How to remove cement dust from car paint?: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Dec. 16, 2011 7:16 p.m. LainfordExpress Reader

So yesterday while I was at work (new emloyer, been there four weeks now) the company building a major expansion for my employer managed to spread a huge amount of mysterious white dust all over the parking lot. An hour later we were told that it was calcium and would rinse off. I noticed when I left that my six month old british racing green with black roof MINI Cooper S had white residue pretty much all over it and looked pretty horrid. I didn't think much of it and decided to wash it this weekend. It rained again last night and much of the morning.

Well, today they let us know that it wasn't calcium, but cement and that it would come off, but "might take some effort.". Several of us were dubious and went outside to take some pictures of our cars.

Tonight, I took it and gave it a pressure wash without scrubbing. It made absolutely no difference. Anybody have any ideas on what to do? Can it cleaned? Pitch a fit at work? Call my insurance?

How agitated should I be with my employer? The construction company? How do I assess the lost value of the car? Is it possible to get it successfully repainted? How much would the value be hurt if it was repainted?
Dec. 16, 2011 7:21 p.m. kellym New Reader

Try to clay bar it off
Dec. 16, 2011 7:29 p.m. BoxheadTim SuperDork

I'd take the car to a good detailer and have them see if they can get it off.

There's also the question as to why it took them basically a day to admit it's cement, especially given the weather. It ain't got to be easier to get it off if the cement got wet and cured...
Dec. 16, 2011 8:01 p.m. Chas_H New Reader

Call your insurance agent if you have comprehensive coverage, and encourage others to do the same. I think any attempt to remove hardened cement will compromise the car's finish.
Dec. 16, 2011 8:06 p.m. LainfordExpress Reader

Also, yesterday was my last day with my old insurance company (progressive) and today was my first with my new (grange).
Dec. 16, 2011 8:58 p.m. spritedriver28 New Reader

The contractor will have liability insurance to cover just this sort of thing. I wouldn't pay anyone else to clean it until you file a claim with their insurance.
Dec. 16, 2011 9:08 p.m. SVreX SuperDork

LainfordExpress wrote:

Also, yesterday was my last day with my old insurance company (progressive) and today was my first with my new (grange).

That may rule out calling your insurance agent. One company is gonna say you were not covered when the event happened, the other is gonna say you are no longer a customer.

But it shouldn't matter. It's a liability claim for the construction company. Start griping.
Dec. 16, 2011 9:17 p.m. patgizz SuperDork

spritedriver28 wrote:

The contractor will have liability insurance to cover just this sort of thing. I wouldn't pay anyone else to clean it until you file a claim with their insurance.

exactly. the same thing happened to my dad with his vette. the steel mill parking lot got oversprayed by some guys painting a couple oil tanks nearby. every car got green dots of paint all over it. they had everyone send their estimates to the office and they cut checks to everyone.
Dec. 16, 2011 10:25 p.m. pigeon Dork

SVreX wrote:

LainfordExpress wrote:

Also, yesterday was my last day with my old insurance company (progressive) and today was my first with my new (grange).

That may rule out calling your insurance agent. One company is gonna say you were not covered when the event happened, the other is gonna say you are no longer a customer.

But it shouldn't matter. It's a liability claim for the construction company. Start griping.

Agree that the construction company will have insurance to cover it, but if you do have to claim against your own insurance it would be against the insurance you had in place on the date the car got concreted. Auto insurance is almost always written on an occurrence basis meaning that the coverage in place on the date of the insurance is what applies (vs claims made, which covers when the claim is brought regardless of what insurance was in place on the date of the occurrence - oftentimes medical malpractice insurance).
Dec. 16, 2011 10:28 p.m. Chas_H New Reader

Comprehensive claims, which this would be, rarely increase premiums.
Dec. 17, 2011 10:56 a.m. Feedyurhed Dork

I don't know the right answer but I absolutely cringe when I hear stories like this and I feel your pain. It's a cold cruel world out there for us car people and our cars and they are always exposed to the dangers. I can't understand why even the grass cutters at work always blow the dirt and clippings on the cars when they could just as easily travel in the opposite direction for a few passes with the chute pointing the other way to avoid this. Yet I always cone out with my car covered with debris.

Good luck with your problem. You could jump over to autotopia. Com. It's a detailing site a may have some good advice for you.
Dec. 17, 2011 11:16 a.m. NOHOME HalfDork

50-50 Mix of vinegar and water should take care of it. Clay bar would not hurt either after that.

If it ate past the clear coat, it was something else other than cement and they are not telling you the truth.