Catlocs do work

[Wooster]

I'm getting paranoid about my Cat Converter.  My 2010 Prius had it's Cat stolen and i had the Catloc fitted afterwards.  I traded the Prius in for a 2018 Auris Hybrid and had the Catloc fitted immediately. Within a few days I noticed a fresh dent in the sill under the drivers door where (I'm sure) some scumbag (in a Sainsbury's car park) had lifted the car up with a jack, seen the Catloc and moved on to find easier pickings.  (See photo)  Now debating weather buying another hybrid was such a good idea...

[flash22]

Well the catloc has done its job, as you say they want the easy ones, de-badging the car may not be a bad idea

 

At least you had the foresight to get a catloc to start with

[BhxTrev]

I was never sure that a catloc would really deter thieves but it’s nice to know about your experience. I had one fitted a while ago & so far no problems. If others have comments on the effectiveness of the catloc please let us know.

[Duffryn]

I had a catloc fitted a few weeks ago by a Toyota dealership - but they didn't supply any window stickers, which I think should accompany each catloc. After 3 fruitless phone calls to the dealer I eventually gave up on them and bought some non-genuine ones via eBay. I'd be interested to know if anyone else received window (warning) stickers with their catloc?

[Wooster]

You most certainly should have received the window stickers.  I had a Catloc fitted to my old Prius - and received stickers.  I've very recently had a Catloc fitted to my Auris and received the stickers.  I'd recommend you contact the Toyota dealership again and ask for the name of the After Sales Manager. 

But - not sure what use the stickers are.  As you said, you can buy stickers on eBay, so they don't prove you have a Catloc fitted.  It only takes the thieving scum a few seconds to look under you car - stickers or not. 

[Auris James]

36 minutes ago, Wooster said:

You most certainly should have received the window stickers.  I had a Catloc fitted to my old Prius - and received stickers.  I've very recently had a Catloc fitted to my Auris and received the stickers.  I'd recommend you contact the Toyota dealership again and ask for the name of the After Sales Manager. 

But - not sure what use the stickers are.  As you said, you can buy stickers on eBay, so they don't prove you have a Catloc fitted.  It only takes the thieving scum a few seconds to look under you car - stickers or not. 

I wouldn't bother with the stickers. Why give them the heads up on what security you have. They then know if done a Catloc before what tools they will need to remove. They will look under anyway, hoping no security.

James.👍

[AJones]

13 hours ago, Duffryn said:

I'd be interested to know if anyone else received window (warning) stickers with their catloc?

I received a small Catlock pack with two window stickers, a plastic ID card with the unique code now marked on the catalytic converter and an instruction card on how to register the cat and to check the registration on the ISR register. 

I checked the ISR website and the code didn't appear as being registered, so put all my details in and registered it myself to the vehicle. I understand the idea is if the cat gets stolen, you report it to the ISR so that if the cat is then located by police, its traceable as having been stolen off your vehicle.

[Duffryn]

1 hour ago, AJones said:

I received a small Catlock pack with two window stickers, a plastic ID card with the unique code now marked on the catalytic converter and an instruction card on how to register the cat and to check the registration on the ISR register. 

I checked the ISR website and the code didn't appear as being registered, so put all my details in and registered it myself to the vehicle. I understand the idea is if the cat gets stolen, you report it to the ISR so that if the cat is then located by police, its traceable as having been stolen off your vehicle.

Yes I did get the ID card - it was left loose on the passenger seat, so I registered it with ISR etc. The dealer told me the stickers had  been left with the card when they clearly hadn't, I made 3 phone calls to the (completely disinterested) dealer - on the last one they said they would contact Catloc about it, 6 weeks later and I'm still waiting... Won't be using that dealer again in a hurry!

[Catlover]

The stickers will hardly put off a theif, they know what tools to use cause you have told them - thank you very much they may say.

Be better getting eBay stickers with the name on of anexpensive tilt alarm company. They would be more reluctant to take notice of that.

As for not using a dealer again because you not got stickers...... personally, it wouldnt bother me, but obviously it bothers you.

[Wooster]

Stickers - maybe they do have a use.  My Auris had the Catloc but I hadn't got around to fitting the stickers.  A few days later some scumbag had used some mechanical lifter to raise the car and damaged the sill.  (And the Catloc made them go elsewhere)  May - just maybe - if the window stickers had been fitted, they wouldn't have bothered to jack the car up and I wouldn't have a damaged sill.  I have now fitted the stickers.

[BhxTrev]

The stickers were put on the rear quarter light windows by the dealer when I had my catloc fitted. I also registered the code stamped on the catloc as instructed to do so. I have to say the stickers are small & very insignificant so I did question if, especially in the dark, the scumbag thieves  would notice them.

Other than fit a tilt alarm, I’ve done all I can at a cost to myself, to put off a would be cat thief. My car’s approaching 5 years old & if the catloc does get stolen, with all the costs, inconvenience & anxiety about this sordid business of cat theft, after replacing it I will immediately part chop my car for another non hybrid. It would therefore probably not be Toyota but hopefully a Japanese marque, after all the cost of the catloc plus the cost of replacing the cat buys a lot of fuel so why on Earth would I even consider another hybrid car?

