How much are you guys spending on cats for MOTs? Where do you get them?

Hi all, garage is doing a pre-MOT test on my 182 and it's not gonna pass emissions as it is just now. I don't know what cat's in it just now but I expect it'll need replaced. How much should I expect to pay for an MOT-compliant cat and where would I get one from? First result on google is https://www.cats2u.co.uk/renault/32606-renault-clio-20-11-03-12-05-catalytic-converter-re6051t.html, alternatively there's a breaker selling for £80 or ktec's sports cat for £300? Advice is appreciated. TIA

Ran that cat through several MOT's, was totally fine.

Off topic, but why do people have pre-mot checks? Surely the cost of labour for a check is the same if not more than the cost of an MOT. £35 for an MOT at Formula One auto centres near me for 30-45 mins of checks, an hours labour at most garages (even cheap backstreet places) is more than that.

Is it purely to avoid having an MOT fail in the cars history?

Chrisgti6 said:

Off topic, but why do people have pre-mot checks? Surely the cost of labour for a check is the same if not more than the cost of an MOT. £35 for an MOT at Formula One auto centres near me for 30-45 mins of checks, an hours labour at most garages (even cheap backstreet places) is more than that.

Is it purely to avoid having an MOT fail in the cars history?

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A dangerous fail renders the car legally immobile from an MOT with evidence for plod to pull you over.

One from a pre mot doesn't.

R3k1355 said:

Ran that cat through several MOT's, was totally fine.

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That's good, will definitely consider that then, thanks.

Chrisgti6 said:

Off topic, but why do people have pre-mot checks? Surely the cost of labour for a check is the same if not more than the cost of an MOT. £35 for an MOT at Formula One auto centres near me for 30-45 mins of checks, an hours labour at most garages (even cheap backstreet places) is more than that.

Is it purely to avoid having an MOT fail in the cars history?

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Louis said:

A dangerous fail renders the car legally immobile from an MOT with evidence for plod to pull you over.

One from a pre mot doesn't.

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Yeah the thinking was to just not have another fail on the record. Pretty pointless in hindsight because that ship already sailed with the last time it was tested, with two Dangerouses on the fail sheet. Repaired both of those at home so it's not officially "dangerous" to drive any more, but it's SORN so can't legally drive it anyway lol. On a trailer it went to the garage.

Update garage-wise, they phoned to say they looked under the car and that it has two cats; one attached to the manifold and one further along the pipe. I'm not an expert on 738s but from my googling it seems there's only supposed to be one cat, the manifold one? Would the "cat" further along be a res or something else that they've mistaken for a cat? Got a Scorpion catback on it if that's relevant, I *think* it's this one https://www.scorpion-exhausts.com/renault-clio-mk2-182-2003-2006-resonated-cat-back-system-daytona but not 100% sure. They said they were having a hard time finding one of the manifold cats but there were more options about for the midsection kind though, which is throwing me off. Anyone have a better idea what's going on?

Yea there's only one.

Probably wouldn't wanna use that garage for anything else if they can't tell the difference between a catalyst and an exhaust box

R3k1355 said:

Yea there's only one.

Probably wouldn't wanna use that garage for anything else if they can't tell the difference between a catalyst and an exhaust box

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The mechanic probably has a tattoo of an alternator under the word TURBO

Stick a picture up of the cat if you can, it may well be toast, but if it's the original I'd want to try getting it as hot as you can on a drive to the garage before the emissions test, won't help at all if it's been on a trailer there and then just tested cold. From my reading on here aftermarket cats won't ever be as good as the OEM one.

I usually spend an extra £30 that sits in the centre console for the tester

16v_paddy said:

I usually spend an extra £30 that sits in the centre console for the tester

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The only correct answer

Yarp said:

The only correct answer

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It used to be £20 but inflation is a b*****d

16v_paddy said:

It used to be £20 but inflation is a b*****d

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I still remember the days when I could text a mate with reg, vin and mileage and a few days later he’d turn up at my door with a MOT cert in exchange for £80

Yarp said:

I still remember the days when I could text a mate with reg, vin and mileage and a few days later he’d turn up at my door with a MOT cert in exchange for £80

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Aaaaahhh the good old days
I paid a bit more but my best 1 was having the MOT done in Bristol while the car was in hundreds of pieces in Nottingham