Catalytic converter theft

[Gerg]

25 minutes ago, GreenJuice said:

Gen4 Prius is also a target

Not necessarily so, the OP has a 'Prius Plus' which is based on the older Prius gen 3 type architecture, I believe.

2 hours ago, Delamigo said:

A simple alarm lock placed on the tyre costing approx £12

Lovely idea!  Do you have a picture or link to help buy something similar?

There was a similar report from an online Rugby newspaper, if I remember correctly, where the owner (who explained he had quite an imposing presence) scared the thieves off, perhaps the news story was about you?  A link to the story got posted up here in another thread, a very short while back.  I can't find that thread, sadly.

[BhxTrev]

I’d be very interested in where I can obtain a tyre alarm from so please post a suitable link.

[BhxTrev]

Just searched the internet & can’t find anywhere that sells these £12 tyre alarms. Any ideas folks?

[TonyHSD]

The biggest problem when trying to defend what is yours is that first you will get into big trouble with police and secondly these lowlifes may return and set your house on fire , look at the news what happens to someone who involved himself with crooks like that., all burnt down, horrible. Better let them take it and go away. Insurance will pay for a new exhaust. Life continues as usual otherwise all can be changed upside down. That’s what actually scares me the most, since I love my car as a family member and if I see them underneath cutting  don’t know how will react, I better never see them because of that. 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Topics merged

[priusnoob]

On 2/10/2020 at 11:12 AM, FROSTYBALLS said:

For these models, Honda have done no more than Toyota. The cat protection is a tray under the car to deter thieves, which is essentially what the Catloc is.

From the wording, it seems like it's there "as standard" though? And not what Toyota is doing where if you want it, you pay for it after buying the car. I'm sure people would prefer a "Catloc" type device to be there when they've already bought the car especially if that car is bought brand new, and on some kind of finance plan. An extra £250 isn't a lot for a 30K+ car when on finance.

[FROSTYBALLS]

24 minutes ago, priusnoob said:

From the wording, it seems like it's there "as standard" though?

Not on the Honda models which are subject to cat theft - otherwise these models wouldn't be affected

[priusnoob]

2 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

Not on the Honda models which are subject to cat theft - otherwise these models wouldn't be affected

But they've started to do it on some models "as standard" but not those that are subject to cat theft?

[SianZombie]

Hi, I have a second generation prius 2007. In February my catalytic converter was stolen. I discussed the repair options with my local mechanic and he advised me to get it done through Toyota as he had tried fitting aftermarket cats on 3 priuses and said they couldn't get the cars to run properly,  emissions problems and check engine lights on dash wouldn't go off. On his advice I decided to go through the insurance to get the genuine cat put back on. The garage chosen by my insurance company said they could do the repairs and when I questioned them it turned out they had quoted £1200 for a NON GENUINE CAT! Toyota quoted £1000 for genuine part. I challenged my insurance company about this and after a month of complaining they eventually agreed that only the genuine part should be used. The garage went ahead and did the repair but after driving a few miles my Check engine lights are on. Is there any way I can check if the garage did in fact use the non genuine part they had originally ordered? 

Thanks Sian

[BhxTrev]

12 minutes ago, SianZombie said:

Hi, I have a second generation prius 2007. In February my catalytic converter was stolen. I discussed the repair options with my local mechanic and he advised me to get it done through Toyota as he had tried fitting aftermarket cats on 3 priuses and said they couldn't get the cars to run properly,  emissions problems and check engine lights on dash wouldn't go off. On his advice I decided to go through the insurance to get the genuine cat put back on. The garage chosen by my insurance company said they could do the repairs and when I questioned them it turned out they had quoted £1200 for a NON GENUINE CAT! Toyota quoted £1000 for genuine part. I challenged my insurance company about this and after a month of complaining they eventually agreed that only the genuine part should be used. The garage went ahead and did the repair but after driving a few miles my Check engine lights are on. Is there any way I can check if the garage did in fact use the non genuine part they had originally ordered? 

Thanks Sian

Hi Sian, the only way I reckon you can check that is to take your car to a Toyota garage, explain your concern & see if they can determine whether it’s not a genuine part. There might be a charge for doing that but at least you will be armed with the information verified by Toyota, to challenge your insurance company.

[Gerg]

Hi,

In addition to the above, if you could take a photograph of the new exhaust piece and post it up on here, then that would be a leg-up to help  establish if it's a Toyota part, maybe someone can then work it out?  The Toyota parts are often quite distinctive.

I appreciate that the weather is windy and cold!. The part of the exhaust that you need to photograph is slightly behind the front wheels, towards the centre of the car.  Realistically, you (someone?) is going to have to lie beside the car to do this, unless you can arrange something ingenious with a selfie stick.

