Stolen catalytic converter!

[Climber]

So funny story I'd like to share with my fellow runners. A few weeks ago after I had gotten off of work, already having a horrible day as it was Monday, I jump in my truck and start her up and it sounded like a big block v8. Sounded pretty cool at first but that was short lived as I knew someone had done something. I get out to check out my exhaust and some had cut out my cat while my Truck was parked in the parking lot at work!! They climbed under and used a sawzall to cut it right out! Anyone had this problem before and how I can prevent it? I mean it's not super expensive to replace but it is quite annoying. Ill try to post some pics but I'm on an iPhone right now. You can see they broke one blade trying to cut it out. Gotta love idiots.

-Alex

 

[cacoghill]

dude, damnit, those Bass turds , now you have an excuse to do a cat-back system. hope you get it all worked out.

 

[audiness]

looks like this is becoming an epidemic
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/143881-another-victim-cat-stolen-last-night.html

 

[masphx]

Where at in AZ did this happen?

 

[Climber]

I live I gold canyon but I work in AJ, if your familier with the area it's the bashas complex on signal butte, I filed a police report the day it happened but no response but I have seen more patrols than ussual in the parking lot

 

[5RUNNERZ]

the worst part is there is nothing you can do about it!!! maybe a super sensitive alarm but we all know how annoying those are!

 

[JayRolla]

Scrappers get very good money for the metals inside the converters. This happens a lot all over many places to a lot of trucks, easy targets.

 

[kernel.panik]

This just happened to me a month or so ago. I work over by the Fairgrounds in Phoenix. Ended up costing me $1200 with my deductible and "depreciation" for the Toyota replacement.

 

[hrt4me]

that stinks

 

[kball]

Anyone had this problem before and how I can prevent it? I mean it's not super expensive to replace but it is quite annoying.

Bummer... I hate theives. Not expensive? maybe for a cheap aftermarket but they don't usually last very long from what I've read. OEM cat will be over $1200 I'm sure.

Only way to prevent it is to make it hard for them to get or make it look harder than one down the street so they move on. Same idea as the Club steering wheel lock. You can buy a catclamp, skid plating (or make your own). I made up a cheap visual deterent using some exhaust clamps and chain to make them cut through something thicker than just the exhaust tubing.

 

[Climber]

Bummer... I hate theives. Not expensive? maybe for a cheap aftermarket but they don't usually last very long from what I've read. OEM cat will be over $1200 I'm sure.

Only way to prevent it is to make it hard for them to get or make it look harder than one down the street so they move on. Same idea as the Club steering wheel lock. You can buy a catclamp, skid plating (or make your own). I made up a cheap visual deterent using some exhaust clamps and chain to make them cut through something thicker than just the exhaust tubing.

Yeah I've had decent luck with the cheapy generic cats and they last me a long time, and I do my own welding so I don't need to take it to a shop, but I agree oem cats plus the work the shop had to do with welding can cost anywhere from 1200-2000$. I'm thinking of some kinda storm mesh I can wrap around the exhaust that would make usin a sawzall very difficult, ill let everyone know my idea when I figure it out

 

[Climber]

This just happened to me a month or so ago. I work over by the Fairgrounds in Phoenix. Ended up costing me $1200 with my deductible and "depreciation" for the Toyota replacement.

Yeah the fairgrounds (no offense to anyone) is not the best part of town and wouldn't doubt it's just crawling with scrappers. Dang did you go with the oem cat? I went with the 90$ universal from oreilly as I've used them in the past an. Work great for me

 

[kernel.panik]

No offense taken, I hate this part of town...

I went with OEM and had Camelback toyota do the work and get the part.

The insurance company "adjuster" was a total d!ck and was going to charge depreciation even if I went with the $300 aftermarket part. I went with the more expensive part even though it cost me more money. I've heard that the Toyota cats have more platinum in them and that's why they last longer. Where the turds cut my cat made them have to replace the muffler as well. I don't feel too bad about having to pay $1200, mostly because the insurance company had to pay more than that. I think the total bill was over $2400...

If it happens again, I'll be going with aftermarket and bolting all that crap in myself. My truck needs so much work, I can't afford to take another $1200 hit... My wife's 07 highlander just turned 90k and is going to set us back $1700... It's still under warrantee, so I kind of need to have them "service" it. Timing Belt, Water Pump, 90k service, Spark Plugs ($491), serpentine belt and an oil change...Made those barstages throw in a free rear windshield wiper blade = I win! /end rant.