[IanCC]

Hi all.

I have a curious set of stains or spots that keep showing up on my white 2017 RS. It looks a lot like rust, yet if I use enough force with my soapy wash mitt, they eventually come off. There are dozens of them around car and they seem to only be on the sides and doors, yet I can’t figure out where they’ve come from. Maybe leaf stains from the trees in my area. They’re about the size of the head of a pin.

The image below is part way through a hand wash, and the white residue is just soap I’ve yet to rinse off.

Anyone else ever see little stains like this?

[Burly]

It looks like rust from iron deposits, possibly coming from brakes on your car or others. I would treat those areas with IronX first, thoroughly clean with water, then clay bar areas and polish. You probably should do an IronX treatment to entire car...

[KCelsius]

I have this exact issue on my 18 1LE I just picked up. Ordered some iron x and will be running through the whole car with it. Clay bar seemed to clean it off as well but it's definitely seems like more work than needed lol.

[Camaro_QC]

Every white cars have those spots.

They are coming from the brake dust that will rust on top of the clear coat. It is not the paint rusting so don't worry about that.

I know here in Québec we have some Silverwax product that is made specifically for this, it is called "rust spot remover". Pretty sure something similar exists elsewhere.

[Aragorn]

I had something similar on my vehicle and I was able to remove them with white vinegar and elbow grease.

[Rock-It Man]

If you keep the car waxed, even with a one step wash and wax like I use, the spots will wash off more easily.

What do you wash your car with?

[CUPRA]

Before I picked up my Camaro, I noticed those spots on my Summit White as well. I had the dealer take care of them before I picked it up. 95% of them were gone at pick up, the other 5% I've taken care of. And they haven't come back.

And you'll notice them on the plastic areas of your car as well (bumpers, rocker panels etc) so that's how you know it's not coming from the inside out, it's on top of the clear coat.

These are actually not as troublesome to me as when I picked up our brand new white Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude from the dealership and whatever tire dressing they used stained the white paint on all of the plastic areas. Took over two years for me to be able to get rid of them, with different treatments.

[IanCC]

Thanks everyone for the replies. That all makes sense and yes, I agree that it’s likely iron deposits rusting on top of the clear coat. Likely from the brakes. Though I remember reading once that even brand new cars can have those deposits from the airborn iron particles in the manufacturing plant.

I can’t seem to order Iron X in Canada but apparently Meguires Mirror Bright Wheel cleaner has the same ingredients and will do the same thing to the iron particles as Iron X. And it’s cheaper. Saw this video and decided to go with it. https://youtu.be/7BhY6Ae56dg

[IanCC]

Originally Posted by CUPRA

Before I picked up my Camaro, I noticed those spots on my Summit White as well. I had the dealer take care of them before I picked it up. 95% of them were gone at pick up, the other 5% I've taken care of. And they haven't come back.

And you'll notice them on the plastic areas of your car as well (bumpers, rocker panels etc) so that's how you know it's not coming from the inside out, it's on top of the clear coat.

These are actually not as troublesome to me as when I picked up our brand new white Jeep Grand Cherokee Altitude from the dealership and whatever tire dressing they used stained the white paint on all of the plastic areas. Took over two years for me to be able to get rid of them, with different treatments.

Great point. I noticed that too and it made me feel better as I knew my plastic panels weren’t rusting!

[IanCC]

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

If you keep the car waxed, even with a one step wash and wax like I use, the spots will wash off more easily.

What do you wash your car with?

I’ve been using Simoniz Auto Wash. I’ve yet to wax the car since I bought it new last year (I know, I know) but I’ve been pretty good about hand washing it often. I’m going to use the Iron treatment, clay it, then wax. What’s your regimen?

[RatedR]

If your car is brand new, it could be tire shine. The dealership that I bought mine from used way too much and the tires were slinging it onto the body.

[Glen e]

It's iron deposits all right, but it's not from the brakes. It's from RAIL DUST where the car was delivered at some point in it's early life via rail. It happens mostly on white cars, but on all lightbcolors. Get some iron-x to get rid of it, forget the Clay.


Wherever the stuff turns purple, that's where you had microscopic iron deposits…

[Rock-It Man]

Originally Posted by IanCC

I’ve been using Simoniz Auto Wash. I’ve yet to wax the car since I bought it new last year (I know, I know) but I’ve been pretty good about hand washing it often. I’m going to use the Iron treatment, clay it, then wax. What’s your regimen?

I gave up on the paste wax regimen a long long time ago. Clay bar? What's that? An afternoon of wax on wax off? Naaaah!

I use Turtle Wax Zipwax one step wash and wax, only I put a lot more in the bucket than recommended. Rinse the car to flush off as much grit as possible, then wash it with a big cotton mop loaded up with the suds. After a brief rinse, I go over the car several times with a Sham Wow to prevent spotting.

I wash the car as required for cruise nights, so maybe 10 times in a season. Over time, the wax has built up a protective layer that feels slippery when wet so bird poops are easy to clean up with a wet paper towel if it's too soon for another complete wash.

[DavidinGA]

This is why I decided to never own a white vehicle again.

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