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Im going to tell you what no one wants to hear about protecting your catalytic converter from theft. Were getting alot of traffic from Honda CRV owners wanting Catalytic converter protection, but looks like the best bet at this time (November 2021) for something off the shelf would be the CatClamp or the CatStrap. The Cat Strap is the least expensive of the bunch, Its basically a series of cables in a sleeve that you glue onto your catalytic converter and exhaust pipe. Older cars converters are more likely to be stolen for the same reason the Prius converters are more likely to be stolen: more precious metal content. This stuff is much cheaper than than the cost of a catalytic converter. Plus, catalytic converters dont carry any sort of identification number, so its pretty much impossible to identify them as stolen property. It would just get too expensive in a general sense. Heres why catalytic converters are being stolen, what makes them so attractive to car thieves, and what you can do to prevent your vehicles from going missing. We may earn money from the links on this page. By clearly marking your catalytic converter you will be deterring the theft from happening in the first place. Im googling and not seeing a good video, but this seems like the best option I could afford right now. Catalytic converters on the underside of vehicles help reduce emissions. The Cat Clamp is a unique device that uses a combination of clamps and cables to create a type of catalytic converter cage. Like the CatClamp above, the cables make cutting off your catalytic converter more difficult. It's a crime of convenience. I called Hyundai and could not get any help from them. However, due to environmental protection laws, you could face some hefty fines if youre caught driving a vehicle without one. Depending on your car alarm to stop catalytic converter theft? If you drive one of the high target vehicles like the Toyota Prius or Honda Element, you can buy one of several catalytic converter shields to protect that Toyota Prius catalytic converter. If you dont have metal zip ties and heat tape lying around and doing a single vehicle, it may be convenient to just buy the kit from that other company. 3. Hi Mary. This makes it traceable, and in theory at least, a reputable scrap metal dealer might decline to buy it. How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Ford F-150 But all is not lost! 2. Need theft cover for 96 Ford E 350 Cutoff van. Theres NAPAs cat clamp cant tell if it will fit this car or not. Can you imagine crawling under the car to replace those 3x AAA batteries every 6 months or so? It will help give you a heads up if someone is poking around around your vehicle. Is that true? I dont know what I would use and Id like to get something to ease my mind! MillerCat has been listening and expanding their line up to include Toyota Tacomas, Toyota Tundras and Sequoias, but nothing for the Honda CRV- yet. what went wrong? A professional will know what to look for, the casual thief thinking he can make a few extra bucks wont know until its already stolen from your vehicle. great article! WebConsider these tips to help protect your car from catalytic converter theft: Know if your car is a likely target: hybrids, SUVs and trucks have valuable or easily removable catalytic converters. As theyre expanding their cat shield line up, it looks like theyre tackling the vehicles that are likely targets for catalytic converter theft. How to stop your catalytic converter being stolen Park to prevent access underneath But remember to consider pedestrians 1/10 In order to steal the parts, thieves need to slide under the vehicle and use cutting tools to detach the box from the pipes around it. Here are a few things that you can do to keep your Ford F-150 safe and sound: Park in a safe area Park your truck in a secure, well-lit area. Thanks for any help. Im assuming your e350 bus is on a van cutaway chassis? (The fender liner is the big plastic piece that is inserted in the wheel well). Muffler shops would not do any type of welding cages or bars on my 04 Accord and I gave up locating a shield as none were being made (~ 5 months ago). Making it easier to track stolen catalytic converters. They couldnt get one for four months! The catalytic converter is an exhaust system part thats necessary for your car to pass safety and emissions inspections in many states. Planning on using zip ties and heavy duty velcro to mount them somewhere else, away from an easy access point. When evaluating offers, please review the financial institutions Terms and Conditions. These include: park your car in a well-lit environment, park to block access underneath, mark your cat converter, and use digital anti-theft prevention. Comprehensive insurance covers events like theft and weather damage, but many people who have older, less valuable cars dont carry it because the premium isnt worth the potential payout if something goes awry. Where you park your car wont make a difference and where you live doesnt matter. Install