Rat damage to cars | Protection, solutions & advice

Sam Kapasi · 20th December 2007, 20:56

I think you should call some nice girl and have a chat with her. This will take your mind off rodents.

Jaggu · 20th December 2007, 21:29

sorry to hear that viddi, as sam said i think you should take your mind off in other ways to cheer up buddy

navin · 21st December 2007, 10:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sam Kapasi

I think you should call some nice girl and have a chat with her. This will take your mind off rodents.

I think a naughty girl would be more "effective" here.

rev up.. · 21st December 2007, 11:06

i cant believe this..on team-bhp people are discussing rodents...
outrageous man..

theMAG · 26th December 2007, 13:29

Only a rat will be able to navigate thru that maze

Fazal · 26th December 2007, 13:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by v12

teflon coating is good only if u have lotsa scratches[minor] on ur cars. go in for Turtle Wax and use it for the entire year [or maybe 2]. Thats the best option.

Now comin to the rats, theres something called Rat Repellant available in the market. No, its not a spray. Some kind of a electric device which emits some sound which keeps away rats. I dont know how effective this is and whether such a Repellant is available.

Hi!

try this
Globo Tec
and
rodent repellent

there is a Auto model, which is to be installed in the engine bay.

Also try to close all the cabin holes or entry points from the firewall & the boot.

Hope this helps

arunnn · 26th December 2007, 13:44

Hi,
I too had the problem of rats entering the car's cabin ( not only engine compartment).
I have a question. In a car with AC, the cabin should be fully sealed and the air enters the cabin only through the AC vents. In that case how can the rats enter the cabin. Does it mean that some bush/filter/grill is missing in those car ( in which the rats enters).
If there are provisions for rats to enter the cabin, then dust and smoke from outside can enter the cabin through the same openings, and what's the use of the AC.

Cheers,
Arun

Dear Mod: Pls delete my previous post.

maddy42 · 26th December 2007, 15:42

Well Vid6639 i really pity your situation. HAd this problem before as the car was being parked in this godown of ours. Now we got a new garage and its better.
Once a rat actually made its house in the car and brought junk like papers and kept it in a pipe for the AC. Gosh i hate rats.

Thad E Ginathom · 26th December 2007, 16:01

I don't hate rats --- in fact I rather like them!

However, there are good practical reasons why they should not be welcome in my house or car.

I fear that one of them has just found a good practical reason too --- for my car has dripping blood and hairy fragments for the last few days, and a most disgusting horrible smell.

Cat or rat, I don't know, I have been unable to find the remains in the engine bay or the wheel arch, from whence the dripping and stench is coming.

The car has just been taken away by MSS for surgery to remove same. I don't envy the guys this job, and I don't think I want them to tell me what they find.

Of course, I'm worried by how much dissasembly this is going to take, how many rattles (the car has none yet) the reassembly will introduce, and if, maybe some damping in a hard to reach place has become soaked. In my worst nightmare they have to take the whole engine bay apart!

Anyway, I'll know by later today or tomorrow.

And I hate killing anything, other than mosquitoes or ants.

megger · 26th December 2007, 16:22

I am sick of rats entering cabin in WagonR and have started keeping rat cakes in all the holes they have made in the carpet.

Bigger trouble is rats targeting my Cedia now. I am finding droppings, leaves and small sticks in blower compartment. These are accumulated on top of internal/external circulation damper and drop-in behind glove compartment where the blower is when I switch to outside circulation mode by mistake.

I removed a whole lot using vaccum cleaner and am unable to figure out how is rat (ok female one) getting there. Does anyone has a clue before I hit service station next month?

Eddy · 26th December 2007, 17:19

To protect from rats, i put my CAT question paper inside.

(Sorry)

kaynmantis · 26th December 2007, 17:43

Once, my car was misfiring, next the headlights were not working. Both times rats chewed the wires. Killed two so far. Not seeing them for some time now, but know they will be back. They're a smart lot. Kill them and they'll keep away for quiet a while and be back. Normally I shoo they away. But after they took to having my wires for dinner. Its war. Now I always keep a stick handy everytime I open the bonnet.

