Cat Converter... fell off??!!

[Slabasaurus]

So, drivin down 610 yesterday, just west of the Mississippi river bridge/280 exit... all of a sudden it sounds like I'm driving an 87 corolla with some major muffler issues.

Take it in this am, apparently the Catalytic Converter just fell off. Welds broke and it's toast. 1100 bucks for the repair.

This, after last years issue where my timing chain broke and sent shrappnel all over the engine requiring a new one (I was 200 miles over warranty... they still covered it thank god)... of course the work on that was warrantied, for a year or 12k miles... well I've put on 20 in the 12 months since that was done so that's not an option.

I'm completely done with this car. It's a 2006 Passat, and when she runs she is a dream to drive. I absolutely love driving it which is why it took multiple incidents to make me say this.

So... I guess the decision now is do I go with a Grand Cherokee Laredo or something, or a silverado, F150, or sierra.

[bobbymalone]

$1100? Really? It must hurt to sit down. Unless I'm mistaken that's a $250 part and 10 minutes of welding.

[Slabasaurus]

Yeah... that's what I said. Prettty much exactly (well, i left out the hurting to sit down part when I was there...)

But apparently it's not in the most convenient location so there's a lot of R&I time involved.

Ugh...

[Scott K]

Replacing a cat, any smart shop will use OE, for the fact that the aftermarket ones have a high comeback ratio for check engine lights for cat efficiency codes.

Depending on which engine you have, dealer cost for the converter on a 2.0 is $700 and 1.6 to install. The 3.6 engine dealer cost for the converter is $1142, and 1.6 hours to install.

[Slabasaurus]

Ya. It's the 2.0T

I seriously love driving this car when i can.

But honestly don't have the energy... patience... funds to keep droppin this kinda cash on the car.

I plan on pickin up a boat of some kind here shortly, and the 2.0T isn't the most tow-savvy vehicle so trading it in or selling it seems like a smart option at this point - well after repairs are all done anyway.

[zamboni]

There could be a possibility a thief tried getting it off. I read on a Suzuki enthusiast site about a year ago or two, thieves hit every car in one of those carpool lots and sawed off all the cats for the platinum.

[OnAFly]

You just made some meth head's day when that thing fell off.

I can relate to your frustration with VW. I had a Jetta 1.8T and loved it....except for how often things were going wrong. If that car wouldn't have needed some sort of repair on a bi-monthly basis, I would have kept it around for sure.

[jeffreyd]

how many miles are on it

[Slabasaurus]

I have a bit over 83k on it...

Just picked it up from the shop. That was not a very fun bill, nor was it a fun discussion... but hey... I tried. they did budge on my engine replacement that was needed about 200 miles outside of warranty, but it still surprises me that "this thing happens.

I'm actually torn on a replacement vehicle now (prolly going to replace this one in the next month or so)... I like the Grand Cherokee Laredo's, drove one fora month in Cleveland for some training, handled really well, comfortable, and most importantly can actually tow things...

[Jeremy airjer W]

we have done a few of those and they are a real pain. Even the good aftermarkets don't fit quite right. O.E. is the way to go on that one.