Stolen Catalytic converter

I worked as an assistant mechanic back in my high school days when smog inspection certification was just getting started in California and was trained on the equipment, but wasn't able to get certified because shop only wanted to pay to have one mechanic certified. That was a long time ago...

Your friend sounds likes an honest, intelligent person who cared about his job and the risks involved for him and his bosses business. But truth is, there's plenty of California smog inspectors who hate their job and could care less if they break their bosses expensive equipment or cause 'em to lose their license or get fined.

And again, your stern tone comes across as pretty rich seeing as you're in South Carolina where they think air pollution laws are "too powerful" and are seeking to break up the agency and defund it so it can no longer enorce the pathetically meager laws that barely exist in the state in the first place: Lawmakers consider whether to break up public health agency

 

You assume that "all: of South Carolina" is conservative which is a thinly veiled euphemism for reactionary, My real views are progressive. Personally, I agree with most of the C.A.R.B. regulations to protect the environment. Fiscal conservationism in the true meaning of the word does not equate to social conservatism.

I do not, however, believe that California should require OEM grade cats made only by Toyota on Prius cars.

That is contrary to "equal protection (or standards) under law."

 

^ I do not remember reading about “equal standards” under the law as applied to catalytic converters....or window tint...or access to abortion.....or reciprocity for CCPs.

“Equal Standards” sounds fairly dangerous.

I was lucky enough to live in the Palmetto State for several years, and it remains one of my favorite states, and having only visited the California for weeks at a time I am not the least bit surprised to find somebody from that state critiquing from a position of ignorance about their pollution standards.....but then the Carolinas are *adding* residents....

 

Unfortunately, the requirement of OEM quality replacement cats in California discriminates against the poor and those who can least afford it.

 

Yes...but think of the poor people in freer states who have access to high quality gas sippers once they are exported out of the PRC.

 

Mirror, mirror, on the wall ...

 

I'm poor, live in a place that you could run a straight pipe and get away with it and still feel the OEM catalytic converter is the way to go.

 

The engine is optimized for highest MPG based on the specific back pressure the cat provides. I pointed out earlier today on a FB Prius group that a straight pipe may end up costing more in the long run in lost MPG than cost of cheap aftermarket cat and I've seen folks document similar problems on Youtube when they switched to a straight pipe.

 

Switching to a straight pipe is illegal, somewhat immoral, and people that resort to this activity are usually only temporary custodians of the car in question.
As far as the cost of gas?
That's somewhat trivial in states where it's already generally cheaper by over a dollar a gallon....

 

I hate straight pipes too. But seriously, there's no emissions inspection in the state I live in and I know many who have ran straight pipes for decades on all their vehicles without being caught. In fact, I don't know a single one who has been caught. (Maybe I should report them).