Well, I've got a nice splash of rubber along my bumper and some on my rear quarter panel. (From the track last year, unfortunately.) I usually just take the car through the automatic brushless wash. Though I detailed it yesterday, trying my best to do a good job (Kind of a newbie towards detailing cars) and I noticed the rubber on there. I tried Bug and Tar remover and a clay bar and it just made the clay bar turn black (I have a black car so I am not sure if it was paint or rubber!) So I just stopped and left it as is. It dulled the finish a little it looks like, but I'm not sure. What I think happened is the rubber broke down and smeared and that's the look of the dull finish. (I noticed the same thing on my wheels, but with the aluminum contrasting the rubber. So what's a safe way of removing this? Be aware that it's been on there for a while...

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Adding pictures for no apparant reason. You can see the little ding in the quarter panel near the gas cover. The car is actually swirl city. One day I want to get the car fully painted. Maybe "Black Jade" of the Older Mustangs.

Oh, and the front license plate bent when pulling into my parking spot. (It was sleeting/snowing/icey) I pulled in slowly but the parking spot is on a downward slope. Car just wouldn't stop and the front of my parking spot was snow that had been plowed. So yeah.


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You can pick this stuff up at an auto parts store called "Goof-off". Its pains safe. I used it on my wife's car to take that thick, black, tar-like adhesive off. (It came smeared on the rear door from the factory) Worked like a charm. I just cleaned it goot and waxed/polished the spot once I was finished. Works great on road tar as well.....

Good Luck

 

Thanks Goody. I think I've tried a Goof off type product before to remove some adhesive from a window at work and it wasn't very successful. Interested in seeing if anyone else has had any success?

 

Menace, next time you fo to the Ford dealer, order a front license plate bracket for an 07, it keeps you plate from hanging in mid air & looks like it belongs there. I think I paid $6.00 for it, used the same holes, I picked up some longer black screws in the help section of auto parts store that went through plate & new bracket & into bumper, then I moved storch screws to bottom to hold it nice & flat.

 

Lol, thanks John but that's not quite the advice I wanted!

 

Have you tried a clay bar? I have used those to take off just about anything on my paint. If it works dont forget to wax after cause it takes off all the wax also.

 

Thanks Junkie, I mentioend Claybaring in my post. While using the clay bar it instantly became black after a few strokes, and I had to use a lot of force. I became concerned when my finish looked a little dull afterwards and I thought that the rubber somehow bonded over time and I was tearing the rubber off along with paint and what not. Though I'm not sure if that's the case. I think basically the rubber began to break down (along with the bug and tar remover assistance) and while rubbing it was coming off but at the same time smearing. Next time I detail the car I'll try again, but I just want to make sure that I'm not damaging the finish.

 

Another tip I have had success with n a different car. I have sprayed WD40 on large spots of road tar before and found success. It's petroleum based and did not hurt the paint. I just sprayed it on and let it sit sit for a couple mins. I had to use a little "elbow grease" but it came right off. Just rinse the spot when you are finished and apply a little wax. Just dont get the stuff in your wash bucket!! IT WILL KILL YOUR SUDS!!

Good luck

 

I keep it there to let everyone there know I mean business. hehe. I keep the rest of the car clean, but I have the VHT burn out rubber on the back to let them know Ill take it to a back road and whoop some ***. Its kinda Like a tattoo for my car.[8D]