What is this? Can it be stoped?

[minke]

After some advice.

The picture is the rear bar of a Golf just after a wash. What I'm finding is that it is constantly covered in these rough orange looking specs. I have no idea where they're coming from. I can clay bar them off however it is very difficult (ie stubborn) and they only return a few weeks later.

Any ideas on how I can minimise these? A wax coating? and ideas?

[ozmale]

I have had similar sport in the same place before. I ended up deciding they were a product of combustion and in the exhaust. My solution was to cover that edge of the rear bar with a carbon fiber look vynal sticker.

I am no expert but I think it is the cat converter dying over time.

[Lucas_R]

That is tar spots and other junk flicking up (normally after driving in the rain) off the road and bonding to the paintwork. It will be most noticeable on the rear bumper and hatch, although you will also find some up the side of the car where water flicks up off the front wheels when driving in the rain.

Unfortunately this is normal on hatchbacks and wagons (less so on a sedan).

The only way to fix it is to claybar the affected area on a regular basis and put a wax or sealant on the paint.

Something which I find helps it to hose the car off when you get home after driving it in the rain. This will dislodge a lot of the muck before it bonds to the paint.