What Is The Best Way To Get Rid Of Stubborn Grime And Road Grit On My Car?

[Rodge2]

Got a new car in September, and had Teflon put on by the dealer. What I notice is that it seems very hard to remove small specs of road grit from the sill area and where it starts to bend under the car. The manufacturer tell you not to use a power washer for the first year until the paintwork fully hardens. Scrubbing with the recommended shampoo (Diamond brite) and a sponge seem to be ineffective and I notice every time I clean it there are more and more black specs seemingly permanently stuck on these areas of the car. I wonder what it will look like in a year at this rate. What am I doing wrong? I didn't wash the old car as much as I do this one and all the dirt used to come off reasonably easily using Auto glym. Is it the shampoo that's at fault? Any ideas?

[chas2008]

absolute rubbish about the paint hardening, we paint vehicles and later in the day valet them which includes power/pressure washing....sometimes within a couple of hours.
Also brand new vehicles are power/pressure washed as part of the PDi process before they are handed over to the customer.
Are you sure these specs are not the underseal on the siils which is painted over and the more you polish and scrub you are taking the paint of the high spots (underseal is not smooth) which then shows through as black specs..
The other option is its tar from the road if so neat petrol will disolve them..

[gingejbee]

Have to agree with the above answer. Road grit just doesn't stick to car paintwork in the way (and the areas) you describe.

[stocksman]

Rather than using neat petrol I use a 50/50 mix of petrol and engine oil, atip from an old mechanic about 40 years ago- and it still works every time.

[Rodge2]

I don't think it's the underseal chas. If I use my nail I can remove most of them but it would take a long time. Also they are on the underside of the plastic bumper on the back corner of the car too. Not sure what's wrong and it's kind of taking some of the pleasure out of having got it - I've never had a new one before you see. Maybe I should ask the dealer, I don't want to do the wrong thing and make it worse. I've got a power washer so maybe I could try that first. Thanks guys.

[stocksman]

If it's road tar, which it sounds like, your pressure washer will not move it. My previous answer will, I guarantee it if it is road tar and it will not harm the paint, which any hard scrubbing will do. The oil left behind is so easy to move that it is no problem.