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-   -   Rat damage to cars | Protection, solutions & advice (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/technical-stuff/2729-rat-damage-cars-protection-solutions-advice-117.html)

Takes additional 10 mins than a normal car cover, but saves many hours from the trouble caused by little mischievous ones . Yes, they chew through much harder objects but so far they've not attempted to feast this cover, don't know the exact reason.



They are based in madurai. First they sent me a sample material of the cover via courier, they also provide replacement warranty for an year. Bought it offline, not sure if they have online portal. Paid 7 K about 18 months ago. Recently replaced the zipper for 100 rs, cover is durable, should be good for another 2-3 years.

A1 car cover

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tpqYvU52V4K5pbd37

Above is their address, Contact number is available there.

I use 1 can for 2 applications, once every 3 months. Haven't seen rats near my car for the past 2 years now. Not sure if it's the Bardahl or some external change in the surroundings.

While I kept my Linea T-Jet parked in the garage for a few days while using my other car, rats got into it :Frustrati. I found rat droppings on the floor and some minor bite marks on the leather seats, which have resisted all sorts of damage and remained plush and great-to-touch these past nine years. (I couldn't find a car under 40L that has seat quality to match top-of-line Linea's.)

There was no food or garbage inside the car as the T-jet is hardly used regularly; moreover, I got the car interiors shampooed and cleaned, and I myself applied some leather nourishing cream to the seats to protect them from elements. The car still smells weird due to all the cleaning and polishing. Why the rats wanted to explore the interiors and gnaw at the leather when nothing smells of food is inexplicable.

Anyway, rats seem to have entered the cabin through the front-left passenger footwell through the engine bay. The car is running perfectly well, and there are no visible signs of damage to the wiring so far.

All the solutions offered above in this thread seem to have some drawback(s), and from what I understand, there isn't a bulletproof solution to the rat problem (or is there?).

So, I have two questions:

1. What are all the entry points into the cabin of the car for rats, and can one make the cabin reasonably airtight?

2. Is an underbody mesh or protection a viable solution? Does it prevent rats from making the car their home and biting at the wiring, fuel pipes, and whatnot?

The closest/best solution I can recommend is -

1) Raw tobacco leaves stashed neatly inside the engine compartment. (make sure to remove them whenever you are taking the vehicle out) and make sure to change to fresh one after 2 mo or so.

2) Rajhans/Chainikhaini or similar stuff - buy a few packets of them - sprinkle them generously under the wheel well - behind the tyres, under the hood etc.

then there are 'inhumane' ways - rat traps, glue pad, rat poison (make sure there is no water source for them closeby)

My solution is pretty simple, natural and eco friendly. Don't laugh, I'm serious and it indeed is working perfectly for me for the last two years. Only con is that these two bring dead rats in once in while and place it near the front door or sometimes inside the house, perhaps to let us know that they're doing their job well lol:
Still cleaning up that mess is way better than having my vehicle's wiring destroyed. I have a 2013 Vespa and it's wiring was literally ripped apart by rats around the pandemic lockdown(we had no cats here then) and that scooter is now sitting dead for the last 3 years in my porch. Tried a lot with Vespa dealers here for but I can't get the wiring harness and parts to get it running.

I had tried 3m and some other brands on Amazon. But what really worked for me is WURTH rodent spray.

After that I have had zero instance of rats coming in to the engine bay.

Earlier I used to have gifts everyday on top of the engine cover but past two months not a single item left for me.

Either the rat migrated or wurth is doing its job.

Would try a combination of stuff. Remembering to remove the tobacco leaves every time I take the car out seems difficult though.


Crossed my mind. Possibly the only option if all else fails. Apparently, there have been previous instances of rats entering other cars in our community here - people are resorting to parking cars in the open instead of closed garages.

WURTH seems to be out of stock: ordered Liqui Moly spray as it had the best reviews of the lot on Amazon. Let's see how it goes.

Anyway, I cleaned all surfaces of the car with disinfectant and water. The rat(s) did chew away at the padding in the boot and some damage was done in the engine bay as I could see a pile of chewed bits on the floor; will have to get the damage checked at the workshop in a a few days.

