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Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
- Crazy Harry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1689
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:32 pm
- Location: Breckland Norfolk
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
I’ve been prepping the Zed for its MOT. I've had it -and been on here - three years now
Not much to do except change the front discs and pads – bit annoying because although the discs were lipped with some grooving (due I suspect; to the sand and fine stones that get washed onto the roads around here) the pads each had about 6mm left. I changed discs and pads a few days ago in a now rare dry spell; in daylight and it was then I got a good look at the hood.
The Zed is my daily drive and stands out on the drive all the time but as yet we’ve had no hard frosts (can only think of one light frosting between Christmas and New Year) just mild damp weather and boy does the algae grow – the top looked quite green in the cold light of day. Everything goes green down here but this year is particularly bad. I invested twenty minutes yesterday to scrub the hood with Miltons fluid before I washed the car – normally I can get away with not doing it until spring. This time of year it’s too damp to vacuum the dirt out first but the scrubbing did the job and also removed the cat fur
We have acquired a colony of seven feral cats and one of the big buggers kips on the Zed and in exchange for the hammock like accomodation leaves an extra insulation layer of discarded fur. On the upside we haven’t see a live rat or mouse for about two years so on balance I’d rather cat fur on the car then rodents in the loft running around at night or invading the chicken house.
So down for test this morning with a clean hood and it’s a straight pass and no advisories
.... and then in a few weeks time it’s the hood again as the algae comes back unless of course we get a good cold snap
Not much to do except change the front discs and pads – bit annoying because although the discs were lipped with some grooving (due I suspect; to the sand and fine stones that get washed onto the roads around here) the pads each had about 6mm left. I changed discs and pads a few days ago in a now rare dry spell; in daylight and it was then I got a good look at the hood.
The Zed is my daily drive and stands out on the drive all the time but as yet we’ve had no hard frosts (can only think of one light frosting between Christmas and New Year) just mild damp weather and boy does the algae grow – the top looked quite green in the cold light of day. Everything goes green down here but this year is particularly bad. I invested twenty minutes yesterday to scrub the hood with Miltons fluid before I washed the car – normally I can get away with not doing it until spring. This time of year it’s too damp to vacuum the dirt out first but the scrubbing did the job and also removed the cat fur
We have acquired a colony of seven feral cats and one of the big buggers kips on the Zed and in exchange for the hammock like accomodation leaves an extra insulation layer of discarded fur. On the upside we haven’t see a live rat or mouse for about two years so on balance I’d rather cat fur on the car then rodents in the loft running around at night or invading the chicken house.
So down for test this morning with a clean hood and it’s a straight pass and no advisories
.... and then in a few weeks time it’s the hood again as the algae comes back unless of course we get a good cold snap
- Phoenixboy
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2112
- Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2016 9:07 pm
- Location: english riviera
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
i thought everyone up your way had Turkeys, not chickens
Boootifulll
Boootifulll
E89 s drive 30i manual/gone
space grey
Carbon interior trim
19" Veeman FS 25`s
cruise control
m sport seats
stubby
led halo bulbs
z4 forum sticker, for added power.
OEM wind deflector
Gone, E85 Ruby Black.
space grey
Carbon interior trim
19" Veeman FS 25`s
cruise control
m sport seats
stubby
led halo bulbs
z4 forum sticker, for added power.
OEM wind deflector
Gone, E85 Ruby Black.
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 14385
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Nah, that's just Stevo, and Audi are buying that backPhoenixboy wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 5:16 pm i thought everyone up your way had Turkeys, not chickens
Boootifulll
(Sorry Steve)
- Smartbear
- Lifer
- Posts: 13685
- Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:54 pm
- Location: a barn in Somerset
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Did you have to scrub the cat to remove its fur?
Rob
Rob
e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold
- Chris_D
- Lifer
- Posts: 6615
- Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:41 pm
- Location: Mostly Holland. Sometimes UK.
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
I found white vinegar works a treat at removing the green plague.
Even better than that is investing in a hardtop.
Even better than that is investing in a hardtop.
E85 3.0i roadie (03) 'Benny'. E93 320d M-Sport Cabrio (11) 'Bob'.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
'Always different, always the same.' John Peel on The Fall.
- Crazy Harry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1689
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:32 pm
- Location: Breckland Norfolk
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
or you could buy a coupe
I did consider a hardtop when I got the car but I rarely have the hood up - even in winter. I just couldn't face missing out on top down motoring even in winter
The hood is for very bad weather and when its parked!
