Catalytic converter - how do I know if my car has one?!

Lulu58

Hi all, like most areas these days, catalytic converter theft has gone through the roof. I think the car makes a real row if the cat is cut out, but how do I know if either me or my husband's car has one in the first place?

NottinghamKnight

Pretty much all ice cars have them (ie not electric).

AdrianC

If it's petrol, and it was new after August 1992, it will have.
If it's diesel, then it's less clear-cut, but almost certainly after about 1997 or so.

The cat is a part of the exhaust pipe, very near to the engine, so if it's nicked, then the exhaust is simply missing - hence the "real row".

bob_a_builder

Has it got 4 wheels and do you put fuel in it ?   - Pretty much covers the majority !

Lulu58

AdrianC said:

If it's petrol, and it was new after August 1992, it will have.

Our cars are both 2017 so they will have cats based on what you and others have said. 
Why is it such a 'thing' to steal them these days? I constantly see comments about thefts etc on social media.

facade

Lulu58 said:

Why is it such a 'thing' to steal them these days? I constantly see comments about thefts etc on social media.

They are worth anything between £10 and £100 as scrap, and some people are prepared to work very hard, and risk being told they are naughty if they actually get caught for a few pounds.

The real problem is that scrap dealers are more than happy to accept them and get away with pretending that they had no idea that "Dodgy Dave" with a sackful of virtually new catalysts was anything but a licensed metal recycler.

They really ought to have a serial number that has to be recorded when sold to a scrap dealer.

AdrianC

facade said:
They really ought to have a serial number that has to be recorded when sold to a scrap dealer.

How would that be traceable, given they're a consumable over the car's life?

prowla

Has it got an MOT?

The emissions check would cover it.

(Unless it's a vintage car, of course.)

facade

AdrianC said:

facade said:
They really ought to have a serial number that has to be recorded when sold to a scrap dealer.

How would that be traceable, given they're a consumable over the car's life?

Fairly easily I'd have thought, with all these com-pu-tahs, it isn't like you change them every week. Even if you did, it would just be more numbers to crunch, a sticky  barcode for kwikfit to scan when they fit it (and stick the tab in your service book), and a quick bit of typing when they remove the old one.  

AdrianC

Lovely, an' all... I buy a used car, with no paperwork apart from the V5C. Where is that cat serial number recorded?

What if the cat was an ebay special (brand new) replaced by a previous owner's mate as a favour?

Are DVLA recording them? They don't. What other components would you like to be traceable? Engine number's on the V5C, obvs, but...?

John_

AdrianC said:

facade said:
They really ought to have a serial number that has to be recorded when sold to a scrap dealer.

How would that be traceable, given they're a consumable over the car's life?

Because no-one’s crawling under ten year-old cars to see if they’ve had a new cat fitted.