Since the temps were in the mid 50's today, I took some time and gave a little love to my own vehicles, Fiona, my F150 and Emily, my wife's Edge. Both got traditional 2 bucks washes and dried with waffle weave microfibers, both interiors were vacuumed and wiped down with Meg's Interior QD. There was a crapload of fine tar on both sides of her car, you couldn't see it, but you sure could feel it. A combination of mineral spirits followed by clay eliminated the tar, I followed up with two layers of Meguiar's #21.

 

Is mineral spirits same as paint thinner?

 

Charlie....pretty much. Mineral spirits is the main ingredient of most automotive solvents. It was either go through what was left of my clay bar (I break mine into quarters, I use the Meguiar's Professional grade mild detailing clay) or break down the heavy stuff with mineral spirits and then use the clay.

One of the roads that Trish travels on to get to her jewelry making class is being repaved, that is more than likely the source of the tar.

 

I was wondering. One new vehicle has the dealer polymer (which has paid off very well), and another I applied 5 Star Shine (into the 4th year). They both have a very deep reflective shine and I am very satisfied with the products.

The drawback to multi year applications is after a few years, when you wash you know they need a clay bar... but the shine is still like new.

Also, on occasion I get a spot of pine sap on the roof and want to remove it without removing the protectant.

Looking ahead to this next summer both will get 5 Star Shine treatments. But its good to know how to remove spots of sap. I never park under trees but apparently the breeze can send a drip to the center of the driveway.

 

You want to get pine sap off of the paintwork as soon as possible; it is highly acidic and can eat into the paintwork causing damage.

 

I sense a disturbance in the force... before somebody asks...

The Mistress is clean, there was no need to wash her.

Carry on!

 

it is self wash :-P