How To Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft

23 August 2023

The catalytic converter is an important part of the car that turns the pollutants made from the car into a harmless gas. The converter can take many harmful things like platinum, palladium, and rhodium and then turn them into different gases.

While you might not think about this simple part of your car, it’s actually a target for thieves because they can sell it for a large amount of money. If you no longer need your catalytic converter for any reason, Core Masters buys catalytic converters.

This guide will cover how to prevent catalytic converter theft as well as explain how to know if your converter has been stolen.

How Do I Know If My Catalytic Converter Has Been Stolen?

Most of the time, you cannot tell your converter was stolen just by looking at your car. You will probably be able to tell once you start the engine though as the car might make weird noises. When the converter has been removed from the car, the vehicle makes a constant loud roaring noise that becomes louder as you push on the gas pedal.

If you drive the car, you will notice it cannot drive smoothly and it will make a weird sputtering noise.

Here are some of the other things you can look for when it comes to driving without your converter:

Loud roar as you start the car that becomes louder the more you accelerate
More exhaust fumes than usual and weird exhaust smells
You notice there are missing parts under the car especially the ones that lead to the muffler
Acceleration that is sputtering or uneven
The check engine light is on or your car fails an engine inspection

Why Do People Steal Catalytic Converters?

There are many reasons why people choose to steal catalytic converters. While sometimes you can only get $50 for a converter, there are some that can be sold for thousands of dollars per ounce thanks to the precious metals that are found in them.

People that are used to stealing converters can take them in just a few minutes making them easy to steal and get away. It’s an easy way to make quick cash for some people so they take every opportunity they can to ensure they take them.

Catalytic Converters also cannot be tracked like other parts of the car. So people that steal it easily get away with it and the person who’s now missing it from their car has no way of getting it back.

Are Certain Cars Targeted For Catalytic Converter Theft?

Any car that is made after 1974 has a converter so there are many cars out on the road that thieves can target. Most of the time, thieves prefer to steal from taller cars like SUVs and trucks because they can easily go under the car and take the converter.

Hybrid cars are also another target because the converters are made with more metal and more precious metals which means they can get a higher value for them when selling. The more precious metals there are in the converter, the more money the thief can get for it so they often go for cars they know that have converters best for selling.

Ways To Protect Your Car Against Catalytic Converter Theft

Worried about your car’s catalytic converter being stolen? There are plenty of ways you can ensure this doesn’t happen. Most are simple tricks that can be done for free.

Know If You’re A Target

As stated before, SUVs, trucks, and hybrid cars are all easy targets for catalytic converter theft. If you own one of these cars, you need to ensure you always follow all safety tips because you know your car’s converter can be stolen easier.

Knowing that your target makes it easier to keep yourself safe and be aware of the signs that your converter has been stolen.

Put Your VIN On The Converter

There is no way to track a catalytic converter, so if yours is stolen it’s almost impossible to retrieve it back. This is why some people choose to put their VIN or their license plate number on their converter.

This way if someone goes to sell it, the person buying it might check if the person trying to sell it to them is the original owner. If they are not, they can contact authorities and say they think the converter has been stolen.

Park In Well Lit Areas

Every time you park your car or go somewhere, make sure you park near the street lights. You should also try and park as close to the entrance of places as possible. If you park in an apartment complex, try to park in different areas every time so that people do not target your car as being in the same place.

Install Cameras

If you can, put cameras in your parking lot or outside your home. This allows people to know you have surveillance and they will be deterred from stealing the converter because they know they can be caught more easily.

You can also install motion sensor lights so that every time someone walks by, the light turns on. This makes people feel like they are being watched and they will not want to get too close to your car.

Paint Your Converter

This often deters buyers because it makes the converter less valuable. Painting is also known as a common technique for avoiding theft so if a person tries to sell a painted converter, it looks more suspicious. Some police departments even let you go into their station and paint your converter for free.

Catalytic Converters And Thieves

Unfortunately, converters are easy to steal making them an easy target for those looking to make a quick buck. When your converter is stolen, you can even spend up to $3000 replacing it. This is why it’s very important to use the tips in this guide to prevent your converter from being stolen.

You also need to ensure your car is insured against catalytic converter theft so that you are never stuck paying for a new out-of-pocket.

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Abdul Aziz Mondol

Abdul Aziz Mondol is a professional blogger who is having a colossal interest in writing blogs and other jones of calligraphies. In terms of his professional commitments, he loves to share content related to business, finance, technology, and the gaming niche.

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How Many Wheels Are In The World? – Are You Excited To Know?

Have you ever wondered how many wheels are there in the world? The first answer that will come to the fore is that there are actually plenty of wheels, which are infinite in number. However, in this article, we will look at this interesting question a bit differently and find out how many wheels are in the world in particular. With the Automotive Industry growing in leaps and bounds every year, the number of wheels depends upon the large number of vehicles being produced. Estimations have speculated that the number of wheels could be anywhere around 37 billion globally. Furthermore, in this article, you will also know why this question is there in the first place and what is the motivation behind finding out how many wheels exist in the world. You will also know about the fact why many people want to know how many wheels are there in the world estimate, as well as the views of the people. How Many Wheels Are In The World Total? – General Background Many users on the internet and social media (Twitter in particular) organized a popular poll, which was mainly about whether there are more doors or more wheels in the world. Hence, there were two different opinions from different users, and the reasons that people came up with were also interesting and, in some cases, extremely funny. On the one hand, many people were of the opinion that there are more doors in the world since there are many buildings and a single building has several doors. On the other hand, others claimed that since there are too many vehicles in the world, the number of wheels outnumbers the doors. Many people from around the world participated in the poll, and many people enjoyed the answers on the poll. The poll was featured in many countries, including the US, Canada, Australia, the UK, Ireland, and many more. The person who started this poll is Ryan Nixon. According to him, he found similar questions in Quora, from where he took the idea. According to Ryan, the question he found on Quora is, “If you could have one superpower, what would it be?” To answer the question, Ryan replied, “The ability to know the answer to any question I wanted.” This is how he found the idea of asking the question to people on the internet. Although it may sound strange to you, this is actually how the poll started and got popular in no time. More Doors Or More Wheels – What About The Post? Image Source Ryan Nixon posted the poll on March 5, 2022, on his Twitter account with the Twitter ID @NewYorkNixon. In the poll, he posted, “My mates and I are having the STUPIDEST debate...And I am here for it. Do you think there are more doors or wheels in the world?” As of February 22, 2023, we found that there are 223,347 votes. The final results are already out. The poll results were close, as 53.6% of people voted for more wheels, while 46.4% of people voted for more doors. There are 4823 retweets of the post and 19,200 likes on the post. Furthermore, 4414 people quoted the tweet. From the moment Ryan posted the tweet, it went viral in no time. Within three days, the post was one of the most viewed on the internet. Many experts are of the opinion that the reason behind the post being popular is that it was truly unique, and different people have different opinions about the post. Additionally, the post got popular quite fast on Facebook, Reddit, and other social platforms as well. What People Are Saying About The Doors Vs. Wheel Post? Image Source You must have already understood that the post was unique and got popular due to it being interesting and funny at the same time. This is because hardly any people think about the number of doors and wheels in their own houses and cars, let alone the world. The funny part about the post is the way how many people came together to vote on the poll and have a debate in the comment section of the post. The question was, although simple, it was intriguing as well. For example, one person even commented, “Who is voting doors??? There’s wheels on everything. I have wheels on my garment rack, makeup storage holder, rubbish bin. It’s definitely wheels.” In return, Ryan Nixon replied, “You have more wheels in your house than doors? Think about cupboards, the pantry etc. Think about how many doors there would be in something like an apartment building or hotel...” Such conversations and opinions made the post extremely interesting. Some of the other comments that added fuel to the fire are: “Very solidly wheels. All cars have 4 wheels but 2-4 doors. An average home might have 6-10 doors but it also has 3 suitcases with 6-12 wheels. A collection of toy cars might have 400 wheels.” “How many suitcases with wheels on have you got in your house? I’ve got eight. That’s 32 wheels just there.” “Doors. Four door cars and trucks nullify themselves. All ships have doors, no wheels. All buildings have doors, no wheels. Doors.” “Doors by far. Most things with wheels have at least a 2:1 door-wheel ratio, and then you have all the other doors in the world.” “In my household there are 29 doors including fridge, cupboards, washing machine, tumble dryer and car. Got 4 wheels on my car and the hamster has a wheel, can’t think of any more wheels I’m saying doors." "Using the ideology that wheels are only for vehicles and doors only count if they can be walked through. Think it’s quite clear that doors win. Let me know if I’ve missed anything major or something needs explaining.” "Think it’s quite clear that doors win. Let me know if I’ve missed anything major or if something needs explaining.” "Doors. Four door cars and trucks nullify themselves. All ships have doors, no wheels. All buildings have doors, no wheels. Doors." "Easily doors There's double the number of homes in the world than there are other types of buildings too, eg shops, businesses etc Then on top of that, most vehicles have many doors too," "Must be wheel. Wheels is one of the earliest human inventions. Not only in vehicles, but also in rollerblades, suitcases, chairs, etc. Wheels also made each day more than doors." "Just to confuse this debate do you mean EVER or NOW? as this very much alters my answer. Also, is a broken door or wheel still a door or wheel? I need some rules here." "You have ruined my life, I've lost sleep over this." "This has sent me into a spiral and I can't escape it." What Is The Exact Answer To The Question? In every way, it is very hard to find out the exact number of wheels or doors. If, for example, you think about only cars, you have to consider it has four wheels and at least two doors. There are wheels in other vehicles as well. Furthermore, there are so many doors in houses, furniture, etc. On the other hand, there are also wheels in toys like Hot Wheels and Legos. Realistically speaking, the numbers are just too much for a person to count, as they are infinite. Hence, we will not be able to give you even a close idea. How Many Lego Wheels Are There In The World? Image Source In answer to how many Lego wheels there are in the world, you will need to estimate the number of car toys Lego produces. In a year, almost 17 billion toy cars are produced. Lego has sold approximately 6 billion wheels until now. As per a 2010 report, we found that Lego produces 318 million tires every year. Despite all these data, it is still hard to find out the number of wheels in this case too. Summing Up It is really hard to find how many wheels are in the world or even how many doors there are. Who knows! There can be billions of wheels and doors in the world. However, the best part about the question is that it is interesting and unique, and the post from where the question is inspired was a head-turner. Moreover, the post was funny, and the results were even funnier. Read Also: How Long Can You Go Without An Oil Change? What Type Of Vehicle Is Ideal For Off-Road Driving? How To Choose The Best Wheels And Tires For Your Vehicle?

