Rust-like dots on paint

I have a birch white H3 and had it washed today and decided to wax it myself.  As I started to apply the wax, I noticed what looks to be dots of rust all up and down my doors and on the back of my H3. Has anyone else noticed this?  There is quite a bit of this and whatever it is, the car wash didn't get rid of it.
 
I don't think it's actually rust, but it sure looks like it. Any thoughts on what it is or how I can get it off there?

Funny, I had the same exact thing a month or so ago......
 
Any red soil in your area?
 
I went through an area comprised mostly of red clay soil (dry at the time).....When I washed the truck,
it left little specs of what looked like rust on the paint. A second, soaking, wash took them right off.

its more than likely brake dust. i've had this with every new gm vehicle. it usually goes away after brakes get some miles on them.

Jen hun...

You live in a very harsh winter environment..with all the road salts and chemicles they use...Sorry to say, but you will have to clay bar your finish in order to get those rust specs off..isn't bad GM paint, it is normal after a winter on any finish and a white fginish really shows it worse...ICE by Turtle Wax has a new liquid claybar that works real easy I'm told by RutDogg...Read the DETAILING section of this forum..Good info there .

Well I have 15,000 miles on the H3 so I don't t think it would be brake dust but I could be wrong and as far as red soil clay, there is none around here where I live.  Only other thing I could think of is it is something from the salt they put on the roads here when it snowed? I had my H3 washed at least once a week over the winter, but honestly never noticed all the dots until today when I went to wax it.

Thanks for the info Dennis! I will pick up the turtle wax claybar this week and see how it works. Of course it's supposed to snow uh one last time here as they keep saying at the end of the week so I may have to wait to apply it. I already am an Ice wax user and highly recommend it to all  

If they patched potholes around your area some tar from the patch job might of gotten on your sides. I had a white jeep and every spring I had the same problem. All it was was tar.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Dennis

Jen hun...

You live in a very harsh winter environment..with all the road salts and chemicles they use...Sorry to say, but you will have to clay bar your finish in order to get those rust specs off..isn't bad GM paint, it is normal after a winter on any finish and a white fginish really shows it worse...ICE by Turtle Wax has a new liquid claybar that works real easy I'm told by RutDogg...Read the DETAILING section of this forum..Good info there .

 
Dennis speaks the truth!  I have a white '07 H3 and noticed the same tiny rust like specs in the finish after only a month.  I have a friend who paints cars, and he told me basically what Dennis has said.  Do a good cleaning with a clay bar type compound, then seal it with your choice of wax, and it'll be good to go.  The "detailing" area her does have some great advice and examples.

I have a white hummer h3 and my wife and I were at the carwash yesterday and we noticed the little rust spots all over the door as well.  We couldn't figure it out.  Does GM not give these cars a good paint job?  When I bought the H3, they did try to offer me some sort of service that would be done to protect the exterior of the car.  forget the name of it.  Does anybody or did anybody purchase this service for their hummer?  How is that working out.
 
I noticed that when I scrape my nail on the rust spots, that you can kind of scrap it off to a pin sized spot.  So, the rust probably starts small and spreads.
 
P.S.  who is dissappointed that the H3 doesn't come with child safetly locks?
 
chris

TAR

I  have the same thing except it's only the roof & sunroof so haven't bothered to clean it yet.  Thought it had something to do w/ me living at a marina (salt water). ...guess not.  If you procrastinate in cleaning it, will it spread?  I spent as much time as I cared to on the roof of that car when I installed all of my own marker lights. 

Well this is a dumb answer if you live in snow, BUT, I noticed the same thing on a friends white car yesterday.  It was tree sap.   I've never seen it like that before.  It looked just like rust spots.   Came off with a little cleaner & wax.
 
poncho

I have noticed these as well on occasion. Not a lot but a few. I do not live in inclement weather, so it isn't due to chemicals on the roads etc - in my case anyway.  I believe it is sap off the trees/foliage carried by the air maybe. As I have seen it crop up after a weekend of just sitting in my driveway (which is not under any trees!)  My remedy is to scratch it off (carefully) with a nail LOL

Don't forget Sarah..your humidity is laiden with salty air too...But a regular coat of wax of any kind will help keep this problem under control along with obviously, regular freshwater wash downs..

Right Denny, I don't see this A LOT as I said and salt air eventho I am a good 45 mins from any beaches is a factor I forgot about -  I did just put my 1st coat of wax on a couple weeks ago (I know I need a spanking for waiting so long! LOL) A few unfortunate circumstances did keep me from doing so for the 1st 6 months of ownership and then I just got so busy with work when I returned.  And, while it should have been - getting a good detail/wax job just wasn't a priority I guess.  Now I'm down with the wax job and good to go and she is all shiny!

quote:

(I know I need a spanking for waiting so long! LOL)

 
 
Spanking?..I can help you there...

Denny I was going to ask you if you would like to volunteer ~~~~> (_Y_)  - but didn't want to appear so salacious LOL.  

I'm waiting for the snow to clear, and then will do a claybar and wax on mine.  No spanking necessary.

I bought the Ice Claybar Tuesday and did my truck. It tooks the spots right off. Of course I am sure I am going to have to do it again now since it snowed here. It was 75 here in NE Ohio on Tuesday and today it snowed and is in the 20's and my truck is filthy again.  I knew it was going to snow a bit on Tuesday when I used the clay bar stuff, but it was too nice out when I got home from work to pass up doing it. I highly recommend it to all. Especially to those who have white H3's like me.