-
- Lifer
- Posts: 9529
- Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 9:09 am
- Location: South west Buckinghamshire
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
We live opposite woods, but my roof stays pretty blackish, it had a green hue when we first got the car. We are up your way soon, a place called Barningham
BMW Z4 30i 2003 auto 107's Whippy Toledo Blue
Beige M sport seats, wood dash
Toyota MR2 NA 1995
Triumph GT6 1972 (project)
Land Rover Discovery 1994 TDI (Tow car)
Mini 1000 1981
Beige M sport seats, wood dash
Toyota MR2 NA 1995
Triumph GT6 1972 (project)
Land Rover Discovery 1994 TDI (Tow car)
Mini 1000 1981
- Crazy Harry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1689
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:32 pm
- Location: Breckland Norfolk
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Yea that's around 25 mins away from us - if your here on Saturday 25th Jan I'll let you have the breakfast meet details
I park under trees - that combined with wood pigeon crap and its a constant job keeping it clean in damp weather.
I park under trees - that combined with wood pigeon crap and its a constant job keeping it clean in damp weather.
- Smartbear
- Lifer
- Posts: 13685
- Joined: Wed Feb 05, 2014 6:54 pm
- Location: a barn in Somerset
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Hi Harry, wondered if you’ve had your roof motor relocated into the boot yet? Trees can cause a lot of problems in the Autumn blocking the car drainsCrazy Harry wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:58 pm Yea that's around 25 mins away from us - if your here on Saturday 25th Jan I'll let you have the breakfast meet details
I park under trees - that combined with wood pigeon crap and its a constant job keeping it clean in damp weather.
e89 Sdrive 20i, plenty of mumbo & good economy-the thinking bears z4
e89 Sdrive 30i, this ones busted, pass me another...
e85 3.0si sold
- Crazy Harry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1689
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:32 pm
- Location: Breckland Norfolk
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Yep - I was part of the Cambridge roof motor day with DLV the other year. I keep pulling the plugs from the bottom of the drains at the back. It's astonishing how much leaf litter (and beech nuts) drop down the screen and cover the front drains - I can pull out hand fulls every few days in autumn.Smartbear wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 10:27 pmHi Harry, wondered if you’ve had your roof motor relocated into the boot yet? Trees can cause a lot of problems in the Autumn blocking the car drainsCrazy Harry wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 8:58 pm Yea that's around 25 mins away from us - if your here on Saturday 25th Jan I'll let you have the breakfast meet details
I park under trees - that combined with wood pigeon crap and its a constant job keeping it clean in damp weather.
- buzyg
- Legend
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- Joined: Fri May 20, 2011 6:11 pm
- Location: Cornwall
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Our cat can lick a rock hard died up bowl of just about anything, clean as a dish washer in 30 seconds. What you need is a cat that likes green algae.Crazy Harry wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:40 pm I’ve been prepping the Zed for its MOT. I've had it -and been on here - three years now
This time of year it’s too damp to vacuum the dirt out first but the scrubbing did the job and also removed the cat fur
We have acquired a colony of seven feral cats and one of the big buggers kips on the Zed and in exchange for the hammock like accomodation leaves an extra insulation layer of discarded fur. On the upside we haven’t see a live rat or mouse for about two years so on balance I’d rather cat fur on the car then rodents in the loft running around at night or invading the chicken house.
.... and then in a few weeks time it’s the hood again as the algae comes back unless of course we get a good cold snap
and nice one on the MoT.
- MrPT
- Lifer
- Posts: 4745
- Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 7:44 pm
- Location: Bucks/Oxon
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
Half covers are great.
They can leave marks on the paintwork but you can avoid this with a quick, “waterless” clean before you put it on.
They can leave marks on the paintwork but you can avoid this with a quick, “waterless” clean before you put it on.
2008 Z4MC: heavy wheels | crap suspension | skittish rear end | wobbly engine | not enough induction noise | underwhelming turn in | inconsistent braking | lardy battery | chubby steering wheel
2006 Z4 2.5si: gone
2006 Z4 2.5si: gone
-
- Member
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- Location: chesterfield
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
I’ve only cleaned my roof once in 10 years, I just used the just wash and some car wash soap, don’t seem to suffer the green, always nice and black.
- Crazy Harry
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1689
- Joined: Fri Jan 13, 2017 12:32 pm
- Location: Breckland Norfolk
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
I've had covers on cars I've been working on - one cats gets under the cover and grabs the cats on top - nightmare We've had them destroy a cover on a MR2 in a couple of nights.
A lot of the time I can get the Zed infront of the house so its OK but the green is just a fact of life around here - even turns brickwork green in places which is odd for one of the driest places in the UK but we do suffer in damp 'green' winters and this is turning into one!
Of course I could put the Zed in a garage but same to say its further down the pecking order than the classics we've got.
- MrPT
- Lifer
- Posts: 4745
- Joined: Sun Oct 21, 2012 7:44 pm
- Location: Bucks/Oxon
Another green (mild) winter – what a pain in the ar$e for roadster owners
No way will a cat get under a half cover. Unless you blend it spray it up there.
2008 Z4MC: heavy wheels | crap suspension | skittish rear end | wobbly engine | not enough induction noise | underwhelming turn in | inconsistent braking | lardy battery | chubby steering wheel
2006 Z4 2.5si: gone
2006 Z4 2.5si: gone