.

Staplor

Petrol

Viper_JB

Try using a clay bar, pretty much designed to do this job, just spray the area and clay bar first with some soapy water and rub it down using the clay bar, it should pull the majority of the tar off the paint without leaving a mark behind.

langdang

Deleted User wrote: »

for trim: C4 Permanent Trim Restorer (is actually permanent)from: http://gtechniq.com/main-page/

Looks like magic stuff!

Mycroft H

+1 for petrol and elbow grease

phog

Thanks for your replies.

TestTransmission

Parafin also does a great job

langdang

langdang wrote: »

Looks like magic stuff!

Oh it is aye...improves mpg aswell...and ya gain 15-40hp with it.

Divorce Referendum

Holts tar remover is very good. No elbow grease required it dissolves the tar. Make sure you wash it off properly after though.

Nonoperational

I've used autogylm tar remover and it really is the best I've used. Just put some on a cloth and rub the area and the tar will melt off. Be sure to wash it off and give is a coat of wax after.

It's very possible to get a professional looking valet diy at home. My typical routine would be a wash and dry, then a coat of Meguires NXT 2 wax followed by some tyre dressing on the tyres and I rub the black plastic bits of the bumper with some autoglym trim restorer. Quick wax of the wheels and I'm done. Once every 6 months it would be a bit different. Wash, tar remover, clay, polish and then wax.

A bottle of quick detailer is handy stuff too if you want to get the shine back up after you wash it but it doesn't need a fresh wax.

Inside just a damp cloth for the dash and the occasional bit of dash cleaner and autoglym seat cleaner and your laughing.

I have never paid for a valet and it's pretty easy to keep the car looking fresh. The only thing I'd see justified in paying a professional for is if the swirl marks were very bad and it needed a machine polish.

CarrickMcJoe

+1 on the petrol

C4Kid

Holts tar remover is very good. No elbow grease required it dissolves the tar. Make sure you wash it off properly after though.

+1

Autogylm tar remover is good but elbow grease is required, Last time I was going to buy it I came across the Holts Tar remover and because it's spray on thought it would be easier. I personally prefer Holts as it lasts longer too in my experience.

Buford T Justice

Personally, I always found a 50/50 mix of petrol and paraffin always worked.

delthedriver

Would recommend Autoglym tar remover. By the way Halfords have three for two offer on all car cleaning products at the moment. Worth stocking up on your cleaners of choice!

pARTner81

A wee bit of turpentine does the job too!

jimmyw

WD 40 will also do the job.

boost creep

go to your local motor factor shop and get some 'panel wipe', it comes in
a metal gallon and costs about €15, panel beaters use it to clean panels
before painting so it's not harmful to paint work. nothing else comes even
remotely close to it in my opinion. it also works well to remove general
road grime off the paint, i wouldn't use anything else now...

langdang

boost creep wrote: »

go to your local motor factor shop and get some 'panel wipe', it comes in
a metal gallon and costs about €15, panel beaters use it to clean panels
before painting so it's not harmful to paint work. nothing else comes even
remotely close to it in my opinion. it also works well to remove general
road grime off the paint, i wouldn't use anything else now...

Sounds interesting, how good is it on chrome trim? Safe to use on chrome trim?

voxpop

Used autosmart tardis last time - worked pretty well - better than autoglym - melts the tar spots off.

Using chemical guys black light as a sealant these days - easier to work with than Meguiars Carnauba.

If you want a top notch job you need to snowfoam,wash,dry,remove tar,rinse,dry,clay,wax/sealant x2 - that is assuming you dont have tons of swirl marks. If loads of swirls,then you need to machine polish after claying. Machine polishing is really back breaking work, especially on cars with hard paint - its take a good few hours to get swirls out, plus you need to mask off before you start.
For an abused car (swirly) your looking at the guts of 2 days to do it right, including paint correction.

Once you have it in a decent state, a wash,dry and wax/sealant topup every month or so is all you want

boost creep

langdang wrote: »

Sounds interesting, how good is it on chrome trim? Safe to use on chrome trim?

i've never used it on chrome but i'd say it would do a great job on it, it certainly
wouldn't do any harm, a few years ago i was working on a toll building on a new road, anyway driving in one morning i proceeded to drive on a newly surfaced of the road without realising the tar was still hot, when i arrived i was horrified to see both quarter panels of my imola red 530d absolutely covered in the black stuff!
of course i panicked but a panel beater friend of mine showed me how easy it was to get it off again! it really was that easy to remove it, no heavy elbow grease was needed, highly recommended!