Personally I don't like poisoning as they attract rats at the first place. Prefer repelling them. Someone gave the link to rat repellent, rodent repellent, rodent repeller, rat repeller, electronic rodent repellent, sonic rodent repellent, ultrasonic rodent repellent, rodent repel, rodent deterrent, pest repellent, electronic pest repellent, ultrasonic pest repellent, so. Will try them.

straight6 · 27th December 2007, 02:57

I know of someone in bangalore who has kept 2 cats in his bungalow just to take care of rats. He's got a C200 Kompressor which had chewed up cables some time back and while the part didnt cost that much to replace, it was the labour charges at Mercedez Benz that were killing. For those who didnt know....they charge you per hour.

Jaggu · 27th December 2007, 10:31

I got some rat poop on top of engine cover which i noticed yday when the RNS guys visited, so went and opened the other 2 cars bonnet (which are parked and not in use) and found same phenomenon in them.

For the time being i kept the bonnet open so that the rats dont enjoy any warmth inside and asked our gardener guy to get some rat cakes and tobacco packets for install by evening.

Weekend am gonna get all 3 cars water washed and a light spray of diesel inside the engine bay, this should help.

Make the car as uncomfortable as possible for the rats thats the only solution i see.. grrr.. thank god nothing chewed up so far.. though i found a mosquito coil left over on top of the engine cover of the CRV :(

Guys living in cold winter areas of india, might be a good idea to inspect your cars and basements.

Thad E Ginathom · 27th December 2007, 13:06

Heard from the Maruti Service Centre just now: one medium-sized rat in the space between the dashboard and the wiper area.

We cleared out some boxes a week or two ago, and evicted a rat that had made a home in one, I guess this poor thing thought it had found a good alternative.

I just hope they manage to get rid of the smell. The lesson learnt is that the car should have gone straight to the mechanic as soon as we noticed this, rather than my thinking that vaguely hosing water around would be enough.

20th December 2007, 20:56	#61
Sam Kapasi Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Mumbai (but wat Posts: 6,997 Thanked: 2,395 Times View My Garage	I think you should call some nice girl and have a chat with her. This will take your mind off rodents.
	() Thanks

20th December 2007, 21:29	#62
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,216 Thanked: 15,912 Times	sorry to hear that viddi, as sam said i think you should take your mind off in other ways to cheer up buddy
	() Thanks

21st December 2007, 11:06	#64
rev up.. BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: gurgaon Posts: 53 Thanked: 0 Times	What?? i cant believe this..on team-bhp people are discussing rodents... outrageous man..
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 13:29	#65
theMAG Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Avon, CT Posts: 7,217 Thanked: 1,808 Times View My Garage	Only a rat will be able to navigate thru that maze
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 13:44	#67
arunnn BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 74 Thanked: 2 Times	Hi, I too had the problem of rats entering the car's cabin ( not only engine compartment). I have a question. In a car with AC, the cabin should be fully sealed and the air enters the cabin only through the AC vents. In that case how can the rats enter the cabin. Does it mean that some bush/filter/grill is missing in those car ( in which the rats enters). If there are provisions for rats to enter the cabin, then dust and smoke from outside can enter the cabin through the same openings, and what's the use of the AC. Cheers, Arun Dear Mod: Pls delete my previous post.
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 15:42	#68
maddy42 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Coorg Posts: 2,131 Thanked: 1,328 Times View My Garage	Well Vid6639 i really pity your situation. HAd this problem before as the car was being parked in this godown of ours. Now we got a new garage and its better. Once a rat actually made its house in the car and brought junk like papers and kept it in a pipe for the AC. Gosh i hate rats.
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 16:01	#69
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,020 Thanked: 26,612 Times	I don't hate rats --- in fact I rather like them! However, there are good practical reasons why they should not be welcome in my house or car. I fear that one of them has just found a good practical reason too --- for my car has dripping blood and hairy fragments for the last few days, and a most disgusting horrible smell. Cat or rat, I don't know, I have been unable to find the remains in the engine bay or the wheel arch, from whence the dripping and stench is coming. The car has just been taken away by MSS for surgery to remove same. I don't envy the guys this job, and I don't think I want them to tell me what they find. Of course, I'm worried by how much dissasembly this is going to take, how many rattles (the car has none yet) the reassembly will introduce, and if, maybe some damping in a hard to reach place has become soaked. In my worst nightmare they have to take the whole engine bay apart! Anyway, I'll know by later today or tomorrow. And I hate killing anything, other than mosquitoes or ants.
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 16:22	#70
megger BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 156 Thanked: 4 Times	I am sick of rats entering cabin in WagonR and have started keeping rat cakes in all the holes they have made in the carpet. Bigger trouble is rats targeting my Cedia now. I am finding droppings, leaves and small sticks in blower compartment. These are accumulated on top of internal/external circulation damper and drop-in behind glove compartment where the blower is when I switch to outside circulation mode by mistake. I removed a whole lot using vaccum cleaner and am unable to figure out how is rat (ok female one) getting there. Does anyone has a clue before I hit service station next month?
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 17:19	#71
Eddy Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 9,399 Thanked: 13,377 Times	To protect from rats, i put my CAT question paper inside. (Sorry)
	() Thanks

