In less than 3 minutes, a thief with a hacksaw can swipe an unprotected or unshielded catalytic converter from a vehicle.
Daaang.
And, yes, this can and does happen in West Seattle too.
What is a catalytic converter, anyway?
Most gas-fueled cars and trucks made in or after 1975 do have catalytic converters, including hybrids. They have a job of controlling emissions, specifically in cleaning up exhaust. Catalytic converters employ precious metals such as rhodium and palladium to do it.
It’s the precious metals that are driving the rising thefts of catalytic converters. The value of the metals is on the rise and a catalytic converter can actually fetch several hundred dollars.
How do you know when a catalytic converter has been stolen?
Without getting under the vehicle, an increase in noise is pretty noticeable.
Without a catalytic converter in its proper place, the engine noise is loud when the vehicle is turned on… it’s been noted to “…sound like a jackhammer.”
Protecting your catalytic converter
One way to do this is to park your vehicle in a secured location.
But that isn’t a possibility for everyone.
For owners of the Toyota Prius, Toyota Tacoma, Honda Element and Nissan NV200 we can install a shield to protect your catalytic converters from theft. It acts as a barrier and protector, which can save you time and money in the event yours gets stolen.
We’ll keep our eyes and ears out for more options in this arena of car, truck, SUV, and hybrid care and service. And we’ll keep you updated on more ways of securing your catalytic converters as we find them too.
Schedule your next service with us today!