[SianZombie]

Thanks very much for your replies. Yes I can do that in the morning,  I had to take photos of the missing cat as that's all the garage saw before they said they could do the repair.  I have read that the o2 sensor needs to be replaced and programmed to the computer,  I've asked them if they did that. Thanks again,  I will post pics tomorrow morning 😃

[FROSTYBALLS]

Topics merged.

[Gerg]

Just to give an idea of what the genuine Toyota exhaust looks like, these first two pictures are of Prius gen 2 systems (next to an aftermarket catalyst in the first picture).  Notice the smooth tapers at the beginning and end of the 'silencer' boxes, and the general lack of external ridges and seams.

 

 

The following pictures are aftermarket pipes, some are shorter because they are designed to fit onto what is usually left after the thief has stolen the valuable parts.  Notice especially that the last silencer sometimes looks like a oversize food tin, which it doesn't on the genuine Toyota system.

 

Hope that helps.

[flash22]

There is another type with the secondary cat on the gen 2 and gen 3 that has the vacuum operated diverter on it

 

 

[priusnoob]

On 4/5/2021 at 9:02 AM, SianZombie said:

Hi, I have a second generation prius 2007. In February my catalytic converter was stolen. I discussed the repair options with my local mechanic and he advised me to get it done through Toyota as he had tried fitting aftermarket cats on 3 priuses and said they couldn't get the cars to run properly,  emissions problems and check engine lights on dash wouldn't go off. On his advice I decided to go through the insurance to get the genuine cat put back on. The garage chosen by my insurance company said they could do the repairs and when I questioned them it turned out they had quoted £1200 for a NON GENUINE CAT! Toyota quoted £1000 for genuine part. I challenged my insurance company about this and after a month of complaining they eventually agreed that only the genuine part should be used. The garage went ahead and did the repair but after driving a few miles my Check engine lights are on. Is there any way I can check if the garage did in fact use the non genuine part they had originally ordered? 

Thanks Sian

£1200!!! I got an after market one with an after market oxygen sensor for my gen3, for £512 + labour.

[Duffryn]

The subject of catalytic converter thefts was covered today on BBC's Morning Live programme. They mentioned that Toyota and Honda cars, especially hybrids, were particularly attractive to the scumbags (my word!), due to reduced wear. Nice of them to advertise that, and to virtually describe how easy it is to remove them.

Some while ago I received a mailshot from my dealer offering to fit a Catloc for (iirc) £250 all in. Unfortunately I've scrapped that letter but intend to ring them to find out if that offer still stands.

[Parts-King]

1 minute ago, Duffryn said:

The subject of catalytic converter thefts was covered today on BBC's Morning Live programme. They mentioned that Toyota and Honda cars, especially hybrids, were particularly attractive to the scumbags (my word!), due to reduced wear. Nice of them to advertise that, and to virtually describe how easy it is to remove them.

Some while ago I received a mailshot from my dealer offering to fit a Catloc for (iirc) £250 all in. Unfortunately I've scrapped that letter but intend to ring them to find out if that offer still stands.

It still stands

[Parts-King]

On 4/9/2021 at 11:50 PM, priusnoob said:

£1200!!! I got an after market one with an after market oxygen sensor for my gen3, for £512 + labour.

Sadly, some of these stolen Cats end up back on auction sites, which perpetuates the problem. Stolen cats create a demand for second hand ones. 

[priusnoob]

3 hours ago, Parts-King said:

Sadly, some of these stolen Cats end up back on auction sites, which perpetuates the problem. Stolen cats create a demand for second hand ones. 

I did think that'd be the case especially with sellers that have 10+ items of old catalytic converters 

The one that I got is brand new however from BM catalysts. I'm getting my Toyota dealer to install tilt sensors on it and I've also got dashcams installed now too. 

[ColinBarber]

The following was started by someone over on LOC as the CT200h is another vehicle commonly hit. It would be good if you all could sign it and pass on to others too.

https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/575859

 

 

[Chris Dance]

I have signed the petition and passed it on. The petition needs lots more folk to sign up before government will take any notice. At the moment it looks like a lost cause!!

[TonyHSD]

All done.

[Catlover]

Signed it a few days ago, only increased about 40 since.

It needed a catchy headliner, more suited to make punters look, maybe a sticky at the top of each forum as virtually all car owners on TOC will have a CAT.

[flash22]

The CT200H is just an Auris in a suit and tie with a Rolex watch (or should that be a designer skirt and blouse)

The law has tightened a bit with harsher punishment (still only a slap on the wrist TBH) police will not do anything as it's a low priority crime iirc the MET class it as "theft from a motor vehicle" so it gets lumped in with smash and grab type crimes

 

As always it will take someone loosing their life before action is taken be it the scum or the victims