Cat converter theft

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Hi,

Been reading that cat thefts have increased significantly over the last year as a low risk way for scumbags to make money. Had a good seach on the forums and CT and RX forums most active on the topic. Nothing I could find so far on the SC430 forum. Seems like ungaraged hybids and SUVs in cities and suburbia are the biggest target and getting most of the problems due to the belief their cats contain higher amounts of precious metals for scrap value, but as all cars since 1993 have had cats fitted has anyone an opinion of the likely danger? Seems a bit fanciful to get particularly concerned as every post 1993 car is a potential target and there must be easier victims than low, heavy GT's. The only thing I can think of to worry about SC430's is they are older cars with big engines so criminals might get the mistaken idea anything big engined with japanese quality made parts probably has a desirable cat and is worth a go at and Toyota/Lexus as a manufacturer is already top of the hybrid SUV target choice. If all old, petrol only cars caught the criminals attention SC430's or any V8 Lexus shouldn't be at any higher risk than every big old Merc, BMW, Jag, etc. out there, but when have criminals ever usually been intellegent or deep thinkers? It wouldn't be good if Lexus V8s became a cat scrap target by brand extension after the hybrids and SUVs. Would old V8s becoming are target even be a realistic supposition?

You can't always park in a garage or securely away from home and these criminals only need 30-60 seconds to whip one out causing shed loads of damage on top of the cat theft. Hopefully very unlikely, but it'd be a massive pain to repair and replace an SC430 cat if unlucky enough to get targeted.

The SC430 is too old for Toyoya/Lexus to do a model specific cat protector so has anyone considered it worth protecting their SC430 cat and what generic aftermarket cat protector did they use or what other method did they use to protect the cat or make it unstealable like fixing a heavy duty plate over the vulnerable area? Small cost to save a load of hassle type idea.

Thanks

[Neil E]

The SC430 has 3 cats as standard. Two are quite close to the manifolds and would be difficult to reach. The third cat is in the centre but would only be accessible with the car raised quite high and securely. The SC430 is quite low so a difficult target. It's fairly rare and old so probably not that likely to be chosen.

Some SC430s (like mine) with aftermarket exhausts also have the third cat deleted. If the third cat was stolen it would be a pain but there is the option to repair the exhaust with a Y merge or X pipe arrangement without adding the third cat back in. 

 

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Thanks Neil,

I assumed SC430 would be a difficult target being so heavy and low. Interesting to know the third cat is optional dependent on exhaust set up.

My query was more general as cat theft seems to be a trending topic on car and news sites. I was curious if older, bigger engines required bigger cats therefore as more hybrid and SUV owners fit cat protectors criminals switch to these type of vehicles as all they are after is the maximum amount of precious metal for recycling. I couldn't find any comment on the web about which other vehicles could be at risk apart from SUVs and hybrids despite virtually all vehicles having a cat. If big old engines became a target a SC430 is unlikely to get done by criminals as there are so many other easier targets like range rovers and landcruisers etc. But, if cat theft spreads to big, older cars with V6s and V8s like Lexus, Merc, BMW it would be disproportinate pain to replace and repair rather than prevent theft.

[Neil E]

To give you some idea of cost. If someone stole the third cat, I think it could be fixed for around £200-£300 with a replacement Y merge pipe and new flanges. A complete cat back stainless steel exhaust would be around £650 and a little more with a third cat delete. It does vary with different suppliers and depend on resonator/muffler choice, etc. I haven't heard of an SC430 cat theft yet.

[ThomasLexus94]

On 4/28/2021 at 12:15 AM, Neil E said:

To give you some idea of cost. If someone stole the third cat, I think it could be fixed for around £200-£300 with a replacement Y merge pipe and new flanges. A complete cat back stainless steel exhaust would be around £650 and a little more with a third cat delete. It does vary with different suppliers and depend on resonator/muffler choice, etc. I haven't heard of an SC430 cat theft yet.

fingers crossed there isn't a theft hehe!
I really need to start saving up for a new exhaust system.