[Elfy]

I have had my vw up since December in white! With the scorching weather lately I have been getting the odd bird poo here and there which I remove as soon as I notice for instance coming out after work! I have noticed the paint had been marked or etched which is sodding annoying as its been on less than say 8 hours!

On my previous cars I have never had this problem! Do VW just use a very poor lacquer that marks easily? Tempted to take it to vw and ask them!

I will need the panels flat and polished by a bodyshop now which is not ideal every time a bird poos on the car!

 

[Derkie54]

Modern water based paints don't seem to be as good as the oil based paint used a few years ago.
I notice my paintwork marks easier than it used to.

What's the answer ? ......... I try waxing a bit more !!!

 

[Stonesie]

I would find a local detailer and have a chat with him, a good one can get a car to look like a colored mirror on wheels and they have the best stuff to protect their hard work. It's something I was looking into for my Leon until someone knocked some lacquer off it...

 

[PeterWestSussex]

What's the answer ? ......... I try waxing a bit more !!!

And HonestJohn in yesterday's (13 July 2013) DailyTelegraph Motoring section has come to the same conclusion as you (but @ £40 a tub, he says!)

 

[Davec86]

What's the answer ? ......... I try waxing a bit more !!!

And HonestJohn in yesterday's (13 July 2013) DailyTelegraph Motoring section has come to the same conclusion as you (but @ £40 a tub, he says!)

£40 a tub, that's a bargain!

 

[Upmeister]

As already said, because of the need to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, car manufacturers (and bodyshops) have had to switch to waterbased paint systems over the past 10 years or so.

These are 'softer' and less resilient to the acids in chemical fall-out situations and bird droppings is a particular problem - or rather bird droppings of a particular type! If the birds have been eating berries, for example, the droppings contain more acid and can etch through the clearcoat in a very short time. White droppings are generally not so much of a problem!

VW are not alone with this problem - it affects many manufacturers. It has been a major problem for BMW/owners for a number of year, for example.

Waxing doesn't really help much, unfortunately. It doesn't offer much additional protection against the acids concerned and if you have a mark on the paint already, waxing appears to make it disappear for a while but it normally comes back - because the mark is usually in the basecoat with the clearcoat acts as a magnifier.

Unfortunately the best policy is to be vigilent and remove droppings as quickly as possible. If the car is being parked for a few days, keep away from trees - to avoid droppings from perched birds, and tree sap - another potential problem.

It's fun owning a modern car!

 

[Beevee]

I had Lifeshine applied and as long as I remove bird droppings within a couple of days no harm appears to have been done.

 

[Elfy]

The thing is I don't park under trees at work but always come out with bird poo on! If I park under the tree the poo is less likely to bake onto the paint as quick as if it were in direct sunlight!

I decided to get some meguires scratch x and this has reduced the etching to basically nothing now so huge improvement!

Not impressed with the paint quality though'

 

[kg149]

I think it must be what the birds are eating at the moment.

I also have lifeshine applied (one of the £15 kits bought from ebay), but last week I had to leave my car out of the garage overnight and next morning there was bird marks on the roof. I immediately cleaned them off but one area appeared marked and the water and shampoo wouldnt remove it.

I then tried various autoglym products, but although now very smooth, the mark remained. In the end after speaking to autoglym customer services on the phone who wanted me to take it back to the VW garage and pay for them to fix it, I took the advice of the team in Halfords and applied a very small amount of t-cut (I was very worried as I did this). But it worked a treat and a few seconds later the mark was removed. I have now re-polished it and applied a top up of the lifeshine gloss polish layer. Cant tell and mark removed.

Hopefully the birds will stop eating berries and not affect our paintwork.

 

[Davec86]

Lifeshine won't stop the marks. They are caused by it eating at the lacquer.
As you say, T-cut will work, I much rather use a machine polisher though to get a decent finish as t-cut and a rag isn't a very precise science.
If always use a sealant and a wax after any kind of polishing too as the paint they have used on these cars is not hardy at all.
As for getting VW to pay to fix it, you've more chance of catching a unicorn!

 

[Beevee]

Lifeshine prolongs the time taken to eat in to the paintwork and clearing in a reasonable time prevents marking. That had been my experience.

 

[Night Owl]

I too have Lifeshine and can concur with your views.Dead flies on the front of the car take a bit more effort but still not a problem.Also if I only have time for a quick wash...it is very easy with the Lifeshine on the car...and it looks good.
Just don't pay what the dealer askes!

ps

I have used Autoglym products for many years on my cars and have been very pleased with their products....but had not come across Lifeshine before buying our Up! I for one am pleased I have it. Oh dear, this sounds like an advert for them......It is not! Just a pleased customer.

Go well.

 

[Derkie54]

It's Happened to me today, I came out of work and there on the bonnet was a really large bird dropping that had been baked in the sun during the day.
Washed it all of when I got home but is has left a mark that does not want to come off.
It is very annoying on a new car, but I will try and get it off every time I wash the car.
There are a lot more problems in life to worry about and out of 100 this can only be a 2 so let's keep things in proportion !!!

 

[SiJ2000]

Use a good solution like tar remover to clean them off and never use kitchen roll... the temptation to scrub is what causes the scratches. Its a real pain, but gentle patience wont leave scratches

 

[technogogo]

Worth buying a liquid wax product, usually called Detailing Spray. Never try to wipe dry bird droppings off because it can marr the paint. I use the detailing spray to soak and soften the bird droppings and they remove far more easily.

 

[AlanG]

Use a good solution like tar remover to clean them off and never use kitchen roll... the temptation to scrub is what causes the scratches. Its a real pain, but gentle patience wont leave scratches

I don't understand what possible problems kitchen towel can cause. It's soft and not gritty, so can you explain? Thanks!Edited by: AlanG

 

[Davec86]

By comparison to a decent microfibre, kitchen roll is like sandpaper. Don't be tempted - it really doesn't take much to scratch modern paint

 

[Elfy]

Off to vw in Bedford next week to complain about the paint and if need be speak to head office! Bird poo on the wing for no longer than 4 hours at work this afternoon, left a mark in the clear coat! I have never ever owned a car which is this bad! Every to e I get a bird poo on the car am I meant to go to the bodyshop for a flat and polish!

Totally ridiculous! I'll make a scene in the showroom! Also going to complain about the car pulling too! To spend 9k on a car and have simple problems isn't acceptable I don't think

 

[Elfy]

Also my mum has a red vw up, leaves bird poo on the car for a good week, washes off and not a mark in sight which gets me wondering what is so different