Under 98,000 miles, high MPG, ~$9k. Are the parts common and relatively inexpensive as it's a toyota, or does it suffer from mechanics rarely having parts for electric/hybrid cars? How much would it cost to secure my catalytic converter?

  • EmoThugInMyPhase [he/him]
    hexagon
    ·
    edit-2
    5 months ago

    The Prius looks very appealing, but I don’t know. I know all these security measures are just deterrents, and even rebar can be cut if they have enough dedication, and then there goes $600 and a $2k converter. Not sure if I want to gamble on whether it’ll last a few weeks or a few decades. One suggestion I’ve seen floating around is replacing the OEM CC with a cheap aftermarket one, and if it gets stolen then it’ll be cheap to replace. Do you have any knowledge on the difference between aftermarket and OEM CCs?

    • CarsAndComrades [comrade/them]
      ·
      5 months ago

      My understanding is that all the guards or barriers around the catalytic converter are meant to make it more difficult or time consuming for a thief, so that they're more likely to skip it and try another car rather spend half an hour risking arrest and/or a broken saw blade.

      A cheap aftermarket cat will still be hundreds of dollars, plus more for installation. It might make sense to get one after the factory cat is stolen, but I wouldn't change it beforehand.