I don't know if this should go into detailing or not, but also has to do with a repair, so I am placing it here.

Some bozo backed into my 560 SEL, and it got a nasty dent in the trunk lid. It was a hit and run at a local Costco parking lot, and I was not there when it happened. My car is otherwise dentless.

So after looking at different options, I decided I could save dough (insurance deductible is $250) by getting another trunk lid at the boneyard (in this case, Potomac German Auto Parts). They sold me a nice lid, undamaged, for $68, mostly matching in color. It was a breeze to put on.

MOSTLY matching in color. Since it's a boneyard, almost everything visible has those yellow crayon markings all over it. So did, of course, the trunk lid. It does not visually harmonize with the overall black color of the vehicle.

So here is the question to the experts: How do you get rid of the yellow, near flourecent crayon marking without damaging the paint (or repainting the entire car flourescent yellow)? Is rubbing alcohol ok?

Thanks!

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

I would first try something that is made to take tar off of car paint. Be sure to wax the paint after you're done.

Of course polishing or rubbing compound would do it. But I am trying to keep as much of the paint as possible.

Totally agree - Mother's cleaner wax all over the thing, more than one application, once the yellow stuff is off... It will come back nicely.

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

Rubbing alcohol should be pretty well tolerated by the paint, but I don't know how well it will take off the crayon.
I think the earlier post about tar remover referred to one or another of the clear-solution organic solvent products that are out there. I've used them on smallish spots for tar, and they work pretty well; haven't had problems with paint but I always try to minimize the exposure, and then rewax of course. Might be fairly effective on crayon; don't know if it would work better than the cleaner-wax idea.

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Craig Bethune

'97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition

'04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's)
'06 Lexus ES330
'89 560SL (sold)


SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes.
(Kudos to whoever said it first)

Looking at it again tonight - the junk comes off easily after all - I'm not worried anymore. Beyond finger-nail scraping (ough!!!) it looks like a cleaner wax might do it.

Am I insane in keeping an almost mint black on black (exterior/interior) 560 SEL alive, or is this one of the best sedans ever built? (The only alternative in this class I see is the Audi A8, it's classy, all alunimum body, but I still like the accessible engineering of Benz on this one.)

Comments are open, but please don't forget I'm originally from Stuttgart, and I love honesty in engineering....

(Please tell me if I am a cult freak...)

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Henry Bofinger
1989 560 SEL (black/black)
2001 Audi TT Roadster (silver/grey)

FWIW, if you ever get permanent marker on leather or MB Tex - a spray of Lysol (not the kind in a bottle - the aerosol surface disinfectant) followed by a wipe will get most anything out. I used to drive a school bus and that is how I would get graffiti off the seats.