Long time no post.... on to vRS no.2 now (petrol). The old black mk1 is gone and i have a race blue mk2 now, which has been pretty reliable for the past year that I've owned it. However, it developed an exhaust rattle over the past few days, which was diagnosed by my local FastFit dealer as a broken cat - his words "sorry bud, mega bucks and main dealer only".

So, went to my local main stealer and they want EUR 750+VAT - so about 900 Euro and thats without fitting!

There's got to be a better way than this. GSF doesn't do a cat for a Mk2 vRS, more is the pity. I've seen some non-VW parts on some web sites that look a little bit too cheap - anyone have any experience with non-VW cat replacements?

Or anyone have any other suggestions for a new cat that won't cost the earth - quite willing to ship it from the UK (Euro/Sterling is quite good right now)... Any ideas?

Try these guys - most helpful - well the Brighton branch is anyway!

Trade Parts Specialists

Failing that its a breaker job - check ebay for things like "rear door from Octavia 2006" - mail the seller and ask the question. I've done it in the past for the most ridiculous bit - headlight bulb clips on a Punto - and had sucess.

Find the right trader and you might be lucky. Above all be patient - it might take some time to find one but it could save you s**tloads!

Good luck!

Catalyticuk, Sale and UK distribution of catalytic converters and exhaust systems

This guy sorted me out when I had to replace the cat on my wife's Mk1 Leon. The SEAT OEM part was a one-piece down-pipe and cat, which would require dropping the whole front sub-frame out to fit.

After being told by several of the big name places that they couldn't find a suitable part, I nearly gave up. Rang this chap and he said straight away that the non-OEM replacements were deliberately in 2 parts to avoid dropping the subframe on that car. Shame the big-name places didn't know that!

Impressed with his knowledge and had parts delivered within a few days at less than half the price of main dealer. Still going strong on the car nearly 3 years later. Worth a phone call..

No joy on a non-OEM cat alas.... But what I can tell you is this: Skoda Ireland want 750+ Euro for the cat alone + VAT (21.5% here) - thats about EUR910 total. Then labour at about EUR90+VAT. So the guts of about 1025 Euro all told. Madness.

Have booked car in to a Skoda dealership in Belfast who can do the who thing for about STG770 - works out about EUR830ish.

I tell ya, dealerships in the Republic need to get their act together on prices or feedback to Skoda that they're too damn expensive.

Had a look under the car and shaking the cat from side to side makes it rattle. Not good, something inside it has definitely let go in a big way. No other damage is apparent to the exhaust system from the outside. Never had any misfires or O2 sensors replaced. Weird....

I know getting splashed / dunked in cold water off a very wet or flooded road used to crack the innards of cats way back when, but AIUI, this shouldn't be a problem anymore...

Wouldn't a sports cat and down pipe be cheaper than the original jobbie?

Made the enquiries - 1400+ Euro for a Milltek system

No joy on a non-OEM cat alas.... But what I can tell you is this: Skoda Ireland want 750+ Euro for the cat alone + VAT (21.5% here) - thats about EUR910 total. Then labour at about EUR90+VAT. So the guts of about 1025 Euro all told. Madness.

Have booked car in to a Skoda dealership in Belfast who can do the who thing for about STG770 - works out about EUR830ish.

I tell ya, dealerships in the Republic need to get their act together on prices or feedback to Skoda that they're too damn expensive.

Had a look under the car and shaking the cat from side to side makes it rattle. Not good, something inside it has definitely let go in a big way. No other damage is apparent to the exhaust system from the outside. Never had any misfires or O2 sensors replaced. Weird....

I replaced the full exhaust on a mk3 astra as it was rotten from back to front and the cat was held together with jubilee clips (not to stop it rattling as such but to hold the cover together).

I know this may sound nuts, but i replaced a Pre-Cat Lambda sensor later on in the year.

Driving along one night there was a pop and then alot of clattering, i took the exhaust back to the supplier which agreed it sounded as the cat had collapsed. (Third Party Parts).

I had the cat replaced under warrenty and the noise went away, a month later and the car started to drink fuel and the EML appeared. Checking the codes revealed the O2 sensor was logging a fault.

I removed the sensor to reveal the tip had cracked at the edges allowing it to drop into the Catalytic convertor.

Replaced the sensor under warrenty, the following week it happened again!

So I took the car back to the exhaust fitter and asked them to remove the cat.

At which point they asked me if it was the O2 sensor again and told me once it had cooled down, they went to put it in the returns container and the O2 sensor's tip dropped out from it.

Or anyone have any other suggestions for a new cat that won't cost the earth - quite willing to ship it from the UK (Euro/Sterling is quite good right now)... Any ideas?

Would any of these fit?

Autobits - quality parts at discount prices

@Browny_37 Will definitely ask them to check the o2 sensors when replacing the exhaust.

@icarusi Unfortunately none of those fit the engine code BWA 2.0 TFSI lump.

I had a horrible sounding rattle on my vRS Octy not long after I got. Turned out it was just the heat sheild! just needed a small adjustment tweek!