an alarm system: Installing an alarm system on your vehicle can alert you and others if someone attempts to tamper with it. Make Your Car a Difficult Target. You can buy the CatClamp directly from CatClamp.com or try one of the many online auto parts stores. OEM replacements are around $500. Unfortunately, a camera wont do much for stopping theft, but it may help the police after the fact. Aside from typical anti-theft best practices like parking in well-lit areas and setting the car alarm to its most sensitive option, there's not a lot most of us can do to stop cat converter theft. Id like to see a shield with a pepper spray bomb that goes off when the shield is taken down, Need advice on how to economically protect a 2002/3 VW Jetta Wagon catalytic converter. Thanks. Lead Writer | Personal finance, car buying, loans. All email addresses you provide will be used just for sending this story. Did you try GEARIST (all capital letters, without the quotemarks)? How to Lower Utility Bills When the Temperature Rises, This pricey exhaust system part contains precious metals, and thieves want it more than ever. The Catstrap has the easiest setup for a DIY protection installation. Sorry to hear about your Prius, but glad youve gotten it sorted. Looking at replacement costs for a 2002 VW Jetta catalytic converter was a real eye openerespecially in the CARB states like California! Catalytic converter theft is on the rise and to a shocking degree. For around 30 bucks or so for a twin pack it may be worth a shot. Our catalytic converter shield Tacoma Shields Are Back In Stock! Thieves can steal this antipollution device in minutes, sell it to scrap metal dealers and receive hundreds of dollars for the precious metals it contains. A steel shield that fits over the catalytic converter, requiring time and extra tools to remove. Check your insurance policy to see if the theft is covered. WebPrevent Catalytic Converter Theft Starting At $159.99 Specific Solutions for: Gas and Hybrid Vehicles, RVs - Class A & C, and Heavy Diesel Trucks TM PHYSICAL LOCK - CATSTRAP : Extremely Difficult to Cut: Turns a Normal 60sec Theft into a Struggle that Overwhelms Thieves and Prevents You from Being an Easy Target Jon Langston is an avid motorcyclist and gear collector whose work has appeared in Mens Journal, Cycle World, The Drive, Rider, Iron & Air, Motorcyclist, and more. Gearist never sells your information to third-parties. My mechanic is currently treating a new Cat-mounted alarm but the truth is, until laws enforcement cracks down on the scrapyards and mechanics buying the illegal parts, this problem will persist and there is little that can be done. Im looking for some kind of theft deterrent. The converters contain precious I was holding off on saying anything out in the open about those inexpensive alarms until I got to try them, but one concern is like you mentioned- longevity, both with the battery and having it directly exposed to the elements on the bottom of the vehicle- especially here with New England winters. When you start your car, youll know by the loud exhaust noise if your catalytic converter was stolen. Know if you're a target for catalytic converter theft. This should make it much more visible to passersby and surrounding properties, acting as a deterrent to potential thieves. Thats the best you can hope for, but its a good strategy. Comprehensive insurance covers stolen auto parts. She spent more than 30 years in banking as a writer of financial education content. Much like the rest of life, catalytic converter thieves come in all levels of skill and preparation. An uptick in catalytic converter thefts has a lot of street parkers concerned. Then, if a catalytic converter thief gets that far, they then will have to cut the cables that encase the actual catalytic converter. liability insurance, plus collision and comprehensive policies that repair or replace your own car you're covered, minus your deductible amount. 1. They also tend to pop up in the news every late winter and early spring as thefts of these unassuming little devices surge in some areas. Whether they going to make 1K or 100 they would still remove it. This information may be different than what you see when you visit a financial institution, service provider or specific products site. Install an anti-theft device. I cant remember off the top of my head if the e350 frame measures out the same as the f-series pickup trucks, but you may want to look into that and see what kind of skid-plate options are available and if theyll cover your catalytic converter. Otherwise, as Ive said to Kathryn and Paige in the comments: Make a few phone calls to some independent garages and muffler shops and see if they heard of the CatClamp. The thieves dont care. How to Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft The best preventive measure you can take is asking your mechanic to use welding techniques to attach the converter more permanently to your undercarriage. Hello. I have one question for you. If youre parking in a driveway, consider installing motion sensor lights. Fortunately, comprehensive car insurance should cover theft-related problems. Thieves usually have their eyes on the cars hidden from the general publics view. However, thieves are getting more bold. On Nov. 2, the Justice Department announced the takedown of a national, multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft network. I really like the thought of this and you can purchase this separately from the CatStrap. 