Buying Guides

Which Cars are Least Likely to Have Catalytic Converter Stolen

Last updated on July 19th, 2024 at 04:25 am

When you buy a car, you might be afraid that thieves will steal any parts that are made of precious metal. People who have their car’s catalytic converter stolen can have a hard time. People who have their catalytic converters stolen can be very stressed about it.

Catalytic converters are less likely to be stolen from a large number of vehicles. Find out which vehicles’ catalytic converters are the least likely to be stolen in the following paragraphs.

Catalytic converter thieves steal converters from hybrid cars because they stay in better shape. They are less likely to steal converters from vehicles made before 1974 because they didn’t have converters. After all, the cars don’t emit as many toxins as others.

Despite this, the government took care of the cars. They made it mandatory for vehicles to have converters, so they had to be cleaned. Thieves will still try to steal converters from cars with less valuable metal in them.

For example, cars with bead catalytic converters might not be worth much at a scrap yard, so thieves might not be able to get their hands on these cars. Another thing to note is that diesel converters don’t have any value because they don’t have valuable metals.

There are also newer cars with catalytic converters inside the engine compartment, making it hard to steal them.

What is a catalytic converter in cars?

A catalytic converter is a part of a car that helps it run. It breaks down harmful molecules in the gases that cars make before they are released into the air. A portion of the catalytic converter converts toxic chemicals from an engine’s exhaust into harmless gases, like steam, that are harmless.

For what reasons are catalytic converters in such high demand?

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium are precious metals found in catalytic converters. These metals are precious to metal dealers and thieves, and they can sell for up to $1,000 at a flea market.

Also Check: Top 10 Best Resale Value Cars in USA

List of brands of cars that have catalytic converters that are less likely to steal:

>GMC

In the United States, GMC is owned by General Motors. This company makes popular sport utility vehicles and heavy-duty pickup trucks like the GMC Sierra, sold in the United States. GMC is one of many brands owned by General Motors, which also owns brands like Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, and many more. To learn more about Ryan Buick GMC, keep reading! You want to know more about who owns GMC, where models are made, and how the GMC brand started.

It costs between $800 and $1,200 to buy a catalytic converter for most cars, depending on the make and model. The cost of a converter goes up with a bigger engine. It’s essential to keep in mind that these prices are only for the cost of the converter itself, and it’s catalytic converter least likely to be stolen.

>Ford

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, in the United States. It makes cars, trucks, and SUVs. It was started by Henry Ford and became a company on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobiles and trucks under the Ford brand and luxury cars under the Lincoln brand.

It costs between $800 and $1,200 to buy a catalytic converter for most cars, depending on the make and model. Rounding out the top five is the Ford Mustang, which costs $1,500, which isn’t bad. Another company on the list whose catalytic converters in its vehicle are not easy to get away with.

>Mazda

Mazda is owned by the Mazda Motor Corporation, based near Hiroshima, Japan, and makes cars and other things. By 1995, the company owned more than a third of the company. It was only in 2015 that Ford sold all of its Mazda shares back to the company. In 2015, Mazda made 1.5 million vehicles for global sales. Most of them were made in the company’s Japanese plants, but the rest came from various other plants around the world.

There will be labor costs with replacement costs for Mazda’s catalytic converter of $197 to $249, and parts cost $1,065. If your car is very old, has a lot of miles on it, isn’t very reliable, and you live in a state with strict smog laws, this is even more true. Because replacing your catalytic converter will cost a lot of money, it should be a last resort.

>Dodge

Dodge is an American brand of cars that is part of Stellaris. It is based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge cars have always been high-performance cars, and for a long time, Dodge was Chrysler’s middle-priced brand above Plymouth.

It’s part of the exhaust system in the Dodge Challenger, and its main job is to turn harmful exhaust gases like carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into less harmful ones, like carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas.

Dodge’s catalytic converter replacement costs between $1,630 and $1,663. The price can vary from car to car, but the average is between $1,630 and $1,663.

>Nissan

Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. is a Japanese company that makes cars worldwide. It is based in Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The business sells the cars under the Infiniti, Nissan, and Datsun brands. It also makes its performance-tuning products called Nismo.

Nissan has made a catalytic converter that doesn’t use nearly as many precious metals as current models do. Because it is filled with a mix of platinum, silver, and gold, it helps the car’s exhaust to be cleaner. Catalytic converter replacement costs average between $1,580 and $1,628 for the Nissan Altima, but the price can vary. Parts are priced between $1,435 and $1.447; they’re also expected to cost from $15 to 183. People who do the work are expected to pay $15 to 183.

