Catalytic converter stolen - advice

Stallingrad

So my brother's catalytic converter was cut off last night. He's gutted, the car was a 00 Yaris and has been quoted €400 for a new cat and O2 sensor, which is as much as the car is worth.

If he pays to get repaired there is no guarantee it won't be cut off the next day, and as it won't pass the NCT it looks as though he has to try and find another brand of car.

He bought the Yaris as they have such a great reputation for reliability and so it has proved. It really was the ideal car for him, low tax and frugal, but now has to consider something else that ticks those boxes. Any suggestions?

As an aside there is a place in hell for people who would steal from those that obviously can ill afford it.

doctorchopper

Ebay £54. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-YARIS-Catalytic-Converter-Exhaust-TY6000H-90727H-1-0-4-1999-3-2003/143541192020?fits=Car+Make%3AToyota%7CModel%3AYaris%2FVitz&hash=item216bb8c554:g:0S8AAOSwl7peVlmQ

Pops_20

I know its not ideal, but could your brother get a decat and a cat. Put the decat in now, so if the thieves come back, they will get SFA. Then put the cat in just before the NCT.

zg3409

Common issue and as you say they might come back. As others have said you could put in a bad or gutted cat, and then a good one for nct. Some garages have made security covers out of steel or bar to make it harder to steal. A motion alarm might help too.

Cheap cats from eBay may not pass nct or may not last. There is supposed to be platinum in them which us what they are expensive.

It might make sense to buy another car for 400 euro just to get cat or as a complete replacement.

unhappys10

zg3409 wrote: »

As others have said you could put in a bad or gutted cat, and then a good one for nct.

Waste of time, how are they to know its bad or gutted until its cut out again?

Stallingrad

zg3409 wrote: »

It might make sense to buy another car for 400 euro just to get cat or as a complete replacement.

It looks as though it may have to be another make of car as the Yaris seems very vulnerable by all accounts. Yet his Yaris is sold as as a rock otherwise, nothing can touch it for running costs and reliability.

It's a lousy situation.

dkd21

If at all possible , raise the issue with your local TD . This is an ongoing issue up and down the country and needs action which only can be brought about by new legislation with scrapyards buying these converters.

Unfortunately theres always the possiblity it will happen him again ..

selectamatic

If there's a good chunk of nct left on it get that ebay cat/pipe linked above for it and drive on. Replacement o2 sensor will be about 40 euro too or chance one from a breakers for cheap.

Next Nct time it might have emissions problems but there's a chance it won't.

The beauty of the ebay one is that no one will cut it out because they know it's worth nothing.

Stallingrad

selectamatic wrote: »

If there's a good chunk of nct left on it get that ebay cat/pipe linked above for it and drive on. Replacement o2 sensor will be about 40 euro too or chance one from a breakers for cheap.

Next Nct time it might have emissions problems but there's a chance it won't.

The beauty of the ebay one is that no one will cut it out because they know it's worth nothing.

Maybe the way to go alright, what is the deal with the ebay CAT, how are them selling them if they do nothing?!

Stallingrad

Update: Car passed NCT emissions, so ebay Cat did the job. Bonus.

selectamatic

Stallingrad wrote: »

Maybe the way to go alright, what is the deal with the ebay CAT, how are them selling them if they do nothing?!

Much less/if any amounts of precious metals in them. A car that's running fine and burning no oil generally has a good chance of passing emissions.

Great to hear about it passing the test.

zilog_jones

selectamatic wrote: »

Much less/if any amounts of precious metals in them.

Yeah it's not that the cheap cats do nothing, it's the Toyota OEM cats are particularly valuable, possibly over-engineered? Same goes for certain Hondas and probably others.

Meeoow

I didn't realise the feckers are robbing cats from 'normal' cars. I thought it was just Prius and the like.
How do you know when the cat is robbed from your car?

listermint

Meeoow wrote: »

I didn't realise the feckers are robbing cats from 'normal' cars. I thought it was just Prius and the like.
How do you know when the cat is robbed from your car?

If you don't know then your ears are broken and your feet nerves.

beauf

zilog_jones wrote: »

Yeah it's not that the cheap cats do nothing, it's the Toyota OEM cats are particularly valuable, possibly over-engineered? Same goes for certain Hondas and probably others.

They use some metals that are worth more. That's why. They will steal a cat from any car. So a different car is no guarantee they won't do that again.

Stealing these should have a special charge as it causes all sorts of problems for people going forward and the design of cats.

mikeecho

Currently out of stock... £130 https://www.autopartspro.co.uk/nap-cleanair-15794198

But I'm sure a bit of googling will find it somewhere else.

zilog_jones

beauf wrote: »

Stealing these should have a special charge as it causes all sorts of problems for people going forward and the design of cats.

It's already changed - on newer cars the cat is much closer to the exhaust manifold (for reasons other than theft) so are generally more difficult to access.

AutoGuru

Have an aftermarket fitted it will cost you approximately €150!

Also put a sticker on the window THIS VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH AN AFTER MARKET CAT CONVERTER

vandriver

AutoGuru wrote: »

Have an aftermarket fitted it will cost you approximately €150!

Also put a sticker on the window THIS VEHICLE IS FITTED WITH AN AFTER MARKET CAT CONVERTER

How much for just the sticker?

Pops_20

mondeo

Who do the thieves sell the cats to after them rob them ?

AutoGuru

mondeo wrote: »

Who do the thieves sell the cats to after them rob them ?

End up in refineries to extract the precious metals inside

mgbgt1978

And in between there's at least 4 middle guys, who all take their cut.

Banana Republic 1

Stallingrad wrote: »

So my brother's catalytic converter was cut off last night. He's gutted, the car was a 00 Yaris and has been quoted €400 for a new cat and O2 sensor, which is as much as the car is worth.

If he pays to get repaired there is no guarantee it won't be cut off the next day, and as it won't pass the NCT it looks as though he has to try and find another brand of car.

He bought the Yaris as they have such a great reputation for reliability and so it has proved. It really was the ideal car for him, low tax and frugal, but now has to consider something else that ticks those boxes. Any suggestions?

As an aside there is a place in hell for people who would steal from those that obviously can ill afford it.

Mercedes G Wagon