Stop your CAT from being stolen! - Fit our CAT Guard

[@VonClout]

Excellent work gents, going above and beyond looking after the MX-5 community as usual :-)

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

Thank you :)

[@joller79]

7:12. Uhhh rear leaky leaky sealy. 😉 looking good with the covers. But IMO you need more and bigger drain holes for pebles rambling round , at every edge horison and vertical, so the slide out and dont get stuck in there.

[@foamdataservices]

With cats going up in value again this is very timely, thank you!

[@TNTTipsandTricks]

What about collection of water in the pan or travel, small Stones and so on why not drill ankor if small holes in the pan to lighttrenden It and provide som drenage for water and stuff ?

[@EGPeppered]

Here's an idea, take an aftermarket brace and add enough steel tube to make it a nightmare to remove the cat and add enough bolts to make it not worth it for the thieves, it would be expensive to manufacture though i imagine. I'd be interested to see the end result of the guard you have in development. Maybe with some ribs it could be used to add rigidity. as an extra function.

[@demon1954]

I'm reconditioning a 10AE at the moment. Do I take out the original cat, get £800 for it and put in a sports cat for £100? What diameter sports cat do I need?

[@zmuzzy101]

My MK1 is safe with a test pipe. Ones with cat are the mk1s not at risk too?

[@olliebonugli8881]

Will there realistically be a performance difference getting a 200 cel cat vs a standard cheap cat? Gonna get a new cat so I can sell mine and debating the extra price for a sport cat wondering if I’ll actually get power gains. Engine is stock aside from a cold air intake (legit cold air, not hot air next to the exhaust manifold). Ik on paper there’s gains to be had but what about in the real world?

[@jd6549]

They've just got mine in London John

[@robertstevens2857]

I can't believe it's actually an issue, sad times we like in! I'm just lucky that when my MK2 cat died it was pre 2000 and didn't require type approval so was relatively cheap if I had a mk 2.5 I would be crying.

[@just_passing_through]

Is this just a UK thing? I have never, ever heard of a catalytic converters being taken off a vehicle in Australia.

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

Its a big problem here right now, I don't know about anywhere else in the world

[@markphillips2076]

@@lightsuplightsdown3018 America and Canada have a problem, but it's only small compared to the UK. I guess they have lots of decats outside of California!

[@sd8596]

What is the case with NCs please. I have a 2005 NC and will the anti-theft cat protection fit a NC.

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

We are not getting reports of them being stolen from NC models at the moment

[@CheekyMofo7722]

I can’t find this product on your shop website?

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

themx5restorer.co.uk/shop/new-mx5-parts/new-mx5-panels/cat-guard-mk1-mk2-and-mk2-5-mx5/

[@S-Ltd1000]

Hearing a lot about this on the FB pages, seems mk2s are the main target. Are mk1s also at risk?

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

It's mainly Mk2 and Mk2.5 models that are the targets

[@jamieharvey2685]

I have a mk2.5 arizona and I've been looking at removing my cat for this reason and replacing it with a cheaper aftermarket one or a sports cat but there doesn't seem to be much available on the mk 2.5 as the cats appear different to the mk2? I work at a scrap company and the price list we pay quotes £530 for a mk2 cat and £620 for a mk2.5 prices are definitely at a high right now

[@Bloved-Madman]

Is that for 1? £620 would pay for a decat pipe, lowering springs and a roll bar... Might get shot of mine, can anyone trade them in?

[@jamieharvey2685]

@@Bloved-Madman yeah for 1. Most reputable scrap yards will pay well but don't bother with the local scrap men they'll rip you off. And yeah I was surprised when I got my yards price list I picked up my mk2.5 arizona for £500 so selling the cat alone I've made money back but I can't find a decat or sports cat for a mk2.5 easy for the mk2

[@Bloved-Madman]

@@jamieharvey2685 I'm thinking of getting one made to fit, if it's the cat itself then the flanges can be cut off the cat and reused I would like to think

[@garyogilvy4521]

Hi, I have an early 51 plate mk2.5 sport. Just sold my CAT for £830 (code ending 6K) and bought a type approved modern one with fittings for £100. So far so good, passed MOT no problem.

[@jamieharvey2685]

@@garyogilvy4521 wow £830 thats amazing dude did you go scrap yard or private sale? Where did you buy the replacement as I've got the mk2. 5 and can't find anything that cheap to replace mine as soon as I can I'm weighing mine in and cashing in before anything bad happens

[@peteohead]

I have a 1995 UK spec Mk1. Is that a risky year for cat theft?

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

Much less so on the Mk1

[@dog_chasing_cars7576]

Luckily I removed mine a few years ago! now has a sports cat, so i doubt its worth anything in scrap compared to the old MK2/2.5 cats

[@mazdamenders]

Can I suggest that it needs to be louvred so it does not trap heat chaps and rivet nuts so any work that does need to be carried out it can be removed to do so .

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

We did give both of those options a lot of thought, riv-nuts could be fitted to the floor and then it could be bolted up, but then that would make removal easy with the correct sized socket or tool, even a security bolt would be fairly easily removed, so thats why we opted for this route, it can still be removed for maintenance by the same means it is fitted, granted it's not easy but then if it was easy to remove it would rather defeat the whole point. Louvres were also considered but they would give an access point for a reciprocating saw blade to get in and simply cut the shortest route though the guard to gain access, hence why the drain holes are very small on the production version so that the blade can't get in, temperatures will increase in the area but we have not had any reports of problems on the test car.

[@mazdamenders]

@@lightsuplightsdown3018 With rivet nuts use allen key bolts, like you say it is all about quickness with these people so they will not be wanting to go underneath with spanners etc , but the removal process needs to be taken into account for the likes of us working on them, they want quick and under, cut and gone, but the heat will end up an issue, and needs to be thought about too, once the see these being fitted it will not take long for the light fingered to solve the issue to just have a battery grinder with a alloy cutting disk in , as you also say that if they want it , they will get it and understand it is solely about adding to their time to get under and out to be noticed, please do not think i am dishing it, something needs to be done, and you are standing up to start the process which no one else as which is great, but other areas need to be taken into account of use also, i honestly wish you luck with this chaps.

[@paulhughes3961]

Excellent design and making it out of aluminum is perfect. The cat thieves are hitting us hard in the US I had know idea it was happening in the UK as well.

[@geonauto]

I bought a Cobalt for my NB ,and sold the old rusted one in 300£......buyer said still cheaper that average....unbelievable.

[@darrenpearce5481]

Cheeky monkeys! 🤬. As these plates would hide the CAT, is it still visible for an MOT tester to inspect? Also, can these be fitted to MK 3’s?

[@lightsuplightsdown3018]

It won't be a problem from an MOT point of view provided the CAT is doing it's job, we haven't tried it on the MK3 yet

[@dss199]

@@lightsuplightsdown3018 are mk3 cats as valuable?

[@charliesmith1522]

What cat?? 😅

[@hleonard123456789]

catalytic converter helps keep emissions down but has metal in that is worth as fair bit, so people nick them and sell them.

[@KineticLatency]

@@hleonard123456789 I think he was implying that he runs his car without one ;)

[@RMuzzle]

As we already didn’t have enough issues with our Mx5’s and now these cheap f...ks are coming to steal the Cat’s... ffs!!