While they did bite the seats, no major damage was done so far as, I presume, there was no source of food. A water bottle in the door pocket had a big hole in it and probably was a source of water. With lots of restaurants resorting to water bottles instead of serving water, I've started to hoard a few small bottles in my cars inadvertently. Should stop this immediately.

While I am mostly certain that the point of entry is through the front footwells, there could be another one in the boot. I'm planning to get these areas covered with some sort of GI mesh. While it might not be possible to protect the entirety of the underbody, at least the interiors will be safe.

Hello helloworld.
I faced the exact same issue(or maybe worse as the car doesn't start) in my Ford Figo S. Currently I have sent it to JSP Ford ASS, Kudlu Gate yesterday but they have asked me to sent it to CK Palya ASS. Can we connect? Some suggestions from you will be surely helpful. I cannot DM you. So using the mail option instead.
Thank you in advance
-Vaibhav

My experience with Benz GLB and rats:

One fine day, I was at the gas station and unable to open my fuel tank cover.

With about 140 km of petrol left, I had decided to drive to Bangalore showroom, which is about 110 km away from me.

But, after some guided advice, I went to a local showroom and the pictures explain everything.

A rat has managed to chew through the cable that opens the fuel tank cover.

Luckily, after refuelling, I went to the Bangalore showroom and their diagnostic revealed that everything is fine.

But, I really feel bad for getting a Benz now. I wouldn't have chosen a Benz if I knew I would have to go through so much trouble.

Thanks.

I keep my Linea T-Jet parked as well and never had a problem. I took the car to a detailer and got it cleaned and polished inside out. Guess what happened next? Rat attack. I never had rat problem until I detailed the car. I think the sweet smell of these cleaners attract the rats. It got into the engine bay and chewed off few rubber hoses. Have started using Tom Cat Gold spray since then. Seems to be working till now.

Avoid using these sweet smelling cleaners.

Highly probable - the rats entered after the thorough interior cleaning. However, the Tjet was used almost every day before this episode, and since this was the first instance of the car lying idle for about a week, it might be a combination of both these factors.

With the Taigun GT taking up duties as the daily driver, I'm generously spraying the Tom Cat spray in both cars. Except for one instance of a rat entering the engine bay, there has been no instance of rats entering the interior compartments. Though it is advised not to spray in the interiors, I've been using the Tom Cat spray in the front footwells as a precautionary measure.

Hehe. It's been working for many decades now in my case. They are not domesticated, but they are street cats and they enjoy sleeping in the car wheel well. I've been smart not to trouble them and I guess it's the perfect place for them to find unsuspecting prey(rodents) given most of them access the insides of the car climbing onto the tyres. Only negative, once in a while they do leave the carcass lying around in my garage. I don't know why they stick around my home, but I'm very grateful. I also been away for over two months at a stretch, but have come back to a car with wires with no sign of meddling(all thanks to those wonderful cats!). :)


The family of cats that have stayed for generations

Indulged in this thread extensively for the past couple of days, I believe there is a fighting chance to safeguard against the fearful Rat Attach!

My cars stayed rodent safe for the past 22 years of driving alas the Chennai rains got the neighborhood Rodentia's active.

My 1 year old Honda City has the sensor wires all chewed up. I had a comprehensive insurance policy and Insurance is only paying half of the amount while the Car's been sitting at @capitalHonda Chennai for almost a month for the replacement.

Once I get my ride back, Its surely getting guarded by the suggestions on this thread, will start with Tobacco...

Trying this method to see if I can keep the rats away from the car.



I have left the bonnet open few times before, but that isn't feasible every night. I have been using the 3M rat spray since few years now on both my cars and although the rats enter the engine bay, they haven't damaged anything.

For my parking lot, I have ordered a motion sensor solar led lamp since there is no plug point close by. It's a task as I have to take it out during the day to charge it in the open and put it back under the car during the night. But if it works, it better than getting something damaged and having to fix it.

Came across this article today. Looks fine but needs some work to be done. Not the best approach but looks close to fool proof.

https://www.rushlane.com/scorpio-n-f...-12488169.html