I will be storing my car this winter in a 55 degree heated and insulated pole barn. The cement floor was poured over a vapor barrier so I think humidity will be at a minimum.

I am concerned about critters finding shelter from the harsh Michigan winter in the barn. I am then worried that they'll find out how tasty the wires and hoses are in my car. We have critter traps outside the barn that are regularly serviced by a pest control company, but I'm looking for more insurance.

Anybody have experience with either the zip up cloth bags or the clear fan-inflated plastic capsules? I think SMG's buddy in Tampa has a capsule...

Thanks,

Paul

Hey Paul, if you don't use the "bag" I would do the following:

1- Lay a good plastic tarp on the floor to park on and prevent moisture uptake.
2- Spread rodent poison is mass quantities around the perimeter of the floor.
those light green pellets work good for me on mice, rats.
3- Check out West Marine or some other boating suppply for those re-usable
moisture absorbing bags to place in the interior. I think you just heat them
in the oven to remove moisture and re-use.

Cheers
Ted K

You could always just buy a cheap 20' x 40' tarp.

Lay it out, drive onto it and fold it up like gift wrap and tape it shut.

Get 2 big Fu--king cats,put them in the barn with the 914,but don't feed them to well. I guarantee no mice, rats, chipmonks, or large bugs. Just remember
to keep a car cover on it ,as they will walk all over it. Dave

I used to store mine in a dirt floor pole barn. Moisture is a concern but the 4 or 5 times I did this I can't say I had a problem. Concrete floor and a tarp or plastic would be great. Critters are another thing. I had mice make a mess in the glove box. After that I used an electronic noise generator. They work. The one we had also made an audible sound. Real obnoxious to be around. If you are using the garage in the winter, then this won't work. The ultrasonic ones also help any you can't hear them.

I would (and will) go around the garage, and look for any potential openings that the rodents could get in....seal it up!

it would be interesting to hear of any other methods for winter storage... -JON

I second the barn cat idea. But, at least in the case of our 3 cats, no mater how much you feed them nor handle the has any affect on their love for killing things.

Cats pee on tires. Nuff said

Ive looked into those capsules and think they are great, I am considering one for my car as my wife and kids swing there doors open with reckless abandon and figure that it would pay for it self in door ding repairs. When you look at what a nice car cover goes for the capsules are priced reasonably.

Chappy:

I know these are for inside storage ,are you aware of any tough enought

for out side winter storage. thanks Dave

There's an outside unit as well:

7. For the Silver Outdoor Model: The outdoor model has tie-downs to prevent movement of your bubble in the wind. The loops for the tie-downs are located on each side of your bubble. Also you will find a 3.5" plastic strip that you must insert inside fan shroud. (LOOK FOR BELT LOOPS) This will give the pouch form to insert the filter. Next you will find a 1" vinyl strip with velcro on both ends that attaches under filter to keep in place.

A. Attach a string to an eyelet on the top of the bubble. Tie a secure knot.
B. For extra securing, slide a pole into the loops at the top of the Outdoor Capsule before Step A.
C. If you wish to attach bubble to ground. Drive a stake into the ground at a forty-five degree angle away from your bubble. Attach the string to the stake. Repeat A and C on other side of your bubble. Stakes are not included and can be purchased from your local hardware store.

carcapsule

Paul

+1...

Absolutely the way to go! The rodents will always eat the poison before they eat the car, and once they gorge on the poison, they will seek water, so make sure you don't leave a water source in the barn. They then exit, and die outside, where they belong.

Sealing the building, or the car, is a virtual impossibility to prevent rodents infestation... mice can enter thru a hole less than 1/2 inch, and if no hole, they will chew their way thru everything up to 1/4 inch steel plate! If the bag or cover is of plastic or any organic material, they will chew thru that just to see what is inside!

Cats don't work so well, since they have to have a source of water, and they won't survive all winter on the rodent population, so you will have a dead cat come spring, and still have the rodent problem!

