@#$%ing Rodents
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 450
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
@#$%ing Rodents
Started my car yesterday.
Oil Level Sensor failure warning came on the dash.
Half way down the road, Oil Temp Sensor failure warning came up... didn't really worry about it, I know I have plenty of oil.
Took the car out for lunch and CEL light came on. Went straight to the dealer.
Rolling power cuts in Houston meant that they were unable to look into the car yesterday so they gave me a A3 PDKish thing to drive.
Got a call at lunchtime today - $%^#ing rodents have been chewing at the wiring loom. 800 beans to fix - CPO no use to me in this instance.
I'm buying a snake to live in my garage.
Oil Level Sensor failure warning came on the dash.
Half way down the road, Oil Temp Sensor failure warning came up... didn't really worry about it, I know I have plenty of oil.
Took the car out for lunch and CEL light came on. Went straight to the dealer.
Rolling power cuts in Houston meant that they were unable to look into the car yesterday so they gave me a A3 PDKish thing to drive.
Got a call at lunchtime today - $%^#ing rodents have been chewing at the wiring loom. 800 beans to fix - CPO no use to me in this instance.
I'm buying a snake to live in my garage.
Poseur
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 17,743
Likes: 294
From: Santa Barbara, CA
Sadly, this is becoming a real problem in many areas of the country. Invest in a cat if you have a garage, or at least a bunch of traps. Bait with peanut butter. The damage these things can do will easily amount to hundreds of dollars!
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,981
Likes: 2
From: Virginia
I feel you pain.. In fact, I had a rodent issue when I left my DD at work one day years ago.. and in NYC, the rodents aren't small! The buggers ate on some electrical wires that, in my case, were brake related!
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 383
Likes: 2
From: New York
Mayor Bloomberg shares your lack of enthusiasm for rodents. Two years ago, on Groundhog Day, he was bitten by the groundhog. He (our mayor) has never forgotten ... or forgiven.
Story and video: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/...=Google+Reader
My children rely on me to report on whether I see my shadow on Candlemass. I am incorruptible and reliable. But not as cute as the competition.
Story and video: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/...=Google+Reader
My children rely on me to report on whether I see my shadow on Candlemass. I am incorruptible and reliable. But not as cute as the competition.
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Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 12,997
Likes: 1,453
From: North Bay Area, CA
Last summer I raised the cover and frunk lid on my car and saw a mouse scurry off of the car. Could find no evidence of a nest but subsequently got a good repeating mousetrap and caught 3 of the little bastards. I now keep the trap permanently baited with peanut butter and ready but no further incursions. The damage they could do scares me to death.
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Pro
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 576
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver
There's something about rubber - apparently they like the stuff to sharpen their teeth on.
I was backpacking/fishing in the rockies years ago - woke up in the morning and my hip waders were chewed through. Porcupines. Froze my butt off trying to put cutthroat trout in my frying pan the rest of the trip.
Bought a new Renault in Paris, cruised around europe for a year. Stayed in an inner-city hotel in Nurenburg and when I left in the morning the car was running like crap. Dropped into the Renault dealer - "how do you say in english - a stone martin?" had chewed through one of the spark plug leads.
"These only come it sets, you understand - that'll be one arm and one leg please..."
If only I could find a girlfriend with a rubber fetish...
or maybe not.
I was backpacking/fishing in the rockies years ago - woke up in the morning and my hip waders were chewed through. Porcupines. Froze my butt off trying to put cutthroat trout in my frying pan the rest of the trip.
Bought a new Renault in Paris, cruised around europe for a year. Stayed in an inner-city hotel in Nurenburg and when I left in the morning the car was running like crap. Dropped into the Renault dealer - "how do you say in english - a stone martin?" had chewed through one of the spark plug leads.
"These only come it sets, you understand - that'll be one arm and one leg please..."
If only I could find a girlfriend with a rubber fetish...
or maybe not.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 3,163
Likes: 537
From: PNW
Man, they just got into my wife's about a month ago Audi and tore apart the hood insulation to make a bed on top of the engine. I noticed it when I checked her oil. Dealer replaced the insulation for about $80 and checked the wiring and all was fine. Since then I've bought tons of rat bait, an electronic zapper trap, got 5 in 5 days :-), a sonic deterrent and coyote urine granules that I sprinkle under the engine in the car port. No signs or re-entry but I'm on guard.
I was thinking about how to make a metal plate that the car could be parked on that would have a low voltage charge applied to keep rodents at bay. It could be hooked up to a switch somewhere.
I was thinking about how to make a metal plate that the car could be parked on that would have a low voltage charge applied to keep rodents at bay. It could be hooked up to a switch somewhere.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 3,222
Likes: 242
Living in the country in South Texas you know rodents are common and everywhere so I check my cars frequently. A favorite hiding place is on top of and around the cabin air filter. When I checked the C2S the first of the week I found a wad of attic insulation next to the cabin air filter so I cleaned it out. Closer examination with a flashlight and mirror found a live field mouse. Needless to say he is not anymore. Fortunately because I make it a regular inspection item he had done no damage. I then checked my wife's BMW 328 also parked in the garage and found a stash of acorns on top of one of the front shock towers. I also found where mice had eaten some of the weather striping at the bottom of the garage door to gain entry. Our far form normal, cold weather has brought them in. The next day happened to be the normal treatment by our pest control service. He was told about the mouse issue and set a sticky trap in the garage. He then went to his truck to get some more traps and in the few minutes he was gone a mouse was caught in the trap. Within a hour two more were helplessly trapped. I like the sticky traps better than poison as we have many hawks in the area and I don't want a hawk to get sick from getting a mouse that had eaten poison. Yes moth ***** help, I plan to also try peppermint oil as suggested in a post. Bottom line the little creatures want to get out of the cold and our cars provide warm hiding and nesting places.
Of note, last month the Porsche dealer in San Antonio had to completely dis-assemble a '09 cab to replace the entire main wiring harness as the owner had left his car parked for several weeks in a garage and mice had eaten into the harness. The bill over $22,000 Moral of the tale (no pun) is make it a habit to exam all the little nooks and out of the way areas in your cars ..... far cheaper than the repairs.
Of note, last month the Porsche dealer in San Antonio had to completely dis-assemble a '09 cab to replace the entire main wiring harness as the owner had left his car parked for several weeks in a garage and mice had eaten into the harness. The bill over $22,000 Moral of the tale (no pun) is make it a habit to exam all the little nooks and out of the way areas in your cars ..... far cheaper than the repairs.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,087
Likes: 51
From: MA
I think i saw a mice other day in my garage when it was -2 deg outside - next day bought 4 traps with poison and 3 spring loaded traps with bait - so far in 2 weeks they are all empty. i used pieces of sausage as a bait, it is an interesting idea to put some peanut butter on top of it.