Rats! (Well maybe just mice...)
 

I have a 2000 Boxster S. Yesterday I came out to find crushed up leaves and shredded foam rubber sticking out of the right hand side air intake that provides cooling air to the engine compartment. I removed the intake shroud and plastic louvers and found the entire duct packed with the stuff! I opened the engine compartment and found that in addition to building a nest, the critter(s) had been storing and I guess eating fruit from the oil palm that grows to the side of our driveway. There was a big heap of it on top of the engine under the intake manifold! It was a real pain to vacuum it out. The shredded foam rubber had come from a chunk of missing insulation on the front of the compartment. I glued back the remaining flap. Today I bought some black expanded metal gutter screen. I cut out a piece to fit the inside of the plastic louvers and secured it to them with six small black plastic wire ties. With the shroud back on it is hardly visible and hopefully will keep the little vermin out of there! Thankfully it doesn't appear that they did more damage such as chewing on wiring! Have others experienced this?

Wow thats crazy! How long was the car sitting? And how did they get in the intakes? Jumping on the roof? I've heard of critters getting inside the Frunk for those that keep the hood open for a trickle charger I guess but nothing like this.

May I suggest to you mice traps.....and I hope you get them all.

The car is driven at least weekly. I think they crawled up under the car cover that has a soft lining they could get their claws into. Then they must have crawled through the space between the intake louvers! Right, traps or a guard cat or hawk! Hoping the mesh foils them...

Those little bastards are incessant ! I hate to say it, but now that they have left their calling card, mice will forever be drawn to your vehicle. I suggest cleaning and disinfecting every area where possible. Also, I recommend setting traps to eliminate them from going back into the vehicle. In my experience, using dryer sheets and/or moth balls is a myth. Additionally, I would not recommend using poison, as this may only lead to them dying somewhere in your vehicle. Don't ask me how I know all of this. :mad:

Check your cabin filter, I've had them in there with my Boxster and the wife's old RSX.

Guys at the local airport have some sort of electrical signal generator for their airplanes. It emits a relatively high frequency sound keeping rodents away, (maybe even small children). Seems to work pretty well.

Sorry I do not have more info to share, but if you are truly interested I can chase it down for you
as best I can; or try to Google the thing, perhaps. Good luck.

My wife says, "Quit eating cheese and crackers in your car and you won't have this problem".

I always keep a couple of mouse traps set in the garage, just in case. Caught two last year, none this year. Word gets around.

Those ultasonic doo-dads are supposed to work quite well. The dog might not like it.

I hate rats and mice. Truly vermin. The only way that I've ever got rid of them is; remove all food/water sources; seal/screen/block all entry points; set traps to kill the ones that get past the perimeter.

Then put their dead heads on a stick to warn the others.

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What did she say about "cutting the cheese" in your car ?

Not much, but she remembers the time you "cut the cheese":

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/35577-romantic-nightcap.html

I've been described as being more of a "carver of cheese". :)

Cabin air filter
 

I checked the cabin air filter in case more vermin had made a home there. Thankfully aside from being very dirty it was OK. I replaced it, doubt it had ever been done!