tiny black spots on car

[txheat]

i got a customer who use the IBA and goes out screaming and yelling about the automatic put all tiny black spots on parts of the car. The vehicle is white color of course. Tried to calm her down, and offer to wash again but refuses. Told her those tiny spots are like tar spots . You cant wipe it off easily, need to rub really hard or scrap with finger nail. Gave her our info... any suggestions?

 

[madscientist]

What part of the car are they on?

 

[Washmee]

Sounds like Shotgun Mold. My wife's car gets covered with it due to where she has to park for work.

Shotgun fungus (AKA Artillery fungus) is best know for the way in which it spreads. It forms tiny pin-head size bulbs that collect water and other matter. These bulbs are sensitive to light and once the bulbs have fully formed, they explode in the direction of the light spreading the fungus in many different directions.
In a good wind these bulbs can explode and reach as far as twenty feet!

http://plantclinic.cornell.edu/factsheets/artilleryfungus.pdf

 

[MEP001]

Try WD-40 on a paper towel. If it's tar, it'll wipe right off and look brown on the towel.

In any case, it's unlikely to be your machine. If you're really worried, give them your insurance's info and let them handle it. They'll just deny it, and you won't be the bad guy.

 

[Washmee]

If you're really worried, give them your insurance's info and let them handle it. They'll just deny it, and you won't be the bad guy.

I wouldn't recommend this approach. Tell the customer nicely that there is no way your machine caused her problem.

 

[txheat]

not really worried but a good lesson how to explain to customers in those situations. But can the "shotgun mold" easily wipe off? Can presoak and brush(not touchless) clean it off? Im "assuming" it clean some because hardly any was on the hood of car just toward the back right above the gasoline lid.

 

[DavidM]

Artillery fungus does not come off easily. It typically has a "head" that you can pick off but a dark brown spot is left behind that needs some elbow grease to remove but too much rubbing and you risk marking the paint. We have dealt with this a lot in our detail shop.
It may not be on the hood because only the back of the car was near the mulch where the fungus was growing. If it washed off the hood then I doubt that it is artillery fungus.

I do not recommend sending it to your insurance company to deny. They are not reliable enough. They may just pay it because it isn't that much money to them and they can earn it back in your premiums.

David

 

[soapy]

When I get something like this I always let the customer see my car then I run it through the automatic while they watch. When it comes out clean that usually proves to them that it was not your car wash that left behind the problem. The black spots could also be rail dust if they park close to train tracks. I have seen that cause several times.

 

[JustClean]

It is usually on bright cars not on darker cars. The fungus lives in mulch. You can tell if the car had been parked next to a garden area. Tell your customer to park the car somewhere else.

 

[robert roman]

“….those tiny spots are like tar spots. You can’t wipe it off easily, need to rub really hard or scrap with finger nail. Gave her our info... any suggestions?”

Although it is obvious to you the problem is not caused by the wash, it is not obvious to customer unless customer has prior knowledge of problem as in being deceitful.

So, first thing is to identify potential causes.

Road tar can get on vehicles when it is first applied (overspray) or immediately after before it cures completely (splash).

Tar/asphalt overspray will look like little uniformly shaped dots. Splash can leave spots but usually it takes form as small irregularly shaped globs and smears.

Since tar/asphalt has molecular weight (heavy), splash is usually not visible above wheel wells.

The marks could be industrial fallout (i.e. railroad dust). However, unlike paint and tar, railroad dust will actually penetrate surface of clear-coat and begin to oxidize leaving a small discolored halo surrounding the particle. Since gravity is vehicle, railroad dust is usually seen only on horizontal surfaces, not vertical.

The spots could be mold (microbes) but mold tends to grow quickly into colonies (widespread) and eventually spreads into patches. Moreover, mold is not difficult as paint to chip off with fingernail.

So, my guess is industrial paint overspray.

Test it. Take a shot glass full of paint thinner and put a couple of the black spots in it.

If the spots breakdown and dissolve, its paint.