Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Rhodium price has absolutely skyrocketed in the last year or so. Which may have driven the increase in cat theft/increase in scrap value.

I mean, if you get pulled for it being loud, and you’re on your way to the garage I feel like you’d have to be very unlucky to get in trouble for it.
I can’t speak for the legality but having driven my wife’s jazz to somewhere I could try and fix it (ongoing saga), as long as you’re not driving like a lout and look suitably sheepish about it, people seem to understand.

It does make you realise how much noise the exhaust is mitigating tho.

Colleague of mine had his silencer stolen from his Corolla last week, thieves had mistaken it for the cat. Still cost £900 to repair for exhaust and damaged heatshield replacement.

I shouldn’t laugh, but I’m absolutely creasing at the thought of some poor lads trying to weigh their score in.

If you are worried about loud, I wouldn't be. You have an excuse.

I think all of you with cat worries should install slammage ASAP, the scrotes won't be able to steal your cats if they can't get under the car.

I have a pair of these from the C-Class:

They're the 9584 set, which is one small and one medium.

Does anyone want them before I eBay them?

The only used set on eBay is £185, so call my set £100, they have matching locks and a couple of keys.

Not really, though if it had just been stolen and you were going home, possibly. Has your repair shop got the ability to collect it for you? Having driven one a couple of hundred yards it is excruciating to drive without a cat. It's basically shouting at you just to the side of your left foot.
If you've been towed using a rope before you could try that but 7 county miles would be a breeze compared to 7 in town.
Lastly there's the AA, RAC etc. Admittedly it was many years ago; a chap I was at Police Training in Ashford, Kent travelled by the AA between Birmingham and Ashford three weekends in a row with the same blown engine in a shitty Fiat 600 van.

I literally could do with a set of 9584 for my passat but i imagine the shipping would be spendy

They’re large and (relatively) heavy, so I’m guessing that you are correct.

It looks like they don't recommend them for models with the panoramic sunroof either

My dad has an i3 Rex at the minute and really rates it. Prior to that he had a non-range extender one and for short journeys he thought that was great but he couldn't have used it as his only car. The Rex give much more range and is way more usable.

With the amount of posts on this over the last month or so, are you noticing that this is on the rise or is it more prevalent in certain areas/focused on certain cars?

mine has a plate lsd in the back and currently around 280hp, so if i kick it, it will oversteer, but without correction, it always understeers..

Yes it is a common occurrence but it is restricted to certain makes and types of cars. I see a lot of Prius and Jazz because they are common cars with the right type of catalyst and easier access. Hybrids are commonly targetted. Thieves can find one easily, chop it out and get the best yield of precious metals to sell on. Newer cats are less profitable.

I have a panoramic sunroof, and a pair of those bars permanently installed, seems ok so far.

Balls. I would have bitten your hand off for these but looks like I need the 9582 for the 3 series.

With your bike racks on them?

Those low profile racks are only really a problem if you open your sunroof. Thats why you see them on cars with elevated roof rails, not flush ones. I had to fit pretty ugly bars to the Audi for this reason. Annoying.

That fitting guide says that 9584 is right for our Saab, so yes please.

Same on mine and no issues with bike rack permanently mounted but maybe it's a Passat thing?

What’s forum opinion on the vw Touareg.

Seems like a lot of car for not much money these days

Failing that I’m partial to a Lexus rx300

Think this might be the coolest thing I've ever seen, can't get over it

https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/1978-ford-escort-mk2-rs1800-group-4