>Subaru

Subaru is the car-making arm of the Japanese transportation company Subaru Corporation, the twenty-first-largest automaker in the world by production in 2017. In the beginning, Subaru is better than most other car brands. It says that the Subaru brand has an overall reliability rating of 3.5 and is 14th out of 32 car brands. Each year, the average cost of repairs is $617, which is a little less than $652 for all cars. When the engine in a Subaru car has more than 1500 cc, it’s called a “boxer.”

Subaru Motors has used multiple catalytic converters on its cars for a long time now. There are a lot of different prices for replacing a Subaru Outback catalytic converter. It can cost anywhere from about $50 to more than $1,000.

>Hyundai

When it comes to making cars, Hyundai runs the world’s largest all-in-one factory in Ulsan, South Korea, which can produce 1.6 million vehicles each year. About 75,000 people work for the company across the globe. Hyundai cars are sold through these stores. Hyundai is the company that owns Kia Motors, which makes cars and trucks. Both Kia and Hyundai have their brand philosophies to make their vehicles unique.

Exhaust gases like carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons can be harmful to your health and the environment, so the catalytic converter in the Hyundai Elantra helps to turn them into less toxic byproducts. These byproducts are carbon dioxide and nitrogen gas. Workers are estimated to cost $97 to $122 to replace the catalytic converter. Parts are estimated to be between $634 and $638.

>Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Subsidiary of General Motors Company is an American vehicle division of the American automaker General Motors. Chevrolet is often referred to as Chevy. We were discussing the Flow Chevrolet Catalytic Converter. The “FLOW” mark on the top of the cat indicates that it is an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) catalytic converter. On Chevy’s Silverado pickups, these catalytic converters are commonplace. Catalytic Converter Replacement costs between $1,545 and $1,584, depending on the make and model of the vehicle.

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Which cars are most susceptible to catalytic converter theft?

Cars that are least likely to have catalytic converters stolen

Catalytic converters are an essential part of any fuel-powered car made after 1978. If you want to find them, you won’t have to look very hard. It means that most vehicles on the road could be at risk. Some trends show which cars are more likely to get into trouble.

Low-Emissions Cars

Low-emission cars are made to have excellent filtration systems, which means they have high-quality catalytic converters. Their catalytic converters will usually have more platinum, rhodium, and palladium in them than in cars with average emissions. The more valuable these precious metals are, the more money a thief who sells to a scrap yard makes. It is to make them work better.

The Toyota Prius, which is a ubiquitous low-emissions car, is the car that has the most catalytic converters stolen. It’s essential to be careful if you own a Prius made in 2009 or earlier because older models have more precious metal than newer models.

Prius catalytic converters are essential, so let’s figure out how much they cost. The average price of a catalytic converter is around $50 to $200. A catalytic converter from a Prius would cost about $400 to $500, at least double the profit.

Trucks and SUVs

Unlike small cars like Priuses, thieves will also try to steal taller vehicles like pickup trucks and SUVs. It’s because these cars have more space for a person to crawl under without having to lift the vehicle with a jack. It makes it easier to get in and out of quickly.

The Element and the CRV are two Honda cars getting a lot of attention. A taller height also helps with the SUVs’ high-value catalytic converters, which is even more helpful.

Almost any pickup truck will have the same problems because they have a lot of space between them and the ground.

Regularly parked automobiles

Moreover, how the car looks and how you drive can make you more or less likely to get your car stolen.

People are more likely to try to break into your car if you leave it out in the open all the time. Even if you keep the same schedule every day, like at work or school, this can be a bad thing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cars are more likely to have catalytic converters stolen?

Toyota Prius, SUVs, hybrid cars, and trucks are more likely to get catalytic converters stolen.

How do I make sure my catalytic converter doesn’t get stolen?

The thieves steal the catalytic converters from cars parked in crowded, dark places or on top of high things. To keep your vehicle safe, you should park in private car parks. If the car park is complete, you should look for a well-lit space because thieves won’t steal from spots that aren’t covered.

Catalytic converter thefts can happen even if you take excellent care, especially if the vehicle is a hybrid model.

What cars are least likely to be carjacked?

BMW 3, Tesla S, Jaguar XF, Nissan Leaf are among the models of cars that are least likely to be carjacked.

Conclusion

There are a lot of valuable precious metals in catalytic converters, so thieves want to steal them. People who steal catalytic converters from cars made before 1974 are less likely to do so because they don’t have any to steal. There are some exceptions, though. All vehicles now have to have converters, though.

In this way, cars with less valuable metals are more likely to have their catalytic converters stolen. Thieves don’t want to steal other vehicles because the converter is in the engine, making them hard to get. In any case, that doesn’t mean that thieves won’t try to steal them, so always keep your converter safe.

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