Essential Facts To Consider Before Renting Heavy Railway Equipment

If you are involved in the repair or maintenance of railways then you can appreciate the need for heavy equipment. In the past railways were fixed manually. Men used spanners, jacks, shovels, and plenty of muscle power to dig up, detach, and replace damaged tracks and signs. Fortunately, this is much easier to do today. However, although heavy equipment makes the job significantly easier, the equipment is generally expensive and it may be difficult to justify the purchase of such equipment. Fortunately, there is an alternative. You can rent the heavy equipment you need from a reputable railway equipment company. This makes the process affordable and practical. But, you do need to know the following. It’s Safer The simple truth is that doing any work on a railway line is dangerous. Trains can be on the tracks and heavy items can injure you. Using specialized equipment, some of which is automated, dramatically reduces the risk. Alongside this, renting equipment instead of buying it means you don’t have to worry about maintaining it. This will be handled by the rental firm for you, allowing you to focus on using the equipment for your intended project. The fact that the maintenance is carried out by a reputable company ensures it is always safe to use. Cost-Effective Purchasing heavy equipment for occasional use is simply not a viable option for many companies. The cost of purchasing would take years to recuperate. In fact, by the time the machine has paid for itself, it would probably be outdated and inefficient. That isn’t something to worry about when renting heaving equipment. You may also like: What to Consider When Buying Heavy Duty Truck Alignment Equipment Training Of course, it is important that a properly trained and registered operator uses the equipment. You will need to confirm you have such an operator before you rent the equipment. If not, the company may be able to supply an operative. Length Of Job This is a key factor in deciding whether to rent or buy. The longer a job is set to go on for the more justifiable it is to purchase heavy railway equipment. But, it isn’t just the length of the job that matters. It also matters how often you would use a specific piece of equipment. After all, if you use it just once or twice, even as part of a ten-year job, it really is better to rent than to buy. Delivery If you opt to purchase heavy equipment you also need to think about transportation. While the manufacturer may deliver it for you, how will you move it when you need it in different locations? This is an important part of the equation as transport costs can be significant. Again, a specialist firm will handle all of this for you, allowing you to get the job done properly, safely, and within budget. After all, if there is an issue with your heavy equipment then the firm will handle all repairs and issues for you. That is useful! Read Also: Why Times Are Tough For Truckers and Why It Concerns You

