drove over a puddle of paint

If it comes off with a wet paper towel its probably not paint. Try washing it with car wash soap & water.

Sounds like a high-pressure car wash may just do the wheel wells--who knows, maybe the entire mess. HTH & good luck, sdlomi

Approximately 11/11/03 06:07, ss uttered for posterity:

If this is a nice car you want to keep, take it to a paint shop. It may be something other than paint, but you want it *off* as quickly as possible.

I do think it's paing though. Although it tends to flake off with extreme rubbing with a wet paper towel, i can't make any progress on the wheelwells. I doubt a carwash would do anything.

I had the same thing happen to me. I got it rubbed out at a body shop for about $40. Of course they didnt do the wheels, but I didnt mind that. I also filed an insurance claim and made out nicely on that deal for a change. So if you have comprehensive insurance you may want to look into that also.

Goof-Off

worked on a Nissan Maxima that ran over a can of some type of glue. The Goof-off didn't cause any visible harm to the clear coat, but you might want to test a small spot first. If its a bunch of small spots, a clay bar might work, but you will probably scratch your paint a little.

- Dave

Assuming that your car is waxed or dirty enough, it could well be paint that's not sticking very well to the car. I'd try the high pressure water trick first then remove with fingernail then clay bar then wax. Not sure how you are going to fix thw wheel well parts. If it's like mine it's just a plastic cover, and given how dark it gets early I'd probably remove it and bring it inside and clean it off in my basement.

Except for the wheelwells and tires, I was able to get if off with a wet paper towel (scrubbing). Then I stopped by a few bodyshop/paint and a detailing place...one said I should spray the wheelwells with black undercoat, the other said just black spraypaint would be ok....and the spray the tires too.

Hose the area down and keep it wet for a few minutes, it will will probably soften the paint. Then scrub the wheel wells and tires with a stiff plastic brush and maybe some type of detergent or paint thinner. I wouldn't spray paint the tires because it will probably flake off. Where was/is a type of tire paint called "Black Again" or something like that for painting tires. Undercoating spray can be used to cover up the wheel well area, but mash the areas around it because the overspray is difficult/messy to remove.

- Dave