GSX1400 Owners .org

General => Off Topic => Topic started by: ARH on Monday, 26 March 2018, 09:16 PM

Title: Marten damage
Post by: ARH on Monday, 26 March 2018, 09:16 PM
Right...completely not a bike topic.   This morning I jumped into my car (3 week old R Line Tiguan) to go to work... engine warning light on - advising against driving the car!   Called fleet manager who then came and picked the car up...he pops the bonnet and tells me... Marten damage! Little fecker had chewed through several cables and rubber pipes that serve the start/stop system.    :furious:
My 'old' car had been parked in the same place for 3 years and was never touched! 

So... has anyone else had this issue (I guess not in the UK) and if so...how did you stop the little b*st*rd doing it again? 
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Notty on Monday, 26 March 2018, 11:12 PM
My Aunt in Lincoln had a brand new Yaris and had trouble after just a month - rats had chewed the wiring cost over £1800 to renew - and other cars had lived in the same garage for 50 years with no problem.. they moved the car and parked it on the drive and it got attacked again !! they sold the car :bugga:
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Kiwifruit on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 04:51 AM
I've seen and repaired quite a bit of vermin damage over the years. Worst was a Honda Prelude,  big hole chewed in the airbox, lots of plastic and rubber pipe damage. Pesky little bastards.
I have contracted a tag team of two cats to patrol the property.
They do a great job..... when they are not asleep!! 😸
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Sweaty on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 07:44 AM
What a bunch of dirty Rats.
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: grog on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 07:53 AM
Friend had Toyota wiring eaten by rats, repaired then they did it again. A few thousand bucks repair. She bought some electronic repeller from Germany, solved the prob.
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: KiwiCol on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 09:22 AM
I've got one of those electronic repellers, got it off e-bay. Said it keeps Raccoons & Skunks & Badgers etc away. Thing works too, since I've had it, I've never seen one of them near my place!  Best part is, I haven't even got it plugged in!  :rofl2:

I brought it originally to keep cats out of the boat, but I use loose fitting bird netting over the access ways now. They hate that.  Mine came from USA & it does everything from insects to larger animals, depending on the frequency it's set to.
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Tug on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 02:49 PM
We have a large bush next to where my wife's car is parked; the bush/tree bears a cherry like fruit, the black birds eat the cherry like fruit and shit out a nut,  the nuts are then collected by mice which in turn stores and eats them in the engine compartment (areas under the bonnet) of my wife's car.
Bad part is I have to clean out a large amount of nut shells from the car.
Good news is they leave the wiring loom alone :)

so park next to a bush bearing fruit.     
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: VladTepes on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 03:05 PM
Never had that problem thankfully.

neighbour had a 12 foot carpet python wrapped around his engine, keeping warm.
he found it when we went to check oil and water. Surprise !!!!
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: lawrie on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 04:34 PM
Quote from: ARH on Monday, 26 March  2018, 09:16 PM
Right...completely not a bike topic.   This morning I jumped into my car (3 week old R Line Tiguan) to go to work... engine warning light on - advising against driving the car!   Called fleet manager who then came and picked the car up...he pops the bonnet and tells me... Marten damage! Little fecker had chewed through several cables and rubber pipes that serve the start/stop system.    :furious:
My 'old' car had been parked in the same place for 3 years and was never touched! 

So... has anyone else had this issue (I guess not in the UK) and if so...how did you stop the little b*st*rd doing it again?

This is EXACTLY the same story from a friend of mine who whilst living & working in Germany bought a brand new Porsche, & martins had chewed the loom, later research found that an ingredient in modern  vinyls/rubbers etc. attracts them!!
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Speedy1959 on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 04:47 PM
Ahhh
So that's why I am into Rubber !!
I always did wonder !
:rofl2:
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Kiwifruit on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 07:19 PM
Quote from: Speedy1959 on Tuesday, 27 March  2018, 04:47 PM
Ahhh
So that's why I am into Rubber !!
I always did wonder !
:rofl2:


Lol...just stick to eating the airbox Speedy.  :facepalm:
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Mick_J on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 07:21 PM
Quote from: Speedy1959 on Tuesday, 27 March  2018, 04:47 PM
Ahhh
So that's why I am into Rubber !!
I always did wonder !
:rofl2:

I think it's different condition wearing it rather than eating it  :lol:
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Blubber on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 07:36 PM
Quote from: ARH on Monday, 26 March  2018, 09:16 PM
Right...completely not a bike topic.   This morning I jumped into my car (3 week old R Line Tiguan) to go to work... engine warning light on - advising against driving the car!   Called fleet manager who then came and picked the car up...he pops the bonnet and tells me... Marten damage! Little fecker had chewed through several cables and rubber pipes that serve the start/stop system.    :furious:
My 'old' car had been parked in the same place for 3 years and was never touched! 

So... has anyone else had this issue (I guess not in the UK) and if so...how did you stop the little b*st*rd doing it again?

@seth  had something similar happen in his shed .

He'll pop along soon to tell you all about it  ;)
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: grog on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 08:01 PM
Marten. what is a Marten. i could google but ratherhave a locals description. rat, mouse ?
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: ARH on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 08:17 PM
Quote from: grog on Tuesday, 27 March  2018, 08:01 PM
Marten. what is a Marten. i could google but ratherhave a locals description. rat, mouse ?

Member of the weasel family.... sharp toothed little bugger!
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Andre on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 08:19 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuYGllp37dA
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: RickC on Tuesday, 27 March 2018, 09:07 PM
We had a similar problem with our new Subaru, Rats ate though the wiring, 2 or 3 months without a car whilst the loom had a slow trip from Japan, it cost our insurance a couple of grand to fix.

Part of the problem is that a lot of insulation in wiring is now made from a Soy derivative, there must be lots of lactose intolerant critters around - it seems to be more of a problem nowadays.
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: lawrie on Wednesday, 28 March 2018, 12:42 AM
Quote from: grog on Tuesday, 27 March  2018, 08:01 PM
Marten. what is a Marten. i could google but ratherhave a locals description. rat, mouse ?

I think we call them pine martins here in the UK.
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: Blubber on Wednesday, 28 March 2018, 02:42 AM
Quote from: lawrie on Wednesday, 28 March  2018, 12:42 AM
Quote from: grog on Tuesday, 27 March  2018, 08:01 PM
Marten. what is a Marten. i could google but ratherhave a locals description. rat, mouse ?

I think we call them pine martins here in the UK.

Beech or stone marten according to Sir David Attenborough  ;)
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: KiwiCol on Wednesday, 28 March 2018, 03:22 AM
The ones that do the chewing are son of a beech martens!
Title: Re: Marten damage
Post by: ARH on Wednesday, 28 March 2018, 05:07 AM
 
Quote from: KiwiCol on Wednesday, 28 March  2018, 03:22 AM
The ones that do the chewing are son of a beech martens!

:rofl2: :rofl2: