What did you do TO your Bronco Sport today?

[Elegance]

Today, I learned about removing the horror that is Shotgun Fungus from a car's exterior. The Airbnb we stayed at for 4 months in NC was in the middle of the woods and all the landscaping was just mulch beds. Between the mulch and abundant rainfall, Shotgun Fungus was everywhere but especially concentrated around their driveway. Every day I'd notice new black spores stuck onto my Bronco. I'd scrape off the spores with a credit card as I saw them, but didn't have all my usual exterior care products to fully remove the stains.

Flash forward to today - Currently 101 degrees in AZ and I just couldn't stand looking at the brown spots anymore. Just spent 3 hours outside in the heat and got most of it done, but didn't even get a chance to start on the roof yet before I overheated (and the roof is the worst of it). These spores are cemented onto my A51 paint. Even after scraping them off, I've got to go at them with the sponge for a full minute or two each to remove the brown splotches that are embedded in the clearcoat. And there are hundreds of them. This is the devil's organism put on this planet to make me angry.

Never again without a garage. Never again. Keep me in your hearts, folks.

Edit: I just ordered a Chemical Guys foam cannon and their wash and wax products. Gonna make the rest of this process easier on myself if I can help it.

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[Cactusjk]

Today, I learned about removing the horror that is Shotgun Fungus from a car's exterior. The Airbnb we stayed at for 4 months in NC was in the middle of the woods and all the landscaping was just mulch beds. Between the mulch and abundant rainfall, Shotgun Fungus was everywhere but especially concentrated around their driveway. Every day I'd notice new black spores stuck onto my Bronco. I'd scrape off the spores with a credit card as I saw them, but didn't have all my usual exterior care products to fully remove the stains.

Flash forward to today - Currently 101 degrees in AZ and I just couldn't stand looking at the brown spots anymore. Just spent 3 hours outside in the heat and got most of it done, but didn't even get a chance to start on the roof yet before I overheated (and the roof is the worst of it). These spores are cemented onto my A51 paint. Even after scraping them off, I've got to go at them with the sponge for a full minute or two each to remove the brown splotches that are embedded in the clearcoat. And there are hundreds of them. This is the devil's organism put on this planet to make me angry.

Never again without a garage. Never again. Keep me in your hearts, folks.

Edit: I just ordered a Chemical Guys foam cannon and their wash and wax products. Gonna make the rest of this process easier on myself if I can help it.

I am sure you are glad to be back in AZ!

 

[Meanderthal]

Today, I learned about removing the horror that is Shotgun Fungus from a car's exterior. The Airbnb we stayed at for 4 months in NC was in the middle of the woods and all the landscaping was just mulch beds. Between the mulch and abundant rainfall, Shotgun Fungus was everywhere but especially concentrated around their driveway. Every day I'd notice new black spores stuck onto my Bronco. I'd scrape off the spores with a credit card as I saw them, but didn't have all my usual exterior care products to fully remove the stains.

Flash forward to today - Currently 101 degrees in AZ and I just couldn't stand looking at the brown spots anymore. Just spent 3 hours outside in the heat and got most of it done, but didn't even get a chance to start on the roof yet before I overheated (and the roof is the worst of it). These spores are cemented onto my A51 paint. Even after scraping them off, I've got to go at them with the sponge for a full minute or two each to remove the brown splotches that are embedded in the clearcoat. And there are hundreds of them. This is the devil's organism put on this planet to make me angry.

Never again without a garage. Never again. Keep me in your hearts, folks.

Edit: I just ordered a Chemical Guys foam cannon and their wash and wax products. Gonna make the rest of this process easier on myself if I can help it.

I would look at some decontamination soaps. I haven't gotten any yet, but I have seen videos where a high PH soap is used to remove stubborn road film and then a low PH soap is used to get mineral deposits. Of course you also need to do an iron remover and a clay bar step to get everything off. Paint correction would be next, if you are into that sort of thing. After all that, you would want to do a ceramic coating to prevent anything like this in the future.

 

[Glamdring70]

Today, I learned about removing the horror that is Shotgun Fungus from a car's exterior.

Those are just the worst. We have it on one side of the house where a neighbor (now previous neighbor) put down mulch. Nothing moves it. Painters pressure washed and scrubbed as much as they could. Used cleaner, bleach, simple green, antifungal Moss Out, etc with even scotch brite and we still ended up painting over it. Careful examination of the siding and you can see some bumps remaining. I recently replaced some screens and it was still on those! Window frames still have brown rings from where we popped the majority off by scrubbing. It's all dead and inert as far as I can tell, but it's a permanent feature until/if I resided. I doubt the wash and foam cannon will move it. Pay someone a couple hundo to clay bar it and I bet that'll get it.

