Clio
My Williams has been off the road for a few months and foolishly left under a tree. I spent hours washing the car this afternoon getting all the sticky dust off, but the paintwork on the bonnet looks messed up, no matter how much I wash it.
I can't get a very good photo of it but it looks pretty bad, like most of the shine has gone where the sap / dust has soaked into the paint itself. As well as being mottled all over, there are worm like, almost fractal designs, caused by who knows what?
Fortunately, the rest of the bodywork has cleaned up okay - it's just the bonnet.
I realise it's all my own fault so no need to point out how stupid I was to leave it there.
Is there anything I can do to fix it?
'veI spent an hour or two trying different things - clay, no improvement, WD40, nothing, rubbing alcohol, nada!
Can anyone confirm from the pictures that it is tree sap? I need to identify it in order to choose the best form of action.
The car's been out in torrential rain and baking hot days and I think whatever it is has really taken hold.
If it's of any help, the bonnet looks fine when wet, it's only when it goes bone dry that I can see any more shine in some areas than others?
Could it just be that whatever was on it has just stripped the wax or clear coat in the pattern where it landed? Is there a safe and easy way to strip all wax / coat to see if I can make it look even before rewaxing?
Or am I barking up the wrong tree and something has actually been dissolved into the paint to make it look duller in some areas?
I can't get a very good photo of it but it looks pretty bad, like most of the shine has gone where the sap / dust has soaked into the paint itself. As well as being mottled all over, there are worm like, almost fractal designs, caused by who knows what?
Fortunately, the rest of the bodywork has cleaned up okay - it's just the bonnet.
I realise it's all my own fault so no need to point out how stupid I was to leave it there.
Is there anything I can do to fix it?
'veI spent an hour or two trying different things - clay, no improvement, WD40, nothing, rubbing alcohol, nada!
Can anyone confirm from the pictures that it is tree sap? I need to identify it in order to choose the best form of action.
The car's been out in torrential rain and baking hot days and I think whatever it is has really taken hold.
If it's of any help, the bonnet looks fine when wet, it's only when it goes bone dry that I can see any more shine in some areas than others?
Could it just be that whatever was on it has just stripped the wax or clear coat in the pattern where it landed? Is there a safe and easy way to strip all wax / coat to see if I can make it look even before rewaxing?
Or am I barking up the wrong tree and something has actually been dissolved into the paint to make it look duller in some areas?
