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The Catalytic Converter Epidemic: Why Yours Was Stolen and What To Do

Category: Customer Updated: 2026 Read Time: ~3 min

Walking out to a loud roar? You're a victim of cat theft. Learn why thieves target your car, the scrap value of converters, and how to sell the rest of the car.

The Roar of Reality

You turn the key in your Honda CR-V properly, and it sounds like a NASCAR racer. You look underneath. A gap in the exhaust pipe. Your catalytic converter is gone.

Milwaukee has seen a massive spike in converter thefts. Thieves can cut them out in 60 seconds with a battery-powered Sawzall. But why? And what do you do now?

Why is That Rusty Part Worth So Much?

Inside that ugly metal canister is a honeycomb ceramic structure coated in:

  1. Platinum
  2. Palladium
  3. Rhodium

These are Platinum Group Metals (PGMs).

  • Rhodium prices can soar to $10,000+ per ounce (more than gold).
  • A single converter might contain $50 to $800 worth of these metals, depending on the car model.

The “Hit List” (Most Targeted Cars)

Thieves target cars with “high-load” converters (more precious metal).

  1. Toyota Prius (Gen 2): The Holy Grail. Their converters are extremely valuable ($800+ scrap value).
  2. Honda Element / CR-V: Easy to crawl under (high ground clearance) and valuable cats.
  3. Ford F-Series: High clearance, huge converters.

What To Do If Yours Is Stolen

Option 1: Fix It (Expensive)

  • Cost: A new OEM converter can cost $1,500 - $3,000 installed.
  • Insurance: Comprehensive coverage usually covers it (minus deductible). BUT, if your car is 15 years old, the repair might cost more than the car’s value. The insurance company might Total the car.

Option 2: The “Straight Pipe” (Illegal)

  • Some people just weld a straight pipe in.
  • Result: It’s loud. The Check Engine Light will be on forever. It fails emissions instantly. It is illegal to tamper with emissions controls.

Option 3: Sell It As-Is (To Us)

Many people choose to cut their losses. “I’m not spending $2,000 to fix a $2,000 car. Just take it.”

Does {businessInfo.name} buy cars with missing cats? YES. However, the price will be lower.

  • The catalytic converter represents a huge chunk of a junk car’s value.
  • We will deduct the missing converter value from the quote.
  • But we still pay for the steel, the engine, the transmission, and the wheels.

Preventing Theft

  1. Park Inside: Garage parking is the only 100% cure.
  2. Cat Shield: Install a metal plate over the converter (Costs $150-$300). It makes cutting it difficult and noisy.
  3. Paint It: Spray paint the converter bright orange with high-heat paint. Scrapyards are trained to reject painted converters as likely stolen.

The Ethics of Buying

At {businessInfo.name}, we DO NOT buy loose converters from random people. We only buy converters attached to vehicles or from licensed businesses. We support legislation to crack down on the black market that fuels these thefts.

Summary

If you are the victim of theft, do the math before you fix it. If the repair > 50% of the car’s value, it’s time to let it go. We can pick up your loud, converter-less car today and put cash in your pocket toward a new (and hopefully garaged) vehicle.