Hundreds of thieves are in Colorado converting catalytic converters into cash, leaving the car owner with a “surprise” repair bill of over $2,000.
Few people know what a catalytic converter “exactly” is or does; if asked, I would say “it’s for reducing emissions, it’s for the environment”, and that’s basically true. That’s less “bad exhaust” from your gasoline/diesel engine polluting our air.
CBS4 Denver reports that over 2,000 catalytic converters were stolen in the city of Denver in 2021. That’s a lot of cars that need to be replaced. It used to cost around $900, but new regulations have made them twice as expensive in the last two years, so you’d be costing around $2,000 for a new one.
Without a doubt, if that happened to me, I would be furious. I have enough problems with my car, things I need to fix, without a “mandatory” $2,000 bill out of nowhere. The converter must be replaced, because without it the noise is unbearable.
Why are catalytic converters stolen?
- Some resell the converters.
- Most try to sell the precious metals (platinum, rhodium) on the black market.
So now there’s a bill in the state legislature to do at least a couple of things to reduce those thefts.
- Put platinum and rhodium on the list of “base metals” like gold and silver, so that they are regulated. Regulating things makes them harder to sell.
- Make it illegal to sell, resell, install any catalytic converter that has not been certified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
Thing is, I appreciate that they’re trying to find a way to stop the thefts, but it looks to me like the thieves are going to find a way to keep making money off the converters. Maybe I’m just a cynic. I wish Bill good luck, because just by writing this article, I feel like I have increased the chances of my converter being stolen.
Get more on the bill from CBS4 Denver HERE.
More Car News – The ONLY car Joe Cocker has ever owned lives in Grand Junction
For those who didn’t get a chance to see Joe Cocker’s car when it was on display in downtown Grand Junction a few years ago, scroll through these photos to see this incredible piece of rock and roll history. roll.
.”}” data-sheets-userformat=”{“2″:33554688,”11″:4,”28”:1}”>
Comments are closed.