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Paint, Exterior and Cleaning

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by BellaHMB, Jun 23, 2008.

  1. BellaHMB

    BellaHMB New Member

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    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
     
    #1 BellaHMB, Jun 23, 2008
  2. seasalsa

    seasalsa Active Member

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    Location:
    Kent, WA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    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.
     
    #2 seasalsa, Jun 23, 2008
  3. priusenvy

    priusenvy Senior Member

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    Location:
    Silicon Valley, CA
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    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.
     
    #3 priusenvy, Jun 23, 2008
  4. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Car wash soap can remove it unless the sap has cured in the Sun.
     
    #4 richard schumacher, Jun 23, 2008
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