pittpanther

I recently took delivery on a Nighthawk Black Pearl RSX-S, and asked the dealer not to prep it, which resulted in them not removing the protective film for the paint - just as well, but I do not think it is very easy to remove.

Any suggestions from anyone? I have some Xenit, and a couple of other citrus-based cleaners, but I'm not sure if they are the best way to go or not.

Thanks!

xviper

I had this same protective plastic on my wife's PT Cruiser. I asked that it be left on. I just peeled it right off. Do it slowly. It didn't leave anything behind. I don't believe they use a very strong adhesive for this plastic. Do it on a warm day in the sun. Afterwards, I just washed the car and it was clean.

pittpanther

Thanks xviper - that's what I did. It went pretty well. There are a couple of remnants remaining near the seals/edges, etc., but I will get them off when I wash it tomorrow !

Surf2k

I can still see the lines from where the edges of the film were. I figure they'll come off when I claybar next week.

xviper

That's just contaminants stuck to the adhesive edge line. Since you'll be washing, claying, and polishing anyway, use WD-40 on a soft cloth to get those edges off. It'll be less work when you finally get to the clay.

Flyin Wedge

So dealer preping is just cleaning a car up?...I thought they adjusted things and made sure stuff was working right.

xviper

"Dealer Prep" a.k.a. "PDI" (pre-delivery inspection) can range from a couple of hundred to many hundreds of dollars. As far as I'm concerned, this is part of the dealer's business expense and overhead and should not be charged extra for. Many dealers will waive this cost, especially if they already made a tidy profit from you.
PDI would include "unwrapping" the car, cleaning it inside and out, checking and topping up all fluids (air, water, hydraulics and usually fuel), adjusting things like hood/trunk/door closures, checking function of all lights and electrics, repairing any shipping damage, removal of anything installed just for shipping (like spring spacers or tie down attachments) and possibly a brief road test if something is suspect. Of course, there is no guaranty that any of this stuff gets done. I doubt anyone ever checks the tranny or diff fluid levels (which has been known to be low).

Tifosi Red

Zymol's 'Strik' is specifically designed for helping remove all shipping coatings etc. from your new car.