Rats got into my Rolls Royce engine wires. | FerrariChat
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Rats got into my Rolls Royce engine wires.

Discussion in 'British' started by James_Woods, Mar 20, 2012.

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  1. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #1 James_Woods, Mar 20, 2012
    This is really, really ticking me off. They got in my garage, and chewed up an air hose on my Porsche 993 and our Miata. About $1200 to fix both.

    I put out D-con, found 2 dead rats outside. Put out more D-con.

    About two weeks ago, I found a weather boot in my Testarossa engine gnawed up. No wires broken, though.

    This is the last straw - just took my Rolls Royce (1995 Silver Dawn) in for service because the engine was missing. Guess what? Ignition wires chewed up. Total bill $2500.

    It probably all happend at the same time, as I have had D-con out since. No, we don't have anything remotely edible in the garage (except engine parts).

    I feel like sitting out there all night with a shotgun.
     
  2. Gran Drewismo

    Gran Drewismo F1 Rookie

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    #2 Gran Drewismo, Mar 20, 2012
    Getting a cat (neighbor or your own) would do the trick :)
     
  3. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #3 James_Woods, Mar 20, 2012
    I have a rescue cat, but the big fat furr princess will not stay out there. She likes it inside.

    Everybody at RAC performance was already laughing at me about this, and now the Rolls Royce people are too.

    I want to personally kill me some rodents.
     
  4. David_S

    David_S F1 World Champ
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    #4 David_S, Mar 20, 2012
    See if you can't borrow a couple ferrets from someone. Even "de-scented," their musk will keep pretty much any rodent away for a very good long time.
     
  5. flashman

    flashman Formula Junior

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    #5 flashman, Mar 20, 2012
    James,
    Had the same problem here in Arizona. Finally had it resolved by a professional exterminator. It was one hell of a lot cheaper than what I had to pay for wireing and upholstery on my Rolls, Ferrari, and Jaguar. Lots of traps and bait, took about 2 months, no problems since.
     
  6. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 GuyIncognito, Mar 20, 2012
    did they ask if you had any Grey Poupon?
     
  7. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #7 James_Woods, Mar 21, 2012
    Yep - I think I may have to do this. I have already spent $4000 and still counting as I have not gone through the Ferrari yet. Put out D-con again in the meantime.

    Thank you very much. Do you know how many times I hear that around the local Ferrari guys? I keep little plastic bags of Grey Poupon in my console to hand out to the jokesters.
     
  8. 2NA

    2NA F1 World Champ
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    #8 2NA, Mar 21, 2012
    I avoid the D-Con because the cats might eat a sick mouse that ate some.

    There are some pretty good traps out there that get the job done quickly. Bait them with peanut butter and wait. It might not take very long to get the first one.
     
  9. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #9 James_Woods, Mar 21, 2012
    Well, I got this covered under my car insurance policy, so that eased the pain quite a bit.

    Fear not - I have called for professional exterminators to have a look this Monday.
     
  10. Flash G

    Flash G Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #10 Flash G, Mar 23, 2012
    Don't "Irish Spring" shavings repel mice? May just be an urban legend.
     
  11. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Ten Time F1 World Champ
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    #11 GuyIncognito, Mar 23, 2012
    I've always heard that ammonia repels mice (and other varmits) so spraying your trash cans with Windex keeps them out, but again no scientific proof there.
     
  12. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

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    #12 JeremyJon, Mar 23, 2012
    cayanne pepper maybe? works on mice
     
  13. Flash G

    Flash G Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #13 Flash G, Mar 24, 2012
    On a sort of related note. I did an oil change on my Exige today. I had to remove part of the undertray of the car to access the drain plug and filter. (The entire underbody of the car is sealed.) When I got it off, there were quite a few mouse droppings on it. Looks like something was living in there, possibly when the engine was warm. I only drive it occasionally and sometimes it sits for weeks.

    Guess this is my motivation to drive it more!

    :D

    I did inspect all of the hoses, wires, etc.. everything looked pristine and intact. So luckily the rodent wasn't munching on any parts.
     
  14. SamuliS

    SamuliS Formula Junior

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    #14 SamuliS, Apr 12, 2012
    Our, now long gone, neibour had real problem of pigeons. He feed them pieces of bread with nitro pill's that are ment heart problems, problem solve'd.
     
  15. sparta49

    sparta49 F1 Veteran
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    #15 sparta49, Apr 12, 2012
    Probably need a prescription over here.
     
  16. TRScotty

    TRScotty F1 Rookie
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    #16 TRScotty, Apr 12, 2012
    Tums or other type of tablet works.

    I'm sure you could get some live-bird shooting enthusiasts over to trap them for you as well.
     
  17. Flash G

    Flash G Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #17 Flash G, Apr 16, 2012
    My high school was near the ocean. We had a big problem with seagulls. Some enterprising students used to put Alka Seltzer tablets in bread and leave it for the seagulls. The results can only be described as nasty.
     
  18. TRScotty

    TRScotty F1 Rookie
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    #18 TRScotty, Apr 16, 2012
    That has been illegal in Texas for many years for that very reason....
     
  19. dmaxx3500

    dmaxx3500 Formula 3

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    #19 dmaxx3500, Apr 18, 2012
    those wern't rats,just ghosts of the rolss employees looking for work,,,fabric softener sheets let in garage and cars works
     
  20. James_Woods

    James_Woods F1 World Champ

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    #20 James_Woods, Apr 18, 2012
    Well, they were in the Ferrari too - engine wires, vacuum hoses, and so on.

    But again, I think this was before the extermination program.
     
  21. jefffromcanada

    jefffromcanada Formula 3
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    #21 jefffromcanada, Apr 18, 2012
    Fabric softener sheets will work for a mouse, and they smell nice too!!
     

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