My first post. I did a search and couldn’t find an answer using relevant key words… So, I pick up my new Mx-5 in around a week and I was wondering how easy/hard it is to clean bird droppings off a soft top? I live in a village in the country and so now and again the car will get bombed, sadly I can’t park the car in a garage.
I’m sure the new soft top will already have protective coatings on it but any tips or advice regarding cleaning would be great.
The Renovo stuff looks good and I’ve ‘bookmarked’ the company webpage. If the top isn’t pre-treated it may be the best time to do it, whilst it’s new. Gtechniq also do a ‘smart fabric’ coat. I would be careful not to get some of these specialist products on the paintwork or glass. Amazing how nano-tech products have infiltrated the car cleaning side of things. Quartz (Si02) seems to be the ‘new’ wax, could spend hours researching this stuff and it’s all down to my paranoia!!
I wonder how well it fairs against ‘high tech’ products? I’m thinking Gtechniq smart fabric that requires more care to apply.
Edit… I think the Gtechniq is designed to last ‘up to’ 3 years without a reapplication. If in reality you achieve half of the time it’s still very good.
Hi Pete, have you looked at purchasing a half-cover for your MX? This will keep off the bird **** off the soft-top whilst the car is left for any length of time and will probably save your sanity in seeing their deposits all over the soft-top.I live in the country but am fortunate enough to have a garage. As you are aware bird droppings come in various consistences depending on the species I saw a brand new MK4 the other day absolutely obliterated in seagull **** they do not discriminate, and yes we do get seagulls in the countryside along with sparrows, owls, buzzards [I did say buzzards], the list is endless.
I’m going to buy some and I’ll report back (eventually)… Have used other Gtechniq products before and have got very nice results…
Edit: I guess these products tackle weather proofing issues but to get back on topic it’s about bird poop really, I wonder if these hydrophobic coatings help with droppings? If you have to use a soap to clean the soft top then I expect the effectiveness of applied coatings will be reduced. I’ll have to put a sign up on my drive. “No overflight by birds permitted” or “No bird pooping allowed”… Mmmmm… not sure
Hello Pete. My experiences and use of a half-cover are almost exactly the same as TT’s. Get the half-cover first, then you can take your time with chemical protectives and do a good job when the conditions are right, and not a rushed panic job first thing.
I think I’m just going to have to see how things go… never had a soft-top and I know I’m being paranoid. The birds will poop, and I will soon find out how well the top cleans off. The car cover sounds feasible but moisture under a cover, ie, car already wet, is probably a bad thing.
Here’s an idea if you cannot find a ready-made commercial cover with the fluffy non-scratch lining that also prevent the wet-sticking effect.
An old friend of mine was ‘custodian’ of an MGB for many years, and having a brother-in-law who was a roofer and a wife who was handy with a sewing machine, they made a lightweight car cover for it out of Tyvek (normally used under roof tiles) which is waterproof but yet breathes well, much like Goretex does. That home-made cover lasted more than ten years and went with the car when he eventually had to sell it.
Tip. If you’re about to park under a tree with a Wood Pigeon in it - MOVE, they’re like flying cows poopwise!
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No tree parking for me!!
Just ordered some Gtechniq Smart Fabric with anti-bacterial formula. Luckily the car will fit in our garage so the wife and I have decided to hire a skip and clear the garage of junk!! This means I can work on the car under protection of the garage when I want to apply protective products to the paint or roof, without the risk of rain, or poop!! Should pick the vehicle up next weekend.