What to Do After an Auto Lockout?

Many times people forget their car keys inside and get locked out of their own car. As all the cars now come with a central locking system, it is almost impossible for owners to open their car when they leave the key inside it. However, there are many things you can do if you get locked out of your car. The best way to open your car is to call an automotive locksmith, but this is not the only way. Let us explore all the ways to unlock your car in case you get locked out. Call your car company: If you have the customer care number of your car company, you can call them to assist you in opening the lock. Even if you don’t have their customer service number, you can search it online on your phone and call them for assistance. They will tell you an alternative procedure to open your car or send a professional to assist you to unlock it. Some car companies may send a professional to unlock your car as they have people who are experts in using alternative methods to offer solutions to their customers. You might have a spare key: Sometimes car owners have a spare key with them that they don’t remember. Think about where you kept the spare keys. If you have one in your pocket, you can use it to open your car. Many people have a spare key at home. If you have a spare key at your home, you can call someone to get it for you if your home is not too far from the location where you get locked out. However, if you are far away from your home, you can call an automotive locksmith to open it for you. Tow the car to your home: If you have no option to unlock the car, you can tow the car to your home or a safe place. However, hiring a towing service can be more expensive than hiring a locksmith. Therefore, you should keep this as the last option if nothing else works. Look for open window glass: Sometimes people prefer driving with open window panes. If a pane on the driving side is open, you can put your arm inside and take out the key to unlock the door. However, if all the window panes are closed, you cannot opt for this method. Roadside Assistance: Some car insurance companies offer roadside assistance, but many don’t offer it in their policy. You can also search roadside assistance online on your smartphone. Call one of the companies, and they will send a professional technician to unlock your car or help you to take it to a garage. If your insurance policy offers roadside assistance, you should save its information on your phone so that you can use it in such conditions. Warranty service: Most car companies offer a warranty, and many of the warranties also cover the costs of a lockout. If your car warranty covers the same, you can use it for roadside assistance in case of a lockout. It can be a wise decision to use roadside assistance covered by your car warrant without the need to purchase redundant coverage. Call an Automotive Locksmith: The best way to unlock your locked car is to call an automotive locksmith for assistance. However, to use this method, you need to know about the best locksmith service in your area. If you have not left your phone inside the car, you can also search online for the best locksmith service and call it immediately from your phone. Allcoast locksmiths is a reputed company offering service in the Central Coast and Lake Macquarie, Australia. They have been offering locksmith services in these areas for over 15 years. If you need a locksmith service in any of these areas, this is a company you can rely upon. You can call them in an emergency auto lockout, home, or office lockout for assistance. Final Words: These were some tips you can try during an automotive lockout. Following these ideas can get you out of the situation and make you drive your car again. It is best to know the best locksmith service in your area so that you can call them in such situations. Read Also: Choosing the Right Anti-Theft Devices For Your Car In Houston TX 5 Tips to Safeguard Your Home From Intruders Should you Replace or Rekey Locks? — What Locksmith Richmond says Expert Advice: 5 Crucial Things to Do Immediately After an Automobile Accident

How To Prevent Catalytic Converter Theft

How Do I Know If My Catalytic Converter Has Been Stolen?

Why Do People Steal Catalytic Converters?

Are Certain Cars Targeted For Catalytic Converter Theft?