We have a 200 series and while free camping last week,a rat decided she was hungry and wanted somewhere to have her young .Unfortunately she picked our starter motor to snack on and some hoses and have her young next to the starter motor,where it was nice and warm,we have since found out that the starter motor is the first thing that goes in the car and everything is built around it .To our disgust now Toyota are telling us we have to wait 12-14 days plus the 7 we have already waited because there are no hoses in Australia and they have to come from Japan,have they not heard of overnight bags?Well that is off my chest
Well my next question is any suggestion to keep them at bay,as the bill is going to be astronomic glad we are not paying we are fortunate the insurance is paying, but it is the inconvenience of 3 weeks without transport and stuck in a van park when we could be free camping somewhere .
I don't know about rats but for mice I soaked cotton balls in peppermint essence and placed them all through the cupboards in my van. Maybe something similiar around the motor area would work for the rats.
I've heard of all sorts of problems that haven taken time to sort out while traveling Aus, but that's the first time I've heard of rats stuffing up the tug motor by trying to build a nest under the bonnet.
Thumbs down to Toyota for pretty poor service provisions.
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I had a thought but it got run over as it crossed my mind.
Ive heard that where rats and mice are prevalent that its wise to leave the bonnet up as they look for dark places to nest also leave outside rather than in a shed.
Cheers
David
We have got RAC WA top cover. We were camped at a low cost site at Macksvill Gumma Reserve NSW ,a lovely place by the river, but we were the unfortunate ones,but that is our luck at the moment we must have run over a few black cats LOL.
Somebody suggested naphthalene at nights also solar lights under the car cause they don't like lights .
Apparently they do it quite regular in and around Coffs Harbour,somebody said $8000 on one car and then did it again
Couple of years ago my friend was camped at Chilli Beach, on east coast of Cape York. He'd had trouble with the new 4WD not long before, so when it wouldn't start ,assumed it was the same. Contacted the car dealership and they arranged flat bed truck to come from Cairns and collect him. In Cairns it was found that the wiring had been chewed out - probably by one of the several bush rats that were around the camp area. Expensive exercise.
Don't know about rats but we have used those dish washing concentrate satchels In various farm Utes tractors and trucks not real sure it works but certainly smells better
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When the power of Love becomes greater than the love of power the World will see peace ! 24ft Trailblazer 5th wheeler n 05 Patrol ute and Black Series Dominator camper trailer ( for the rough stuff)
Hi Trev a bit of bad luck but i don't beleive the time frame for repairs every car wrecking yard has spare parts for toyotas just ring around and find hoses starter motors what ever my son is a toyota mechanic and says spares are not a problem anywhere try ringing around cheers
On the subject of Toyota spare parts, I need my front bumper replaced under insurance and am now told that will have to re- spray the existing one as there are no 200 series Landcruiser bumpers in Australia. So unless I want to wait until some are imported, that's my only choice.
I have a 200 series 2014 bumper bar on gumtree at the moment crystal pearl white if you are interested we are in cairns we replaced it with a bull bar when we got the car new
On the subject of Toyota spare parts, I need my front bumper replaced under insurance and am now told that will have to re- spray the existing one as there are no 200 series Landcruiser bumpers in Australia. So unless I want to wait until some are imported, that's my only choice.
Every bullbar fitter in Oz would have bumpers as they are discarded when fitting a bar.
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Neil & Lynne
Pinjarra
Western Australia
MY23.5 Ford Wildtrak V6 Dual Cab / 21' Silverline 21-65.3
On the subject of Toyota spare parts, I need my front bumper replaced under insurance and am now told that will have to re- spray the existing one as there are no 200 series Landcruiser bumpers in Australia. So unless I want to wait until some are imported, that's my only choice.
Every bullbar fitter in Oz would have bumpers as they are discarded when fitting a bar.
Hi Neil,
Not with ARB. They cut into the existing bummer bar to fit their bars to the 200 series. I had a car come through a stop sign two weeks after we picked ours up. Only damage was a dent and scratch on the bumper. The insurers wouldn't come at going halfve's on a bull bar when I told them I was going to fit a bull bar and ARB would only cut into the new one.
Their reply was that the bull bar wasn't there in the first place, so the would only replace it with a new bumper. Total Dick He.....ads.
Thanks for all your info but Toyota won't put second hand parts on the starter on the 200 because it takes so long to get to that they don't do it .It is still in the shop they say to put grease on to stop them.If I could I would put some protectors on but I wouldn't be allowed because of insurance and liability ,so I will just have to keep fingers crossed it doesn't happen again .Thanks again
Wonder if rat poison might work, but in saying that some poisons cause them to become thirsty and will chew through pipes to get to water, so you would have to check the specs,
That is what Coffs Toyota said is that they do not recommend it because the rats become thirsty and do more damage . We have had enough bad luck this year so we will stay away from the poison.Thanks for the reply
Hi Trevor, We had the same problem when farm sitting at Julia Creek in 2011. My Navara boiled itself about 10.30 at night on way to town - we were 50k's out. Luckily the wife was still at the farm and rescued me. AAMI wrote the car off and said I could not buy it back after telling me they would send it to the auctions and be lucky to get 10K for it. I suggested a second hand motor and was told they only replace NEW parts. The ute was only 5 year old at the time and had 50,000 k's on the clock - previously owned by a businessman in Mt Isa. When farmsitting now, we leave a floodlight turned on all night under the car with the bonnet up. That seemed to work on the next Navara I bought from the payout. cheers TC PS The avatar is my replacement
-- Edited by TopCat on Thursday 3rd of December 2015 05:18:12 PM
