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#21

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - January 16, 2026, 12:28:24 PM

Ha! We have two Mini Poodoos, but they mostly stay in the house. However, if they are outside, no squirrel will venture into the yard, not even up in the trees!

Lately the backyard squirrel population has been decimated by some owls and hawks that have moved into the 'hood, not enough to keep the farking bastiches from eating the wiring on the Audi tho, it seems!

We also have seen a sharp decrease in the number of bunnies too, and an increase in fox sightings. Funny how that works.....

#22

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by Dan Moffet - January 16, 2026, 10:03:55 AM

We had some of that peppermint spray - Rose was using it to try and keep the squirrels out of some potted plants she had - it didn't seem to do much as they would eat the flowers off the hibiscus, then chew the smaller ones all the way to the stem of the plant.

My wife uses Vaseline with some kind of hot pepper mixed in to keep the squirrels from eating the flower buds on the rhododendron. She smears it on the buds and it is fairly rainproof, so one application seems to work... if she gets to them before the squirrels.

You need a cat!

#23

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - January 16, 2026, 09:32:20 AM

Picked up the Audi from the dealer yesterday, the wiring repairs they did seem pretty good, and the car drives like it used to, tho there are still two warning lights on. I'll take it over to my buddy John's where I can get it up on the rack and see if I can find some more broken/chewed wires - I'm pretty sure these will be in the back but I couldn't see the point in paying them their $250/hr labor rate to do what I'm more than capable of doing.

They suggested pulling the rear bumper cover off to look for the bad wires, but I think once up on the ramp I can probably find and fix whatever's bad. I'm going to have to wait a few days tho, it'll be single digit temps the next few days and John's shop doesn't have heat. I also am waiting for the RPT (rodent proof tape) to come in so I can wrap all the exposed and accessible harness parts.

I may go ahead and pull the inner wheel well liners off both rear wheels as I found a nest and a lot of nut remains on top of the left one, I don't know if there's a way to keep them out of there or not but I'm going to look into it. I have to leave at least a small area open as the sunroof drain is behind the liner - what a stupid design!

We had some of that peppermint spray - Rose was using it to try and keep the squirrels out of some potted plants she had - it didn't seem to do much as they would eat the flowers off the hibiscus, then chew the smaller ones all the way to the stem of the plant.

It's interesting to drive both of these cars back to back - there are small differences that can be felt - the 2018 engine seems slightly smoother and just a smidge more responsive, the brakes def feel better on initial bite on it too, tho that could be down to brake pads. Both cars are identical spec, the 2017 just has a few more miles - 35K vs 19K - but both are one owner pampered cars. The 2017 has had all the services done at the Audi dealer, the 2018 hasn't had any before I got it - all it had were two oil changes done at a local shop in Louisiana where it came from..

#24

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by scalpel_ninja - January 13, 2026, 04:21:38 PM

Whenever the car is planned to be parked for more than a week, I have to first spray the engine bay and around the tires with repellant to prevent new rodents from trying to enter.

What do you use? How quickly does it wear off? Does it smell when you start driving again?

I read that peppermint oil is supposed to be effective at putting them off?

I use this stuff. It's peppermint oil and isn't overpowering after a day goes by. It says it lasts 6 weeks, but I've never had to park it for longer than 4. So it at least works for that amount of time.

#25

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - January 13, 2026, 02:56:05 PM

I know Mercedes had real problems right around 2K, tho in their case the coating became brittle and just literally fell off the wires, leading to massive shorts and melted harnesses.

It's not just the Germans, there's a reason this tape is called "Honda Rodent Proof Tape"

#26

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by 94touring - January 13, 2026, 02:07:57 PM

German wiring...made from various nuts and wrapped in squirrel bedding lol. 

#27

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by Dan Moffet - January 13, 2026, 01:26:53 PM

Not sure what they use to make their wiring, but mice, red squirrels and chipmunks love German wiring.
Dont ask me how I know...
That tape is crazy expensive!

I recall the wire insulation is Soya based. Probably even tastier when warmed!

#28

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - January 13, 2026, 01:15:21 PM

Whenever the car is planned to be parked for more than a week, I have to first spray the engine bay and around the tires with repellant to prevent new rodents from trying to enter.

What do you use? How quickly does it wear off? Does it smell when you start driving again?

I read that peppermint oil is supposed to be effective at putting them off?

#29

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - January 13, 2026, 01:14:16 PM

Maybe the car was traded in due to wire eating rodents and you're having to deal with what issues are still there?  I've never personally had a car eaten up by rodents. I've had my fair share of harness issues.  That rear driving light on the bus I finally gave up trying to find it and just ran a new wire. 

Well, everything worked perfectly for a year, then when it failed it failed big time all at once.....the chewed wires make sense for that.

#30

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - January 13, 2026, 01:12:45 PM

No question I've had rodents up in the engine bay, the car lives under a pin oak tree, and every year it gets bombarded with pin nuts, and when they drop from the top of the tree it's like a bomb going off when they hit the car!

My 2009 MINI looked like it had very fine hail damage as the dings were tiny, but you could see them in the right light, all over the car.

In the fall I have to clear out leaves and other tree debris up in the plenum and around the wipers, under the back edge of the hood almost daily. and I've found evidence that there's something been up on the plastic cover over the engine munching on the nuts as I find the shells all over it.