Car with rodent damage

Need advice on difficulty of repair on smell removal and potential harness repair/replacement?

I came across a Lotus Elise that has rodent damage. Supposedly didn’t get inside the cabin, only in the back clam. Supposedly insurance adjuster smelled it and could see chewing on the alternator wire and totaled it. Owner claims when you turn the keys, the lights and radio etc work but no start. He isn’t mechanical and supposedly hasn’t done anything to it.

Other issue is the motor at 23k miles has a knocking sound, which he has the video of. He was asking 19k OBO and people have bid it up to just over 20k.

Im ok with motor issues, I can fix it or buy the same used Toyota 4 cyl motor and swap it in.

My question is how hard is it to remove rodent smell? He thinks it is primarily going to require removing the back clam and cleaning everything out? Probably a bunch of rat pee and poo hiding around in there. Could be some under the front clam too? I think remove and replace of each clam is 6-12 hours per. So totally doable if I just work on it once in a while.

After it is fixed, I would daily drive this, so I don’t care about a perfect clean title or an original motor.

This car in perfect shape is a $42-55k car, which this one fixed is probably a 32-35k car. I can buy it cash at 20-21K.

The other great unknown is how bad is the wire harness? I’ve never replaced one and I’m sure it is quite the job, but willing to listen to others that have.

Oh, it also has the supercharger upgrade, which costs around $5k but realistically adds almost no value, but is a plus to me.

 

Sounds like a wash to me. You're only saving around 10k, but might be replacing a wiring harness, a lot of work to hopefully get rid of a smell. and possibly replace the engine.
Sometimes wanting is more than having.

 

Absolutely fucking not.

 

Ozone generator will get rid of the smell. It could also take out leather, rubber, speed up aging of plastics... so...

 

I think this same car appeared in my FB marketplace feed this morning. Baltimore?

I would not trust a diagnosis from an owner who pretty much self admits to having no clue what is going on.

 

It’s RATFUCKED! Stay away IMO!

 

No.

 

Without physically inspecting the car, I'd be hesitant.

 

What color is it?

 

Aren't you too old and rich for that shit?

 

Fuck that!! Nothing worse than chasing a wire issue…

here is a disclaimer…

I’ve driven nothing but rebuilt cars since before before I was 16…. I’ve cut them in half rebuilt things that they say you couldn’t from sports cars to luxury cars to trucks and RVs… I love flood vehicles as there is rarely any real damage with current electrical sealing…

I wouldn’t touch a known rodent haven for any discount…

my super duty diesel sat at a farm for a year outside and I can’t for the life of me find the damn chewed wire… well… I found some but not the one keeping it from fucking starting

 

I've taken on a number of projects over the years that have been very rewarding. I've also taken on several where I've totally ignored the hurricane warning flags. My overpriced .02 is that the risk far outweighs the reward on this one. Whatever your choice, I'm sure it will work out good for you.

 

You will find more rodent damage and cost a lot more than initially discovered, guaranteed.

I have a customers 911 in the shop now that she brought in for a no-start. Squirrel ate up on all the engine harness.
Following all the repairs the engine still wouldn't crank. Went digging around elsewhere through the chassis and found more damage.
Made more repairs, and now finally all is "well". There are still issues with some sensors and gauges that are probably from damage I
haven't located. Her bill is already several thousand.

I see many of these projects and the damage a rodent can do is staggering. I had one mouse tunnel under the entire foam of the
carpeting, front to back. And in the process, ate up wires in multiple sections of the chassis.

Bottom line, it better be a killer deal to embark on a project like this. In the end, one could just save up and buy a vehicle for the
amount invested for rehab.

 

This is the answer

 

When I worked at a Honda , Ducati dealer I had to replace the main wiring harness and a couple sub harness as well as multiple cooling hoses because of mice ! Was a nightmare brand new in the crate Honda Vfr 800 vetec

 

Just buy the Toyota you could get the motor from and enjoy being able to drive what you’ve paid for

 

Excellent question because in silver or grey I would have no interest.

British Racing Green

 

BTW Zoran it’s nice to see you back on here. Have you already moved back home to Europe?

I have 20k sitting in my fun money pile. I don’t yet have 40k sitting there.

 

You could strip it down and make it into a track only car. Who cares if it smells a little.

Or, buy a Kramer instead.