Someone explain to me this:

We just got a good rain a week ago, and I finally had some time to pay some special attention to the 'Bu.

After cleaning the car, doing some detail work with the chrome trim (little buggies got stuck up there), and cleaning the door jams extensively, as well as the wheel arches, I began to do a quick wipe-down of the roof (as I usually do unless I park under trees; which I rarely do).

As it's drying, I notice some black streaks. Fearful of scratches, I start examining them and about twenty or so streaks are tar. Tar! On the roof!

Can someone please explain to me how this is possible...especially because when I drive my vehicle it is either very early in the day and very late at night, and I usually am not following another vehicle (my own explanation for it).

Could it be how the Malibu is shaped, somehow is kicking it upwards? I also noticed some on the middle of my front and rear doors of both sides, but I figured I had just hit a good patch somewhere.

Also, would anyone recommend a certain cleaning agent or something that is non-abrasive for easier cleaning of tar? With winter coming up, I am fearful by dark gray metallic will be black by the turn of the season.

I'm going to make the assumption that it isn't tar and suggest it could be tree sap. In my area I'm plagued with little round spots that smear when you wipe them. They look like tar spots because they are very dark brown to black in appearance, but I've been told it's sap. I find it on both of my vehicles so I don't think the Malibu shape has much to do with it. I also don't park under trees, but near them. You don't need to be directly under a tree for its sap to find you.

In either case, there are plenty of bug/tar and sap removers. I use a Turtle Wax Bug and Tar Remover that works relatively well. It even polishes as you wipe it off. If none of the similar products help there's always clay bar to try.

Good luck, Truitt.

Well, I haven't touched it and it was already lined. It came off like tar or a bug splat, and they were not like sap...at least they didn't seem to be like sap.

Turtle Wax, right? Gotta love the brand :D I think that after winter when I do my complete detailed clean, I'll go at it again. Until then I guess wipe-downs are all that my 'Bu will get, sadly.