I have a year-old Elantra with a beautiful black pearl paint job. I have no garage so it’s exposed to the elements most of the time.
Right now my car has what looks like water spotting on the paint and windows. It’s not just spotting, however, as it won’t wash off.
I first suspected sap, but now I think it may be insect honeydew (the sticky stuff which comes from the bodies of some insects) from bugs living in the trees above the car. It’s not sticky, but the paint feels rough.
Well, the residue, whatever it is, will not come off. It’s on the paint AND windows and not even the windows are coming clean. I’ve tried Goof Off, automotive bug/sap remover, various oils, and Invisible Glass. None of those had any effect on the windows or paint. Today I tried a clay bar. That make the paint feel smoother but it still looks spotty.
It’s concentrated on the passenger side of the car and is very heavy on the rear window. This kind of supports my bug/tree theory since it’s the passenger side against the curb which is most under the trees along my street.
Any ideas what this might be and more importantly, how to get it off?? The fact that it won’t even come off the glass has me stymied,
Don’t know about the paint, you might ask an auto detailer about it. As for the glass, prior to applying solarfilm, it is suggested that you spray the glass heavily with a mild alcohol solution and, while it is still wet, evenly scrape it with a single edged razor blade. This gets the glass REALLY clean. Might work on your bug gunk. I hope this helps.
Another thought on the paint. If you do manage to get rid of the bug gunk, apply 2 coats of Carnuba wax to the paint and it will be well protected in the future. Read the instructions and apply it sparingly, or you’ll wear your arms off buffing it out.
I would take it to a detailer, then ask them how they did it for future reference.
What kind of trees are on your street?
I’m not sure, but they could be crepe myrtles.