De cat & insurance

[g40steve]

Been told if i fit a decat it will invalidate my insurance, yet i can fit it for use on trackdays.

The reason is; decat makes car not road legal, was told this is industry wide issue as well :shock:

Yozza decat anyone?

 

[7MAT]

It is only law for manufacturers to fit de-cats to all new cars and it is not part of the MOT process to actually check to see if a cat is fitted or not. It just has to pass the emmision tests.

So in all it's a bit of a grey area - I have read many reports of cars fitted with de-cats that have no problems passing the tests - sadly none of these are Clio's.

 

[phil pearce]

It is only law for manufacturers to fit de-cats to all new cars and it is not part of the MOT process to actually check to see if a cat is fitted or not. It just has to pass the emmision tests.

So in all it's a bit of a grey area - I have read many reports of cars fitted with de-cats that have no problems passing the tests - sadly none of these are Clio's.

This is exactly what my MOT man says, as long as it passes the emissions it doesnt matter and its road legal.

 

[Guest]

It will probably fail the emissions tests, though - and by a fair margin at that.

My Focus had a de-cat, and I got round the insurance problem by saying I had a 'sports exhaust'. I wasn't telling any lies, so I don't see why it should have been a problem.

 

[Chris G]

Had a insurance quote from greenlight

we wee talkin about mods and the first thing they said was if you change the exhaust it has to have a cat on.

so I would always check first before removing it for road use.

Chris

 

[Steve]

I don't care what anyone tells me about these anymore, it is undoubtedly a grey area.

The most important thing in my opinion is phone up the insurance company and see what they say, if they insure it, it's road legal and OK, if they won't then that's answered your question. Really not worth the extra outlay and potential illegality for a possible few bhp (if re-mapped to suit) and no benefit otherwise. Better to get a road legal exhaust with high-flow sports cat and not have to take it off and put the OE one on just for the MOT.

Also, does no-one ever consider the emissions issue? The catalytic converter is there for one reason alone, to reduce the harmful oxides and pollutants (not CO2) released into the atmosphere. I'm the last person to preach to anyone about a climate change issue but when it comes to Sulphur dioxide for example, before cats were about levels were much higher. Now, if I really cared, I wouldn't be driving a car with 200g/km CO2 emissions but is it worth releasing all that other crap for the sake of a couple of bhp?

 

[phil pearce]

I don't care what anyone tells me about these anymore, it is undoubtedly a grey area.

The most important thing in my opinion is phone up the insurance company and see what they say, if they insure it, it's road legal and OK, if they won't then that's answered your question. Really not worth the extra outlay and potential illegality for a possible few bhp (if re-mapped to suit) and no benefit otherwise. Better to get a road legal exhaust with high-flow sports cat and not have to take it off and put the OE one on just for the MOT.

Also, does no-one ever consider the emissions issue? The catalytic converter is there for one reason alone, to reduce the harmful oxides and pollutants (not CO2) released into the atmosphere. I'm the last person to preach to anyone about a climate change issue but when it comes to Sulphur dioxide for example, before cats were about levels were much higher. Now, if I really cared, I wouldn't be driving a car with 200g/km CO2 emissions but is it worth releasing all that other crap for the sake of a couple of bhp?

I agree. Is alot of hassel for a few bhp. A sport cat is on my list of things todo when funds allow.

 

[g40steve]

Trophy already has a 200cel sports cat IIRC.

 

[Cue]

Trophy already has a 200cel sports cat IIRC.

that's a good point, I'm not sure what cat it has as standard but if it's 200 cel then it's a sport cat anyway - any point in changing it, may as well just get a cat back system.

 

[7MAT]

Trophy already has a 200cel sports cat IIRC.

that's a good point, I'm not sure what cat it has as standard but if it's 200 cel then it's a sport cat anyway - any point in changing it, may as well just get a cat back system.

I fitted a Janspeed sports cat to my standard exhaust when I first got the car and did notice a very small improvement, nothing like the improvement from fitting a de-cat. Oh and the sound is amazing with a de-cat fitted!

 

[rube79]

Glad i read this, with 24k service almost due was getting Yozza to de-cat it.

had thought bugger it, it wont matter till the mot but if the insurance bods are gonna play up then is it realy worth it for a few extra Bhp.
Yozza's website says 'not for road use'....... says it all really
think i might scrub the de-cat and go for the AW manifold matching instead

:wink:

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

Trophy already has a 200cel sports cat IIRC.

that's a good point, I'm not sure what cat it has as standard but if it's 200 cel then it's a sport cat anyway - any point in changing it, may as well just get a cat back system.

Pretty sure its a 400cel cat thats on the car as standard, if you go down the Orbisoud or Janspeed sports cat route it then becomes 200cel. i.e much more free flowing than standard hence the slight improvement in performance.