Cat Converter Bad - What do you think?

[phantasmic13]

Just bought an '09 VW GTI a few weeks ago. I love it! I've never driven a car that I've had as much fun driving as I do with the GTI. The check engine light is on now, and I had it checked out, and the mechanic said the cat. converter is bad and three O2 sensors are bad too. To get all four items replaced it would be about $1,871 w/out labor included! Does this sound a little high to you? The secretary said she talked with the owner/mechanic and they couldn't find any aftermarket only stock ones and those were the cheapest. I figure that I could probably find some aftermarket something and get them to replace it and just pay for maintenance. I might just get the car through inspection (live in MD - crazy state to get a car inspected in) and then once it's through just remove the cat. conv. altogether and just straight pipe it. Has anyone else done this and/or what would you suggest?

 

[soze]

You can find a used oem stock downpipe for cheap on the forums. AWE catted downpipe is like $750 with HJS Cat

 

[T0neyDanza]

Just bought an '09 VW GTI a few weeks ago. I love it! I've never driven a car that I've had as much fun driving as I do with the GTI. The check engine light is on now, and I had it checked out, and the mechanic said the cat. converter is bad and three O2 sensors are bad too. To get all four items replaced it would be about $1,871 w/out labor included! Does this sound a little high to you? The secretary said she talked with the owner/mechanic and they couldn't find any aftermarket only stock ones and those were the cheapest. I figure that I could probably find some aftermarket something and get them to replace it and just pay for maintenance. I might just get the car through inspection (live in MD - crazy state to get a car inspected in) and then once it's through just remove the cat. conv. altogether and just straight pipe it. Has anyone else done this and/or what would you suggest?

Do not ever take your car back to that shop! Bullshit they couldn't find anything else. Luckily you came here first. Research, then go somewhere else.

 

[B6 Passat]

Very rare for everything to go bad at once. Find somebody who has a vag-com cable, or take your car to Autozone or whatever you have local and have them pull the codes for free.

Since you just bought it, there is always a chance that it may have Stage 2 software on that needs an aftermarket downpipe. The previous owner (or the car lot) may have swapped it out before trading it in.

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

i am going to add to the vote that you never return to that shop. they are trying to rip you off.

 

[NJdubber]

Please post the codes that were pulled.

 

[HereticByDefault]

Did I miss something? I thought there were only two O2 sensors.

Definitely go to autozone and ask them to read the codes for you. Write them down, post them here and/or look them up.

There are other places you can buy O2 sensors, and either a stock or aftermarket downpipe for MUCH cheaper than almost $1900 if those are actually the problem.

Used stock downpipe on classifieds - ~$100, maybe less
New O2 sensor - ~$220 Front, ~$202 Rear from 1stvwparts.com

 

[soze]

Did I miss something? I thought there were only two O2 sensors.

Definitely go to autozone and ask them to read the codes for you. Write them down, post them here and/or look them up.

There are other places you can buy O2 sensors, and either a stock or aftermarket downpipe for MUCH cheaper than almost $1900 if those are actually the problem.

Used stock downpipe on classifieds - ~$100, maybe less
New O2 sensor - ~$220 Front, ~$202 Rear from 1stvwparts.com

CBFA motors have 3 O2 sensors.

 

[Joshfl420]

CBFA has 3 like he said above me. Post the codes before buying anything.

 

[phantasmic13]

Sorry guys, it's been a busy weekend. I called on friday to check and see what the code(s) was, and it was P0420 - Cat. Efficiency Below Threshold. The mechanic said the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors all needed replaced.

 

[TSiUG]

Sorry guys, it's been a busy weekend. I called on friday to check and see what the code(s) was, and it was P0420 - Cat. Efficiency Below Threshold. The mechanic said the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors all needed replaced.

Are you absolutely 100% positive the car you bought didnt by chance have an aftermarket downpipe installed? This is just a possibility, however there is a chance you bought a car with an aftermarket downpipe and dealership/owner flashed the car back to stock ECU and because you either have a)no cat or b)a high flow cat and the engine is throwing this code because it is no longer tuned...

I say this because the p0420 is a code known to be thrown when you get an aftermarket downpipe without a tune to override it, or o2 spacers to hide it per say.

Any chance you could get pics of your downpipe and post them here? A picture and we could rule this out for sure.

Just throwing this out there. Good luck:thumbsup:

 

[Timpanogos Slim]

Are you absolutely 100% positive the car you bought didnt by chance have an aftermarket downpipe installed? This is just a possibility, however there is a chance you bought a car with an aftermarket downpipe and dealership/owner flashed the car back to stock ECU and because you either have a)no cat or b)a high flow cat and the engine is throwing this code because it is no longer tuned...

I say this because the p0420 is a code known to be thrown when you get an aftermarket downpipe without a tune to override it, or o2 spacers to hide it per say.

Any chance you could get pics of your downpipe and post them here? A picture and we could rule this out for sure.

Just throwing this out there. Good luck:thumbsup:

This. Catless downpipe here with right-angle o2 spacer and GIAC (which owing to being sold out of california has no delete feature).

Every once in a while it throws that code. every few thousand miles.

Get under the car and take a look. There's a wide spot in the channel the exhaust runs through -- should be a cat there. And an o2 sensor just past it.

 

[TSiUG]

Get those pics of your downpipe man!!!!!