Problem:
Bird poop just behind bonnet scoop. I did not see it for at least a day. Of course the heat from the turbo did a job.
I used Griots Spray on wax to soak the poop and then wiped it off with a real soft micro fiber cloth. Unfortunatley the paint is etched. I then used a Griots random orbit polisher and used Griots number 2 polish and polished the crap out of it. I must have run that polisher for ever. I then used number 3 Griots polish and ran for what seemed like forever. It helped but under my flourscent lights in the grarage I can still see the etching. Out in the sun you can't.

What can I use to get this etching out of the paint??? Crap the car only has 3200 miles on it. I had Prima Epic on the car with Banana Gloss and Hydro. I thought for sure this stuff would protect against this type of thing. I have to think the heat from the turbo and the acidy bird poop really did a job.

Help!!

Now what do I try??? It it toast or can it be fixed by me??

Pat

 

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure once it's etched, it's etched. Wax helps so much but between the length of time it was on there, plus the crazy heat of the bonnet from the turbo...

A detailer that actually knows what their doing with a rotary might be able to help...but if I were you I would probably just try to mask it with Amigo and then re-wax really well.

Bird poop can be evil stuff!

 

Thanks for the reply. I actually thought I would have dozens of responses by now.
Maybe some folks will chime in this evening.

Now I know there are a lot of experts out there. Lend a guy a hand will ya?

Regards,

Pat

 

Well I'm in Hong Kong and the time difference is fairly significant, lol. As Mel pointed out, once the paint is etched, it isn't always correctable, even with a rotary buffer, or even by sanding the paint. Imagine bird poo as an acid. How long that acid is allowed to penetrate the clear coat (and remember this has nothing to do with the color of your paint...this advice applies to any color paint because the etching is in the clear coat, not the color coat)..will determine if it's correctable.

A light surface etching can occur in 10 seconds after impact. Minutes or hours or days can make the fix impossible.

If polishing with an orbital isn't solving it, consulting with a Pro would be the next step if you really are serious about fixing it, but be forewarned that even they might not be able to do anything either.

Richard

 

Safe travels Richard!!

Thanks for the information. I'm really bummed. I think I musta got hit going down the freeway. I didn't even notice it until I got home and with the hot bonnet and the fact that I didn't get it right away once I did home well,yuk. I have a nice kit in the car just for these types of things and wouldn't you know it? I worked it real hard with my RO polisher and it looks a little better but if you know where it is in the right indoor light you can see it. I took the car outside in the sunshine and then even I couldn't see it and I know where it's at. I guess I'll just have to live with it.

I'm really disappointed. It makes me want to cover up the rest of the bonnet with the Invisishield. Just one more inch forward and the poop would have landed on the protection. (I don't think I spelled that right.)

Anyway, thanks again for the response and take care.

MLPearson79 you were correct.

Rats

Pat

 

just curious do you have a picture of the etch?

I know that you may not be able to remove all of it but you might be able to remove or fade it out.

I look forward to a picture

 

On our Clubman we have a clear bra that goes the normal 1/2 way up the bonnet. Now I'm sure the bra has taken some rock hits, but what makes me crazy are the chips at the seams and edges of the bra It's like the bra has a force field that directs the rocks to the unprotected areas

I may pull the whole thing off, and replace it, with a full bonnet one.

Mark

 

i hear you on that one.

 

Agreed.

Although different bird droppings can have a different impact on your paint (depending on what kind of bird and what he's eaten that day, etc), there are cases where the etching is just too deep to do much about. A layer of a durable wax like Epic can help but often times the dropping is so acidic that it doesn't take much time for it to eat through Epic as well. Epic just buys you a little time in this situation.

You can try a more aggressive polish/pad combo (and even more time working the spot) and it might continue to lighten or possibly be removed. In addition to a more aggressive polish/pad combo, you might try one of the smaller 4" pads to focus the power of your work. However, as has been said a couple of times now, you may have it diminished as far as you'll be able to get it.

-Heather

 

pat- you did everything i would do if i had poop etching on my car. try not looking at it for 2 weeks. sooner or later you'll forget that it's there.

 

Heather I used the smaller pad. It does look better but I still know it's there. In fact last night in my garage I was giving Fulbert another coat of wax on the bonnet and sure enough I found it. But it's getting easier to accept.

I'm going to a Detail Class that a local supplier is giving on Saturday. I'm hoping I will get a chance to have them work on this spot. Who knows maybe they can get it out. Of course if it's sunny I may not be able to find it. My flourscent lights in my garage let you see every imperfection. Sometimes I regret installing those lights.

kenchan, As the saying goes the pain gets easier with time.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I appreciate it.

Pat

 

In the future-- and forgive me if you already know this but...

All birds eat tiny pieces of gravel/stone/sand to help digest their food, some eat it by accident because they are always pecking at the ground. Bird poop is a combination of urine and feces. They poop and pee all at the same time. (Great conversation topic eh?)

It is best to never wipe bird poop away because of the grains of sand and tiny stones mixed in it. Can really scratch the paint. I keep Mequires spray detailer in one of the triangle nets in the boot of my MINI and I douse the poop with detailer then hose it off.

I wish I could help you with your etching issue... I'm sorry I didn't have the answer you were looking for. Still... I felt I should share what I know.

"A well-a bird bird bird bird birds the word." (irritating song eh?)

 

thanks, my M&M's tastes like crap now.