Catalytic converters stolen!
 

Imagine firing up your beloved X5 and she roars up with a sudden, horrendous, loud sound:confused:. I almost fainted of being startled. Missing cats, stolen no-less at a supposedly secure parking lot with all the cameras and security- Bellevue Microsoft campus in Seattle area. I'm so pissed off and feel really violated. Called the dealer and it will set me back at-least $4k for both the cats and sensors.:(:(. The dealer told me it takes less than 5 minutes to cut off the cats with a plumbing pipe cutter. Being an SUV should have taken even less time. I can't believe this has happened to me living and working in a so-called secure neighborhood.

Holy crap I feel for you! I have one border line cat that I should replace but just can't bare to pay the price! This scenario with stealing cats has played out before though depending on the value of the metals in the cats.

Wow. A buddy of mine and I are working on an anti theft cat saver device. Two part design:

1) alarm uses continuity of the exhaust pipes to set off an extremely loud alarm right under the car. (no accessible wires).

2) hardened steel cuff for the attack areas where they are cut.

I guess I better get into high gear.

Are the cats much more accessible on the 4.4? They seem very hard to get to on the 3.0 (and quite literally impossible on wife's car). (n63 motor the cats are on the top of the engine at the firewall).

Ouch. I know my work place has been hit too. It’s the one worry I have about parking in isolated places. It’s a reason I like steps. Steps give less space to reach under.

Well...that's King county for you. -_-

That freakn sucks.

Very accessible!

Did they ruin the grill trying to get to the hood cable? Maybe I should check into getting the warning siren/horn working again on the alarm system!

Yes, easy-peasy on a 4.4, the thug must have been chuckling while cutting away:(. Looks like a sawzall or similar was used. I could easily slide under the vehicle to take pics, on X5 sports with H&R lowering springs. Both cats gone - $1,600 apiece new. The miserable thief was "kind" enough to leave the O2 sensors. This is going to be a costly repair regardless.

Can you weld in some high flow cats?

Yeah, trying to see how I could turn this predicament into some sort of positivity. I once heard an X5 sound fantastic - almost like an E39 M5 ... that subtle M car deep growl. Would love to have that:D. Any ideas how to reach there?