Need help! Someone spilled something harsh on my paint :(

[initial e]

Guys/gals, 

When I got home I noticed the below on my paint.  It's absolutely stuck on there even with my cquartz coating (sorry adam's product wasnt available at the time I got my car ).  I tried the following: soap & water, general wipe, some tar cleaner, goo gone, and clay.  I did however manage to use the blue heavy correcting polish on a pad and about 80% came off with no apparent damage to the paint or clear.  I used it by hand just incase there were some adverse effects.  

 

Should I go ahead and throw it on my orbital?  The paint surface less than the stupid contamination has been cleaned to best I can.  Or should I try something chemically aggressive like the wheel cleaner and treat the spot? It has completely ran down the entire side of my rear quarter panel. 

 

It's not really rough to the touch and it's very smooth but it simply will not come off.  It's all over my rear glass however, I'm able to scrape it off.  Ideally I dont want to take a razor blade to the glass but it'll come off.  I have some 3000 grit auto sandpaper but I'd like to avoid wet sanding it.   :( 

 

[Nathan]

Try the heavy compound with a machine, you said you tried it by hand, but it would be a lot safer than wet sanding so I would try compounding first.

Edited April 3, 2017 by Nathan

[Tim]

Have you parked in a parking garage in an old building recently?

[sahls01gmc]

Have you parked in a parking garage in an old building recently?

I was getting ready to ask the same question....

[initial e]

Have you parked in a parking garage in an old building recently?

 

Well I park daily in a parking garage at my condo but there are no pipes or anything to potentially drip.  I thought the same thing so I took out my flashlight and inspected the ceiling and it's completely dry. 

[ocdrifter]

That looks like water dripped on your car try using white vinegar before you compound because compound will remove your coating, this is easy no mJor damage looks like the sun baked it on, it's no big deal.

[ocdrifter]

I should also mention make sure the area is clean and after applying vinegar on it let it sit you can also wipe it with a microfiber cloth to agitate the area, after a few minutes wash it off and see if there is anything left. You can also use your polish and orbital on it but I high doubt it will need to be compounded.

[falcaineer]

Ok, I'll bite. Why does parking in a garage matter?

 

Edit: must've dropped the quoted messages.

Edited April 4, 2017 by falcaineer

[Mariner]

I like to use RHP for minor surface imperfections. It works particularly well on recent water spots before they've had a chance to really etch in.

[falcaineer]

Edited my post above...apologies if my question was misinterprete...looks like the quoted posts from Tim and sahls were dropped.

[PacificNWBuckeye]

It looks like extremely hard water etching to me, had a black rental on one of my trips to Pocatello. It was swirled, but that isn't relevant, the hotel had a sprinkler system that go the car wet no matter where i parked and had super hard water. That thing had water spots you could feel by then end of the week.

 

The parking in garages comes down to water dripping on the vehicle that could have filtered down from upper levels of a garage picking up who knows what as it makes its way to your vehicle.

[falcaineer]

Thanks, Ryan. That makes sense. Never considered that when parking, honestly. Dangers lurk everywhere!

Edited April 4, 2017 by falcaineer

[1911A1]

+1 on the vinegar

Edit:sent you a PM with a video that might help

Edited April 4, 2017 by 1911A1

[Tim]

Ok, I'll bite. Why does parking in a garage matter?

Edit: must've dropped the quoted messages.

I used the valet parking at the Ritz one time. When they returned my car, it had similar marks. I couldn't clay or polish them off so I took it back to them and made them clean it. It think they said it was something like lime from the old parking structure (been a number of years and cars ago)

[1911A1]

All it takes is a wet car coming in from the rain and parking on the next level and the water dripping off that car runs down through a joint in the floor and drips on your car,May only last a few minutes and an hour later everything's dry.The dried on minerals that the water carries on to the paint can be hard to get off.

Edited April 5, 2017 by 1911A1