Tree sap washed off but left "etch" marks in the paint--advice?

A

AREITU

New member
3 days into owning my car, I was called to jury duty and the tree I parked under left a splatter of sap on the car. On the advice of another Autopian, and a friend who used to detail cars, I washed, clayed, tried a baking soda paste, but a at an angle, I can still see the splatter pattern etched in there. I can't tell if it's eaten into the paint or if it's a light coating of tree sap still on there.



I tried applying wax but it didn't help and I think the terry towel put fine scratches in the area, so I stopped. As someone very new to detailing, I probably did more harm than good. I tried to take some pictures but my camera was being very un-cooperative.



- If the remaining sap "etching" is just residual tree sap sitting on top of the clearcoat, will the wax I ended up putting on top of it in an attempt to clean it off end up making it stick longer?



- Will washing and claying the area again and applying sap/tar/bug remover at this stage do anything?



- Any suggestions for off-the-shelf products (polisher/rubbing compounds, etc) that I could use to remove it with minimal damage?



And finally, if things get bad,



- Anybody know a detailer, autopian or both on the coachella valley area?
 
AREITU said:
3 days into owning my car, I was called to jury duty and the tree I parked under left a splatter of sap on the car. On the advice of another Autopian, and a friend who used to detail cars, I washed, clayed, tried a baking soda paste, but a at an angle, I can still see the splatter pattern etched in there. I can't tell if it's eaten into the paint or if it's a light coating of tree sap still on there.



I tried applying wax but it didn't help and I think the terry towel put fine scratches in the area, so I stopped. As someone very new to detailing, I probably did more harm than good. I tried to take some pictures but my camera was being very un-cooperative.



- If the remaining sap "etching" is just residual tree sap sitting on top of the clearcoat, will the wax I ended up putting on top of it in an attempt to clean it off end up making it stick longer? Unfortunately, yes. If there's any residual tree sap on the paint, the longer it sits, the harder it's going to get to remove.



- Will washing and claying the area again and applying sap/tar/bug remover at this stage do anything? Try to stay away from the chemical type removers if possible. Try to get it all off with clay.



- Any suggestions for off-the-shelf products (polisher/rubbing compounds, etc) that I could use to remove it with minimal damage? Etched clear coat is one of the very hardest types of defects to try and correct. Doing this yourself is not a good idea. You really need to get in touch with a good detailer with Autopian standards to help. Depending on the depth of the etching and how thick your clear coat is, you might get a complete correction of the area, or if it's deep into a thin clear coat, you'll only get reduction in how visible the area is.



And finally, if things get bad,



- Anybody know a detailer, autopian or both on the coachella valley area?
Click to expand...



Unfortunately, using a good wax based LSP is the best protection against tree sap. It's unfortunate, because you live in the furnace that is the Coachella valley. Waxes don't last long at all in that kind of heat. Instead, you need to get several layers of a good sealant based LSP on your car to protect it as much as possible.



Sorry to hear this happened to you... After only having the car for three days. Oy.
 
Have you tried IPA (Iso Alcohol) or Methyl Hydrate? They will remove the sap if it is still on the paint.



If it is etched into the paint you will have to compound or wet sand the area out. Good news is, its all on this site, and welcome.
 
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