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'04 Prius Cat stolen, AGAIN! So now I'm selling. Interested?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by Abe, Dec 18, 2022.

  1. Abe

    Abe Junior Member

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    Hi All,

    Last night thieves ripped off my catalytic converter... for the second time in 10 months! And this time they did it despite my having installed a shield!

    I've decided not to replace the cat again... it's throwing good money after bad, it's painfully clear they'll just come back again... and the shield doesn't stop them.

    So I've decided to sell. Because, missing cat aside, this is a nice car. It's a Driftwood Pearl '04 with only 102,000 miles. Interior is nearly pristine, mechanically everything's in fine shape ('cept of course for the converter :) The hybrid battery pack is still strong, the vehicle has been well-maintained at a top notch shop.
    Some minor body work is needed around a couple of the doors...
    . With a little TLC this car can go another ten years.

    I'm not willing to call it quits on this car, hand it over to some salvage guys for 50 cents. I believe the car has significant value and I'm happy to entertain offers. Let me know if you're interested. I'm in Marina del Rey, California.

    Abe

    (note: this is an older photo taken before the cat thefts . You can see the dinged up rear passenger door/wheel well.. there's also some denting around the driver's door. )
    '04Prius.jpg
     
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    sorry to hear it man, that's a bummer. what cat protector did you have?

    all the best with the sale!
     
  3. Abe

    Abe Junior Member

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    Don't really know, repair shop put it on, I didn't ask. They're good people & I trust them. This not their fault. I don't think :)
     
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  4. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Nice car! I wish I were in California. I wonder if a guy could drive a car without a cat from California to Colorado... :whistle:
     
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  5. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Probably so if you weren't wailing on it the whole way of course you could just drive or fly out there with the proper cat in your checked in bag . Bolted on when you get there slit fit the rear section on put a clamp on it for now and go of course I guess in Colorado you have the emissions problems that they have in California right?
     
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  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    That's my '09 setup exactly other than what I consider the not so nice color and one of the worst interiors I've ever owned everything stains it turns colors of everything else in the world etc etc The gray is beautiful with this tan ecru business is not a happening thing even for just people riding to work Don't spill anything don't sit in it with dark clothes everyday or jeans that's that The gray will look good to 2030 but these color cars the interiors are trashed it 150,000 usually.
     
  7. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Yes and no. The law states it has to be a California compliant cat and can't put on a used one. But there are also no emissions tests where I'm at.

    I was thinking this car looks just like my 2006, but probably doesn't have galling in the cylinders and burn oil like mine. They're even the same color. I could swap parts as needed. And having two sets of rims would be swell since I could put snow tires on one set and summer tires on the other.

    But it's too far for me to go to California just to put new parts on a car that probably is worth a lot more than I could really afford anyway.

    What can I say. I'm cheap!
     
  8. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Yep that's why I sold my 07 same color. Bought new. Great car.

    I sold my oem cat for $1400 on ebay before selling the car. The aftermarket $129 cat made the car run much better actually.

    Its my wife's car and not garaged as my nice car was in the garage and didn't want to go through the hassle of constant worry about cat theft as at one point was really high in this area. Luckily in my area at the time the thieves turned there attentions to new car dealers. The local cheapskate Toyota dealers in my area have no guards overnight. One Toyota dealer got hit for around 65 cats in one night mostly Tundra trucks and such.

    The bitch is once they clip your cat they know where you live so they just wait till you replace it. Its amazing to me the whole neighborhood does not wake up. The noise is outrageously loud.
     
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  9. douglasjre

    douglasjre Senior Member

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    why did you block out the license plate in the photo? And can I have the VIN number please?
     
  10. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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  11. Skibob

    Skibob Senior Member

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    Until you have driven a Prius without a cat you have no idea how loud they are. You wouldn't make it 10 miles without getting pulled over. Trust me, I have. The check engine light will go off pretty quick because they cut the wires for the rear o2 sensor also.
     
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  12. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    I drove my Prius quite a great distance with a cat completely disconnected at the head pipe and it actually was not that loud I kid you not I've had cars that were way louder and getting pulled in North Carolina for a loud exhaust not likely that's for you folks out west We don't do that here. Seriously I could have flames coming out the back of the exhaust here The cops would be clapping and jumping up and down thumbs upping. Actually I was amazed how quiet the Gen 2 was cruising down the road at 55 with just the exhaust manifold and that big open hole It cruised along and sounded like not the loudest Harley-Davidson that drives around down here That's a motorcycle.
     
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  13. Cantrip

    Cantrip Junior Member

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    Cat stolen a few years back at the start of the pandemic. Pray every day it doesn’t get restolen. Sorry for your loss.
     
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  14. Allanr123

    Allanr123 New Member

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    Hello Abe!! Just joined these forums as I was searching information on my first Prius, moving in to LA in a couple of days and came across this! Can you PM me so we can talk about the car?
     
  15. Name:

    Name: New Member

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    I am thinking about taking my OEM cat off before its too late. Does anyone know if chinese cats that trigger check engine light damage anything in the car?
     
  16. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Most catalytic converters do not cause any problems other than possibly fitment. Sometimes you don't get a good gasket with the cat and so you may have a small exhaust leak. But that may not be every cat, and I've heard of some just getting OEM gaskets and not having a problem.

    I don't see how they could damage anything other than the air quality. They do burn up enough unburned fuel and CO to turn off the check engine light, but we don't know if they also take NOx out of the exhaust, as there is no sensor to monitor those.

    Make sure your state allows for an aftermarket cat. Mine passed a law just a year or so ago to make it the same as California which it seems only OEM cats for my Prius are allowed as of right now.
     
  17. ColoradoCrow

    ColoradoCrow Active Member

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    Buy a cat on Amazon and ship it to an Amazon box station in Wyoming. Fly out there install and drive back. I travelled to buy both my Prii this way.
     
  18. Isaac Zachary

    Isaac Zachary Senior Member

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    Even if I hate a law I will refuse to evade it. It's a new OEM catalytic converter for me or bust.
     
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  19. Kasra

    Kasra Member

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    Mine has been stolen 4 times already all within 14 months. The 4th one was stolen 10 days after I replaced it. Insurance pays so I'm used to it and police doesn't do anything even though the plates were on the camera

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  20. SFO

    SFO Senior Member

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    So sad, as an OEM replacement is well over the 950 limit for a felony.
     
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