If it wasn't for bad luck, Rodent killed my car.

[Cigar Man Andy]

So I go out and get into my car to run an errand, my car made a clunk sound and wouldn't start. I thought my starter blew. My car is stll under warranty, so I wasn't concerned. I called road side assistance and had my car towed to the dealership.

Today I get a call from the VW dealership and they said "This was one for the books". It seems that a rodent has been storing dog food in my intake box and sucked dog food into my engine. I have at least one blown cylinder and other issues. They say I will most likely need a new engine and it is not covered under my warranty. Just my luck. Money has run out and now this.

Anyway, we called our insurance company and they say they will cover it, but we still have the deductible to pay. At least I don't have to pay for an engine... But now I have no car for at least another week. I guess I will have to stay at home for a week.


Wait, I have cigars here. Well, I guess it won't be too hard after all. LOL

I hope you all have better luck than I had, and stay rodent free...

[Rmac58]

Wow, that IS one for the books. At least it's not a total lose.

[DBCcigar]

That's funny!

[karmaz00]

funny...

[Jack Straw]

That sucks, at least your insurance is covering it!

About 3 months ago my grandfather noticed this putrid smell in his seldom used camry (he usually drives the saab, heh), and a mechanic pulled a dead SEVENTEEN INCH RAT out of the HVAC system, where it had been nesting. *shudder*

[slyder]

How the hell did he get in the box to begin with? crawl through the tube and chew thru the filter? or did he eat thru the box itself?

My folks have a chunk of land on the river close to the SD border and we hay probably 40 of the 180 acres. I was running a tractor with a cab and AC one day mowing and had a mouse climb out of the dash and stand there and look at me!!! Before i could swat him off he ducked back in! Next time I started that tractor the wiring shorted out in the dash! Guess he showed me.

[FN in MT]

Pretty normal stuff for rural America. We fight them all the time here in Montana. My 85 F-150 gets used little and I store it in the one garage. I have to keep the hood unlatched and check the engine bay every few days. We also learned to NOT keep open cat food or dog food out. Thats all secured in steel drums.

My wifes 83 T-Bird once sat for a few weeks in the winter. Went out one morning, started it up, turned on the DEFROST and quickly executed a field mouse that had a nest in the heater fan box. Got the chunks out but by Spring it was starting to STINK. Had to take the dash partially apart, pull out the box, clean w/simple green, clorox, etc. That was when I brought home three cats from a neighboring Ranch.

We have had several mousers ever since. Seems to help with the problem.

FN in MT

[DSturg369]

Very sorry for your misfortune but Thanks.... I needed the laugh this morning,

Growing up, my Dad had a 1964 Ford Galaxy. A huge car that was a true dinosaur. One morning he went out to warm the car up before taking my brother and I to school and when he turned her over there was a huge racket under the hood. He popped the hood open and found that a cat was in there sleeping and got caught in the fan belt. Was a huge mess. Funny now but not at the time.

[Cigar Man Andy]

Well, I got the car back today. The bill was $5824, of which I had to pay $540 worth. Oil change and deductible. Got lucky... So here is the joke.

My car has 39,000 miles and was ready for the 40k service. Cost about $749. That covers changing all filters, adjust timing chain, oil change, plugs and coils if needed.

Now, to fix my car, they replaced the heads, valves, timing chain, plugs and coils, all filters, oil change.So in other words I got my 40k service done for around $500. Oh well. LMAO

[Jack Straw]

Hah that worked out nicely (minus the downtime).

[ashmaster]

At least something positive came out of the whole fiasco.

[mc2712]

Glad to hear this had happy ending, but man what story you have to tell.

[Sweet_Cigars]

Yay!!! Happy Ending!! Sounds like you need to celebrate with a good cigar!!

[Cypress]

Great news I guess. Take care of that rodent problem.

[Cigar Man Andy]

Hope so. And we don't keep the dog food out there any more.