PPF vs Ceramic coating - help a noob out

[JasontheBeaver]

I had my white car professionally coated with Flightshield Sapphire V1 ceramic coating. I park the car outside 100% of the time. My wife gets the garage 100% of the time for her Model 3. LOL.

There is Japanese timber bamboo nearby where I park in a gated area.

Every morning, I wipe the hood with detail spray in an attempt to remove dew drops that contain sap from the Japanese timber bamboo.

I was hoping the ceramic coating would enable the sap to be easier removed. Ideally, the sap wouldn't adhere at all.

The sap can be nearly impossible to remove, and eventually leaves small dark ring spots.

Sadly, the ceramic coating has been completely ineffective. The detailer who applied the coating inspected the car when I said the coating wasn't working as expected, and he said the coating was only guaranteed not to allow penetrating the clear coat and etching the paint. It wasn't guaranteed to prevent sap from adhering to the car's clear coat.

Suffice to say, for us the Flightshield Sapphire V1 was a complete waste of money.

No coating will prevent sap from sticking to it. Coatings are meant to prevent contaminants (like sap) from causing permanent damage to the clear coat. It sounds like the installer didn't set realistic expectations for you, which is too bad. Hopefully the coating is making it easier to remove the sap.

 

[tvad]

No coating will prevent sap from sticking to it. Coatings are meant to prevent contaminants (like sap) from causing permanent damage to the clear coat. It sounds like the installer didn't set realistic expectations for you, which is too bad.

There was a misunderstanding of expectations, that's certain.

Hopefully the coating is making it easier to remove the sap.

It isn't. I just spent an hour trying to remove the tree sap stains. Started by washing the car then claying the entire hood. Then applied Meguire's Ultimate Compound. The process made absolutely no improvement. The car will have to be machine polished with a more abrasive compound.

 

[JasontheBeaver]

Ok, I can tell there's a serious miscommunication about not only what a coating does, but also how to safely remove sap.
If the sap is as fresh as you say, then it will easily be removed with a basic sap remover product... just a solvent that dissolves the sap but isn't too strong to damage your clear coat. This is available at almost any auto parts store, usually just called sap and tar remover. The most important thing to remember is to let the product do the work, do not push too hard are get impatient, just let the solvent dissolve the sap.
Whether you have a ceramic coating or not, sap will not permanently stain a clear coat and require machine polishing in just a day or two of sitting on the paint. Clay and compound is absolutely not the correct to go about this. Clay will just smear the sap around and compound is an abrasive meant to remove scratches in clear coat.
I'm not sure where you're at in California but I would strongly recommend finding a reputable detailer before more permanent damage occurs.
Sorry this has happened to you.