I see many examples of car owners who try to remedy issues on their own to save a buck. Unfortunately they often wind up doing more harm than good and make my job much harder and cost themselves more money in the long run.

This customer attempted to remove a large drip of sap using an abrasive cleaner (probably Comet or Ajax). This was the damage caused and the sap still remained. This photo shows the paint that was protected under the sap after it was safely removed. Instead of spending 60 seconds to resolve the problem I spent 30 minutes to remove 95% of the damage. 5% still remained due to being too deep to be safely removed.

Even if you research a problem and get advice online it is important to consider the source. There is a lot of cringe worthy advice from amateurs. Even advice from pros may not always be the best for your situation and some precautions may be omitted.

If you have an issue with your vehicle that you aren’t sure how to address please contact a professional you trust.