Types of vehicles that may run a higher risk of catalytic converter theft, How to prevent your catalytic converter from being stolen. For anyone with a, can help reduce the risk of theft. The Best Depending on your vehicles engine configuration, it may have more than one catalytic converter, such as a V8 engine with a dual-pipe exhaust system. Our proprietary strip steel is designed for maximum cutting resistance (55 Rockwell-C hardness: 4.5X harder than 304 Stainless Steel). Suitable for any type of transport, has a minimum configuration. No custom tools are needed for installation. With the dual-stage shock & impact sensor, youll always be one step ahead of thieves. Better bring multiple blades, because one won't last! (Great for protecting your gas tank too.) When installed according to instructions, the thief must successfully cut through the strap not once, but twice, with 4 layers of dissimilar metals. Effective Protection -- Our catalytic converter anti-theft device deters thieves effectively by 113 dB loud alarm, Protect Your Vehicle Against Catalytic Converter Theft ! The strip steel is as hard as band saw blade material, causing the blade to overheat and dull. It increases the lifespan of your car by protecting the underneath area from getting damaged as you drive over dangerous roads. Prius owners can relax a bit more than the rest of us (they seem pretty chill and unperturbed already anyway), because it's relatively easy to bolt a metal shield under their car. If your catalytic converter has been stolen, youll likely be able to tell as soon as your start your vehicle. When the guys at Donut Media tried it out, they noted that the alarm was mainly an annoyance, and it ended up stopping eventually. The other common targets for converter theft are pickup trucks and SUVs. CatClamp Catalytic Converter Lock. Depending on which alarm you choose, the system utilizes sensors that catch thieves in the act. More than 270 converters were ripped off of car owners and their cars. When activated, it requires virtually no energy - no worries about draining your battery - even after months of no activity. The Cat Strap was also easy to install, and its stealthy. he Physical Barrier, The Cateye works by using a specialized motion sensor that detects motion under your car. When installed according to instructions, the thief must successfully cut through the strap not once, but twice, with 4 layers of dissimilar metals. So, he decided to invent one with two goals in mind: quick to put on and hard to take off. Our proprietary strip steel is designed for maximum cutting resistance (55 Rockwell-C hardness: 4.5X harder than 304 Stainless Steel). WebThe most effective solution to catalytic converter theft: BUNDLE: From $289.99 The combination of the Catstrap physical barrier and ear-piercing noise of the Cateye alarm More than 270 converters were ripped off of car owners and their cars. Thanks to Jerry, Im paying $900 less each year while keeping full coverage for my new car! Martin H. While getting on your hands and knees to check under your car is one way, save yourself the struggle. No, someone didnt stuff a big block V8 engine under the hood, but rather the catalytic converter has likely been removed from the vehicle due to theft. The alarm is strapped to a part of the exhaust pipe with two metal straps. The first thing you should do if you discover the theft is to file a police report with the local authorities. However, there are a number of anti-theft devices in the market designed to keep a cars catalytic safely intact. Here is what they found. Donut Media put some of these devices to the test! Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Jerry automatically shops for your insurance before every renewal. The stolen car parts can cost about $1,500 each to replace. Contact Your Insurance Company Depending on your coverage, your car insurance may cover your catalytic converter replacement. A long time customer with a large fleet of vehicles approached the company about solving the problem of catalytic converter theft on their fleet. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. After witnessing thousands of dollars of metal theft during his 15 years in business, the owner saw an opportunity to assist people in protecting themselves and their vehicles from these offenders. Why would someone steal a catalytic converter? This means theyre, common target for people looking to make a quick buck, But apart from being valuable, catalytic converters are. By the time you leave here today, youll be well on your way to beefing up your cars security. Designed to deter How amazing is our 304 Stainless Steel? But also be mindful that even someone bumping into your vehicle can set it off. Landing at third on our list is another affordable car alarm for catalytic converter theft. We may earn money from the links on this page. In order to adequately test the products, they first simulated stealing a catalytic converter, which took a minute and a half. #1) Viper 5906V Responder HD. Designed to deter the issue of catalytic converter from your car. With CatSecur, you can now have peace of mind knowing that your car is safe and secure from theft. The best anti-theft protection for cars, trucks, Toyota Prius, Honda, vans, commercial vehicles. It can "see" from 1 to 20 feet, and has a 140 degree field of view, so it covers the entire area under your car. CLICK HERE to view and purchase our full line of products. Our car experts choose every product we feature. The CatClamp attaches to the exhaust pipes, not the converter, allowing all size and shape converters to be protected. He's also a smog technician and was working that day on a Prius when he noticed the problems other anti-theft devices we're creating. Please call us on +(650) 784-32-82 or book an instore consultation. Maybe you live in a shady part of town or an area thats experienced a spike in catalytic converter thefts. Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published. All in all, Viper is the first place to look if you want a reliable car alarm system with all of the bells & whistles. Hybrid vehicles, such as the Toyota Prius, are often victims of catalytic converter theft because they are designed to be more emissions friendly than a standard gasoline car. Then, theres the 105 dB alarm thats guaranteed to act as more than just a mild deterrent. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Catalytic converters are expensive to replace, and no one wants to deal with thousands of dollars in unexpected costs out of pocket. According to State Farm claims data, catalytic converter theft increased by almost 300% from 2020 to 2021. only pays out other drivers injuries and repair bills after an accident you causeit does nothing to protect you or your vehicle. Does car insurance cover catalytic converter theft? These can be installed on vehicles and may or may not need specialized tools. How is car insurance determined by insurance companies? Rauso showed Earle how the converter was cut off of one car and he said its a costly repair. Target 11 discovered they are after the precious metals deep inside the converter. Gas and Hybrid Vehicles,RVs - Class A & C, andHeavy Diesel Trucks, Extremely Difficult to Cut: Turns a Normal 60sec Theft into a Struggle that Overwhelms Thievesand Prevents You from Being an Easy Target, Custom-Hardened Band Steel Inside the Catstrap Dulls the Teeth of the Saw Blade: 4.5X Harder than Stainless Steel, Three Heavy-Duty Aircraft-Grade Steel Cables the Saw Blade Can't Grip, Built-in Adhesive Bonds to Catalytic Converter Body, Ear-Piercing 130 dB Noise Drives Thieves Out Due to Immediate Pain Level Under the Vehicle, Infrared Smart Sensor Detects Human Activity Under the Vehicle Before Cutting is Possible, Automatically shuts off when the threat is gone, Compliments the Catstrap with an Alarm Barrier at the Threshold of Human Pain to Deter Converter Theft. I had my catalytic converter stolen right in our driveway about a year ago. Primarily, an alarm is a great deterrent since the high-dB alarm sound will tell thieves to scram. Have you ever stood outside or sat in your car at a stoplight, only to see a Toyota Prius casually drive by, followed by a deafening roar? CAT-SCR-TUN-2 . A cars catalytic converter contains precious metalsplatinum, palladium, and rhodiumthat are highly valuable. Practical SUVs the entire family will enjoy. As for the dual-zone tag, this allows you to customize the sensor to create two zones around your vehicle. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Afterward, they came up with a scoring rubric to grade each anti-theft methods overall effectiveness. They scored each one on how much added time it would take a thief to steal the catalytic, the ease of installation, the cost, and the stealthiness of the product. With the 2-way remote, youll always receive timely confirmations and alerts. With so many targets and low-hanging fruit available, the last thing a criminal wants to do is spend hours with specialized tools making a racket trying to remove a shield. But as we all know now, it is as anyone whos been a victim of catalytic converter theft. Where is the 2019 Honda Civic OBD port location? 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. Better bring multiple blades, because one won't last! But they also said that a thief could easily cut it off, and it wasnt loud enough to get anyones attention. I am looking for cat shield for my 2022 Lexus RX 450h, What shield do you recommend for a 2017 Mazda CX-5, I have a 2002 Lexus and have 3 convertors is there a shield for my car, What is a good anti theft device for my2016 santafe sport cat converter. While converter theft can happen to anyone, some vehicles are targeted more closely by thieves. Every transaction, Richmond said, is documented with a drivers license and a photograph of the converter. So how effective are catalytic converters? The stolen cats are then melted down to extract and sell the precious metals. We use our extensive knowledge of converters and in-house manufacturing and design to build the best catalytic converter protection devices. The high dB alarm acts as a powerful deterrent to keep thieves away from your exhaust system. But you can protect yourself from becoming a victim. The beauty of this product is the seriously loud 113 dB alarm. Remains found in New Castle identified as man reported missing in 2013, 3 people dead after 2 separate shootings in McKeesport; scenes not connected, police say, Piloted by North Allegheny grad, SpaceX launches to International Space Station, Man facing charges after police chase on busy Ambridge road, Man found dead in courtyard