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Lexus vehicles are a prime target for catalytic converter thieves, and the Lexus CT200 is no exception—but you can throw a wrench into a bandit’s scheme by parking in a secure area, buying an
anti-theft device
, and stamping your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) onto your vehicle’s converter.If you’re concerned about your catalytic converter’s security, you’ve come to the right place. In this article we’ll go over everything you need to know to protect your catalytic converter, and what to do if it does get snatched.
Is it easy to steal the catalytic converter from a Lexus CT200?
The CT200’s catalytic converter is pretty easy to steal, unfortunately. The luxury hothatch’s cat is located underneath the car’s floor, pretty much directly beneath your center console, leaving it exposed.
You might think that your Lexus CT200’s catalytic converter is safe because of its low ground clearance—just 5.7 inches. And, while it is true that vehicles with big ground clearances—like the
Ford F-Series trucks
or the Chevy Silverado
—tend to be a major target for cat thieves, due to easy under-vehicle access, any thief with a reciprocating saw and a car jack can make short work of taking your CT200’s converter.Top Lexus CT200 years that catalytic converter thieves target
The CT200 was manufactured from 2011 to 2017 and each of those years is equally vulnerable as their cats are located in plain view of anyone who can get underneath the vehicle.
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhy are Lexus CT200 catalytic converters stolen?
Catalytic converters are the component of your vehicle’s exhaust system that turns the harmful, toxic emissions from your car’s engine into less harmful outputs like steam. Responsible for making this conversion are precious metals found inside the cat—a combination of platinum, palladium, and rhodium. And those metals are what the thieves are after.
As of January 2023, the market prices for these precious metals were:
- Platinum: $1,083.78 per ounce
- Palladium: $1729.47 per ounce
- Rhodium: $12,250.00 per ounce
There are only small amounts of these metals in each catalytic converter, and that’s why thieves target vehicles with easy-to-steal cats. A skilled thief can make off with your converter in under a minute, meaning they can steal several in one night, making for a pretty big payday when all is said and done.
One of the reasons thieves like the CT200 so much is that it’s a hybrid vehicle. Hybrid catalytic converters tend to have higher concentrations of the above-listed metals because they typically run at cooler temperatures than traditional internal combustion engines do, so they need more metals to complete the conversion at less optimal temperatures.
Lexus catalytic converter replacement cost
Replacing a Lexus CT200 catalytic converter will cost you somewhere in the range of $2,200 to $3,000 depending on how much mechanics charge for labor in your neck of the woods. The converter itself will cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,100 to $2,200 alone. The good news is that because the CT200’s cat is so easy to access, the labor shouldn’t take too long to complete.
There are a few ways that you can save money on your Lexus CT200 catalytic converter replacement. One way is to purchase the component and do the labor yourself—another way is to opt for a cheaper aftermarket catalytic converter. Both options can save you money, and taken together, you could save a fortune.
How to prevent catalytic converter theft from a Lexus CT200
We know how to replace a catalytic converter, and how much it will cost, but how can you prevent it from being stolen in the first place? Here are a few tips to help you protect your Lexus CT200 catalytic converter from burglars.
Park in a secure area
High-traffic areas with good lighting and video surveillance are a great way to ward off catalytic converter thieves. The greater the potential of someone witnessing a crime, the less likely a crime will be committed.
If you can, park your car in a garage, out of view of criminals. If that’s not an option, consider installing motion sensor lights in your driveway along with a video surveillance system.
Buy a catalytic converter shield
There are several anti-theft products on the market designed specifically to prevent catalytic converter theft—the
Cat Strap™
, the Cat Shield™
, and the Cat Clamp®
to name just a few. These products are available online, and most can be easily installed yourself. Keep in mind that, if your CT200 has a skid plate, you’ll want to make sure that the anti-theft device you purchase will work in combination with it.One of the side benefits of purchasing a catalytic converter anti-theft device is that it can actually save you money on your
car insurance
. Many insurance providers offer discounts
for a number of things including installing anti-theft devices. Check with your insurer to see what car insurance discounts they offer.Put your VIN on the catalytic converter
Tagging your catalytic converter with your VIN is a good deterrent, too. Cats with vehicle identification numbers engraved on them cannot be sold on the illegal market, and it makes them easier to trace if they do go missing.
You can have your VIN etched onto your cat at any muffler shop, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) often hosts cat-etching events, so there are a few ways that you can have this service done.
Invest in comprehensive insurance
Something else to consider is adding
comprehensive insurance
to your car insurance policy. While this won’t stop thieves from swiping your catalytic converter, it will cover some or all of the cost of replacing the component should it grow legs.Without comprehensive coverage, you’ll be responsible for the full cost of replacing your catalytic converter. Good auto insurance coverage is part of any good plan to protect yourself and your vehicle from the unknown.
What to do if your Lexus CT200’s catalytic converter is stolen
If your Lexus CT200’s catalytic converter has been lifted, the first thing you should do is alert the police. If you act fast enough, you might be able to catch the culprit and get your cat back. Not only that but filing a police report is an important part of step number two: contacting your insurance company.
If you have comprehensive insurance, you’ll be able to submit an insurance claim for your missing catalytic converter, but you’ll likely need to provide your insurer with a police report number. Once you
file your claim
, you and your insurer will need to schedule a trip to a mechanic to have the necessary repairs done. You’ll have to pay your insurance deductible, but that will probably be lower than the cost of the catalytic converter replacement, which can run upwards of $3,000.If you’re not covered by insurance, you’ll have to pay for the repairs yourself. You can save a bit of money by finding a mechanic who will use aftermarket components.
Can you drive a Lexus CT200 without a catalytic converter?
Yes, technically you can drive your CT200 without a catalytic converter, but it’s not recommended.
Because of where the Lexus CT200’s catalytic converter is located, your engine’s exhaust will exit where the missing cat once was, meaning it will billow out right beneath you instead of making it all the way to the tailpipe. This can be dangerous if you are ever stuck in traffic with your windows rolled up.
If you live in an area that requires you to pass emissions tests on a regular basis, you will not pass without a catalytic converter. And even if you don’t have to pass regular tests, driving without a cat will spew environment-damaging toxins into the atmosphere, so it’s not really fair to everyone else to drive without a catalytic converter.
So, while you still will be able to drive without a catalytic converter, you might not be street-legal, and you’ll certainly be in Mother Nature’s bad books.
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By Matt Nightingale
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Reviewed by Brittni Brinn.
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