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Best catalytic converter anti-theft device, Gen 2?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by bnprius, Nov 6, 2021.

  1. bnprius

    bnprius Junior Member

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    Our 2007 Prius, which we've owned since it was new, had its catalytic converter cut out last night, despite being parked right under my bedroom window--the thieves must have worked incredibly quickly & quietly. Fortunatly, we have comprehensive auto insurance with no deductible, which will help defray the high cost of having it replaced by our local dealer. Currently with 165,000 miles, we intend to keep our Prius to 300,000--it is by far the best car we have ever owned. We will need to protect the new cat from being stolen again.
    If any of you have experience with any of the aftermarket anti-theft devices designed for this car, please let me & others benefit from it.
    Some of the devices that came up in an initial search of past posts on Priuschat are as follows:
    1) Catclamp.com -- it looks like it would not trap heat, but does it rattle or have other disadvantages?
    2) Miller Cat Shield, https://catshield.com -- some reports indicate problems with rattling, and would it cause overheating?
    3) Cat Security, getcatsecurity.com -- it sounds like it could not be removed once installed, and are there problems with rattling or overheating?
    Thank you in advance for any advice you can share. As a longtime Priuschat member, we have gotten invaluable advice here in the past.
    Bill in Ypsilanti MI
     
  2. nancytheprius

    nancytheprius Active Member

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    I have the cat security shield installed and I am super happy with it. if you place a 2x4 or a hockey puck in between during the install, you won’t have to worry abt rattling.
     
  3. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    If they pay you directly with a check for the settlement, I'd just install a cheap aftermarket cat, if your state allows it.





    Just forget any anti-theft device.

    If the fool steals it, the aftermarket cat is not worth much.
     
  4. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Looks like Detroit area is rife with thefts, just like most large metro areas lately. Police can’t be bothered to do much. Insurance companies will pay to replace with OEM once or twice without impacting your policy but not sure they’ll just cut you a check without seeing proof of installation.

    Although the shields look imposing, as many posts here say, probably just a time delay. May help on your block if noise or time is a deterrent. The OEM on mine was stolen twice from prior owner. Now as a result I have an almost new OEM and car is in garage. But it does impact my ability to comfortably use the car given risk of loss at airports or in large city driving.

    interesting other comment above about rattling noise without spacer or hockey puck on cat shield that I hadn’t read previously. I wonder what the heat of the cat does to rubber or wood.
     
  5. nancytheprius

    nancytheprius Active Member

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    just during install!
     
  6. koco

    koco Member

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    With the aluminum shield it's the 3 nuts at the front of it that are the weak point. Those can be removed allowing access to the front of the cat. The install should include steps to put rivets or tamper proof screws on those nuts, or maybe put some stick epoxy over a couple of them. Any of these will just slow down the removal if someone wants to make the effort, but at least it might not be stolen in a store parking lot.
     
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  7. Moving Right Along

    Moving Right Along Senior Member

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    I have the Cat Security shield on mine. No rattles or overheating, no problems with getting the car worked on, and no more worries about getting the converter stolen!
     
  8. bnprius

    bnprius Junior Member

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    Thank you to those who have replied so far.

    The MillerCAT Stainless Steel Cat Shield for Prius Gen 2 looks the most interesting. It would be corrosion-free, important here in Michigan and installs without drilling, is very resistant to cutting, and includes a Deadbolt lock for additional security, all for a price of $340. It's also part of the Toyota Associated Products Program, which may be advantageous for having our local Toyota dealer install it along with the new cat.

    Does anyone have first-hand experience with this MillerCAT Stainless Steel Cat Shield for Prius Gen 2 installed on their Prius?

    Bill
     
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  9. lexidium

    lexidium Active Member

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    My daughter, my friend and I have all had them stolen and then fitted aftermarket cats.
    We haven't bothered with security fittings because they're not going to bother stealing them now since they are not worth anything.
    Over the past years, my hybrid shop has fitted any number of these now - without ever having one stolen again.
     
