Hi there I have just acquired a 2009 Roomster Scout, you know what it is like, you have to clean it.

I cleaned the car and gave the bumpers and trim a shine up with simonize bumper shine.

The next day whilst putting bits in the boot I noticed a film on the rear bumper, got a cloth and cleaned it. The cloth was black with what looked like exhaust.

 

I then wiped around the side trim and found the same, this all seems to be happening behind the front wheels. My asumption is now that it may be break dust from the front and rear discs.

 

Has anyone else had this problem?

 

If so how did you cure it.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Chris (Stillgrinning)

I haven't seen brake dust over the back of our Fabia, but we do get large soot deposits from the exhaust pipe!  This is normal as I have seen it on other VRS Fabias. 

 If your issue is brake dust then I think the only way to reduce it would be to look at low dust pads, something like EBC red pads, or eurocarparts do an epad that claims low dust.

 

 or you could wash it every week 

You may have over applied the bumpershine leaving a nice

moist sticky surface which will attract diesel particulates around the

exhaust area, and brakedust along the sides.

My advice, clean the simoniz stuff right off and use a better

product. For that particular job I use Chemical Guys tyre and trim

gel.   http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/chemical-guys-new-look-trim-gel/prod_143.html

With this you can do your tyres as well as all of your plastics and even rubber

seals around the doors keeping the rubber juvenated. I've even used this stuff

to get an extra few months out of old tired wiper blade rubbers.

read the reviews, Clean your Car are very good to deal with as well.  

 

I apply with a tyre dress applicator on the tyres, let it settle and then wipe off excess

with a rag. Voila, 'brown looking' tyres look black and new again.

http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/wheels-and-tyres/meguiars-tyre-dressing-applicator/prod_765.html

 

To do trim and rubbers I just use the Mr Miyagi method. Wipe on using one cloth,

(or better still a small piece of old sponge)

let it settle for a few minutes and wipe off again with a different cloth.

It can be quite dirty on rubbers and trim so cut up some old shirts, towels or bedclothes 

and get a good supply of rags.

Hi thanks for that, actually it wasn't Simonize it was Turtlewax.

 

Regards

 

Chris (Stillgrinning)   

May try that chemicalguys gel... I was concerned about the rubber trim - not so much the tyres, as I wear through them long before they age.

 

I get a LOT of brake dust buildup on the front alloys, not so much the rest of the car. But after a week without washing and covering 500 miles, the silver alloys are a dark matte grey.

I use it all around the foam rubber trims inside the doors once a year,

also on the scuttle under the wipers, tyres, window rubbers twice a year, b pillar trim,

black plastic parts on underside of mirrors, rear wiper arm, wiper blades when they are

getting a bit tired, even wheel arch liners. Pretty much anything that's black that isn't paintwork.

My favourite thing is that it one product to do all that stuff.

And a bottle will last you for years, it goes a very long way.

Just be sure to wipe off any excess,   

Thanks for all the advice.

Will have a chat to the garage where I purchased the car from, just realised that I can't get any car wash liquid or even washing up liquid to foam up on the car, everything seems to just bead off.

I think they may have polished the car with something, don't know what.

 

Thanks again

Don't use washing upliquid if you want to keep the surface protected.

I would only use it on a car for degreasing and removing old wax/sealant.

If the waters beading then it's likely the car is well waxed at the moment.

Particularly if you've just bought it from a showroom, assuming it's been done well

then you can expect a good 4-6months of protection. 

It keeps a protective layer in between your paint and harmful acidic things like dead

bugs and bird poo.

Get a nice wax friendly car shampoo. (meguiars gold class is very good and available in Halfords)

   

And just hand wash and dry the car, preferably using the 2 bucket method. (Google it)

Doing this your wax coat will last you right into Autumn and maybe beyond although I'd

recommend a good re wax before it turns properly cold so the car has some winter protection

from all the salt on the roads.

I agree with all of the things Garry has said, and really I should use all of the products that Garry has listed, some of which reside in my garage

 

But then at the end of a long week and several hundred miles there's one thing that gets the brake dust off my Roomy................

 

 

 

Speaking of waxing, how much would I expect to pay to have it done, and any recommendations of places to go?

Thanks for the Info, the car has to go in next week to have a couple of bits sorted will check to see what they have used on the bodywork.

 

Cheers

Chris (Stillgrinning) 

Last night I had to scrub at my superbs front wheels, they were black and needed to use tar remover as the wee spots of tar where all over, nice and shiny now thought aftern 1 hours work

^^^ Get some Bilberry wheel cleaner, some Iron X and some Tardis.  

And you'll never scrub again.