What are those dark specks on my car?

thor

I have a Mazda 6 which I used to keep garaged when not in use. A few months ago I needed the garage for storage purposes so I had to leave the car out on the drive. I never realised how much muck it could accumalate but I managed to clean all of it off apart from some very hardy black specks. They formed mainly on the roof and are very small but there are a hell of a lot of them. I could scrape them off using my fingernails but it would take an eternity to get rid of them all.
Does anyone know what these are and how they can be cleaned?

goldspanners

sounds like tar. i think you can get a tar and insect remover.

vikingaero

If it's tar - try using something like Autogylm Extra Gloss Protection to dissolve it and provide a wax layer.

If this doesn't work then do you live near a railway line, railway station or industry?

Sometimes these specks can be iron filings from the brakes/rails/wheels of trains or contamination from some industrial process.

skintbuthappy81

I get exactly the same thing on mine, I don't notice them until I am washing it... probably not the best advise but I scratch them off with my finger nail, takes ages but they do look unsightly!!

harveybobbles

Probably crap from trees etc.

robnye

harveybobbles wrote: »

Probably crap from trees etc.

yep trees can be just a big a pain as a flock of birds .in the amount of mess they drop onto parked cars....!

anewman

Clay bar is the thing to use. For example http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_253057_langId_-1_categoryId_165527

thor

Claybar is quite expensive so I am going to hope that it is tar and can be removed by tar and insect remover - you can get them from pound shops so it won't break the bank if it does not work.

maniac886

anewman wrote: »

Clay bar is the thing to use. For example http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_253057_langId_-1_categoryId_165527

I used to use that clay bar but its a bit on the expensive side...Bilt Hamber auto clay is the dogs...you get a 200g slab of clay and you can use tap water as lubricant! Think its around £13 delivered