I'd like to hear what successful method you have used to keep mice away from the XF during winter storage. I'm trying "shake away", setting a couple bucket traps, stuffing steel wool in the exhaust tips, and some mothballs in the engine compartment. The thought of mice chewing up my wiring, or soft top keeps me up at night. I've only had my roadster a month, now I have to store it till mud season's over.

 

Sounds like you are off to a good start...I take it it is in a garage... I would invest in a cheap car cover for under a 100 bucks...and a battery maintainer of some sort....

 

I have the mouse food, in the boxes and it dissapears all the time, they go outside for water and die. Yippie, no wires eaten. Woody

 

LMAO.... Yea right, they go outside and die. All except that one meece that goes into or behind the wall and takes a long long nap. Then about two weeks later you wonder WTF that smell is coming from. Been there.......... LOL

The theory is good though. Unfortunately, the mice don't always read the directions or get thirsty on a timely basis.

 

Buy a pack or roll of Fabric Sofener dryer sheets (like Bounce) dryer sheets and spread them randomly through-out the car. Smells too good for mice to stay. Worked for me on my camping trailers for 10 years without a sign of a mouse.

 

Now this sounds like a workable solution. And is practical.

 

Have you considered

 

I spent 19 yrs in Vt (mostly in Woodstock) and mud season was about 3 times longer than summer. Hope you have a tractor !!!

 

Last mud season wasn't too bad, but the year before.......OMG1 I wish I had a H2.

 

I usually throw a box of moth ***** under the cars and especially along the walls where mice like to run. I believe they dislike the smell. I cannot believe Woody killed Mickey. No sense going to Orlando now.

 

I've always heard to put the car up on jackstands and place the jackstands in deepish drip pans with some used motor oil

 

This is true, they do not like the smell, the question is does the person, for that first week they will smell it for a while.

KJ

 

Ahhhh .....
I love the aroma of fresh mothballs in the morning ......
IT SMELLS LIKE VICTORY !

 

One thing that no one seems to mention is, if you live in a colder area, and have a wood burning fireplace, don't keep the log pile stacked in the garage where the car is stored. Even along side the garage is not smart. Mice love to live in the logs.

 

Besides driving daily , I normally don't have a problem. My wife did in her CRV (built a nice nest in glove box), I set a trap under the seat and a couple by the garage door and trash can. I've not had a mouse in over 3 years. Plus I don't kill the snakes (rat) I see in the yard...even though she thinks I do.

 

The best method to keep mice out of your car is to put a small hole in the wall so they can get into your house. They are smart and appreciate small acts of kindness like that by moving into a warm spot. LOL

They got into my house this summer and moved into the kitchen drawers, my cat met one and traps did the deed for the others. I think the others returned to the rafters. Why move into a cold car when there is a nice cozy area nearby.

 

 

but he can't preach like Tom. Oh well

 

Just put baby to bed for the long Vermont winter. Gas tank full, and treated with startron, moth ***** under the hood, steel wool in the exhaust pipes, dryer sheets, and mouse traps in the car, dryer sheets in the trunk, and the whole car surrounded with "Shake Away". I'll miss her. Back to driving a 98 Saab 900 for the winter... Not the worst thing, I guess.

 

I keep my SRT6 roadster in an "Airchamber" Air Chamber Car Storage Car Capsules Auto Car Cover Protection. The "Airchamber" is in a 24'x 26' Clearspan fabric garage. The garage is set up with flourescent lighting, 75k btuh propane heater, ceiling fan, and wood floor. Having said all that, it still is virtually a "tent". Mice can come and go easily.
The Airchamber has 2 fans which pull in filtered air and keep it under positive pressure. There is always airflow which keeps the car from ever getting condensation on the surfaces. The theory behind how it keeps mice out is this. Although there is room enough for mice to get in at the bottom of the zippered panels, there is also air escaping at those same points. The mice are not looking for a drafty place to nest and don't enter.
My car has been in there for almost 3 years with no problems...knock on wood. My VW camper is also stored in the same garage and not in an Airchamber enclosure. For that vehicle, I use Soma, Mouse Away, which is a spearmint/peppermint oils concentrate. It comes in a bottle with eyedropper. You put drops on cotton ***** and place them in the trunk area, glove box etc.. Also you can place drops directly into airvents and recesses where you'd think mice are likely to travel or set up house. The theory behind this stuff is it messes with their eye and nasal passages, as too much Vicks Vaporub does to us. Mice rely on their sense of smell for survival. Also on the plus side, your car smells really nice..Who doesn't like spearmint and peppermint.
I still keep snap traps with peanut butter scattered along the perimeter as a 1st line of defense and as an indicator of mouse traffic.
It is a constant battle. Check the traps as often as possible...
That's my .02 cents.