Got a new car. Unfortunately the guys at Arnold Clark “forgot” to properly clean all the adhesive that holds the protective film onto the body, mainly bonnet and roof.
I’ve tried the usual stuff – white spirit, soap and water etc but nothing shifts it. The interweb is full of stuff, but which works? Which won’t chew the paintwork up?

Angle grinder would do it.

Failing that, nail polish remover. You can get acetone-free stuff that I’ve found still works well.

Also, wd40 can work too.

Before you start attacking the paintwork of your new car – send it back to Arnold Clark to make it their problem?

take it back to Arnold Clark – if they **** it up they have to put it right…

Take it back to Arnold Clark and get them to do it.

Also, get them to remove that hateful yellow sticker on the rear window while they’re at it.

yup send it back, itll probably need compounding after as well

itll probably need compounding after as well

You’ve now gone beyond the skill set of the Arnold Clark valet monkey

Whatever you do, don’t send it back they’ll swirl your car to buggery. Use a solvent called Autosmart Tardis. It will shift it safely. 1L of it should be enough.

Can’t be arsed going back to Arnold Clark. They weren’t exactly brilliant when I bought the car. And it’s an hour away. And they won’t do it there and then.

Big yellow sticker went as soon as I got home.

Will have a look for the Tardis stuff.

Goo Gone

https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/valet-pro-citrus-tar-and-glue-remover

Sudocrem.

Sudocrem.

Only works on cats…

They weren’t exactly brilliant when I bought the car

You dont say ?

Isopropyl alcohol

De Solv It – Sticky Stuff Remover

I used it to remove a broken badge from my car. Did the job no problem and didn’t dick up the paint. Recommendation came from Detailing World.

They weren’t exactly brilliant when I bought the car

You dont say ?

Well it wasn’t a great surprise, but the deal was too good to pass up on. £7,500 off a brand new car because it had 11 miles on the clock? Pre registered the themselves of course so technically I’m the 2nd owner, but who cares for that sort of discount?

Tar remover.

You would have thought that the manufacturers would use adhesive that wouldn’t need a solvent to remove it…. (in fact I’m sure they do). Are you sure that’s what it’s from?

Are you sure that’s what it’s from?

My guess is that it was stickered up by the dealer when it was on their forecourt/showroom (‘buy this car for only £199/month’) and the residue is from that.

Tardis is good stuff

Use a solvent called Autosmart Tardis. It will shift it safely. 1L of it should be enough.

1 litre comes in a 100ml bottle presumably?

Ayyyy lmao

Also, get them to remove that hateful yellow sticker on the rear window while they’re at it.

I keep meaning to tape over the one on my reg plate.

+1 on Arnold Clark valet monkey skilz being akin to the first half of Karate kid rather than second half.

Not met much that can withstand Aitoglym intensive tar remover, which despite the name removes all manner of things including adhesives and is really good as a general degreaser. Works great on windshields. Followed by mother’s gold prewax cleaner or similar. You’ll have to rewax though as both remove it.

Why not try a hair dryer – warm enough to soften the adhesive but not so hot as to cause damage?

Try some tar remover…seems to remove tar pretty quick smart, even if its been left on for weeks, and if it can do that it should eat through some vinyl adhesive no problem.

I’ve used the Autoglym intensive tar remover mentioned above for similar stuff before and it worked well.

lighterfluid

120 grit sand paper. Failing that tar remover if you want to do it yourself or a professional as you have just bought a new car.If you balls it up you will be kicking yourself for a long time!

Well the Autoglym seems to be the market leader, and I can pick some up tomorrow.

Think I’ll pass on the sandpaper suggestion!!!

Yeah, I’ve got the auto glym stuff, it will also get a reasonable amount of baked on brake dust off too, without causing any damage