My truck radio had just been sounding like crap this spring and I was thinking about selling the truck every time I got in it. Well, earlier in the year I had a check engine light which I hoped was just the gas cap, so I disconnected the battery, cleaned up the cap and filler neck, hooked it back up and continued to drive. A couple days later the light came back and I was smelling fuel in the cab so I took it in. Turned out to be squirrels eating the EVAP hoses on top of the tank.
So back to the radio; the other day I decided to see if the tone controls needed adjustment to help it sound better. When I went into that mode, all the tone controls were flat lined! Because I had disconnected the battery! DUH!
Now it sounds great again and I most of the time do not think about selling/trading the truck.

 

Feed the squirrels, it might sound dumb but ever since I started putting peanuts out at the back edge of my yard away from everything, they haven't bothered any of my vehicles or tried to get into the attic. I go through a 5 lb. bag a month and at $5 from Costco it's a lot cheaper than the repairs. Plus it make me feel pretty good to not be killing them.

 

The reason they did it was the very cold temps and a 10" snow in Jan. Sometimes I don't drive the truck for weeks at a time and it doesn't move at all until the snow/ice is gone. They don't mess with it in regular weather. Next winter I'll worry about it. I have to wipe out the squirrels every few years but its only a short reprieve until the next gang moves in.

 

I feel like this would lure more squirrels in, no?

 

No, the existing squirrels protect their new feeding grounds and keep any newcomers out. The only new animals I've seen show up are blue jays. The slick devils swoop in, grab a peanut and fly off with it.