26th December 2007, 17:43	#72
kaynmantis BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 191 Thanked: 9 Times	Once, my car was misfiring, next the headlights were not working. Both times rats chewed the wires. Killed two so far. Not seeing them for some time now, but know they will be back. They're a smart lot. Kill them and they'll keep away for quiet a while and be back. Normally I shoo they away. But after they took to having my wires for dinner. Its war. Now I always keep a stick handy everytime I open the bonnet. Personally I don't like poisoning as they attract rats at the first place. Prefer repelling them. Someone gave the link to rat repellent, rodent repellent, rodent repeller, rat repeller, electronic rodent repellent, sonic rodent repellent, ultrasonic rodent repellent, rodent repel, rodent deterrent, pest repellent, electronic pest repellent, ultrasonic pest repellent, so. Will try them.
	() Thanks

27th December 2007, 02:57	#73
straight6 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Bombay Posts: 2,548 Thanked: 296 Times	I know of someone in bangalore who has kept 2 cats in his bungalow just to take care of rats. He's got a C200 Kompressor which had chewed up cables some time back and while the part didnt cost that much to replace, it was the labour charges at Mercedez Benz that were killing. For those who didnt know....they charge you per hour.
	() Thanks

27th December 2007, 10:31	#74
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,216 Thanked: 15,912 Times	I got some rat poop on top of engine cover which i noticed yday when the RNS guys visited, so went and opened the other 2 cars bonnet (which are parked and not in use) and found same phenomenon in them. For the time being i kept the bonnet open so that the rats dont enjoy any warmth inside and asked our gardener guy to get some rat cakes and tobacco packets for install by evening. Weekend am gonna get all 3 cars water washed and a light spray of diesel inside the engine bay, this should help. Make the car as uncomfortable as possible for the rats thats the only solution i see.. grrr.. thank god nothing chewed up so far.. though i found a mosquito coil left over on top of the engine cover of the CRV :( Guys living in cold winter areas of india, might be a good idea to inspect your cars and basements.
	() Thanks

27th December 2007, 13:06	#75
Thad E Ginathom Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Chennai Posts: 11,020 Thanked: 26,612 Times	Heard from the Maruti Service Centre just now: one medium-sized rat in the space between the dashboard and the wiper area. We cleared out some boxes a week or two ago, and evicted a rat that had made a home in one, I guess this poor thing thought it had found a good alternative. I just hope they manage to get rid of the smell. The lesson learnt is that the car should have gone straight to the mechanic as soon as we noticed this, rather than my thinking that vaguely hosing water around would be enough.
	() Thanks