Car parked under tree: tree sap destroys it!

Arequipa

Hi! I hope you are all well..
I sorta have to park my car outside my house under 2 sycamore trees.
Everyone else on my road unofficially parks their cars in theor own spaces..
If i leave the car for 3-7 days during the summer.. Tree sap (think its actually from the insects that live in leaves) covers the entire car and it looks horrible..
If i'm away on hols & come back the car is a mess..

So any ideas how to manage this?
I was thinking of buying a cover for the car in Halfords & just put it on whenever I park up.. Provided it doesnt take ages each time?

I drive a 2006 Honda Accord..

Appreciate your advice!

Dave

kay 9

Is it possible to cut the trees? If not then a cover and keep up to date with detailing such as wax/Polish etc. It will help protect the paint underneath.

Michael D Not Higgins

Get the cover, they only take a minute to put on.

I need to get a cover before spring kicks in, have trees over my driveway which leaves a sticky film on it within a day or two.

Arequipa

Hey! Thanks for the replies...the trees are about 50 years old and are really part of the leafy look of the place...if we cut them down; it wouldn't be a popular move..

I think I will get a cover then...
I think Halfords do them..

Might putting a cover on a car parked on the street draw attention fro car thieves etc?

Dave.

keithclancy

Arequipa wrote: »

Might putting a cover on a car parked on the street draw attention fro car thieves etc?

Dave.

Unless they think its a Muslim car then I don't think it will be a problem.

moleyv

keithclancy wrote:

Unless they think its a Muslim car then I don't think it will be a problem.

Are you suggesting they come with eye holes for the lights?

Atlantic Dawn

Get a non flammable cover, otherwise someone will set it ablaze and then either your car will be destroyed or you will wish it was destroyed.

Arequipa

Thanks for the advice!

myshirt

50 years old or not, cut down those trees. You can't have that happening your car.

Cookie_Monster

myshirt wrote: »

50 years old or not, cut down those trees. You can't have that happening your car.

You'll generally need permission from local council for trees of that age and can get in trouble for unauthorised cutting.

El_Duderino 09

myshirt wrote: »

50 years old or not, cut down those trees. You can't have that happening your car.

No you can't cut down trees when there is a simple solution like using a cover on the car. Think about it.

Get the cover OP. Let us know how it works

biko

I used to have a similar problem but parking a little further up the street solved it.

goz83

Ive had the same problem and expect it to be the same this year. Though yiu seem to be doing OK. The tree outside my house encroaches into the air space in my garden. The car cannot be left under the tree for more than 30 minutes before you can start to see the sap and tiny live and dead insects building up. Then there's the bird **** to add to it :mad: . If left for a full day, or two, it's a nasty mess and you wouldn't even want to touch the door handle if you leave it longer than than. The car in the garden gets the bonnet and windscreen shat on and covered in sticky crap from the tree. A car cover is solution, but you'd want to be covering it each time. And the cover will be crawling with insects, so consider where it would be stored. The council haven't even responded to requests to trim, or even remove the tree outside my house.

positron

Do you have some photos of this Arequipa? I really didn't think Ireland has that many insects / birds to cause damage for parking under the trees. Certainly nothing compared to rest of the world.

This is a photo from the net, but I have seen worse.

Andy-Pandy

If thee trees are on your property, ie front garden, then you could cut them down or prune them as much as you like. The law States that if a tree is within 100 ft of your property or a wall you can do as you wish, once it's on your land. If the tree is on the road ie public land or a neighbours you can't touch it. Doing so is classified as criminal damage.

Arequipa

Hey! Different trees produce different sap...
The sycamore seems to be one of the worst..
I went away for the summer & when i came back, the car looked a mess...
I think it is actually excretia from insects that live in the leaves...

You have to get a lot of car washes!

Taylor365

Sap doesn't wash off easy. Definitely wont in a car wash.

Had sap destroy my car a few times at my gfs. Don't drive up there anymore! The stuff left a gold shimmer all over the car as if the paint had been speckled with it.

Took some elbow grease and 2 washes to get it all off. Go near it with anything near dry, or roll down a window and you're left with deep scratches that require sanding to remove.

arthur daly

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

No you can't cut down trees when there is a simple solution like using a cover on the car. Think about it.

Get the cover OP. Let us know how it works

Yes the op can have the trees cut down providing he is the owner of them which would be my choice if it were destroying the car,the hassle alone of raking the cover out and trying to get it on the car in wind just not worth it..

Op there is nothing to say the trees cannot be removed because of age this is ridiculous.

You will need to apply for a felling license pretty much just a work to fill out and someone will have a look at the trees..

Don't get a "tree surgeon" they will rip you off big time look for a local saw mill or someone who processes timber they will take them down for free if given the timber you might be even lucky enough to get a few bob for them

slimjimmc

Andy-Pandy wrote: »

If thee trees are on your property, ie front garden, then you could cut them down or prune them as much as you like. The law States that if a tree is within 100 ft of your property or a wall you can do as you wish, once it's on your land. If the tree is on the road ie public land or a neighbours you can't touch it. Doing so is classified as criminal damage.

Are you sure about this? It's my understanding that that (barring a preservation order) it is perfectly legal to prune any vegetation encroaching on your property back to the boundary line but you must not keep the trimmings without the owner's consent. However you have to be careful that you don't cause serious damage to the tree or make the tree unstable or dangerous.

Titzon Toast

Get a cover for the tree.

Andy-Pandy

slimjimmc wrote: »

Are you sure about this? It's my understanding that that (barring a preservation order) it is perfectly legal to prune any vegetation encroaching on your property back to the boundary line but you must not keep the trimmings without the owner's consent. However you have to be careful that you don't cause serious damage to the tree or make the tree unstable or dangerous.

Your absolutely correct. I was referring to any tree on public land or a neighbours tree overhanging the road. My thinking was that the car was parked on the road

Arequipa

Hi! Thanks for the replies...
The car is parked on the road between 2 large sycamore trees..
The trees are not on my property & would require Local Authority consent to be cut..
It is a lovely, leafy cul de sac..just a pity the trees get dirty in summer..

I could & get a space across the road.. With 2 smaller cherrry blossom trees which dont sap as badly...
Thing is, neighbours are clever & park here in the summer!