We live about 300 yards from the sea at lovely Herne Bay in Kent. This has many advantages such as not really needing to go on holiday because it feels like we are indeed always on holiday ![Cool]( "Cool")
However, there are some disadvantages, such as the trillions of huge mutant seagulls that soar above my ND day and night constantly eyeing it up and surveying the situation awaiting their opportunity. We are famous for our Barnes Wallis heritage here in Herne Bay, and the mutant seagulls seem to be intent on continuing to test out the ‘bouncing bomb’ theory, using my ND as practice.
My ND lives outdoors on the front drive, and I spend at least 23 hours per day of my semi-retirement ‘dug out’ at the front of the house in full surveillance mode. Indeed, I am normally able to spot the bouncing bomb themed seagull poo’s within minutes of them being dropped on to my ND and to clean them off asap with no lasting damage.
Yesterday, however, I was caught out unawares whilst out having a quick top down blast with my 13 year old niece en-route to the local chippy (oh yes we known how to live it up here) when I got home and discovered a particularly nasty looking ‘bouncing bomb’ on the front edge of the ND, adjacent the Mazda badge. Clearly the eagle eyed mutant seagulls are developing new tactics that involve following their target and ambushing them.
As soon as the opportunity arose following our Michelin star feast, I nipped out with sponge and water to clean it off only to discover that it appeared to have etched itself on to the paintwork. I subsequently tried some t cut and polish…to no avail…then t cut a second time…still to no avail. What I am left with is a rather unsightly mess etched on my paintwork, ref photo below (note reflection of SWMBO looking disapprovingly at said bomb).
I’ve been looking on the WW tinter net (yes we do have it here…just) and all I can find are u tube video’s about sanding the area with very fine sand paper before repolishing which seems a bit risky to me.
I wonder if anyone has any other ideas to try that don’t involve sanding in favour of using polishing/cleaning products?
In the meantime, I have now installed a small camouflaged hut in the front drive way where I have now taken up permanent residence. Standy for further updates. Roger…(who’s Roger anyway?).
Barry
All I can see is a horrible mess that looks suspiciously like clouds.
And…, go on then, what’s a mutant seagull ?
You have my utmost sympathies. I drive a Toyota Hilux for work with a fibreglass topper on the load bed. The whole truck was dive bombed whilst working in Grimsby (glamourous I know…) and because I didn’t clean it off immediately it lifted the paint on the topper in the shape of the poo down to the primer. I wasn’t too worried as it’s a work vehicle provided for me and lives quite a hard life seeing a fair bit of off road work. But if it was my Mustang or the wife’s MX5 I’d be heartbroken.
I’m guessing it’s some sort of acid that does the damage, maybe a good detailer or paint repair person will pop up and offer helpful advice.
Tony
Thanks for replies to date. The mark in question is at ‘5 o’clock’ to the Mazda badge (but not the reflection of clouds!) ![]()
I’m thinking I may need to visit my friendly local ‘chips away’ guy as he’s been very good in the past. The worry is of course that it could just happen again. Normally they come off without too much of ado but this little wotsit is a stubborn mark.
‘Mutant Seagulls’ is just my phrase to describe the huge flying creatures that seem to mutate into larger creatures each year! ![]()
On the up side, it’s lovely to hear them and a reminder that we are living by the sea ![]()
Barry
PS: in the photo you can see the reflection of phone wires directly above my drive which exacerbates the problem in the first place as the ‘mutants’ sit up there !!! ![]()
I can see it. An area that doesn’t reflect the clouds.
What we really need here first off is an expert on how the nose cone is painted. I’m not an expert but I would guess that the flexible plastic parts are painted differently to the metal bodywork. The paint and lacquer on the body will be designed to go rock hard. Use the same stuff on flexible parts and as soon as it flexes it will flake and fall off. The paint on the nose cone will be designed to stay flexible and I would guess that this will make it more prone to damage. What you have there is a smooth matt area. As it’s smooth already it won’t need anything as course as wet and dry. Another t-cut application might help (other cutting agents are available, I prefer Autoglym paint renovator) but probably it just needs a bit more polish.
Don’t forget to wear a hat. There could be a second wave incoming.
P.S. When removing the initial deposit I prefer a prolonged hose blast. I dread to think what the seagull diet is but what comes out the other end is very abrasive as well as acidic. I once tried removing a deposit from a windscreen with a damp cloth, rubbed too hard and scratched the glass rather badly.
Nothing nicer than a day at Herne Bay watching the seagulls. Such beautiful graceful creatures.
You have my sympathy. My OH has a snow flake like etch on the roof which has left a nasty crazing through the lacquer. Too deep to polish out, so it has to stay. If yours has just taken the glaze off, then a detailer should be able to polish out. But stop using T-cut. Its ok at reviving tired old paintwork, but it will add swirls to good paintwork and increase the area which needs repairing.
Autoglym sell wipes for removing bird cack and very good they are ,I keep a box in the car and try to attend to any strike asap , think if I had a new car and no covered parking I would be buying a a cover of some discription very quickly!!
Autoglym sell wipes for removing bird cack and very good they are ,I keep a box in the car and try to attend to any strike asap , think if I had a new car and no covered parking I would be buying a a cover of some discription very quickly!!
You have my sympathy with seagulls. I live in the South Hams, 2 miles from the coast. People here actively encourage these scavengers to nest on their properties and feed them!
They are a beautiful bird but that’s where the pleasantness ends - raucus, dirty scavengers. Their faeces are acidic and toxic, dependant on what they have been eating. As you have found modern vehicle paint does not like bird poo, so seagulls and pigeons will do considerable damage if not immediately removed.
Do NOT be tempted to take the matter into your own hands, however tempting:-)
The over population of seagulls is protected by law with a maximum £20,000 fine or 6 months in prison for killing one. People have actually been prosecuted although not as far as I know to the maximum penalty.
Believe it or not I do have one of those (in the garden…not actually on the bonnet!) but doesn;t seem to be much of a deterrent! Thanks anyway.
Barry
UPDATE:
Good news (well, at least for me it is!). I popped in to Charlie at my local friendly ‘Chips Away’ franchise in Herne Bay (Kent)…other similar firms are available etc…and without further ado he whipped out his electric polisher with a dab of cutting agent, and within 10 seconds the dreaded mutant seagull poo stain on my paintwork was no longer ! And no charge as I am an existing customer. Brilliant service.
Charlie said that so long as you remove the said poo quickly is can mostly always be removed. However, if left for some time, then there is a chance the only way to remove it is taking more drastic action. He also warned against careful use of the electric polisher so as not to scorch a particular area. I shall most certainly be buying one.
One happy bunny. ![]()
Barry
Barry, are you sure about that??![]()
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A happy ending! ![]()
Just as an aside, my work as a cellular comms engineer takes me up towers and on rooftops of all sorts of high rise buildings, I was in Hull a couple of weeks ago and wandering around a roof when all of a sudden I felt a large impact on my climbing helmet, (felt like someone had dropped a large rock!) I’d inadvertently wandered too close to a seagull nest.
Not sure if it was Mummy or Daddy who bounced off my head but if I hadn’t been wearing my helmet I think I’d be needing stitches,
Nasty vicious, messy flying rats as far as I’m concerned…![]()
Good point well made. My poor use of English. Normally I am well good though innit. ![]()
