meow...

Cats???

have spoken to dealer who will see car on thursday afternoon. Apparently a cat (assuming it is this) costs about a bag of sand (in €uros - UK£700).

Looking on the http://www.gsfcarparts.com - GSF website , a cat is £215 (pn B21512 - E39 523i 2.5i 125kW M52 95>00). Meanwhile on the http://www.eurocarparts.com - ECP website a cat costs about £350 (pn 701111130 - EBERSPAC).

What is the difference between them all (apart from a hugh price)?

Interested in the reponse to this as I had a look myself recently and ended up no wiser and much more confused.

Also, if the cat is changed, should other ancilliary parts be replaced too, e.g. exhaust downpipe section?  Its not entirely clear if the cat is a seperate part to the front box.

Hmm

According to the online parts site there are two front sections complete with the cat for my 523i.  It seems that it is one piece only, pipe and cat which explains the high cost from BMW.

and

The cheap price you have been quoted for the cat may just be a replacement cat with no pipe.  Some car manufacturers fit a single piece exhaust pipe from manifold to tail pipe when made new and you have to cut it to replace any given part of it to replace say the centre silencer.  These cheap cats may come with a suitable 'bit of kit' that means you simply cut out the old cat from the single piece front pipe and clamp in a new cat. 

Andrew

PS Got the picture thing sorted now, Ta Killain!

Its like anything, prices can vary.

whats the gurgling sound? To me thats a sink draining!!

Is it rattling - could also be a heat shield. Cover the tail pipes with your hand and see if there any leaks. Cats can collapse and block the exhaust resulting in lower power, but usually have to have a knock to do this.

it is an exhaust type gurgle or hum not tinny or metallic.

@Andrew - paste pics in. Use the right arrow key to move the cursor to the right (which will be just at the bottom right of the pasted pic). Then press enter or shift & enter to go onto new line.
K.