Bird poo eaten through BMW paint!!

[uknick]

My partner has a black BMW X1, manufactured in July 2013. Earlier this year, bird lime ate through the paintwork to the primer. It was on the car for no more than a couple of days.

I know the paint finish is susceptible to bird lime as, on a number of occasions, I’ve had to remove marks from the lacquer with G3 paint renovator if the droppings are left on the paintwork for just a day or so. But, that has always been just the lacquer, not the paint itself.

She took it to the local BMW dealer who confirmed something had eaten through the lacquer and black paint to the the primer. But, they gave the expected answer of nothing to do with us as it’s caused by a factor external to the paint.

Not happy with this response she’s intending to go to BMW UK to question why their paint is so bad when compared to her previous car, an Avensis, that never suffered this problem.

But, before she does, I’m trying to find out if this is a common problem or just a one off from a bird with a particularly bad diet.

So, have you ever come across this?

[robdcfc]

Happens all the time across all brands, you need to remove it asap or it will damage the paint.

Best to keep a pack of wet wipes in the boot

[budgie smuggler]

Never had this before or since but both my Focus and my wife's Citroen had their paint damaged a year or so back after the poo only being on the paint a few days.

Can only think it's down to that particular bird's diet, maybe berries produce more acidic poo or something? Anyway I bought something called Poorboys st Shifter and keep that in the cars now. Seems to do the job.

It is bad though, the Citroen in particular looks like somebody poured brake fluid on it in places.

[paintman]

robdcfc said:

Happens all the time across all brands, you need to remove it asap or it will damage the paint.

Best to keep a pack of wet wipes in the boot

See quite a lot of it & not just a recent thing either.
http://www.standox.com/content/dam/EMEA/Standox/HQ... scroll down to page 16

Edited by paintman on Tuesday 17th November 16:13

[Squiggs]

In the main bird poo is acidic - seagull poo even more so!
As black can attract more heat and retain it for longer a black car with direct sunlight on it can reach almost boiling point (ever rested your arm on a black car in the middle of full summer sun!)

A slightly acidic 'mass' sitting on paintwork can cause damage .... add to that the temperature that a black paint can achieve and the combination of the two will more than likely cause damage.

I'm afraid it's the way things are ......

To minimise damage always remove bird poo ASAP!!!!

But never remove it whilst it's dry.
Get a wet cloth - put it over the poo and allow the poo to re-hydrate and then wipe it off once its softened.

[Sheepshanks]

My daughter's magic black 2004 Ibiza was bad for this.

[tumble dryer]

Are there any waxes or polishes that provide proper protection?

[Adamski69]

As Squiggs said. +1.

It just depends on what day / what bird etc and unfortunately just cos it hasn't happened to a previous car doesn't mean it won't happen to a current or future one, it means you were just lucky, (or unlucky, depends which way you read that...) Get it off a soon as you can. Admittedly that can be difficult if the car is say left in long term parking in the open air and you are of on your holybobs, but it is just a hazard of nature. Nothing to do with BMW paint and you will be no doubt have that confirmed, I think you are wasting your time even chasing it TBH.

That's not to say I don't sympathise. One our cars got a particularly nasty one on the rear plastic screen and it damn near melted through it in less than a day, but I wouldn't be ringing the manufacturer to complain (of the car that is, if I found the bird I'd ring her neck). I have also removed many 'light' etchings, recently had an Audi S3 that had a roof covered in a day, that took 2 days wet sanding and correcting to get rid of, and others eaten through to the metal, respray the only fix there.

There are some products, usually sealants (the list is long) both short term relatively cheap and easy to apply, and supposedly long term and sometimes expensive and specialist application only (MOP) protections that have in their design claims to 'help' protect against acid rain, swirling, scratch resistance, bird lime, sap, UV etc. Some are better than others and some claims are 'wild' to say the least. Never hurts to apply a layer or 2 of protection but the best thing is if you see poo, get it off ASAP.

[uknick]

Thanks for the feedback, most of it is what I'd already told her, but some people never believe those nearest to them

Smuggler, when you experienced this;

budgie smuggler said:

It is bad though, the Citroen in particular looks like somebody poured brake fluid on it in places.

did it take the paint completely off, or at the very least "bubbled" it? Did you talk to Citroen about it?

[jimmy156]

I've been lucky enough to not have any damage the paint when left on for short periods. An owl did poo on my first car and I left it for weeks, that did some lasting damage!

I keep some Autoglym poo wipes in my car now. Although since I bought them I am cleaning my car far less! Bird mess used to mean the car got washed, now it doesn't! Haven't cleaned my car in weeks.

[Duke147]

I once had a seagul dropping eat through the lacquer on a dark blue car in the space of a few hours. It was a hot day. The car had otherwise been unaffected by the standard dumpungs of the local feathery poo-factories.