OOT Auto Shop/Home & Garden - Call I got from my mechanic

[Freakin]

So I took my car in for servicing today to the dealership (i'm not a fish, I just have free service until the warranty is up). I got a call a little while later from the service manager saying that I have a rodent problem.

Me:"A what?!?!?"
Them:"Rodents. They made a nest in your engine compartment"
...
Me:"um, what?"
Them:"It appears whatever the rodent was is chewing up your engine air filter and making a nest around the cabin air filter. You should definitely change the engine air filter, and probably both"
Me:"Cost, etc?"
Them:"About $80 total for both filters including labor"
Me: "Give me chewed up filters"
Them: "Of course, we'll leave them in the car"

So.... what the hell do I do? Do I leave traps in my garage under the car? What do I bait them with? Any chance these thing/s are still living in my engine compartment or something?

This is about as confused as I have ever been about a problem. I didn't even know this kind of stuff happens.

[Butcho22]

So the cost to fix this problem was $80 (including labor), and you aren't jumping for joy why?

[guids]

[ QUOTE ]
So the cost to fix this problem was $80 (including labor), and you aren't jumping for joy why?

[/ QUOTE ]

because he could have done it himself for about 30$?


but thats besides the point




you need to find the source, usually it is acorns, or an acorn tree, eliminate that, and then yes, spread mouse traps aroudn the car, perhaps some in the car. A friend of my dad had this problem with an old vette he had stored, he littered the interior with traps, but since you are using it and not storing it, it might be easier.

[SlackerMcFly]

This is a really common problem in Arizona. Pack-rats get into engine compartments, chew up wires, make nests, etc.

You should be thankful that they haven't set up shop in your heater vents and made a cozy little "Casa de Raton" in there. First hint of winter, you hit the heat and WHAM! Rodent/feces smell that will never, ever go away.

Ridding your car of these isn't all that easy. They will just move to another area of your yard or garage until they get the chance to once again become filthy little un-wanted wrench monkeys.

Go to Lowe's or Home Depot and get some of those ultra-sonic pest repellant devices. Put a couple of them bad boys in your engine compartment (be sure to secure them really, really well), and a couple in your garage.

They may work for a while, but will also probably freak out your dog, cat, feral neighbors and wife. Not that that would be a bad thing....

Poisons won't really work and will probably kill your dog, cat, feral.... n/m.

They won't go away. They will come back. They will haunt you forever. Sleep tight!

[Dids]

"This is a really common problem in Arizona."

OP lives in Seattle.

It might be 90 tomorrow and one of my tardo employees just left talking about a "heat wave".

[Freakin]

this is really freaking me out...

I'm tired of these mother [censored] rats in my mother [censored] engine compartment!

[kyleb]

This is common.

[Freakin]

[ QUOTE ]
This is common.

[/ QUOTE ]

i hate you. you made me doubt my rat-free existence...

[kyleb]

get back to work

[guids]

freakin, its not as bad as you think, they arent rats, they are just mice. Is your garage AC? how about heated in teh winter?