Gah! I've been bird-pooed

[Doozergirl]

I had my car supaguarded when I bought it a couple of months ago.

Something like a passing ostrich shat all over it big time earlier in the week when H parked it under the tree and when I cleaned it today, I was horrified to find that it has really marked the car as the sheen has been stripped! I've never had this before with a car even though I was aware that it could cause damage but I thought if I cleaned it soon enough it would be fine as other cars I've owned have been.

I'm wondering whether this is the Supaguard layer that has been affected or even if it could have damaged my paintwork. :eek: I have put the stinky yellow cream on it that came in my cleaning kit but it doesn't seem to have helped any.

What can I do to put it right again? It's so beautiful and shiny otherwise :(

[vikingaero]

Supaguard, Diamondbrite etc etc are snake oils. They are nothing more than normal paint sealants like Turtle Wax or Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection that you buy in Halfords. The reason that products like this are pushed so hard is that there's big bucks in it. Let's say that you pay £300 for Supaguard. The salesman gets £30, the sales manager gets £30, the dealer principal gets £30, the poor sap who actually applies it gets £10 or zero if they employ him full time to valet, the snake oil salesman gets commission and so does the snake oil company.

If that's your black MINI in the avatar then black paint seems to be the weakest against bird poop. With black paint you really need to get rid of poop daily by soaking it. The damage is a result of the poop etching the paintwork.

The Supaguard layer is no thicker or thinner than anything you buy in Halfords and doesn't afford much protection despite what the salesman may say. And we all trust car salesmen don't we?

The only hope is to get Supaguard to pay for the damage to be buffed out. If this doesn't work then a respray of the panel may be needed (or use a SMART paint service).

Jewelultra, the owners of Diamondbrite did pay for one car mag reader to have his car resprayed after some damage from bird poop but whether this was because of the event being printed having an effect on their goodwill is open to question.

With black paintwork you would be better buying polish and doing a weekly wash n' wax.

[Riq]

I was pooed on by a bird once...


She was way too kinky for me

:lipsrseal :cheesy:


*gets coat*

[anewman]

Yeah you need to try get rid of the bird poo as soon as you see it.

[steveo3002]

does the supergaurd have some gaurentee against damage?

see what they say , although i agree its all snake oil

stick with a proper wash and waxing routine on the next car

[Spen08]

What's the best way to remove it once it's dry?

[steveo3002]

What's the best way to remove it once it's dry?

you mean the poo?

i find its best to leave a warm soaking wet sponge/mitt/soft cloth soaking for 5 mins then wash off with your normal routine

even a freshly waxed car can get marked in a few hrs , its best to wash poops off as soon as you notice them

[custardy]

bird poo can be corrosive stuff
once had a section of paint taken off to the metal by a bir poo!!
dunno what it had eaten but this was viscous stuff!
maybe try giving the section a good polish and see how it comes up

[amcluesent]

The tree-huggers have ensured that car paint is now water-based rather than using a cellulose carrier. Paint on modern cars won't last two minutes against the acids in biird poop.

[TheJimster]

Bird "poo" is actually bird pee - i.e. uric acid. As birds have to be careful about storing water their pee contains virtually no water and is therefore quite a strong acid.

Strange but true!

PS They do poo as well obviously.

[vansboy]

Sorry to hear of the mishap, Doozerdirl.

Has the cleaning kit worked now?

You might remember me mentioning http://www.meguiars.co.uk/ perhaps you'll find using their clay bar will help, as it's not too acrasive.

Otherwise it might need a machine polish, in a bodyshop or professional valeters. Think I'd have a word with the MINI dealer & see what their valeting guy can do for you, first.

VB

[Cumbrian Male]

This is the sort of question that the folks on Detailing World (http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/) will be able to answer.

No liability accepted for you becoming obsessed with detailing and spending huge sums on cleaning products.

[anewman]

No liability accepted for you becoming obsessed with detailing and spending huge sums on cleaning products.

Buy this car wax http://www.zymol.co.uk/zymolsolaris.aspx :D:D :rotfl:

[maniac886]

Buy this car wax http://www.zymol.co.uk/zymolsolaris.aspx :D:D :rotfl:

Thought that said £30, though eh thats not bad!

[Doozergirl]

Thanks everyone.

Sorry for not replying sooner, not ignoring, I've been away so I now have a matching set of dead flies for the bird poo :rolleyes:

I've got some meguiares polish which I can't access because it's packed in a box ready to move on Wednesday and I will go and buy the clay bar while I'm out buying dead fly remover. I will also contact the MINI dealer as I need them to look at my remote boot opener thingy as well.

Having a look at detailing world now, thanks! Having been quite dangerous when unleashed on car paintwork in the past, I could do with a bit of help :o

[happylife]

yep !! you could probably break into a Banks Vault if you get a Bird to POO on the lock and leave it long enough...


As soon as you see the poo , It must be washed off.. Strong Stuff that :o !!

[southernscouser]

Try using this on it. :)

Clicky (http://www.uk.pg.com/images/charminPack_IL.jpg)