Nasty!
Rodents’’ teeth grow throughout their lives, and they constantly knaw on anything to prevent the teeth from overgrowing and making feeding impossible. Rats will even knaw on brick. If you have rodents, nothing will stop them from chewing. The only solution is to get rid of the rodents.
Yuk, thanks for ruining my late night snack.
Rubber snakes work for Birds roosting above and crapping on your vehicle-Kevin
Since rodents are pretty much everywhere, at least in warmer climates, eradication seems doomed to fail. I guess the best you can do is kill the ones who’ve gotten into the habit of chewing your car and keeping traps ringing the area nearby (but not too close) to dispose of any new ones who find your car. I’d also clean up some of their favorite nesting areas, like beds of ivy and dead palm fronds. Also clean up other heaps of brush piled up in the file with the idea of disposing of later. Do it now and your yard will look tidier and have one fewer place for roadents to live. If you have a compost heap, turn it on the correct schedule so heat will make it inhospitable. Some of those bin-style composters seem to work well if your volume is small enough and they make it hard to rodents to get in. For keeping them out of the attic staple strong mesh over any openings that look like rodents have been using, or could use. And don’t leave pet food out where they can get to it. Store it in a thick sealed plastic container. No bag to date will stop rat teeth. Where I live now I have seen no rats, but lots of mice, but they don’t seem interested in our car. We never keep food in it and living in San Francisco the warmth of the engine bay is no big deal.
Just feel lucky you don’t live in marmot country. They just love to chew on radiator hoses and other rubber parts. Many less-used mountain roads in the West have signs warning people to check under the hood if they have been away from their cars for more than a few minutes. A marmot stuck up inside your engine compartment can be a big burning furball 50 miles down the road. And if he has already had a good chewfest you can find yourself with little or no coolant and possibly shredded accessory belts. Marmots aren’t cute little ferrets but more the size of a beaver, heavy and strong. Also playful and fun to watch, when not under your hood.