Catalytic Converter Stolen - Parts?

sorry to hear it
used are bought up for the metals, good luck.

when you're done, make sure to protect it somehow, they're just waiting for your car to reappear.

 

Here’s a fun update. The catalytic converter to our ‘01 Prius was stolen on 12/20/20. Insurance will supposedly cover it under Comprehensive.

But ... living in California, we’re required to use the OEM part (p/n 1741021261). Toyota parts departments are saying
1) there are ZERO available in the whole US
2) no orders have been filled since November
3) there are close to 3,000 backordered

so ... if yours gets nicked in Calif, plan on either waiting a verrrry long time, or junking the car.

Maybe we can lobby for an emergency after-market authorization from CARB (Calif Air Resources Board)?

 

I doubt it will work, but I can say that the larger ecological impact of scrapping these cars merely for want of a catalytic converter is far higher than letting some run around with an aftermarket cat instead. While a good deal of the car would be recycled, the "greenest" car is actually to one that you don't throw away. It takes a lot of ecological abuse to get new cars out onto roads - far more than the little bit of excess emissions from having a non-OEM cat on a Prius.

As much as I doubt you'd get any wholesale changes in CARB policy, I wonder whether there aren't any special provisions for bypassing certain requirements under certain conditions? IDK, not from CA, so I don't know the rules.

 

So sorry; I know how bad it sucks!
Some low life scumbags just snipped off my Ox. sensor & made off with my Gen2's cat. last night (1/12/2021).
They sawed it off such that there is no room to weld a new before the resonator, or so the shop tells me, requiring a full pipe replacement.

So frustrating! I can't pay, or justify, a $2K repair tab on a 4K bluebook value Prius. The exhaust assembly pipe alone is nearly 1K (I'm guessing it's OEM!).

Been seeing lots of vid.s about this happening all over the nation in broad day light; Part of me now seriously wants the hands of these leach thieves cut off! These opportunistic crimes aren't about feeding one's family & requires much knowledge of cat. tech., value of precious metals, & cars; this is just abuse of public confidence & destroys social trust! But our desensitized police take theft waaaaaay too lightly!

Qs:
1. Does WA require OEM (like CA & NY)?
2. Is Gen. 2 exhaust assembly the same for all years (2004-2009)? If so, it might allow for a better odds at a pick & pull junk yard.
3. Any affordable after market recommendations for a 2007?
4. Shops with lower hourly rates in Western WA are also much appreciated. The lowest I found is 105/hr in Renton, WA.

Thanks for your advice.

 

I am following this thread, as I just had the cat cut out of my 2002 Prius. I made several calls. $1800-$2000. One shop got honest with me and suggested I turn the car in to insurance (but I don't have comprehensive). The last guy said after-market doesn't work in 2002 Prius'. Crap crap crap!

 

Told another thread this same thing this morning: go buy a wrecked Prius, pull the complete exhaust - lots easier that piecing together replacement parts - then sell the rest of the car for scrap. I see a couple of CA victims, like the guy in the other thread - there are a lot of old Prii for sale in CA on IAAI.com right now. I also saw at least one in Seattle. I've bought several on auction and go for only a few hundred dollars. Wish y'all posted this thread a year ago - I sold the exhaust/cats out of two of my cars.

The other big auction house is Copart.com. They usually have some in CA as well - Prii sold very well on the West coast - but right now they only have three and they're across the country. But just wait a bit and there will be some. I prefer Copart because there's no cost to bid. IAAI.com, the last time I checked, required a few hundred dollars Membership. Since you'd probably only be buying one car, it might be cheaper to just pay a broker to bid for you. They should have links to some on the site.

Literally, you can buy the car, pull off the exhaust in the parking lot (maybe you have to tow it off their lot to work on it), then give them the car back and tell them to put it back in the auction. Or, if you already have it on a trailer (I have my own) or a wrecker, just have them haul it to a scrap yard when you've got the exhaust. Either way, you might get a good bit of your money back. Or, part it out, although the market for used parts on these cars isn't strong.

BTW, if anyone needs miscellaneous parts, I got two parts cars with lots of stuff left. Just pay shipping and some nominal fee for me to take it off the car - I need to get rid of them and will be hauling them off soon. But, as I said, already sold the cats. Or, I have one more Prii with the cat left. I haven't even looked at that car yet and expect it only needs a HV battery, but I paid so little for it that I don't mind selling the exhaust - I'd make a profit on the whole car just selling that.

 

You just need the cat to pass smog test. Find someone who can 'rent' you one. You can buy a non-CA cat, I went to Nevada to buy one, they do NOT check at the smog place that I go to if its a california cat or not, but you are still missing the vacuum valve which the check engine light will come on if missing.

And btw, if anyone has junk gen1 prius, I will buy the MG2 out of them if cheap enough.

 

Wow, I just had my cat stolen off my gen 1 Prius yesterday. Guess I’m screwed. It ran great. Kalifornia sucks with its rules. Leaving the state in a couple years.

 

What did you end up doing?

 

You can add me to the growing list of victims - I had my cat stolen a few days ago from my 2003. I knew I was in trouble the moment I saw a large metal pipe resting against my read tires. And I'm in SoCal so I'm mega screwed.

My registration is due next month but no smog check required until next year. I know there's a "temporary route" that I could take that would keep the car silent, albeit with a check engine light, so I could get another year out of it.

If I junk the car I'd be lucky to get $175 from Pick Your Part. The Hybrid Battery is a solid performer so I put that on OfferUp and CL but apparently no one needs one. Is it worth pulling the battery before I junk the car and trying to sell the individual cells?

My temptation at this point is to take the pipe the scumbags left and drive around at night looking for them and using it on various parts of their body.

 

I want the battery! Are you able to remove it and ship it strapped securely to a pallet? Dang, was just in LA a couple of weeks ago, but I'll be coming back. If not, what do you want for the whole car? Details? Not as strict here in Texas.

 

Are you still looking to buy a Prius. I’ve got an amazing one that only needs a cat. Just over 200K and on its second battery with factory install. Engine. Suspension. Gas mileage. All perfect and immaculate. Interior reasonably clean. All power windows work

short window of opportunity before I move out or California and keep this car forever

 

I thought the dealers ran out of stock and not in production anymore? So there were NONE available for a while,
but now the aftermarket is cashing in with $1500 replacements.

 

As in waiting forever? I see "no longer available". I just checked toyotapartsdeal and it says nothing and lets me put it in the cart,
so not sure if that means they are producing them again or that this online store will take your money and then not delivery the part..
If anyone can confirm you can buy the cat/pipe assembly I'd like to know!