Microdots getting stuck on the finish

[Vikas]

They come off easy with detailer or quick wax spray. So far I have figured out that it must be the result of some kind of fallout (natural or industrial) where the van is parked daily. It is in a high tech office complex in the Metro-West Boston area. I checked with my wife and she does NOT park at the same spot every day. She also confirmed that she does NOT park under a tree either.

Those dots are about the diameter of a human hair and can be easily felt but difficult to see and impossible to photograph. They feel sticky. The entire van gets peppered with it in a single day. They accumulate on every surface i.e. both vertical and horizontal with similar concentration. I observed this when my wife was driving other car and that too got the same substance on it.

There is no industrial area near the commercial park. There are some un-built area aka conservation land around and lots of trees. But the microdots are too small and they don't seem to have the same stickiness that is normally associated with tree sap.

 

[gofast182]

Is it parked near a mulched bed? My first thought was artillery fungus/spores however what you are describing is a little smaller than that is.

 

[Roadkingnc]

It could be bee [censored] too.

 

[dparm]

It could be a lot of different things. Best bet is to just clay bar, polish, and wax the car so that it doesn't have a good surface to adhere to.

 

[SatinSilver]

I was thinking the mulch was the cause also. I know the issue is a lot better here since no new mulch this year at the condo. No stink either or mess. Maybe skip another year.

Dark brown color I'm guessing?

 

[Hokiefyd]

Dad had this happen on an F-550 he once owned. It was all over the right rear fender area. It looked like rail dust. The issue was a stuck caliper that had wore the brake disc completely gone. Couldn't tell it from the driver's seat.

 

[NateDN10]

This happens to my car on some days too. I've always wondered what it was.

 

[Vikas]

As far as I can make out, it transparent and it is sticking to waxed surface. If it were coming from the vehicle, it would be on some specific are but every surface has these dots and I can't think of how anything from the would do that. I can use the finger nail to flick them off. They have about the diameter as the finger nail thickness. Three nights in a row, I have cleaned and wax a portion of the van as test. It does not melt by the detailer spray but does wipe out with little bit of pressure. They do not feel like metal particle to touch but rather some gummy type of substance.

 

[qwertydude]

Usually if you have flowery trees they emit a fine mist of nectar when the wind start blowing. In particular the bottlebrush tree is a bad offender and is a popular parking lot tree. Every time I park near one my car is covered with fine dots of sticky sugary material. Detailer or a wash easily gets rid of it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callistemon

 

[Vikas]

Are these trees common in New England area? Your explanation is the one which makes the most sense.

 

[qwertydude]

In the New England area maybe not but I'm sure there are lots of flowering trees in the area. I've had it happen near maples and magnolias which I believe are common to the New England area. I know since I live in Norwalk and was stationed in CT when I was in the navy, even visited that other Norwalk too.

It's less common with pines though. Pine trees just tend to leave a thick blanket of dry pollen.