Posted on 08/09/2017 12:57:24 PM PDT by nickcarraway
Residents on the peninsula have begun comparing repair bills and horror stories about mice and rats devouring car wiring and insulation. In recent days, social media forums have reignited an issue that worsens with temperature shifts.
One Tiburon driver said she racked up thousands in costs after her BMW i3 had wires eaten on every side of the car and underneath it. Many vehicles are built now with organic materials using soy, rice husks, wood, sugars and sweet-smelling substances such as vanilla and peanut oil.
Marcel Etcheverry, owner of Marin Auto Works in Mill Valley, said chewed car parts have been an issue for years.
Rodents look for a warm place to sleep, he said. Once theyre in those areas, they see plastic wiring and tubing that they find appetizing. Etcheverry sees the problem mostly in BMW, Mercedes and Volvo.
We find wire damage and rodent droppings, with nests under the hood. One of his customers saw $8,000 in damage covered by homeowners insurance. He said placing scented dryer sheets in corners under the hood deters pests. Animals dont like the smell.
A Tiburon woman said BMW told her to put Ivory soap under the hood after rats chewed wires on her BMW X5. A Sausalito woman advised Irish Spring soap.
Use of poison outdoors is discouraged. A lot of owls, hawks and other animals are admitted to WildCares wildlife hospital in San Rafael dying from anticoagulant rat poison from having eaten poisoned rodents. Mothballs, Pine-sol and ammonia are also toxic.
(Excerpt) Read more at marinij.com ...
The rats in NYC are jumping in baby strollers.
The rats in Marin County are stealing cars.
What’s next?
Rats in Chicago electing a rat for mayor?
A rat taxi?
Oh.
I see.
Sorry.
I had mice eat through wires on my car in my garage..so far the new dog has been good at chasing them away.
They used to have problems here with the Hawks and owls eating the poisoned vermin.
So they just started shooting them.
The Hawks and owls, I mean.
No more sick birds!
Doesn't matter if you have to park outside. In cold weather they get in the engine bay. Pack rats are the worst.
“Many vehicles are built now with organic materials using soy, rice husks, wood, sugars and sweet-smelling substances such as vanilla and peanut oil”.
Well, I’m sure these are the drivers who insist on environmentally friendly vehicles no matter the cost.
Happened to me this winter. Luckily the mechanic found the nest at oil change time and cleaned everything up before the rodents got to the wires. I consider myself lucky with the air filter replacement and a 25 dollar cleaning fee.
A friend had a squirrel move in his truck engine. Couldn’t get it to leave and it did a lot of damage.
The issue is the wire coatings. They outgas and when they get warm, they can smell sweet, like a tasty vine or root. It does appear some vehicles are more susceptible to this than others (ie different sources for wiring).
with “Tiburon” and “Belvedere” being car models themselves, I’m smirking at this article about how Tiburon drivers are upset about their BMW.
I think “Then make up your mind!”
Keep in mind that what's good for the economy is nothing to get sad about.
Every once in a while the economy tree has to be watered with your green.
Think not of what your economic manipulators do for you, think only of what you can do for your economic manipulators.
I put mothballs around my home once a month. I didn’t know they were bad for some animals. It keeps the snakes away which is the point.
Food isn’t always the problem———a warm place to sleep is.
,
Mice, ya got to love them..............not really
You forgot one, Rats stealing Elections every two years.
Jack?
Ain’t nature grand.
And if you want to get rid of the snakes get some free ranging chickens.
My dumb sister has a truck she parked outside that she did not use and the squirrels chewed up the wiring. She says no big deal, easy to fix.... She is nuts. That truck will be towed away as junk.
Maybe it’s a plot by the squirrels to get it cheap.
More eco friendly than she anticipated.
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