  10. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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    "Fitted any number of these" you're referring to aftermarket cats? As opposed to shields? Yeah $200 or less for a aftermarket cat. Better than having a cat shield destroyed and a cat stolen.

    For $2-300 doesn't look too difficult to have a sheet metal shop make a shield or make my own.
     
  11. lexidium

    lexidium Active Member

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    Yes aftermarket cats.
     
  12. bnprius

    bnprius Junior Member

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    Update--we have a 2007 Prius, bought new, with 170,000 miles on it, and we live in salty Michigan. I have had our Prius treated with "Corrosion Free" rustproofing from Canada, luckily available in Ann Arbor, in hopes of staving off overall rot, since 140,000. My aim is to make it to 300,000. I've always used Mobil 1 synthetic 5w30 Extended Performance, changing it every 5,000 miles, and the Prius still consumes no oil between changes. We had the radiator replaced at 155,000 miles when it leaked due to corrosion. Visible body rust is minimal, just a bit on the rocker panel ahead of the rear wheel.

    On Nov. 6 our catalytic converter was sawn off our Prius in the middle of the night, despite it being parked next to my bedroom. I have State Farm insurance with comprehensive coverage and no deductible. They paid to have the Prius transported to our dealer, Victory Toyota in Canton MI, who confirmed the theft and sent photos to State Farm. After a long, long wait, State Farm agreed to pay the $3016 cost of a new OEM catalytic converter + labor to install it.

    After looking at this and other posts about the rest of the exhaust system, namely the exhaust manifold and the rear muffler, I decided to pay to have those parts replaced, too, so that the entire exhaust system will be new--and hopefully good to go for another 170,000+ miles.

    I seriously doubt that aftermarket parts could last that long.

    To combat the theft problem, I decided on the MillerCAT Stainless Steel Shield + Deadbolt, which costs $340, and which is carried by the Toyota Associated Products Program, totaap.com, so the dealer could order it directly.

    Total cost estimate BEYOND what State Farm is paying is $1650, which includes the cost of the OEM exhaust manifold, exhaust manifold heat shield, gasket, OEM rear muffler, and the MillerCAT Stainless Steel + Deadbolt, and labor (minus a $250 discount coupon offered by the dealer).

    We should have our Prius back before Thanksgiving, and I'll post a report then on the results.

    Bill in Ypsilanti MI
     
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  13. BlastFromThePast

    BlastFromThePast Junior Member

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    You can get one of those power failure sirens that professional security companies use to secure buildings from burglars who shut off the power to the building before breaking in. Then modify it so it sounds and latches on when a sensor wire goes open circuit. Connect one wire to the back of the exhaust pipe, which is hanging and insulated by rubber exhaust hangers, and connect the other end to the chassis. When they cut off one end of the cat, it will trigger the siren. Thieves hate noise. It should also let you know when your exhaust flex joint fails completely.

    This actually helps get the thieves caught instead of just encouraging the thief to go to the next vehicle. A thief that isn't caught will always keep coming back to steal something else. That's what those burglar alarm signs do, they just make the burglar keep going until there's a house that doesn't advertise that it has an alarm and overall crime isn't reduced at all.

    You could also get a medium carbon steel like 1045 steel or high carbon or stainless or other heat treatable round or square bar. Have it fitted to the front and back pipes around the cat so it can be welded in multiple places to the cat and clamped in at least one spot to the pipes in front or in back. Then have it heat treated to harden it. Heat treating can even be done with just a blowtorch and a water tank to quench it. Then put it on. Those saws that thieves use will not be able to cut through hardened steel.

    Come to think of it, you can get chain that is hardened. Grade 70 or higher chain should be hard enough break the teeth off a saw blade. You can weld and clamp that to the exhaust pipe and cat. If the clamps aren't made from hardened steel they could cut the clamps off but that's probably too much work at this point.

