I installed a cat shield on my truck that doubles as a skid plate. Took 15 mins to install. Easy peace of mind.
Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
31–40 of 57 posts
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#32I'm planning on moving back to LA within the next few months after having moved away in 2007, and the plan is to not own a car, at least, for the first few months. Instead, I'll take Ubers or the Metro train for cross-town trips, and walk for local trips (grocery store, etc). If I want to take a roadtrip or something, I'll use Getaround or a similar service. I have no idea how realistic this will be, but my previous…
Just want to toss out there that if you don't like driving a car or owning one, but still want to have a reasonably navigable city to live in that's not quite the imposing canyonscape and non-stop noise of New York city, and arguably better access to different kinds of interesting opportunities, DC punches well above its weight class here.
Thank you! I hadn’t considered DC until now, this is good to know.
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Not sure why this is news worthy It’s a phenomenon unique to specific models in specific parts of the country.
Why don't people steal them from other cars? Why isn't it a problem in other geographies? Do cars in CA need a different cat because of CARB?
> Why don't people steal them from other cars?
They do. The Prius is overrepresented "because their catalytic converters contain more unused precious metals than standard gasoline-powered vehicles" [1].
> Why isn't it a problem in other geographies?
It is [2]. It's just a bigger problem in California [3].
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/on-your-side-prius-i...
[2] https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-...
[3] https://www.autoaccessoriesgarage.com/Insights/Catalytic-Con...
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#34That raw rebar will likely rust after exposure to rain and puddles. Why not to have had it painted right after the installation?
It's in California.
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#35I'm planning on moving back to LA within the next few months after having moved away in 2007, and the plan is to not own a car, at least, for the first few months. Instead, I'll take Ubers or the Metro train for cross-town trips, and walk for local trips (grocery store, etc). If I want to take a roadtrip or something, I'll use Getaround or a similar service. I have no idea how realistic this will be, but my previous…
I have only a single experience walking in the LA area, but I recall all the traffic-light intersections with long waits to be very tiresome. A 2.5 km walk to a supermarket and back to my hotel seemed to take ages longer than in other countries. There were no other pedestrians in sight, and maybe it was all in my head, but I felt like the drivers at stoplights were scrutinizing the weirdo who was walking with his sho…
Missing Persons - Nobody Walks in L.A. (!)
https://youtu.be/80WyBxo0Hto?si=IeAAD7BLk7wF7I_S
true now and thirty years ago ?
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Not sure why this is news worthy It’s a phenomenon unique to specific models in specific parts of the country.
Why don't people steal them from other cars? Why isn't it a problem in other geographies? Do cars in CA need a different cat because of CARB?
They do and it is. Guessing but it likely comes down to the distribution of Prius throughout the US
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyamohn/2021/11/19/thefts-of-...
https://www.usatoday.com/story/driveon/2013/01/22/toyota-pri...
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Not sure why this is news worthy It’s a phenomenon unique to specific models in specific parts of the country.
Why don't people steal them from other cars? Why isn't it a problem in other geographies? Do cars in CA need a different cat because of CARB?
1. some cars are easier to get under, or have more expensive cats (hybrids fit the second category)
2. cats are usually traded for drugs, so such operations are more common in areas with more drug problems (the kind of people who can recycle them tend to have drug connections, and the kind of people willing to grab them tend to be addicts)
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#38Toyota options their cars with a built-in cat shield now. The interesting thing in our area was that the majority of cat thefts ended up being part of one state-wide ring. It is so hard to get money for them at scrapyards now that it turns out all of them were ending up in one guys' garage. And because he couldn't scrap them either, he just ended up using their value as collateral for other criminal enterprises.
Toyota should be recalling every Prius to have a CatLoc or similar fitted. As an owner of two Prii that have both had their cats stolen I find it astonishing that they are admitting there is such a fundamental design flaw with their vehicles but only making the fix optional.
There is no design flaw. The catalytic converter is mounted in the same place as on most cars. It's larger than on most cars and tends to get less corroded, both consequences of the hybrid design, but that was not a problem when the cars were new. These thefts mostly affect the second-generation Prius, which was discontinued in 2009.
The "design flaw" is that, in the few years leading up to 2021, the price of platinum nearly doubled, the price of palladium nearly quadrupled, and the price of rhodium increased more than tenfold.
I claim no expertise. These facts aren't hard to find.
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#39I'm planning on moving back to LA within the next few months after having moved away in 2007, and the plan is to not own a car, at least, for the first few months. Instead, I'll take Ubers or the Metro train for cross-town trips, and walk for local trips (grocery store, etc). If I want to take a roadtrip or something, I'll use Getaround or a similar service. I have no idea how realistic this will be, but my previous…
I don’t know why you’d want to live in the LA area and not own a car. One of the things that is actually nice about southern california is the ease with which you can go to the beaches, the mountains and other beautiful places and realistically you need a car to do these things. You don’t have to drive at rush hour.
Re: Toyota Prius on LA Craigslist Has a Catalytic Converter Cage Like a Prison
#40The high price of defunding the polce