Motoring Discussion > My Car's Covered in Ash Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Skoda Replies: 26

 My Car's Covered in Ash - Skoda
Has been over last night. To look at the car it doesn't appear dirty, dusty or even all that dull -- i can still see into the wax, that light bending effect, from when i applied wax last weekend.

This morning i went out to the car, everything seemed normal but i touched the roof above the door and disturbed some very fine traffic dirt / dust (well so i thought). Fine i thought -- i'd been impressed the finish had lasted all week with only this to show for dirt.

Tonight when i came home, i closed the door but i could see where my fingers had been on the door -- traces of dust had moved. So i ran my finger over the door -- big line, clear as day and black dust on my finger.

The whole car is covered with a very fine dust, perfectly evenly and i would never have known if it wasn't for i disturbed it.

Not much feel to it, just like dust really but it's "stronger" than dust, it stays intact where dust would go a bit "clumpy" when disturbed.

I'll wash the car tomorrow with a plush microfibre wash mitt and see if i can lift the dust without abrading the paintwork. Fingers crossed the 2 layers of wax will save the paintwork from any direct contact.

I bet my air filter's manky now...
Last edited by: CraigP on Fri 16 Apr 10 at 23:29
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Armel Coussine
The pilot of the jumbo that flew into one of those clouds said the ash ground the windows semi-opaque and took the paint off the plane. And actually fine silcate dust can abrade even at quite modest speeds. A friend's BMW 316 had its bright trim and paintwork, especially on one corner, abraded and dulled to a satin finish driving through a wind in the Sahara. The stuff that blows in your face in sandstorms is more dust than sand, but it stings your face all the same.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - henry k
>>I'll wash the car tomorrow with a plush microfibre wash mitt and see if i can lift the dust without abrading the paintwork.
>>
THE advice I have read is just spray it with lots and lots of water. Do not rub anything on it.
This might just be the case to use a power washer gently.

I have worked in Saudi, and other desert countries so I know what that dust can do to paintwork.
On another site there were photos of desert dust and volcano dust.
The dessert dust having been blown around for xxxx years is relatively smooth ( thats one of the reasons sand is imported for construction work, rough sand is required ).
The volcanic dust was very very different showing many sharp edges.

IMO wash, wash and wait til it blows over.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Zero
Its not just dust sand or ordinary dirt. It has loads of elements in it. A glass like substance is the worse, think of minute small scratchy diamonds being rubbed into your paintwork.

It needs to be rinsed off before you go anywhere near it with a cloth of any kind.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Runfer D'Hills
Beautiful sunny morning here in south Cheshire. Cars noticeably covered in ash. Some of the fleece wearers are out washing them already. I'm going to wait until it rains.
Last edited by: Humph D'bout on Sat 17 Apr 10 at 10:38
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Zero
ah yes, acid rain the next icelandic gift.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - crocks
Blue sky, no wind and just a very light dusting of Iceland's finest here in South London.

Only noticed it because I washed car yesterday (in preparation for removing wheels today to replace pads and discs) and wiped hand across roof to check. Nothing unusual about it but certainly won't be polishing it in today.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Pat
When I left for work at 5.15am I had to scrape the frost off the windscreen here in the Fen.

Well, that's a lie really, I did it the way I usually do, I lit a ciggie and let the fan do it's job:)

Pat
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Oldgit
Don't forget that we've been plagued with pollen for several weeks now and long before Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull volcano spewed its innards into the N. Hemisphere.
I have been washing my car twice a week in order to wash off the pollen and leather rinsing water goes slighly yellow due to the soluble nature of pollen.

I haven't investigated, yet, whether I have got problems with fallout from volcanoes!!
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Dieselfitter
Yep - this morning I found that running my fingers over the Audi was like touching fine emery paper. Lifting the wipers revealed a line of fine black dust. Don't appreciate having the car coated in abrasive powder!
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Mike Hannon
>Don't appreciate having the car coated in abrasive powder! <

Is there any record of anybody ever arguing, successfully, with a volcano?
 My Car's Covered in Ash - smokie
My mrs reckons they should slop some cold water down it pdq, as she's due to go to Cyprus next Sunday...

Our cars had a layer of something too...
 My Car's Covered in Ash - bathtub tom
How would you get the water through the, alleged, 200 metres of ice sitting on top of it, warm it up?
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Avant
Where's George W. Bush when you need him? He'd have nuked it by now (and made sure, in the name of fairness and justice, that the cloud covered the whole world....).
Last edited by: Avant on Sat 17 Apr 10 at 22:26
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Herr Sandwichmann
Slightly off topic I know but perfect blue sky today and for probably the first time in my life no criss cross vapour trails from planes. There was still the usual urban soundtrack of traffic but the absence of noise pollution from the sky was marked.

All the cars down here in the SW covered in a film of dust. Partly due I suspect to the recent dry weather but the film does have a certain abrasive quality to it. Think I'll just wait for the rain to wash it off.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Oldgit
Ah, yes. That common misconception that "the rain will wash it off". There is practically no evidence that rain ever washes cars clean - I've never found it so.
Even a well aimed hose's jet has little effect on surface muck and the help of a mitt, brush or sponge is always needed to get that stuff moving and free from the car's painted surface.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Dog
>>> Where's George W. Bush when you need him? He'd have nuked it by now <<<

I was thinking the same thing (seriously though) this morning,
There's only about 600k people? living on said volcanic island, give or take the 'odd' Jonsson & Stefansson,
and we could soon accommodate them in ever so accommodating Gord Britain.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Dog
>>> There's only about 600k people? living on said volcanic island <<<

Eh! 306,694 actually you dumb ass Dog.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Hard Cheese

What's a plush microfibre wash mitt ? Isn't that something that the Mrs uses with Jojoba, Hazlenut and Avocado in the bath?

Dusty cars here today, hosed off then washed (with a sponge) with Turtlewax wash stuff, job done!

Bit worried about starting the Lear Jet though ;-)

 My Car's Covered in Ash - Fullchat
Warmed mine up in the hangar today. Just remember to keep the doors shut :-]]
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Zero
As I cant use the Learjet, I had the butler arrange for the smaller 30 metre sunseeker to be moored at Walton marina.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Old Navy
I hope your butler changed the pollen (volcanic ash) filter in the sunseeker climate control system. If not it's grounds for instant dismissal.
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Zero
Yes but he left the cover off the jacuzzi so it has a layer of scum on the top
 My Car's Covered in Ash - bathtub tom
Scousers are easily disposed of. ;>)
 My Car's Covered in Ash - smokie
patiently waits for the first "Report to Moderator" email to come though...
 My Car's Covered in Ash - Zero
because I sacked the butler?
 My Car's Covered in Ash - madf
because I sacked the butler?

No.
Because anyonew ith a Learjet is too poor for this site. Only billionaires with their own 747 wanted here.
Last edited by: madf on Mon 19 Apr 10 at 06:43
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