Bird Muck

[nstreet]

I have a Renault Scenic, 2 yrs old. Last week whilst giving it a clean, I noticed that where some bird much had been it has totally removed the paint right down to the undercoat. After carefully inspecting the bonnet, I noticed a number of other places where the paint has been severely affected by bird muck. I took it to the dealer, who referred it to the body shop and the outcome is that Renault will not cover it under warranty and its not likely to be covered by insurance so I now have to pay £200 - 300 to have it repaired, as its a lease car.

The body shop even told me it can take as lillte as 24 hours for bird muck to remove modern paints. So am I supposed to wash my car daily and run out every hour and check is hasn't been shat on!

To my mind whats the point of painting a car with paint that isn't bird muck proof. I have never had a car that has suffered like this and birds are hardly a new and unforseen problem.

Has anyone else had any similar experiences?

 

[Belle427]

why do you feel you need to get it repaired? is there some kind of contract you stick to?

 

[cabot]

I had a similar story with my astra which was left in the car park at my work on a hot day.I came back after 8 hours ,drove the car home, washed it and noticed the bird droppings had damaged the laquer.
dont leave it on the paintwork -clean it off straight away and dont leave it overnight!

 

[nstreet]

dont leave it on the paintwork -clean it off straight away and dont leave it overnight!

Not always practical though. You can't keep running outside every few hours and check to see if its been poo'd on. I still maintain that the manufacturers should use paint that will resist the problem, otherwise its 'unfit for purpose'.

The body shop blammed it on the EU regs that forbid the use of certain solvents and therefore most paints are waterbased which means that they are not as tough.

 

[2scoops0406]

Bird poo (the white stuff) is not actually poo, but bird urine, concentrated uric acid.

 

[sm1thson]

Not always practical though. You can't keep running outside every few hours and check to see if its been poo'd on

#-another good reason to wax your car! -the wax forms a protetive layer, and the poo comes off easier (generally next time it rains), -prevention is cheaper than the cure!

 

[nstreet]

Not always practical though. You can't keep running outside every few hours and check to see if its been poo'd on

#-another good reason to wax your car! -the wax forms a protetive layer, and the poo comes off easier (generally next time it rains), -prevention is cheaper than the cure!

The car is regularly waxed, its also metallic paint which should have an even harder laquer than standard paint. The body shop said that wax was a waste of time, even some of the teflon type products don't work against bird poo and they costs '00's to have them applied. Trading standards is the next stop.

 

[sm1thson]

The car is regularly waxed

good

its also metallic paint which should have an even harder laquer than standard paint.

true (in that you should have extra protection from the laquer)

The body shop said that wax was a waste of time

–complete lie! But I guess they have to stay in business, a waxed car will do a much better job of repelling such nasties and the bodywork will last much longer (and it looks better).

even some of the teflon type products don't work against bird poo and they costs '00's to have them applied.

Ive never been conviced about these ‘special coatings’ that cost '00's, a modern metallic laqured car (should) just needs a quick polish to keep it shiney and protected

Trading standards is the next stop.

I agree your paint does sound particularly not fit for purpose.