Rat got me...

[cruzmeister]

$450 was the damage for a rat-chewed knock sensor harness (without replacing the knock sensor). They charged me for 4 hours of labor and $5 part. If this wasn't our primary car, I would be p*ssed but I got top notch service (and a great price when I bought it ). I've saved a ton doing my own maintenance but this was a job I didn't want to do myself.

I put a couple of pouches of rat poison on the engine block I under the intake) and several more inside the engine compartment. Hopefully that will ward away the rats. Tech told me they get 3-4 of these a week when weather gets cold. Easy come, easy go.

[Sportymonk]

You may want to reconsider the rat poison as most poisons have an attractant to attract the victims. The rat poison may bring them into the garage and the vehicle. Not sure what to do instead. Maybe traps away from the vehicle.

[cruzmeister]

Thanks for the suggestion. The car is usually outside because it's our third car (but primary because we have 6 family members). I've seen rodents in my garage so I have a ton of rat poison in there already. The key issue is that our garbage cans sit by the side of the house where the car is parked. I've set out poison around the garbage cans too.

I'll wait and see. There were a couple other wires partly chewed and the firewall insulation had been peeled off to make a nest. Disgusting.

[N_Jay]

Check your comprehensive insurance.

Animal damage is usually covered.

I always recommend a very low to $0 deductible on comprehensive.

[cruzmeister]

Originally posted by N_Jay
Check your comprehensive insurance.

Animal damage is usually covered.

I always recommend a very low to $0 deductible on comprehensive.

My deductible is $500. Lowering the deductible would cost me $100 per year more than I currently pay. Given that I've never needed to make a claim (in 25 years), I have banked enough cash to cover it myself. YMMV.

Quick question. How hard is this job to DIY? When I asked the tech he gave me a long explanation that sounded pretty easy..."ya see, ya take this thing off, then there are some bolts (the plenum) and then I have to disconnect all this stuff, blah, blah, blah." Didn't sound too hard. It looked to me like he did multiple jobs while working on my car, while I was waiting. Anyone?

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by cruzmeister
My deductible is $500. Lowering the deductible would cost me $100 per year more than I currently pay. Given that I've never needed to make a claim (in 25 years), I have banked enough cash to cover it myself. YMMV.

Maybe so, but I think the difference is a lot less if you only adjust the COMPREHENSIVE deductible and not the COLLISION deductible.

Plus, have you ever had any other damage that would have been covered? (windows, windshield, broken antenna or wiper arms, scratched paint, etc.)

[cruzmeister]

Originally posted by N_Jay

Maybe so, but I think the difference is a lot less if you only adjust the COMPREHENSIVE deductible and not the COLLISION deductible.

Plus, have you ever had any other damage that would have been covered? (windows, windshield, broken antenna or wiper arms, scratched paint, etc.)

$100 is the difference for COMPREHENSIVE only for my 3 cars. Like I said, your mileage may vary but my last windshield claim was 10 years ago (a small chip repair that cost $15) and nothing else since or before that.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by cruzmeister


$100 is the difference for COMPREHENSIVE only for my 3 cars. Like I said, your mileage may vary but my last windshield claim was 10 years ago (a small chip repair that cost $15) and nothing else since or before that.

You are a lucky man!

[cruzmeister]

Originally posted by N_Jay


You are a lucky man!

LOL. Not lucky enough! I just got showed-up by a rat.

[NJGuy]

I believe this has been discussed before.

I think someone here has tried rataway, http://www.rataway.com/ . Check it out, it might be just what you need.

[cruzmeister]

I just put some of these in the engine bay and on the engine block, and also around the bushes and trash cans. They are sealed poison bags. So far, so good.

[OH2331]

I thought I was the only one. I had a RAT living in my '05 Pilot and my '04 Sierra. He slept on the engine of my Sierra, he ripped the firewall insulation off to make himeself a bed, then he would go to the Pilot and chew wires up. The rat costs us $110 in damage. Luckily my wife's cousin was a really good mechanic. This happened in Moreno Valley, CA and the neighbors said it happens a lot in new communities. I bought a new house and got a rat as a bonus gift.

[bigdadi]

Originally posted by cruzmeister
I just put some of these in the engine bay and on the engine block, and also around the bushes and trash cans. They are sealed poison bags. So far, so good.

Here is a good review ...

Real Kill rat and mouse killer is by far, the best product ever!

We have a barn and a motorhome on our property and being on several acres, anything and everything tries to invade us. To my horror, we had rats and mice, big ones, in our barn! Not able to handle rodents of any kind, my hubby headed for our local Home Depot. He was told to use Real Kill rat and mouse bars. He purchased a trap and a package of the bars. He placed them in specific places and we left to go home. The next weekend when we went back, guess what? Yep, we had dead and dying rats!

The little bars are green in color and best of all, they are weather proof, which means they last lobger. And it was a pretty good price too. $13.97 for 36 bars was a bargan!

I had no idea we had so many rats and mice in the barn. Just this weekend we found 5!

The only drawback with this product is that it can be harmful to pets and squirrels. That's why my hubby purchased the trap which is a black box. The rats and mice can get inside and eat on the bars then go right back out. I was concerned with them dying in the motor home but we were told that once the mouse or rat eats some of the bars it immediately takes effect and disorientates them and the start to bleed internally. They usually die within a few feet of the trap.

Anyway I highly recommend this product to anyone who might have a rat or mouse problem. It really does work!

[jarizzo]

I've had the same problem before, but instead they chewed up the wiring for the crank position sensor on my old beater van. Wouldn't start when I really needed it, and of course that was a -12F January day while it was snowing. A couple butt splices, a little electrical tape, and voila! Rats 0, John 1.

But have no fear, friends, for I have found the solution. I printed 4 copies of the picture available at the link below, laminated them to protect them from the elements, and taped them (with duct tape, what else?) to the bottom of the engine compartment. No more rats, no more mice, no more rabbits, cats, or any other creatures have stayed under my car for more than 1 second since then. Only problem is you have to remove them before you get an oil change or other mechanical work because nobody will touch the thing otherwise. It's a sure thing. Here's what you need:

Varmint Eliminator Picture

Cheers and Happy Winter Solstice to all...

John

[cruzmeister]

Originally posted by jarizzo

Varmint Eliminator Picture

Cheers and Happy Winter Solstice to all...

John

ROFLMAO!!!!

It's also the anti-viagra.