4th APRIL 2022
Hooray! Spring is in the air! And with it, the sap has also decided to make an appearance again, delivering water and sugar to the new leaf buds as they start to form.
For some, spring signals the start of the car enthusiasts’ calendar as the better weather and greenery create the backdrop for exciting and liberating drives through the scenic countryside. For others, the sap rising creates a wealth of issues for their cars, their choice of parking places and their car cleaning regime, all of which need to be carefully managed throughout spring and the early summer.
How can Sap affect my car?
Initially you may not even notice the tiny clear droplets of sap. Most likely your first suspicion that all is not well will be a little light smearing on the windscreen on a dewy morning. The wise ones amongst us will immediately make a mental note not to park in the same spot and will go into sap prevention mode. Others will react a little later and once they have a coating of sticky sap on every outer surface of their car.
Sap will not immediately cause any damage to your car. However, if avoiding action is not taken it will slowly and progressively get worse for your car, especially if untreated.
Sap is a concentrated formula and can include elements such as copper & magnesium. Short-term effects may not be too problematic for your but paint damage can occur if paintwork is left for long periods of time without attention or protection especially during periods of dry weather.
Once sap is left to set on the paint of your car, damage can accelerate. Sap is a troublemaker leaving your car coated in an abrasive yellow sheen or tacky mess. Left untreated, the sap damages your car because of the way it bonds with the vehic
le’s surface layer. The droplets of sap start shrink over time and as they shrink they start to cause surface stress on your paintwork caused by the strong adherence bond that has been built up over the previous hours or days. At this point, it is already too late to remove it easily.

How to Protect Your Car Against Sap
Whilst not impossible to remove, sap creates the most difficulties on chrome mouldings, badges and emblems where it will sit in the recesses attracting dirt and also on convertible soft tops. It’s often difficult to rectify these areas once damage has occurred.
Check Regularly – Be mindful that this is the sap season! We suggest that you keep an eye out for any signs that sap is gathering on your car. Is the paintwork feeling bumpy or tacky? If it is, start to consider your options and do regular checks of the paintwork of your car to ensure there are no early signs of lasting damage.Consider your parking location – Leaving your car under the comforting shade of a tree can help protect against excessive sun and heat. The downside is that you are increasing the chances of your car being affected by sap. Consider where you park and avoid parking directly under trees or close to high shrubbery. If shade is important, there could be shade close by that is provided by buildings.
Clean Your Car – We are firm believers that a clean car is the key to long term protection and a quality finish. A high quality car shampoo makes the job much easier than a detergent like washing up liquid as they are formulated to easily remove bugs, road grime, sap and pollen and this means that the job will be much easier. Once the car is clean, rinse thoroughly and leather it dry. Then you should apply a fresh coat of wax or ceramic coating.
These are all good options but if you want a long-term solution we recommend purchasing our lightweight ‘Voyager’ car cover. These are our most reasonable range of car covers and are non-absorbent and small enough to fit in your washing machine so once they are sticky with sap, they can easily be washed.
Can a Car Cover Protect the Paintwork of my Car if I Park in a Sappy Area?
Car covers offer fantastic protection from sap and all its detrimental effects. The yellow sheen that would coat your paintwork can fall on a sleekly tailored car cover instead. Then at the weekend you can pop the cover on a quick wash and let it drip dry and the problem is solved!
Our cheapest tailored covers offer the perfect solution. Coverzone ‘Voyager’ car covers are lightweight and very sturdy. They are supplied in a handy zipped storage bag that is about the size of a standard laptop. They have fitted mirror pockets and a snug fit allowing fitment in just a few seconds. Importantly they are machine washable so once yours is a sticky mess, pop it on low temperature wash and drip dry and it will be as good as new. Voyager car covers start at £64 and bike covers are from £29.
If you need to speak to the team about how you can protect your vehicle all year round, please contact us, call +44 (01903) 764689 or shop online at www.cover-zone.com.
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