The car is still at the dealer, about 10 days now, and the estimate is higher than $6K
Fortunately insurance was able to cover under vandalism, less a big deductible.
So now the question is
how to prevent this from happening again? I am looking for some kind of spray that might help, apply every month type thing.
I have ordered some Honda 4019-2317 rodent tape to protect my wife's 21 CX5, since she is over there all the time, and is worried she could be next. Honda 4019-2317 is a capsaicin based tape.
Uncertain of the Honda 4019-2317 mechanism, but I would assume that the rodent takes a bite of the tape and is deterred I don't think the capsaicin is applied on the surface of the tape otherwise the capsaicin might be cooked off by heat or stripped by the adhesive . YouTubers are shown handling the tape without gloves, which seems to indicate it is safe to handle...
The dealer service desk suggested that peppermint oil does not work, and we should use a capsaicin based spray in the wheel wells, tires and the engine bay, but he did not have a recommendation on a brand or source, other than a vague Home Depot recommendation.
Researching at Home Depot, it seems that all the sprays are based on some combination of peppermint and other essential (Rosemary, etc.) oils, garlic and/or putrescent egg white solids.
The only capsaicin based spray I could find was Bonide 127. When you lookup reviews on spray, there is marked drop in ratings after 2020. Pretty much every review goes from 4-5 stars to 1 star don't waste your money. The complaint is that the concentration of capsaicin is so weak as to be non-existent, and it does not work. Some have gone so far as to taste it, and no heat to the tongue.
What do forum users find that works against mice. Nearly $7K in wiring damage is nothing to sneeze at.