Catalytic converter theft

I tried an aftermarket locking gas cap, and wound up with emissions Check codes.
Cats are expensive, and if after market produces check codes, that is an expensive mistake.

 

Agreed.

Just buy the protectors. CommieFornia probably will ground your vehicle until replacements are in, along with other states. You do not need the cost, insurance, or "grounded" hassles.

$250 for protectors is too expensive. But $30/day at Starbucks is defendable.

 

What do you mean by commiefornia and the other states and grounding?

 

The more... restrictive states, will basically impound your vehicle if there are no catalytic convertors in it. I would assume that reporting someone stole your cats to the police would be the quickest way for them to find out about the fact that they are missing.

Which means that your vehicle is grounded - you can't drive it. So not only did some miscreant steal your cats and cost a couple thousand dollars of repairs, but you can't even drive your GD vehicle.

 

So, just making a lot of assumptions about how "some" of the 50 states required to comply with the federal emissions law might behave, maybe, kinda, based on what, exactly?

Here are some recent widely available statistics, if you are interested in those. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2023/08/16/catalytic-converter-theft-down/70579555007/
Hm, California has the highest number of thefts in the nation. Indeed, it also has the highest population in the nation. That would seem a pretty predictable path of reason just by pure probability.
Texas has the second highest. Interdasting. I guess they have been passing a lot of laws very restrictive laws lately.

I guess if your cat were to be stolen, the reasonable path of action would be to report it to the police to gather facts and data to combat it, contact your insurance if you have coverage, and then get it fixed before your next inspection or registration deadline.

 

Still ... $250 to protect against such an event or $600/month on Starbucks ... easy choice for me. Else we will hear from those who cannot decide.

My catalytic converters are covered already by 1/4 aluminum plates. I may lose them, but I can say I took proper precautions.

 

So, am I the only one that has CAT CLAMPS installed?