MINI COOPER :: North American Motoring

OmToast · #1 08-24-2004, 07:22 AM

Argh!

Ok, I recently moved to CT and our house has a really gorgeous, HUGE tree that lives in the side yard, adjacent to our driveway. This tree drops these little (perhaps 5mm diameter) balls that absolutely GLUE themselves to our cars. I just washed them off of the MINI yesterday and was planning on Zaino'ing and finishing up the detail this morning. But lo and behold, the car is covered with these sticky balls again. Ok, no problem, think I: There's still a coat of Zaino on there from the last wash, they've only been hanging out on my car overnight, I'll just brush them off. No go. They're stuck. I'll have to wash the car all over again.

So, lament over. Has anyone had a similar problem and is there anything I can use to prevent the sticky balls (that's just dirty-sounding, I know) from sticking so fiercely???

BostonMarkC · #2 08-24-2004, 08:41 AM

Park on the lawn somewhere

I think Zaino, Klasse, etc. is the best defense. You can get a car cover too, but they are a pain b/c the car needs to be clean everytime you put it on.

BTW, I grew up in CT, but on the other side of it :smile:

gokartride · #3 08-24-2004, 08:52 AM

I'd be thinking car cover (....at least for over-night). That'd drive me nuts!!!!!

agranger · #4 08-24-2004, 10:27 AM

CHAINSAW!!!!!!

string · #5 08-24-2004, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agranger

CHAINSAW!!!!!!

Ding, ding, ding!! We have a winner ladies and gentlemen!

danieln667 · #6 08-24-2004, 12:34 PM

A chainsaw doesn't sound half bad

I don't know if I would actually do that though haha.

911Fan · #7 08-24-2004, 01:51 PM

How about one of those portable shade canopies they sell at Costco. Just anchor it down and it shouldn't go anywhere. They're fairly cheap too.

agranger · #8 08-24-2004, 03:27 PM

Another useful suggestion:

Ship your car to me in Texas. I'll keep it in my nice, safe garage when I'm not driving it....

On a more serious note, I like the shade canopy idea. I've seen several tent-style, instant up canopies at Target and the like. Your tree is probably only going to shed these sticky things for a month or so. You can pop it up, park the Mini under it until the onslaught stops and then pack it away for the winter. Some long stakes would hold it in place temporarily or, if it is on a concrete driveway, drill some holes and use concrete expansion bolts to bolt the tent down for the month. Just be sure to put a big, red circle on your calendar for August of next month...

OmToast · #9 08-24-2004, 03:32 PM

Hmmmmm.... chainsaws.....

Somehow, I'm picturing my landlords and they're less than thrilled.

I can't even wish for lightning -- this tree is freakishly huge. It would quash us -- or our cars, if it fell in any direction away from the house.

And as it is huge, I would voluntarily park elsewhere, except that there isn't really an elsewhere to park. My b/f parks in front of the house to avoid the sticky balls (in fact he doesn't avoid them at all, as the tree overhangs there, too. But I suppose it's a psychological thing...) and it (tree) continues it's overhang up to a little island we have in the cul du sac. Both sides of our (very small) street.

I like the portable shelter suggestion! That's do-able!

sndwave · #10 08-24-2004, 03:40 PM

Is this a pine tree by chance - They’re notorious for dropping little sap balls and very sticky too.

I’m thinking cheap car cover if it’s where you will have to park because you’ll want to throw it away and not try to get the stuff out of it.

OmToast · #11 08-25-2004, 06:42 AM

It's not a pine tree. I don't know WHAT it is -- and neither did my mother, the avid plant lady. Really, I need a botanist as I've never seen a tree like this.

It's deciduous, with a compound trunk and fairly smooth bark with occasional horizontal lines. The bark is an ashy grey color -- not very dark. The leaves are similar in shape to those of an Aspen, although they are smaller and a bit rounder, if that makes sense. I can't really estimate height, but our house is 2 full stories and the tree just towers over it. I'd say the trunk is probably a good 4-5 feet in diameter. The things it drops are little seed balls or seed packs or something -- definitely more than just sap.

It's pretty.

I hate it.

agranger · #12 08-26-2004, 12:43 PM

I saw a 10 foot by 10 foot 'instant up' shelter in a sporting goods store (Gaylins) the other day. It had metal legs that terminated at a triagular plate... two good screw holes in the plate for bolting to the driveway or pounding some long stakes through. It was only $99. You could also take it to track days in the summer...

Bisch · #13 08-26-2004, 01:26 PM

Are the sticky balls purple? And about the size of a dried pea?

OmToast · #14 08-26-2004, 06:34 PM

No... the sticky balls are brown and considerably smaller than a pea. Say, a pea with half it's mass removed. They do, however, leave brownish-maroony splotches on the paint. Almost like their color bleeds. The residual splotch is fairly difficult to remove -- takes some elbow grease. The sticky balls themselves stay on the car through 85mph highway driving and anything but the "sharp stream" setting on the hose nozzle.

Do you have a similar purple stickyball situation, Bisch?

I definitely think I'm going to get a driveway shelter thing. I can only imagine the scratches and clear coat hazing these little things will cause...

holdenontoit · #15 08-26-2004, 06:41 PM

sounds like a linden tree.Are the sticky balls(who thought up this name?)connected at some point to a little helicopter -like thing?Linden's also tend to grow tons of branches at the base of the trunk.

OmToast · #16 08-26-2004, 06:55 PM

Nope -- no helecopter things attached to the stickyballs (er... that would be my creation; for better or worse

) And no branches at the bottom of the tree.

Mystery tree...

Bisch · #17 08-27-2004, 08:21 AM

I was going to ask if they left a maroonish residue...I have no idea what tree it is, but I have had a run in or two with them. I'm trying to remember where. I remember it left the pavement under it a brownish blood color too.

asodestrom · #18 08-27-2004, 08:25 AM

Before you take a chainsaw to it, How about some pics? I am curious about this tree:smile:

agranger · #19 09-02-2004, 03:36 PM

I also just saw a 10x20 shade canopy in our local PepBoys flyer this last weekend for $99. Another $70 or so would get you an additional kit to enclose 3 sides and add a zippered door to the 4th.

OmToast · #20 09-02-2004, 08:49 PM

I'll get a shot of the tree and leaves tomorrow... :smile:

CooperBeagle · #21 09-03-2004, 02:25 PM

Not a mulberry tree is it? I don't think you would call them seed balls... more like round berries... still, the leaves sound right.

Godspeed.

Bisch · #22 09-03-2004, 03:50 PM

Here we go 'round the mulberry tree, the mulberry tree......so early in the morning.

OmToast · #23 09-06-2004, 01:56 PM

he he he... nope -- no mulberry tree. Pic should be coming tomorrow -- I had visitors this weekend and figured they'd like a clean bathroom so I haven't gotten around to it.

BradB · #24 08-24-2004, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by agranger

CHAINSAW!!!!!!

Ok, as I wipe the tears from laughing out of my eyes I am really trying to figure some solution.

This ain't easy!

It's like tree in my backyard that drops sap. I love it. And I hate it. And I can't beat it.

I have a 50 waxes in my garage. It doesn't matter.

It's gonna get sticky if I park out back for more than 15 minutes in high summer. I moan and groan and stomp my feet and ***** and my wife looks at me and says.. "Duh! Don't park back there, stupid."

Maybe you need to listen to my wife.

Somebody needs to.