F-ing mice!!!

[mancini_mark]

So, I've been storing my 5er for almost a year now. Too busy to fix myself (heater core, fan clutch, caliper rebuild) and not enough money to get someone else to do it.

I went up to my parents' farm to start it up, and I found mouse crap, and seeds (they're storing them) all over the trunk and glove box. Ok, I like animals, but I could kill those little bastards! So, I ripped the interior apart and found no mice, and no holes! So I vaccuumed it out and parked it in the newly built heated garage (finally safe and sound).

How do I make sure this doesn't happen again? I put some moth balls in it, since they seem to keep mice out of my parents' camper. I could set up traps, or use warfarin, but I don't want dead mice in there either. I do have a cat that might like to sleep in the car for the night.

What do you think?

Thanks,

Mark

[632 Regal]

mothballs under the car....mice and other small animals dont like high frequency sounds such as them screw in flourescent bulbs. 100 watt bulbs only take 23 watts so its worth looking into.
http://www.1000bulbs.com/images/categories/fluorscrewkp1.jpg

[Phatty5BMW]

I would rather deal with a dead mouse than deal with cat **** n piss on the carpet.... loong story but ya my cat got locked in my e28 for 2 days in 90 degree heat bout a year ago. I cant belive the cat actually DIDN'T go to the bathroom whatsoever..... i had 2 families of mice living under my hood foam panel that reallly pissed me off but whatever its not too noticable. btw piranahs like pinky mice :)

[Dan in NZ]

I would rather deal with a dead mouse than deal with cat **** n piss on the carpet.... loong story but ya my cat got locked in my e28 for 2 days in 90 degree heat bout a year ago. I cant belive the cat actually DIDN'T go to the bathroom whatsoever..... i had 2 families of mice living under my hood foam panel that reallly pissed me off but whatever its not too noticable. btw piranahs like pinky mice :)

I disagree on the dead mice versus mouse ****. We had a dead mouse in our washing machine, and despite taking it apart couldn't find the damn thing. For about 6 weeks, every time we used the machine, it stunk like hell.

[Kalevera]

I was doing an inspection II on an E46 325Xi a few days ago.

These have three underbody protection panels (plastic undercovers). The car came in covered in snow, although I'd taken it down the road to warm the oil up a bit. Got it in the air and started the draining ritual, removed a few leaves I saw up around the core support.

After about two hours of work, the floor was pretty much a mess and the car was still dripping. I happened to look down and noticed an odd shaped "leaf" on the floor, one with a tail and legs. Turned out to be pancaked mouse. Totally flattened like Wile E. Coyote after the road runner dropped a load of boulders on him. There was other evidence around the engine bay. My theory is that he fell into one of the serpentines and got smashed, then fell out on my head as I removed the covers, and turned brown in the wet nastiness on the floor.


;)

When storing an E34/E32/E31: the recirc flaps always stay open, which allows rodents to essentially gain access to the cabin of the car, and notoriously nest in the heater box. I find mice nests in practically every single heater box I see on aforementioned cars. One thing to do is, prior to storing the car, turn on recirculation, then disconnect the battery. The flaps will stay closed (versus automatically reopening after the car/recirc is turned off).


best, whit

[Alexlind123]

I was doing an inspection II on an E46 325Xi a few days ago.

These have three underbody protection panels (plastic undercovers). The car came in covered in snow, although I'd taken it down the road to warm the oil up a bit. Got it in the air and started the draining ritual, removed a few leaves I saw up around the core support.

After about two hours of work, the floor was pretty much a mess and the car was still dripping. I happened to look down and noticed an odd shaped "leaf" on the floor, one with a tail and legs. Turned out to be pancaked mouse. Totally flattened like Wile E. Coyote after the road runner dropped a load of boulders on him. There was other evidence around the engine bay. My theory is that he fell into one of the serpentines and got smashed, then fell out on my head as I removed the covers, and turned brown in the wet nastiness on the floor.


;)

When storing an E34/E32/E31: the recirc flaps always stay open, which allows rodents to essentially gain access to the cabin of the car, and notoriously nest in the heater box. I find mice nests in practically every single heater box I see on aforementioned cars. One thing to do is, prior to storing the car, turn on recirculation, then disconnect the battery. The flaps will stay closed (versus automatically reopening after the car/recirc is turned off).


best, whit

I was always under the impression that the buzzing after shutting the car off was the flaps closing, i guess not.

[Phatty5BMW]

I disagree on the dead mice versus mouse ****. We had a dead mouse in our washing machine, and despite taking it apart couldn't find the damn thing. For about 6 weeks, every time we used the machine, it stunk like hell.

Oh no, I agree with you Dan. I said CAT piss n ****, now that stuff is reaaaaal nasty and yes over dead mice stink like a mother.....

Pat

[dacoyote]

....

When storing an E34/E32/E31: the recirc flaps always stay open, which allows rodents to essentially gain access to the cabin of the car, and notoriously nest in the heater box. I find mice nests in practically every single heater box I see on aforementioned cars. One thing to do is, prior to storing the car, turn on recirculation, then disconnect the battery. The flaps will stay closed (versus automatically reopening after the car/recirc is turned off).


best, whit

Thanks for the tip... I store my e34 for the winter... I will have to go do that next time I am out there....

[Kalevera]

Those are the servos in the heater box itself/that direct where the air should go within the cabin. The recirc flaps essentially separate the world from the blower motor, which is essentially on top of the evaporator....unless there's a microfilter between the two. The recirc servo is really quiet. It was only by observation that I realized the car would open them again after being turned off with recirc on.

I'm not saying that this will prevent a determined rodent from getting in the heater box/cabin, but it certainly should help things out...

best, whit

[zuzuk212]

I think that one got into mine ... when the previous owner had it. The problem is it got in via the vents in the trunk! Chewed on the plastic so that it could squeeze in. So, the recirc. will keep them out of the front but you will have to do something more about the vents in the back.

Any ideas whit?

Ken

[mancini_mark]

Well, I haven't seen my car since I pulled it into the garage. I'll go there this weekend. Bloody ventilation system! I bet those bastards would even chew through the recirc. Unless it's metal.

At least I took out the back seat and trunk material. I couldn't find any mice anywhere, and at least they didn't chew up my seats. I think now that the car is in the garage and smelling like mothballs, the mice will find somewhere more comfortable...like some of my parents' old furniture in the garage.

Thanks all,

mark