Hi All, We have noticed that we get some sap on our Prius, not too bad but enough to need some gentle cleaning. So we wondered what would be a good medium to use and also, how good is the paint job on the Prius out of the factory? My BMW was sealed with a clear coat so not much really stuck to it, but we aren't sure about the Prius. Please advise! Victoria
The Prius has a clear coat too. Sap is easily removed with turpentine which will not damage your paint. Toyota uses a water based paint that seems to take a long time to cure. My paint chipped easily when new but after a few months it did not chip as much.
I would use Stoner's Tarminator or a similar product specifically designed to remove sap without harming paint. Other products may work, but do you really want to risk your paint with a product not specifically clearcoat safe? Personally, I would never let any paint store solvent touch my car. Tarminator quickly and easily removes tar, sap, bugs, grease and asphalt from auto exteriors. It's possible to use clay to remove sap, but I would use a chemical cleaner that dissolves the sap instead. Using clay, there is the possibility that the sap has adhered to the paint so well that it actually takes a tiny chip of the paint off with it. This has happened to me on a Jeep, mfg'd in the first year that they switched to water-based paint. The clearcoat was surprisingly durable, but the base coat did not adhere well to the primer.