    Just make sure the exhaust place uses stainless steel welding filler metal. The exhaust pipes are something like 400 series stainless, but it can be contaminated with non stainless steel, which will remove the rust protection and then you could end up with a hole in the pipe where it was welded. Welding stainless is toxic and a proper respirator should be worn.
     
  14. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Went to New England recently first hotel stop was NC.

    2 guys stole the cat at 4am off an old Dodge van at my hotel right outside my room.

    It woke me up as the noise was ungodly but went like 10 seconds then it stopped. Laying there I realized holy shit that’s the sound of a sawzall chopping thru an exhaust pipe. Got up and looked saw nobody.
    30 minutes later heard the same sound jumped out of bed pulled back the curtains and a dude was staring at me across the driveway. He was the lookout for the chopper under the car. Apparently they broke the blade the first time and then came back which was alot of balls I thought.
    By the time I fumbled with the 2 hotel door locks and opened the door the 2 thieves had traveled 30 feet towards there get away car and runnin fast. I screamed really loud outside the door really just to wake everyone up alert the car owner. Wasn’t gonna chase the guy.
    No one got up no one came out and looked…..hotel was packed.

    Point of my long story is some people will sleep through anything even though it is an incredibly loud racket. It happens fast though less than 10 secs per cut but very loud in the middle of the night.

    These 3 guys got 4 cats in less than 30 minutes cop told me later. Just getting warmed up.

    Now it’s groups hitting new car dealers. New Tundra trucks=huge cats and don’t need to Jack the truck up just scoot under it and start cutting.
     
  15. BlastFromThePast

    BlastFromThePast Junior Member

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    I guess that's true about the noise. Does the bottom of a vehicle need to be lined with razor wire like houses in poor countries now? My idea with chain would work but it could be noisy going over bumps. Some stainless steel wire rope should be resistant to a sawzall I'm pretty sure? It would be easy to put a clamp on it and weld it to a little plate and to the cat, then clamp the ends farther along down the pipe. The materials cost would be quite low!
     
  16. Travis Decker

    Travis Decker Active Member

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    Weld hacksaw blades on there super cheap
     
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  17. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    The ultimate Prius G2 anti theft device is to sell the car I’m afraid. Just not worth it to have a car that attracts that kind of attention. You can get hurt bad defending your car cause people are very prone to violence these days.

    But failing that if you don’t live in a CARB state at least sell your cat asap.

    Costs $130. for aftermarket cat and $100 to have your factory cat removed and after market welded back in. Then Sell your oem cat on ebay for $1500.
    Your up $1100 all in.

    Paint your new after market cat bright orange with header paint may not help but will make you feel better. My car actually ran better with an market cat an no OBD code.
     
  18. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    Ever notice that there are a few stories about recyclers being busted for buying stolen catalytic converters but never follow up stories about them going to jail? Might have something to do with the problem of continuing thefts.
     
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  19. BlastFromThePast

    BlastFromThePast Junior Member

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    If you tape a $50 bill next to the cat, maybe the thieves will take that and go away? That's what my grandma used to do in her house. She would leave $50 or such in a drawer so a burglar would take that and not tear up the house. But one of our family members who had money problems discovered this so she had to put and end to it.

    How about this: Set up a sting operation where the thief is followed home. Then blackmail the thief in to giving all the catalytic converters back to you or else you'll turn them in. Then list them on Craigslist as free catalytic converters with a $30 administration fee to get it back. The people have to send in a picture of their cut or welded pipes, or other proof of a replaced catalytic converter. If the pipe length and model of catalytic converter matches then they get it back for $30. You get paid for your time spent finding the thief, and the victims save hundreds or even a thousand dollars, all while making the police look bad which should motivate them to do something about this.
     
  20. Another

    Another Senior Member

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    How about if we just start enforcing laws and stop playing games.
    You sound like a California politician.