I also spread a number of dryer laundry softener sheets around the perimeter of the car, and put one in any obvious opening (tailpipe, etc.) I hold them down with the boxes of rodent poison! Don't really know if that helps deter the little beasties, but I have never had an issue, and I store all Winter, as you know!

The Anti moisture bags also work well, and yes, West Marine is a good source... I think you can order the bags on line... or there is a West Marine store in Holland, just off of the four lane, on the West side of the road, and North of the Discount Mall...

BTW, thanks for the CD's! Perfect! Great work!

Worked for the Spanish Trails Girlscout Council,(while in school) taking care of their properties.

(camps) Mice and rats will chew thru a solid core wood door just to get inside.

You got rodents, they want in, they'll get in.

Forget the bag.

Use the poison.

"they will chew their way thru everything up to 1/4 inch steel plate!"

Damn.....Rats/Mice from hell!

Reminds me of when I was trying to catch an enormous European Rat in my garage. Big frigin husky thing about 12 inches without the tail. Ate a hole in the drywall and built a condo between the walls. Green poison pellets didn't work. Traps didn't hit hard enough to kill it. I gassed it with ether based starting fluid. It ran out of the wall stoned off its ass and slant eyed. I tried grabbing it with BBQ tongs and that just pissed it off even more. Ended up shooting it 3 times with a pellet gun to kill it. 2 shots the pesky thing would'nt die. I am running around the garage, its running around the garage. I am not afraid of rats but this thing was a man eater. This critter wanted blood. 3rd shot was the charm. Ended up filling up the rat condo with expanding foam when I was done. Took 3 beers to stop laughing after the kill.

Yep those things will eat 1/4 inch plate.......drywall!

Spray everything with Tide detergent. Or paint it on. However you want to do it. Do it along the edge of your garage with a paint brush.

A mouse WILL try and eat it. And it WILL change it's mind.

Before using that expanding foam, we used to fill the cavity with coarse steel wool and then inject the foam. They don't like digging in that.

Ted K

Lots of good suggestions. Don't know if I'm ready for a dry moat of rat poison encircling the earth! I'll try to post a pic of what I wind up doing...I almost bought some Tide just to see if I could stop eating it.

Paul

Hi Paul,

I agree a good heavy plastic tarp on the floor along with the above. I also inflate the tires to about 38#'s & put a plug in the exhaust pipe to keep them critters from making a nest. Also drain the gas tank or put StaBul (spelling?) gas additive if you store with a full tank of gas.

It gets plenty cold in Cadillac so take care of that beautiful 914.

Tom

Thanks, Tom. The garage stays 55 degrees in the winter; it's insulated.

So, do you pass throught Cadillac on your way north? Gonna come visit me (that's an invite!).

Paul

Tide keeps bugs away from your vegetables too.

It's good for everything. And if you ever want to ask "Why";

1) It's what NASA uses to clean their rocket motors

2) Taste some and find out first hand

You only need one - a Maine Coon. Huge, bad ass, hungry all the time, unbelievabley territorial, & they eat what the catch (live to show you the leftovers though). Eighteen pounds of pure misery for anything they don't like.

Just won't help with spiders. Do't know of anything to stop them. Yeah they make "spider traps" & those will get the big ones, but the small ones pay no attention (keep your doors & lids SHUT!). You will likely face the webbed mess I did this past year. Good shop vac helps, but they build nests in unlikely areas too. When I took off one of my long/rocker covers to change the rivets, it looked like a metropolis under there. And, spiders poop! It must be pretty acidic too, because they pooped all over my chrome foglight grills - ate the chrome over layer off!

Yeah, I took care of the vermin with no problems. Spiders are a different story & can do some serious damage themselves. 34 years on a single set of foglight grills - destroyed by spider poop! No joke!
Pat

Hi Paul,

Yes, I go to Cadillac on business. Have a client @ the wood chip Power plant in Cadillac & another client in McBain (wood burning power plant) I do business with on my way home to Petoskey from downstate. We will be closing up our place in Petoskey in a few weeks for the winter than return in the spring for the 2008 summer. Next time I am in Cadillac I'll buy you lunch & we can talk 914.

Tom

Ratzilla?