A Florida woman is mystified over how her pet boa constrictor escaped its travel bag and slithered inside the paneling of her Mini Cooper. Technicians had to remove the brake light to extract the serpent. A boa constrictor can grow up to 13 feet long, while Mini Coopers only measure about 10 feet long. That’s a lot of snake for this little car.
In this case, the snake was brought into the car intentionally, but many creatures have been known to break in and tear up the wiring or interior of cars. Here are a few of the most common car attack critters and what you can do to keep them out:
Bears – Anyone who has visited or, like this victim of multiple bear break ins, lives near a national park knows that years of careless visitors leaving food inside vehicles taught wild bears where to get an easy meal. They won’t be gentle on your seats or paint job. The best way to avoid bears is to never leave food inside of your car in a heavily wooded area.
Squirrels/Rodents – Our furry little friends like to get into the most vulnerable places in your car and cause a mess. They climb under the hood or through air intake ducts and set up nests made of wiring and insulation. To prevent rodent infestations, put screens over openings and keep rat traps handy if you store your car in a garage. If you’re car camping, set up a barrier such as orange plastic snow fencing to keep larger menaces, like porcupines, away from the undercarriage.
Kittens – Easily the cutest entry on this list, kittens from late litters have been known to climb into engine blocks or wheel wells to stay warm in cold weather. They won’t do much damage, but you certainly don’t want to damage them. When the seasons change it’s always a good idea to take a look around the spots a chilly kitten would be attracted to before starting up a car.
Bugs – Another class of critter that is attracted to food and can find its way through air vents. Sometimes cars can become infested and host whole colonies of ants, spiders and more. Your best bet is poison bait spread near your car to keep your parking spot clear of bugs.
Snakes – Snakes can unintentionally slither their way into your car as well and, like this woman in California, you may not realize it until you’re on the road. Snakes are drawn to cars, which provide protection from predators while allowing them to stay in contact with hot asphalt. From there it’s a quick climb into your car. Park away from tall grass or wooded areas where snakes may be hanging out.
Featured Gallery
Like them or not, U.S. dealerships are going to be offering more and more electric vehicles in the next five to ten years. Engineers are finding ways to extend the range of these plug-in vehicles to hundreds of miles and shorten their charging times to mere minutes.
“At that point, who needs a gasoline engine anymore?” asked former General Motors chairman Bob Lutz.
At present, EVs aren’t quite ready for the mass market and, thus, automakers aren’t really relying on them to satisfy government rules mandating that vehicles get much higher fuel economy. Instead, in addition to offering more hybrids, extended-range electrics and diesels, car companies are vastly improving the fuel economy in good old gasoline-powered internal-combustion engines.
We’ve assembled a list of cars that get the most out of a standard internal combustion engine. If all the newfangled technology isn’t for you, but you still want to save on money on gas, check out this list of green-friendly cars.
Sticker Price: $21,545 – $29,220Invoice Price: $20,929 – $28,377Fuel Economy: 26 mpg City, 35 mpg Highway
Thought this list was going to be filled with cars the size of postage stamps, didn’t you? There are a few exceptions to the size-determines-fuel-economy convention.
The excellent CX-5 is one of them. Mazda achieves 26 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, the best fuel economy in the small SUV segment, through the use of its SkyActiv engine technology.
What is SkyActiv? In short, it’s Mazda’s way of saying it found a way to increase mileage and engine output by increasing the compression ratio. It may not be your grandaddy’s internal combustion engine, but rest assured, it is an internal combustion engine.Research the Mazda CX-5Mazda CX-5 OverviewMazda CX-5 Photos & VideoMazda CX-5 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $12,170 – $16,385Invoice Price: $11,805 – $15,730Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 39 mpg Highway
Sure, the Spark may seem a bit small. But what you don’t know is that consumers and automotive journalists alike are really starting to like the Spark for its versatility and interior roominess since it arrived in the U.S. last year.
Its electric power steering is well-suited for urban driving, as is its ability to be parked in tight quarters.Research the Chevrolet SparkChevrolet Spark OverviewChevrolet Spark Photos & VideoChevrolet Spark Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $16,195 – $22,195Invoice Price: $15,801 – $21,381Fuel Economy: 31 mpg City, 40 mpg Highway
Small cars scream sensibility. The Fiat 500 gives buyers a chance to add a little personality to their small-car purchase. Inside and out, the 500 is one of the true distinctive vehicles on the American road.
Just fair warning: While the Fiat is fun and stylish, and especially enjoyable in the 500-C convertible package, or the Abarth performance trim, its backseat is fit for a couple of skinny kids at best.Research the Fiat 500Fiat 500 OverviewFiat 500 Photos & VideoFiat 500 Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $22,110 – $30,760Invoice Price: $20,913 – $28,433Fuel Economy: 27 mpg City, 38 mpg Highway
If there’s no way you’re cramming your family or cargo into a subcompact vehicle, then your next-best bet may be the Altima, which is one of the best-selling cars in the country.
There are a few terrific sedans on the market today, namely the Ford Fusion, Honda Accord, Mazda6 and Altima. Where the Altima distinguishes itself is in fuel economy.
Based on a continuously-variable transmission (see our”Techsplanation” on CVT here), the engineers at Nissan have squeezed a few more miles per gallon out of its 182-horsepower, four-cylinder engine – just enough to put Nissan in the fuel-economy lead.Research the Nissan AltimaNissan Altima OverviewNissan Altima Photos & VideoNissan Altima Local Dealer Price Quote
Sticker Price: $17,895 – $23,195
Invoice Price: $17,104 – $21,978
Fuel Economy: 25 mpg City, 34 mpg Highway
TheSubaru Impreza achieving 34 mpg on the highway isn’t much to write home about, but the fact that it hits that pretty solid number with standard all-wheel drive is impressive. This small sedan offers all-weather versatility, while still being easy on your wallet when it comes to the pump.
The Impreza is also one of the safest and most reliable cars in its class. Many people who switch to the Subaru brand tend not to switch back. Cars like the Impreza make it fairly easy to see why.
Research the Subaru Impreza
Subaru Impreza Overview
Subaru Impreza Photos & Video
Subaru Impreza Local Dealer Price Quote