There has been a rash of catalytic converter thefts in my community. I understand that Toyota has available a Miller catalytic converter shield to at least make such thefts more difficult. I am told that the shield comes in both aluminum and stainless steel, and that the latter is harder for a thief to saw through. I would be interested in comments here about whether the shield is worth obtaining. I *think* the price is about $200.
Sheilds can be a deterent. Yet, depending on the location of the car, the shield will not stop a"professional". That comment has a basis in the time (and noise) to steal. In regards to alum. vs. steal with the proper tools the difference to cut off in time I believe is negligible. Good luck with your decision. PS One idea I've read and liked is to etch your VIN number onto the cat, to curb resale.
Catch is most cat thieves aren't professional... So every thing you can do to discourage them, the better off you'll be. Parking on soft ground that won't support a car jack is a good strategy.
A car repair person suggested to me that a device like this can be defeated just by cutting the exhaust pipe before the start of the device. Comments?
Mechanics are way more skilled and have better tools than a cat thief. They always says dumb stuff like this because there's almost nothing on a car they can't deal with and there's lots of ego that comes with that. Someone in the middle of the night with nothing but a jack and sawz-all has all kinds of super sketchy challenges that most mechanics will ever face. Like most things used to prevent theft, it's a deterrent that slows them down, nothing more than that.
I had a miller cat stainless steel shield installed last month after my second theft in three months (thankful for low deductible comprehensive coverage). My landlord lives in the house in front of me, and she told me a few nights ago she was up around 2am and saw a white truck stop by my car, a man get out and look under my car, and then drive off. I assume they were attempting a third theft, but the shield deterred them. Definitely a good investment in my opinion.