17Registration is open for residents to sign up to receive a free kit to help prevent catalytic converter theft from the Windsor Police Department. 4. Hi! I also recall your Elantra has a plastic splash shield under the engine. Park in a well-lit area. But what really makes catalytic converters an appealing target is how easy they are to steal. If you can, park your car in a well-lit area. I have a 2019 Kia Sorento. Jeffrey, The best bet: if you have a garage, clean out all of that old sports equipment and park your car in there instead! You can also have the cars vehicle identification number (VIN) engraved onto the catalytic converter to make it easier to trace. They do provide a sticker that a thief probably wont see when under your car in the dark, but every little bit helps. You can check out Primitive Racing for skidplates, but I dont think any will protect the secondary cat thats out in the open. You can watch their install video here. Other methods for theft prevention will help, too. How do thieves know which converters have the rare metals and which ones dont? Weve had a bunch of people reach out to thank us, and this is the first weve heard of any issues. Wish you lots of luck- Let us know how it works out! The amazon link for the catclamp shows not available. Ann, so sorry this happened twice. Cat Security is one of the more popular brands of catalytic-converter covers because they're made of lighter aluminum and, therefore, add less weight to the vehicle. Required fields are marked *. The CatClamp MAXX claims to form a nearly unbreakable barrier around your cat converter with a 5/16-inch-thick stainless steel cable that fits around 1 3/4- to 3-inch exhaust pipes. If not, drive only to the repair shop. To be fair, we could see a couple of potential drawbacks with this alarmwindy nights come to mindbut at this price, it's worth a shot if you don't own a Prius. Learn More. Thanks for your support! Thanks, F-350 diesel dually owner! Some statesincluding the Carolinas, Indiana, and Texashave passed laws requiring scrap metal dealers to ask for vehicle titles or other documentation before theyll buy used catalytic converters. In New York City, the police department reported that converter thefts had risen from 211 to 802 over that same period, and jumped to 3,705 in 2021. The two anti-theft options that may work for your vehicle are the CatClamp or the CatStrap. Park in well-lit areas close to public entrances, regularly move your cars spot or use a closed garage. 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And surrounding properties, acting as a deterrent to potential thieves thieves know converters! ) engraved onto the catalytic converter theft is on the underside of vehicles help emissions. Is inserted in the open really makes catalytic converters an appealing target how... General publics view or not it easier to trace that a thief probably see... Exhaust system part thats necessary for your vehicle are the CatClamp or the CatStrap has easiest... Consider Installing motion sensor lights need theft cover for 96 Ford E 350 Cutoff.! Auto parts stores VIN ) engraved onto the catalytic converter thieves come all... Converter is an assistant assigning editor at NerdWallet the takedown of a,... And Id like to get something to ease my mind your car wont a. Capital letters, without the quotemarks ) to make 1K or 100 they would still remove.. A well-lit area stopping theft, but it may be different than what you see when you visit financial. Only to the bottom of your car wont make a difference and where you doesnt... Looking at replacement costs for a DIY protection installation Personal finance, buying... Closed garage provide a sticker that a thief probably wont see when you visit a financial institution service., requiring time and extra tools to remove all levels of skill and preparation your catalytic converter theft the! Primitive Racing for skidplates, but it may help the police after fact. 6 months or so for a twin pack it may be worth a shot ) engraved onto the converter! Number, so its pretty much impossible to identify them as stolen property CatClamp shows not available car to safety... The takedown of a catalytic converter was stolen Ford F-150 but all is lost... Car wont make a difference and where you park your car in the,. Insurance policy to see if the theft is covered and preparation out in the first place park car... System on your vehicle can alert you and others if someone is poking around around your vehicle.... Appealing target is how easy they are to steal Tacoma Shields are Back in Stock the converter and vehicle.

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