Car paintwork pocked by I assume overhanging tree

Car paintwork pocked by I assume overhanging tree

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BlueEyedBoy

Original Poster:

1,921 posts

203 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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Hopefully someone can help me, I'm quite anal about washing and detailing my car's, but had been busy with work etc for a while and not washed one of them for 2 weeks, however it's also not actually been driven anywhere.

A council tree which overhangs our driveway has lost a load of leaves recently and also the car was covered in a fine later of sticky, what I assume is some form of sap.

The bonnet , roof and boot lid now seem to be screwed. I've tried paint cleaner, polish, mental polish, steamer and even CIF / fairy liquid on a small section and nothing is getting rid of it. It's not rough and still feels quite smooth, however everywhere looks like when you wash your car and don't dry it. It's a bit hard to photo and this is the best I could get.



Can anyone recommend anything? I'm sort of hoping it can be machine polished out, but reading online worried it can't be?

Also do I have any rights with the council on this given my car is parked on private property?

This is the tree, you can see compared to the ones next to it , it doesn't look healthy.



After spending 2 hours trying to sort this, I'm a little distraught!

Thanks if you can help!

Jimbo.

4,039 posts

196 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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It’s a bugger this time of year. Have you access to a hot jet wash, such as a Tescos or a serve-yourself car wash? They normally work quite well. Failing that, bug/tar remover?

Edited by Jimbo. on Friday 9th June 22:10

Rough101

2,287 posts

82 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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You’ve basically tried everything you shouldn’t put near paint!

Tar remover or isprop will remove tree sap.

Wotzname

171 posts

201 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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Had similar on the Z4 recently and it finally gave me a chance to try out the following product:

https://www.autofinesse.com/en/oblitarate-500ml

From memory, you need to purchase a separate trigger from AF

Worked wonders, well chuffed smile

untakenname

5,050 posts

199 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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Claybar should remove the sap/aphid deposits, shouldn't go near it with Cif as it's an abrasive.

BlueEyedBoy

Original Poster:

1,921 posts

203 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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Can I just reconfirm I didn't put cif on the whole car, just a 5 cm area.

Surely Maguire's paint cleaner should have at least made some difference to this? What I'm worried about is that I don't think it's actually a deposit, the paint feels quite smooth to the touch after I snow foamed and dried it.

I'll try a couple of suggestions so far, but I'm worried it's damaged the clear coat?

Funk

26,566 posts

216 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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If it's genuinely smooth to touch then it's possibly marring or 'etching' that's underneath the clear coat; try a hairdryer. Seriously. Hold it pointing straight down at the paintwork about 1-2cm above and heat the affected area carefully. It works for reducing etching from bird poo.

https://www.detailingworld.co.uk/threads/bird-poo-...

It's also possible it's not etching though; I'd be inclined to find a good detailer who knows and understands paint and is probably better placed to rescue such a large amount of damage across multiple panels...

PHZero

1,333 posts

100 months

Friday 9th June 2023
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It's likely that your car is covered in aphid faeces, which is a form of pure sugar, secreted by small insects, and sometimes it's called honeydew. That looks like a sycamore tree which the aphids seem to love. It's a total pain but nothing that fairly hot water and car cleaner / shampoo, a microfibre mitt, and a good amount of elbow grease shouldn't be able to fix. Ideally pressure washing before cleaning using the two bucket method to get rid of grit.

Best of luck.

Davie

5,011 posts

222 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
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Tree / council wise, I'd be astounded if you got anywhere with that thought process, ie either getting it removed or claiming damages. Car cover may be a worthy purchase?

BlueEyedBoy

Original Poster:

1,921 posts

203 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
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I have a car cover for the convertible. We've lived here 6 years and this is the first time this has happened. I actually did send an email to the council 2 weeks ago saying I was worried about the trees health. You shouldn't get this level of leaves falling mid summer...


Bill

54,208 posts

262 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
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Paint prep wipes are brilliant for this.

BlueEyedBoy

Original Poster:

1,921 posts

203 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
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Bill said:
Paint prep wipes are brilliant for this.
I've tried bird poo wipes, didn't do a thing. WD40 neither, even tried some vodka (before I buy some rubbing alcohol) nothing so far.

Going to try some hot water with car wash later, but can't see it doing much given I've already tried with a steamer.

Bill

54,208 posts

262 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
BlueEyedBoy said:
I have a car cover for the convertible. We've lived here 6 years and this is the first time this has happened. I actually did send an email to the council 2 weeks ago saying I was worried about the trees health. You shouldn't get this level of leaves falling mid summer...

It hasn't rained for ages so the trees will drop leaves to limit evaporation of what moisture there is.

BlueEyedBoy

Original Poster:

1,921 posts

203 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
Bill said:
BlueEyedBoy said:
I have a car cover for the convertible. We've lived here 6 years and this is the first time this has happened. I actually did send an email to the council 2 weeks ago saying I was worried about the trees health. You shouldn't get this level of leaves falling mid summer...

It hasn't rained for ages so the trees will drop leaves to limit evaporation of what moisture there is.
It's only this one tree that is doing it. There are leaves and dust everywhere. The whole road is lined with trees yet there are no leaves anywhere else.

Belle427

9,738 posts

240 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
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It's probably etched the clear if polish won't shift it.

BlueEyedBoy

Original Poster:

1,921 posts

203 months

Saturday 10th June 2023
quotequote all
Right, the hairdryer trick might have had something in it. The car was left baking in the sun today, paint too hot to touch.. And I think it's gone! Well from the bonnet and roof, the boot is normally in the shade more.