parking lot woes. HELP!!+

[dennisdrive]

Hi,I had parked in a mall's parking lot and after i got back there was these 2 by 1 inches spots (4 of them ) ,one on the windsheild and 3 on the roof near the windhshield and they appear to be leaking water from the ceiling ,but it doesnt go away .I tried to rub it off with a wet cloth but it didnt go away .Then i used a plastic card (credit card) to scrap the spot from the winshield and it worked .Now i am wondering how to get rid of the ones on the roof .I tried to slowly scrap one of them with my finger nail and it worked .I was tempted to use the plastic but then i was afraid i might damage the paint .I tried the cleaner wax too .It doesnt work . Would any of the fellow gen vibe members be able to give some tips as how it get rid of them .I guess the spots were caused by calcified water leaking from the ceiling of the parking lot. It appears similar to the one you would see when water dries up .PLEASE Help ........ Thank you is advance !!

[joatmon]

I've never used them, but I think people have recommended the "clay bar" for stuff like that.

[MassiveOverkill]

I clayed my brand new 06 Vibe before waxing it for the first time (well by me at least as it came waxed from the dealer) and I was suprised at all the overspray and crap in the paint on a brand new car. It's worth a try. If that doesn't work, you may have to try a very light rubbing compound.

[dennisdrive]

thanks for the suggestions. I would have clayed it but then i would need to wax it too and right now in toronto it is too cold to go about doing that ,any other suggestions using which i would get rid of the problem .

[ragingfish]

if it's just calcification, you might be able to get it off with some hot water and one of those scrubby sponges made specifically for automotive exteriors...

[dennisdrive]

can i try "GOO GONE " ........

[binary]

Quote, originally posted by dennisdrive »can i try "GOO GONE " ........Goo Gone would be for solvent based stains. I don't think it'll touch it.If it's water from the sprinkler systems - its going to be some nasty nasty very hard water. Vineger can loosen up hard water stains, but it'll also most likely remove a layer of wax.Sometimes this crud can etch your clearcoat... then you'll need to visit the bodyshop for some paint buffin' from a pro.

[vibe-04]

Start slow and small. Get a wet sponge and let it soak with diluted "white" vinegar as binary suggests. Leave the area for 30 minutes and allow the chemicals to break down the hardened mineral deposits. Then wipe clean and wash down with clean water. Possibly use baking soda but dilute everything and use a cue-tip to test it out. I'd also go back to the mall (Fairview??) and inquire cause I'll bet yours is not the first car to have this happen!Andrew

[dennisdrive]

thanks for the advice ; tried "ragingfish's" method but it didnt work and finally i ended up using my finger nails ,but the patch is not completely gone ; Is it ok to use 3M rubbing compound ;it says on it that it can be used to take away water spots and fine scratches . What do you say ? It was at Scarborough Town Centre .

[Stang2Vibe]

STOP!!!!!Don't use rubbing compound!!! It will work, but will dull the clearcoat and it will have to be buffed out to make it shiny again. If you rub too much or too hard, even by hand, you can use rubbing compound to go right through the clearcoat and into the basecoat and you don't want to do that.Go to a parts store, WalMart, etc. and get some POLISHING compound. I've seen it packaged almost identically to rubbing compound except for the color of print on the label. Be careful that you don't get them mixed up.The stains you have are likely lime deposits that leeched out of the concrete with some water and dripped on your car. This probably chemically ate into the clearcoat a little bit and that's why you're still seeing the spots. Don't panic, but get some polishing compound and use it to rub the spots. The polishing compound acts similarly to rubbing compound, but is much gentler on painted surfaces and won't screw up the clearcoat when you use it like this. You are going to have to re-wax the affected areas regardless, particularly if you already tried vinegar solution. Vinegar is very acidic and will strip the wax. If a clearcoat or painted surface is exposed to straight vinegar for a prolonged period of time, it can soften up the clearcoat or paint without you noticing. I don't know why people continue to try home remedies for simple things for which a good and appropriate product already exists. The damage that can be caused is not worth saving a buck or two when compared to the cost of properly fixing the damage.Try the polishing compound and check back with us. If you can't wax due to weather, it's better to get this off your car and prevent any further etching and worry about waxing later when you get a break in the weather.

[dennisdrive]

Hi Brandon ,Thanks for the advice ,but alas ! it came a bit late ,i did or shall i say already tried the rubbing compound , but it was a 3M product and it said that it was "clear coat Safe" ,though i did use my hand and i didnt rub in with too much force .After that i waxed the area and it looks alright now but not 100% , you can still see a faint patch where the previous stain was .Should i use the polishing compound too?? What do you say ? And you were the first person who got to the root of the problem , it was indeed lime from the concrete mixed with water which was leaching out and caused the stain .Thanks again and do let me know whether i should still use the Polishing compound .BTW i didnt try the vinegar thing ; just wasnt too sure and am glad i didnt . But thanks to the guys who did suggest it .

[Stang2Vibe]

Sorry that it took me so long to get back to you. I somehow missed this.If it was my car, I would definately use the polishing compound. It's always nice to have some around anyway. It works great for removing those rub marks on your car when someone bumps you with their bumper or leaves a mark with the paint color of their car on your door when they open their door too far in the parking lot. It can remove fine scratches in the clearcoat too. Certainly wouldn't be a waste of a few bucks to buy it and have it around.