I live in the country and I have had rodent damage several times. I called a pest control company and they stopped rats from entering the garage, but mice are really really hard to contain. So after they chewed two cabin filters, I bought a car bubble. It has a different name but thats what the kids call it. Anyway at $400.00 it is cheap insurance against future damage.

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Seems to be an issue all over the place. I have the same problem this past winter with a rat making a nest beside the fuse box in my MB SL.
It chewed the wiring harness leading into the fuse box! I didn't noticed it until i took the car in for an oil change. Now, i hardly drive this car, it sits inside likely 320 days out of the year. I had to get a pest control guy to set traps inside the garage, but still couldn't catch it??? The pest guys say it has likely left & i should keep an eye for droppings.

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2006 Cayman S Artic Silver
2006 MB C230 Sport
2002 MB SL 500
2002 Saab 9-3 Aero CV Nordic Stage 2

I thought about getting one of these after last winter when mice decided that they would make a home in the engine compartment of my 04 Boxster S, luckly no major damage as I found them it time.

The thing that stopped me buying one of those was the thought that 'How do you know the mice etc aren't already in the car when you seal the bubble'?

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Current Cars:

2008 Orange - Limited Edition Boxster S
2004 Atlas Grey - Boxster S

If the rodents' access can be fairly well controlled, a professional exterminator is the best solution.

I have had some success putting down bait and surrounding it with traps. The idea is to place the traps close enough together that the rodents get nailed when they crawl over them to get at the bait. If the bait is against a wall, two or three traps provide adequate coverage. For bait in the middle of the floor, use three or four traps.

although southern california is not considered 'tropical,' rats do love it here in san diego. and they seem to gnaw on almost anything available. we had five mimosa trees in our yard for fifteen years - then one summer, after a particularly wet winter, all of them had their bark gnawed so badly that none of them survived. the arborist we consulted confirmed that the damage had been caused by rats.

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phil
2007 cayman - one year +
1997 boxster - twelve years
1970 911t coupe - eleven years
1964 356c cabriolet - nine years

We call those "rat spas". Now that they are trapped in there with nothing to eat but Cayman flesh...good luck.

Plus rats hands are very tiny, but they are very strong and they have been know to unzip those bubbles to let in friends.

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2007 Speed Yellow Cayman GT 2.7 (retired)
2008 Guards Red Cayman GT 3.4
"Carpe Cayman"

Forget the cat idea and get a Jack Russell Terrier. I was awe struck when I saw our cute 6 month old Jack Russell grab and shake the **** out of a squirrel. I was completely amazed.

I've since learned that Jacks were bred specifically to keep British farmer's barns free of rats. These cute little dogs are actually cold blooded efficient rodent killing machines. There are however a couple potential problems.

1. They don't eat what they kill but instead bring it to you.
2. Pretty much anything that is smaller than the Jack Russell is fair game (snakes, lizards, squirrels, rats, mice, cats, etc.).

I never liked cats anyway.

While I can contribute little real value to this thread I can inject some trivia. I used to do military fiber optic design and the mil cable was listed as rodent proof. The cable actually had an outer coating that tasted horrible - yes you could taste the cable. I was told that one of the way they tested it was to put the cable in a cage with a ground hog and if the ground hog did not chew it up it was considered good to go!

Never had to deal with a rat problem thankfully. However, after the field mice moved in to winter-over years ago and favored Porsche accomodations a solution was sought.

Don't recall the source, but moth balls in socks or those mesh bags lemons, etc. are packaged in work well to keep them out of cars stored for long periods over the winter. I put the moth ball bags in the interior, trunks, engine compartment and after covering the car, under the elastic edges.

Not practical for a car in regular use of course. Similar to the Clorox approach they must not like the odor.

The ultra sound devices never worked for me either.

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Formerly 914Geezer

A warning light came on that says alternator / batter needs attention. So I took my Cayman to the dealership for checkup. Turned out rodens are nesting inside my engine, chewing up all the wires. They left dog food and foot prints. The repair bill is estimated to be at thousands. ouch.

I believe someone else had similar problem before.
Rodent Damage

Looks like I'll be placing roden traps under all my cars from now on. Any suggestion on a roden trap that's dog proof or dog safe?

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Best bet is a professional pest control company if you park inside. If outside there isn't much that will be successful unfortunately. Be sure and check you insurance for damage repair coverage.

Threads merged.

Thank you for merging the thread. I think I'll buy one of those bubbles.

I think there is a thread on car capsules
Carcapsule - Fad or not?

It cost around $500. But if it will stop roden damage, which is estimated around $5000 so far, $500 isn't that bad.
http://www.carcapsule.com/home.htm

Anyone know what size I should order?

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