What is in a catalytic converter that makes it so valuable?

Money is the main reason catalytic converters are often stolen. They contain three metals that aid in the chemical reaction that makes exhaust pollutants less harmful: platinum, palladium and rhodium. The prices of these metals have risen dramatically during the early 21st century.

Which Catalytic Converters Are The Most Expensive? According to data from 2020, the most expensive catalytic converter belonged to the Ferrari F430, with a mind-popping $3,770.00 price tag. Moreover, the F430 needed two of them, so a full replacement would run car owners $7,540 before labor costs.

• Hybrid vehicles. …
• Older vehicles. …
• SUVs and trucks. …
• Other models with valuable catalytic converters. …
• Year. …
• Diesel vehicles. …
• Electric vehicles. …
• Least at-risk makes.

Thanks to the increasing prices of the precious metals used in the production — i.e, platinum, rhodium and palladium — an ill-gotten catalytic converter can “typically” fetch between $50 and $250 when sold to an unscrupulous recycling facility, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

The car that experiences the most catalytic converter theft is the Toyota Prius, a very common low-emissions vehicle. A car owner of a Prius made in 2009 or earlier should be particularly wary, as the older models have a higher concentration of that precious metal than newer models.

It’s part of a system that cleans out pollutants and prevents them from entering the atmosphere. And it’s also the reason why thieves across the U.S. are sawing off catalytic converters in order to get their hands on a few precious grams of the world’s most valuable metal.

Thieves can remove a catalytic converter quickly, often in less than two minutes, so theft can even occur in broad daylight. The only tools a thief needs are a wrench (for converters that are bolted on) or a reciprocating saw (for converters that are welded in).

Is a stolen catalytic converter covered by insurance? If you have comprehensive coverage on your auto insurance policy, then you’re typically covered against catalytic converter theft. Comprehensive coverage will typically pay to replace the stolen catalytic converter and repair any related damage from its removal.

Catalytic converters are used to help filter many of the fumes that come out of gas or diesel generating engines. The precious metals that can be recovered through refinement of catalytic inverters are as follows: platinum, palladium, and rhodium.

What is this? Ford, Chevy, Jeep, Dodge, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Hyundai, and Chrysler have the least valuable converters. Thieves might not think about stealing their converters as they have no value due to the lack of precious metals.

Joseph Boche, who is a director with the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators (IAATI), explained that stolen converters can sell for as little as $50 to as much as $1,600 on the black market.

Thieves sell the stolen converters for hundreds of dollars to scrapyards or recycling centers where they can be melted to extract the metals — palladium, rhodium and platinum.

What Happens When You Drive Without A Catalytic Converter? When facing the recovery costs of a stolen “cat,” many customers wonder, “Can I drive without my catalytic converter?” The answer is both yes and no. Technically, a car can function without a catalytic converter.

What catalytic converters are worth the most for scrap? According to 2021 data, the cars with the most expensive catalytic converters are: Ferrari F430 (4,500 $ per catalytic converter) Lamborghini Aventador (3,700 $ per catalytic converter)

1. 1) Etch your license plate number onto your catalytic converter. This makes the part identifiable to law enforcement. …
2. 2) Park in well-lit areas. …
3. 3) Install an anti-theft device.

Always park in well-lit areas when possible. If you have a personal garage, keep your car in the garage with the door closed when the vehicle is not in use. Park close to a building entrance or to the nearest access road when parking in a public lot.

• Audi E-Tron.
• BMW i3.
• Chevrolet Bolt EV.
• Hyundai Kona EV.
• Fiat 500E.
• Honda Clarity Electric.
• Hyundai Ioniq EV.
• Jaguar I-Pace.

“The demand is high for catalytic converters, and they seem to know which ones command the highest prices, like those on the older Priuses.” Prices have soared for metals like platinum, rhodium, palladium and others, due to lower mining production in recent years, a trend that was exacerbated by the pandemic.

When the catalytic converter has been removed, your vehicle will make a loud roaring sound that will get louder as you push the gas pedal, says The Spruce. Your car might also make a sputtering sound as you change speed, or you’ll notice it’s not driving smoothly.

Catalytic converters contain Platinum, Rhodium and Palladium. However, there is no gold in catalytic converters.

The reason there is a price difference is because of the precious metals inside. There are many precious metals that clean the air that passes through the catalytic converter and those metals is what makes it worth money.

Currently, Prius is being targeted because catalytic converters of hybrids need more of the precious metals to work properly because they don’t get as hot as those installed on conventional vehicles, since the combustion engines of hybrids only run part of the time.

While the “street value” of a catalytic converter can range between a mere $100 to $700 depending on the type of vehicle it’s stolen from, replacing a stolen one will cost you a lot more. With labor, a catalytic converter replacement is estimated at between $1,000 and $3,000.

Before replacing your expensive catalytic converter, make sure it is the culprit by replacing it temporarily with a straight pipe, sometimes called a test pipe. If your car runs properly with the test pipe in place, your catalytic converter will need to be replaced soon.

Depending upon the choice of catalytic converter quality and type of vehicle you own, the average cost to replace a catalytic converter is in the range of $1000-2500.

Removing the catalytic converter can increase horsepower because it reduces backpressure – allowing your car to expel more exhaust gases and providing more room for air to enter the combustion chamber and create bigger combustion.