after shooting in Arlington Heights, Alabama man fatally mauled by pack of dogs, coroner says. For this reason, a shock sensor will detect the jack and sound the alarm. They are best used in conjunction with other catalytic converter security products to provide a visual deterrent to would-be thieves. The catalytic converter on most vehicles is generally located between the exhaust manifold (where exhaust gases initially exit the engine during combustion) and the muffler (the device located at the tailpipe which reduces excessive and unwanted engine noise). Adding bright paint can create a, for thieves because auto shops and salvage or scrap metal yards arent supposed to buy them., The easiest way to deter thieves from taking your catalytic converter is to prevent access to your vehicle. What is a 2007 GMC Envoys life expectancy? Some vehicles have more than one, and , Oil (if the engine burns oil)Tetraethyl lead (leaded petrol, some people still use leaded avgas in old cars due to the high octane and valve seat protection)Excessive unburned fuel (caused by a misfire or bad metering)Too high exhaust temperature (usually due to a lean running engine, meaning too little fuel for the amount of air coming in). While it may only be a tiny device used to reduce harmful vehicle emissions, the metals in a catalytic converter are very attractive to thieves. Since your exhaust system gets hot while driving, youll want to remove this little alarm while driving. Regarding functionality, this handy alarm detects both motion and vibration. So, for thieves who dont want to spend time and energy breaking into a vehicle or risk a bank heist, catalytic converters are an easy target to make quick cash. For everyone else, stick with professional installation to ensure you get what you paid for. Most insurance policies don't cover cat theftand because it's a model-specific, EPA-regulated emissions device, catalytic-converter replacement can cost thousands from your dealer. No, the majority of mechanics do not steal catalytic converters. Earle: Were you surprised by the numbers? The best vehicle anti-theft devices to keep your car safe, A catalytic converter, sometimes called a "cat," is a part of a cars exhaust system. Theyre usually worth more than gold. The high-dB alarm sound will alert people nearby that your car has been compromised by an intruder. As you might have guessed, certain cars have more valuable cats than others. Below, we answer common questions related to using a car alarm to prevent catalytic converter theft and other important topics. As the bolts are tightened, the clamps tighten down equally on the exhaust pipe and cable. 304 stainless steel and aluminum is also resistant to oxidation for corrosion resistance which is important given a cat shield sits underneath a vehicle and is regularly exposed to road grime, rain, and snow. CAT-SCR-CRV-3 . If you own a raised truck, then your best bet is to go with a shock sensor and a motion sensor. The most effective catalytic converter security systems are usually custom-made to fit a particular model of vehicle and are much more difficult for thieves to bypass. This type of blade is constructed with very small teeth, designed to cut thin pieces of metal and effectively dispose of them. For Prius owners and other heavily-targeted vehicle owners, always check to make sure that your insurance policy covers catalytic converter theft. However, if you drive a late-model Toyota Tacoma 4x4 with a 3.5L engine you're in luck because MillerCat has designed a cat shield just for you. Ever seen those pictures from the 1960s and 1970s of the smog-filled skies of Los Angeles? The blade can't grip the steel cables properly because they create a moving target. The best catalytic converter security system for your vehicle Rust resistant Can be fitted with optional extras like tamper-proof screws for even greater security See results from a representative cutting test: The CatStrap is encased in a high-temperature strap that runs down the length of your vehicle's exhaust and converter. For full-sized pickups, there may not be enough material to protect a catalytic converter entirely. Our engineers have tested every design to ensure the best fitment, minima steel cables sliding back-and-forth on a layer of custom-hardened strip steel. What a difference a year makes: A look at used car prices over the last year. Police put out an alert for that van with Kentucky plates, and the men were busted in State college. Rhodium, for example, sells for thousands of dollars per ounce. Catalytic converters can cost more than $2,000 and can be stolen in less than two minutes. Finally, this system also features remote start and keyless entry capabilities for added convenience. If you're a Toyota Prius driver, you're in luck. I own a tacoma and mi friend does as well. To cut through the confusion and help you decide which security device is right for your vehicle, weve reviewed the most common types. These can be difficult to fit to cars that are very large or very small. Great deterrent since the high-dB alarm sound will tell thieves to scram anti-theft protection for cars, trucks Toyota... Blade ca n't grip the steel cables sliding back-and-forth on a layer of custom-hardened strip steel is designed for cutting. 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