There is surely something Toyota could do like make sure their hybrid cars are fitted with suitable alarms to stop the cat getting stolen. The theft alarm fitted to my car by them is about as useful as a rubber screwdriver regarding this number one problem with all hybrid cars. Until this problem is addressed, this will certainly be the last hybrid car I will ever buy!

[Duffryn]

1 hour ago, Catlover said:

The stickers will hardly put off a theif, they know what tools to use cause you have told them - thank you very much they may say.

Be better getting ebay stickers with the name on of anexpensive tilt alarm company. They would be more reluctant to take notice of that.

As for not using a dealer again because you not got stickers...... personally, it wouldnt bother me, but obviously it bothers you.

I did end up with eBay stickers Joe, some yellow ones in fact.

The dealer I used is the one that is closest to me (10 miles) and they collected and returned the car without additional charge. My preferred dealer is 30 miles away,  I used the nearest one for convenience at the time, it was their disinterested attitude (and fibs!) that annoyed me as I also had 2 new tyres fitted at the same time, spending some £525 with them in total. 

[TonyHSD]

3 hours ago, Wooster said:

Stickers - maybe they do have a use.  My Auris had the Catloc but I hadn't got around to fitting the stickers.  A few days later some scumbag had used some mechanical lifter to raise the car and damaged the sill.  (And the Catloc made them go elsewhere)  May - just maybe - if the window stickers had been fitted, they wouldn't have bothered to jack the car up and I wouldn't have a damaged sill.  I have now fitted the stickers.

Thieves most likely had to release your car on a hurry and the car went down at speed and hit the jack is my opinion what had caused the damage, my advice is to have look for any damage to the cat lock or exhaust underneath. They do not lift up the cars to see if there is a cat lock or not, they lift up when they try to steal., I have watched enough videos to understand them how they think and how they work and from what they usually afraid. Someone perhaps had seen them and start shouting and they decided to give up and run away, not risking been caught with runaway car full of equipment and product (stolen cats). 

[Wooster]

17 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

...my advice is to have look for any damage to the cat lock or exhaust underneath...

Thanks for your thoughts, Tony.  I've had a good look underneath the car with a bright, mains driven inspection lamp.  I couldn't see anything that had been knocked or tampered with.  No scuff marks, saw marks, scratches etc. The only damage (apart from what is in my original photo) was where the underseal had been damaged.  The sill has a crease - pointing downwards - and the underseal on the crease had been squashed (by their jack, presumably) and it had cracked.  I peeled and picked off the loose stuff (only a few millimetres) and coated it (twice) with Hammerite Car Body Underseal using a cotton bud. Also used the underseal on the damage to the sill in the photo.

Contacted the Workshop Controller at the Toyota dealer I use with my photo.  He said no structural damage would have been caused as the sill is very, very strong.  I can't see the point in (even) getting it fixed. you don't see it until you are on your hands and knees on the ground.

I reported it to the Police and received an email saying there was nothing they could do as there was no cctv.  (But if I was traumatised by the event I could contact...) Really, just wanted to be included in the crime statistics. 

 

[flash22]

Stickers - can the low life's read English or even read at all !!

A Catloc is very hard to remove, the cat is bolted with a brace using shear nuts this is chained to another mount, that is nut and bolted with another shear nut

The plate is bolted in place and is under the 2 subframe braces, as before it's too much hassle for them

[TonyHSD]

25 minutes ago, Wooster said:

Thanks for your thoughts, Tony.  I've had a good look underneath the car with a bright, mains driven inspection lamp.  I couldn't see anything that had been knocked or tampered with.  No scuff marks, saw marks, scratches etc. The only damage (apart from what is in my original photo) was where the underseal had been damaged.  The sill has a crease - pointing downwards - and the underseal on the crease had been squashed (by their jack, presumably) and it had cracked.  I peeled and picked off the loose stuff (only a few millimetres) and coated it (twice) with Hammerite Car Body Underseal using a cotton bud. Also used the underseal on the damage to the sill in the photo.

Contacted the Workshop Controller at the Toyota dealer I use with my photo.  He said no structural damage would have been caused as the sill is very, very strong.  I can't see the point in (even) getting it fixed. you don't see it until you are on your hands and knees on the ground.

I reported it to the Police and received an email saying there was nothing they could do as there was no cctv.  (But if I was traumatised by the event I could contact...) Really, just wanted to be included in the crime statistics. 

 

That’s good then, no more damage underneath or the exhaust. In near future all that might gone thieves to move on something else and no more trouble but knowing our cars been a target now not ideal. 
All the best.👍
 

[Wooster]

32 minutes ago, flash22 said:

Stickers - can the low life's read English or even read at all !!

You wouldn't need to read.  Just the ability to see a yellow sticker in a side window with black lettering.  It would probably mean there's a security device fitted....