[Eyelise]

I'm getting small brown dots on the starshield that do not wash away. It looks like a stain from tar. The tar wipes offf the painted surface but leaves a small stain on the starshield. Can I try Bug & Tar remover? It looks awful.

 

[Randy Chase]

I have a couple of those from my trip too and thought of starting a thread. What can be used to clean tar stuff off?

 

[khamai]

If they can't be removed it would seem that it might be warranty issue. Have a dealer look at it.

 

[Eyelise]

Randy, I have more than a couple. I hope it is a matter of getting the right cleaner. I'll call my dealer in the morning.

 

[Donovan]

How exactly is "starshield" different than the 3M product? Same stuff with a different name?

I have the 3M invisible bra on our car, I have used bug and tar remover and it worked fine, didn't hurt the shield and pretty sure it removed all of the stain. But the car is black so tough to say 100%...

 

[Eyelise]

I'm not sure if it is different. I'm going to give the tar and bug remover a try in a small area.

 

[Vantage]

A strong solvent, such as 3M Bug and Tar remover should work, and shouldn't hurt the material. Might want to call 3M and ask to be sure...

 

[Stan]

Just try to keep the 3M B&T remover away from the edges of the film and you should be fine.

 

[LotusLust]

wow...organic solvent and plastic. kinda scary to a chemist

 

[mikester]

Starshield IS the 3M product, at least for all of the Elise templates. I got this directly from a Starshield rep just this afternoon.

 

[shinoo]

Go ahead and use the Bug&Tar remover. It is safe. The 3M film has been tested with much harsher solvents. Just don't get carried away with the scrubbing....

 

[babak]

wow...organic solvent and plastic. kinda scary to a chemist

Use Benzene. J/K

 

[LotusLust]

Use Benzene. J/K

:clap:
as amusing as that is there was a day when we routinely did things like clean organic crud off hands with benzene.

glad i just did that once or so in a lab given the info later available on that stuff!

 

[Randy Chase]

Back in the 70s, we all had little dispensers of MEK and Benzine at our desks and would indeed wash our hands with the stuff. Around 1979 I think we started hearing warnings about MEK.

I also worked in a shipyard building oil tankers in 1976. I wore asbestos clothes and used asbestos gloves. The gloves would wear and fray after a day and you could clap your gloves together and make a snowstorm of asbestos in the air. We had no idea.

By the way, I still swear by Bestine as an all around solvent for removing almost anything without harming the surface underneath.

 

[James A]

There are things that will stain the 3M product and only time clears it back up. There is some kind of bug out there that stains mine yellow, it doesn't come out except with time and sun light!

 

[zvezdah1]

JIm,
Now that you mention it, I noticed a couple yellow spots on my friends starshield (Silver car). I've found a little bit of wd 40 is good for removing tar, just don't use it anywhere near the edges, it'd probably lift the film.
Chris

 

[elise77]

I have used both bug and tar remover and WD40 on the clear paint protectants with no trouble at all.

I used to SCRUB the cone marks off the boxster with paper towel and WD40.....Never dulled on me....but thats Porsche paint masking....hehehehehee....

So Randy hows your butt after that trip???

Nice to see I will be right at home in the Elise with the speaker grill flying off.....The Z06 just tears the skin off my leg like a cheese grater....Then it dents in...

 

[kestrel74]

How about Simple Green ?

 

[kestrel74]

OR WD-40

 

[ivan1]

I contacted 3M about it.

Response #1:


3M Makes a variety of products to help maintain Scotchgard™ Paint
Protection Film. 3M™ Car Wash Soap 39000.We would suggest you use the soap.

The best surface cloth to use is the 3M™ Perfect-It™ III Detailing Cloth
39016 since others may scratch the surface of the film.


Customer Service
3M Automotive Market Center



Response #2:


Because we have heard of people having had problems with using some bug/tar
remover we do not recommend using bug/tar remover.

Until we test the product. If we find a bug/tar remover that you can use
we will post it on our website.


Ken Halford
3M Technical Service Rep.
651-736-0282 Office
651-733-3356 Fax