 

[Elegance]

I would look at some decontamination soaps. I haven't gotten any yet, but I have seen videos where a high PH soap is used to remove stubborn road film and then a low PH soap is used to get mineral deposits. Of course you also need to do an iron remover and a clay bar step to get everything off. Paint correction would be next, if you are into that sort of thing. After all that, you would want to do a ceramic coating to prevent anything like this in the future.

I doubt the wash and foam cannon will move it. Pay someone a couple hundo to clay bar it and I bet that'll get it.

Appreciate the expertise from both of you. My current goal is "do the best I can" since it's being traded for the Badlands in a couple of months anyway. I did order a Chemical Guys wax along with my new foam cannon and soap, so I'll apply another wax coat once I've got it as clean as possible then call it good. My elbow grease today did work to remove the brown spots, but I'll give it another thorough wash when my new stuff gets here. My dealer is not going to get face-level with the paint and look for the most minor imperfections when giving me the value of my trade in under 5 minutes. As for the clearcoat, it's probably slightly thinner in the spots where I've removed the spores, but it is not visible and should be corrected by the dealership when they prep it to put out on their lot.

The Badlands, however, will likely be getting a ceramic coat. It will never not be kept in a garage. This 4 month work assignment was a special circumstance, but now I never have to live away from my own home ever again. Going to change up my care routine, wax regularly, ceramic coat the Badlands, and hope I never have to deal with Shotgun Fungus ever again.

 

[Major Kong]

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/vehicle-engine-cleaning/safely-remove-artillery-fungus-from-your-car

 

[Oban]

Added some vinyl lettering, closest I could find to the hot pepper red. Looks closer than the pics show.

 

[kennyroo]

Tinted the headlights. They’re still super bright. The tint doesn’t affect night driving at all. 15 min install ez.

link? looks nice

 

[kennyroo]

Mounted up the new wheels and tires.
17x8 +40
255/65/17 Hankook Dynapro AT2

wow how do you like 255? any rub?

 

[Dark]

wow how do you like 255? any rub?

none at all.

 

[Elegance]

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/advice/vehicle-engine-cleaning/safely-remove-artillery-fungus-from-your-car

I've got it. Sprayed it on and it did a whole lot of nothing. Probably works great if the fungus has been on for only a day or two, but I've been away from home for 4 months. I'm paying the price.

 

[Cactusjk]

Appreciate the expertise from both of you. My current goal is "do the best I can" since it's being traded for the Badlands in a couple of months anyway. I did order a Chemical Guys wax along with my new foam cannon and soap, so I'll apply another wax coat once I've got it as clean as possible then call it good. My elbow grease today did work to remove the brown spots, but I'll give it another thorough wash when my new stuff gets here. My dealer is not going to get face-level with the paint and look for the most minor imperfections when giving me the value of my trade in under 5 minutes. As for the clearcoat, it's probably slightly thinner in the spots where I've removed the spores, but it is not visible and should be corrected by the dealership when they prep it to put out on their lot.

The Badlands, however, will likely be getting a ceramic coat. It will never not be kept in a garage. This 4 month work assignment was a special circumstance, but now I never have to live away from my own home ever again. Going to change up my care routine, wax regularly, ceramic coat the Badlands, and hope I never have to deal with Shotgun Fungus ever again.

I have had ceramic on a couple cars. Great stuff! However, on the BS I went back to Zaino since it is easier to maintain if you get a chip, scratch, etc. I also have used Zaino on my FJ since 2006.

 

[Meanderthal]

I have had ceramic on a couple cars. Great stuff! However, on the BS I went back to Zaino since it is easier to maintain if you get a chip, scratch, etc. I also have used Zaino on my FJ since 2006.

Probably the only other person I have ever seen a post from that has used Zaino. I have always had good results with it but I’m also always searching for something better.

 

[Cactusjk]

Definitely not mainstream but I have had very good success. After a ZAIO base coat, one coat of Z5 Pro and Clear Seal all I ever do after that is use Clear Seal.

A professional Ceramic job is $1000+

Just another option.

 

[BadlandsinMI]

Added a personalized message on third brake light.

That's awesome, where did you get it from?

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