Someone Took a Black Marker To My Wheels!!!

[Seawolf]

Okay, so I was hoping to never have to make a thread like this, but it's happened to me...vandalism!!!

I drove to the county court house yesterday to get my driver's license renewed. When I got out to pay the meter, I look down at my right front wheel and lo and behold it appeared as though someone had taken a black marker and scribbled all over my wheel. I thought to myself, "Self, there is no way on earth some hooligan would write all over your wheels in such a small town that hardly ever sees any major crimes."

So I crouch down to get a better look and rubbed away some of the brake dust even thinking that maybe something sticky had gotten on them and the brake dust was just sticking to these areas better than others. I rubbed and rubbed and even applied a little spit but couldn't do anything with the marks. You can see in the second picture that I was able to make some progress on one of the marks, but the top mark is more stubborn. I don't know if it's a permanent marker or what.

Does anyone know what could safely get these marks off without damaging the wheel itself? These are the RS painted wheels by the way.

Also, maybe I'm over reacting and have mistaken these marks for vandalism. Has anyone else seen this stuff show up? I mean is it just something on the wheel that collects there or what?

I'm leaning towards actual vandalism. I just can't believe it happened to me.

Oh, and before anyone thinks that maybe a meter maid marked them somehow, these marks were there WHEN I pulled up to the meter; so they had been there and I never park at the curbs of other places so no need for meter maids to be marking up my wheels. I thought they used chalk on the tires anyway.

Well, finally. Here are the pics. Sorry they are not of the best quality. They are taken from my $30 prepaid cell phone.

UPDATE: Well, if anyone cares I tried the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser that a few of you recommended. It worked like a charm. It still took a little bit of scrubbing, but the marks came off. I still don't know exactly what the marks were and how they got on there but they're gone now and that's what's important. Once I used the Magic Eraser, the marks kind of started to "flake" off sort of the way that a dry erase marker will "flake" off a dry erase board. It's kind of hard to explain.

Thanks again to all who gave their suggestions.

[Lucky SOB]

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser... should do the trick. I'm sorry, that's a bummer.

[glambert1]

i would try car wax just keep rubbing a long time maybe it will come off

[JohnInSoCal]

if you are going to vanadalize a car that just seems like a strange thing to do to the wheels. Why not key the car ? Draw on the paint ? First thing I thought was meter maid or paid parking lot somewhere but if you never needed that before then I don't know.

Try goof off, but be sure to test a small area to make sure it doesn't take the paint off.

[jpsuperman81]

Somebody needs one of these

[tjbusa]

Originally Posted by jpsuperman81

Somebody needs one of these

[coolman]

looks like a shoe scuff. wd-40 then wash. works every time.

[RSHugger]

Wax and Grease remover... PPG. This is the pre paint prep and is safe for all finishes, non-abrasive. My daughter when around 2 years old took a Sharpie and "signed" her dresser... an old maple dresser that I had refinished. My wife was horrified... I went out to the garage, grabbed my Wax and Grease remover and with a little elbow grease it was gone... 14 years later the dresser still looks great. You will need to go to an automotive paint shop for this. Works great for also removing sticker residue, gum, etc. Probably some other things that will work but I know this does and works great for other challenges around the house... plus it is great for those spray paint projects.

Roger

[camaroguyBC]

to be honest i don't think that's a marker.

i have almost the exact same thing on mine in 2 locations on the left rear wheel. when i was washing the car last weekend, i also had some up on the side of the car just behind the rear wheel (in spite of the splash guards).

it seems to be some form of grease / oil / tar. it won't come off by hand, and it takes a TON of scrubbing with regular car wash stuff to make a dent in it.

i whipped out a can of bug/tar remover and it came off really easily on both the wheels and the paint.

no idea for sure what it is, but again, it looks identical to what you have in those photos. it's not limited to the camaro either - i had the same thing on my 2006 Saab 9-3 on a couple of occasions. I'm guessing it's not from the car itself, but perhaps something on the road (like tar in the cracks on the roadway or something that liquifies when warm).

good luck.

[1320junkie]

Alot of times the parking officers use stuff like that when they walk back to check parking...

[Seawolf]

Thanks guys. I'll try some of these solutions. I wasn't real sure what it was, I just know that's what it looked like to me. I probably overreacted on the vandalism accusation, but what ever it is I still want it off and you guys have given me a few good ideas. Thanks.

[SSOOCH]

Dude...clean your wheels more often!!!

[Seawolf]

Originally Posted by SSOOCH

Dude...clean your wheels more often!!!

Sorry, I get a lot of brake dust on my wheels because of all the Mustangs that I come up behind on so fast. I have to brake constantly.

It's so hard to keep them clean since they're everywhere.

[Teddydog]

Parking police/enforcement mark the tread of the tire where it will just wear off when the car is moved. They would not mark the wheel.

rob