You can stop catalytic converter theft, but weigh costs
Shields and clamps can be an ounce of prevention — but nothing is foolproof
State- and city-level proposals currently on the table would require scrap metal processors to maintain detailed records about each person who sells them used catalytic converters.
It’s a move lawmakers hope will disincentivize thieves by making it harder to unload the stolen parts, valued for their store of precious metals.
Anti-theft shields and clamps are increasingly available for car owners to buy and install to try and stop thieves from quickly cutting out and making off with catalytic converters. So are they worth the cost? The answer might vary, depending on the type of device you’re considering; the age, make and model of your vehicle; your car insurance deductible; and however you determine your own level of risk.
Whatever car owners decide to do, no measures — including sheet metal shields that can be installed over catalytic converters — can really guarantee to turn away every thief.
“If they really want it, they’ll take it,” said José Ocampo, owner of Santa Fe Exclusive, an automotive repair shop. “They’ll take it, shield and everything.”
RESEARCHING THE OPTIONS: Catalytic converters, which cause a chemical reaction that breaks apart pollutants and releases lessharmful gases, are typically easily accessible to thieves, who can sometimes cut them out in minutes. Some manufacturers are offering metal shields with vents that automotive shops can rivet into place, according to Matt Garrick, service manager at Christian Brothers Automotive — Ventura in Albuquerque.
Garrick said thieves can cut through the shields, but not nearly as quickly.
“Those seem effective,” Garrick said. “I think once thieves crawl (under and see the shield) … they move on and try to find an easier target.”
Garrick said customers might pay as little as $300 to $500 for parts and labor to install a shield. Ocampo said that, at his shop, he’s mainly seeing customers buy their own shields online, then bring them in for installation.
Catalytic converter “clamps” that coil around the catalytic converter are also available. Clamps retail for anywhere from about $200 to $400 online, according to NAPAonline.com.
But Ocampo said he doesn’t think clamps are as effective at preventing theft as shields.
“Those you can literally … just extend the cut on both sides of the exhaust pipes,” and steal the both the catalytic converter and the clamp, he said.
People who are considering shields or clamps should be sure they will fit their make and model, Ocampo said.
WEIGH THE COSTS: For those considering a shield or a clamp, it’s worth comparing the cost to what they would have to pay to replace their catalytic converter if it were stolen.
“Aftermarket” catalytic converters — the kind available at such general retailers as O’Reilly Auto Parts — are an option for many older model cars, Garrick said. That kind of replacement could potentially cost as little as $500 for parts and labor. That’s much cheaper than the dealer-specific catalytic converters needed for newer vehicles, especially hybrids, which can run as high as $4,000.
Drivers’ insurance policies are also a consideration. Garrick said he’s mainly seeing customers go through insurance, as catalytic converter repairs are often higher than their deductible.
Going through insurance can sometimes cause a bit of a delay as well, Garrick said.
Garrick said people should contact a local automotive or muffler store to get a quote on their particular make and model before installing a protective shield or clamp.
WEIGH THE RISK: Individual risk level may also be a consideration. Some vehicles — such as the Toyota Prius, Honda CRV or Honda Element — are targeted particularly by thieves, according to Garrick and Ocampo.
Some drivers don’t have access to secure garages at home or at work.
And even parking in a garage at night isn’t always enough to avoid being victimized, as thieves regularly strike in busy parking lots and during the day.
Garrick said he recently had a customer who was the owner of a Prius and paid about $700 through insurance to get a stolen catalytic converter replaced. A week later, the same customer was at their dentist’s office when it was stolen again.
“This was in broad daylight,” Garrick said. “These guys are getting good and fast.”
Ocampo’s shop does repairs on the state government’s fleet. He said those vehicles — many of which are parked in lots overnight — have been targeted repeatedly.
“It’s a serious problem,” he said. “We did three Suburbans for the state and replaced all three cats, and, three weeks later, they stole all three again.”
WHY CAN’T YOU JUST DRIVE YOUR CAR WITHOUT A CATALYTIC CONVERTER?
So, can you just drive around without a catalytic converter? It is possible for a bit, Garrick said, but you probably wouldn’t want to. First, there is the emissions element.
A modern car without a cat would not pass an emissions test, would likely run rough and would actually violate anti-pollution laws. If you are old enough to remember the brown smog cloud that used to appear over Albuquerque, you know the value of a catalytic converter.
Second, there is the noise. Even a Toyota Prius without a catalytic converter sounds like “a big diesel truck.”
“Most people don’t want to live with the noise,” Garrick said. “It’s that obnoxious.”