Old catalytic converter worth anything?

[///BBX]

Is it worth me taking the oem cat from this 85 eta to the recycle place? I've heard they get anywhere from 40 to 200 for used cats. This thing looks worthless to me but I would take 40 bucks any day if the week for it!
Has anyone recycled one this old with any luck?

Thanks guys

[wkohler]

I would see what they'd give you for it, then offer it to someone who could use it for the same price.

[Rich Euro M5]

I've recycled a couple of old BMW cats. I got just under $200 for the dead convertor off my '86 535i, and IIRC, about $125 each for a set of E34 M5 convertors.

[///BBX]

I would see what they'd give you for it, then offer it to someone who could use it for the same price.

Good advice, I'll do just that.
200 bucks for a dead cat? Wow, I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight. Taking my cat to the recycling place tomorrow is going to be like scratching a lottery ticket! Lol

[alijonny]

I would see what they'd give you for it, then offer it to someone who could use it for the same price.

Good advice, I'll do just that.
200 bucks for a dead cat? Wow, I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight. Taking my cat to the recycling place tomorrow is going to be like scratching a lottery ticket! Lol

Don't forget to add the "other scrap guy is offering $XXX.XX" when they toss you an offer. It always works...last converter I sold was from an 86 535i that was rotting thru, but had all the honeycomb, got $170 for it after the guy offered $130 and I used my tactic. Scrap has gone up from then (my rule of thumb is to use fuel prices to determine scrap value, if they are up, scrap is too.)

[///BBX]

wow, a lot learned today..
I wonder what else I could scrap from the car? engine block? trx wheels for sure.
I've scrapped a set of bottle caps once and got about 55 bucks. This was after having them on CL for two months at 40 bucks...lol

[davintosh]

I would see what they'd give you for it, then offer it to someone who could use it for the same price.

Good advice, I'll do just that.
200 bucks for a dead cat? Wow, I'm going to have trouble sleeping tonight. Taking my cat to the recycling place tomorrow is going to be like scratching a lottery ticket! Lol

I still have the cat from my son's Miata. It had a hole in it when he bought the car so we replaced it. The replacement was only about $100; can't imagine that the recycler man will give more for the old than a new one is worth. Still, it oughta be worth my time.

[Mike in Seattle]

I still have the cat from my son's Miata. It had a hole in it when he bought the car so we replaced it. The replacement was only about $100; can't imagine that the recycler man will give more for the old than a new one is worth. Still, it oughta be worth my time.

Cat's from german cars of that era tend to be very high in platinum. I don't think you are going to find that the cat from a japanese car is going to have much scrap value.

[wkohler]

What price can a man put on the tears of fallen Samurai?

[foamy]

yes oem cats are worth the trip to scrap. if its an aftermarket one just toss it its junk.

[MicahO]

Definitely worth the trip! I got $325 for the M5's cat, and it was sporting audibly broken up internals, lots of crunchy bits shaking around in there. The other cats from that period were smaller and would draw less money, but I was very happy I recycled mine.

[535is-pa]

i know their worth money, i had a few cats to get rid of so i gave them to my buddy apparently he had to fill out lots of paperwork and only got about $20 a cat..

next time im trying ebay as scrap. scrapyards will rip you off. now somewhere there might be a nice one that will pay the costs but good lick, there isnt not one in the york PA area that will.

[ahab]

I got $180+ from a mail order place in TN a few months ago for a factory 535i cat. I sent them a photo, they sent me a quote, and I think it cost about $20 to ship. A few days later a check showed up.

[freetoride]

I sold a bunch of cats out of our salvage yard a few years ago on Ebay. Averaged about $100 apiece plus shipping. At the time I really wished I had some German cats... they were going for over $200. Ebay got stupid near the end of our run, they forbid mentioning what car each cat came from.

[1st 5er]

TexCat here pays big bucks.

[867535i]

Anyone have links to some of these companies that pay top $$$? The scrap yards around here only want to pay $30.

[freetoride]

This might be a start.

http://www.sellyourcatsdirect.com/Exotic_Foreign.html

[1st 5er]

Anyone have links to some of these companies that pay top $$$? The scrap yards around here only want to pay $30.

Ship it to me, and I'll split what TexCat pays with you.

[alijonny]

Anyone have links to some of these companies that pay top $$$? The scrap yards around here only want to pay $30.

Umm, send me a pic of it and I can see what my scrap guy will pay for it. DO NOT sell it that cheap!

[alijonny]

This might be a start.

http://www.sellyourcatsdirect.com/Exotic_Foreign.html

These seem to be very competitive prices, deal with this company if you aren't finding any good buyers in your area. I just had to show up a scrap guy today who was trying to tell me scrap prices were sooo lowwww at $180/ton. When I showed him that I JUST SOLD A TON YESTERDAY AT $250/ton, he put on a huge act like he was so surprised.

Scrap guys are always trying to downplay their business to make a better profit.

[tig]

I just emailed SellYourCatsDirect.com this picture



And they immediately responded

Hello!

Thank you for requesting a price quote. We are currently paying the following for your catalytic converter:

$170.00

If you are interested in selling it to us, please take advantage of our FREE UPS SHIPPING.

If you have any questions, please contact us!
S.C.R.A.P. Inc.

[wkohler]

Their website says they're paying $160 for them.

[tig]

Their website says they're paying $160 for them.

Well, either their website is lying or they just like me $10 more.

[wkohler]

I was just figuring that maybe Joe Bob decided you were the last one to get $170.

Here is what I recommend. Sell the cat to someone on the forum. It's a shame to see these get trashed when they're still good. Just a data point. I parted my zinno car with 325k miles on it. Original catalyst. It flew through emissions testing. At the time, scrap was really high. I could have gotten $300 for it. Instead, I sold it to someone in CA who could use it. These cats are better than aftermarket and most can install them themselves since it just takes hand tools. I don't understand why so many want to scrap their stuff others can use. New ones are $1600 from the dealer and we know the aftermarket ones are poor.

Just a thought.

[tig]

I was just figuring that maybe Joe Bob decided you were the last one to get $170.

Here is what I recommend. Sell the cat to someone on the forum. It's a shame to see these get trashed when they're still good. Just a data point. I parted my zinno car with 325k miles on it. Original catalyst. It flew through emissions testing. At the time, scrap was really high. I could have gotten $300 for it. Instead, I sold it to someone in CA who could use it. These cats are better than aftermarket and most can install them themselves since it just takes hand tools. I don't understand why so many want to scrap their stuff others can use. New ones are $1600 from the dealer and we know the aftermarket ones are poor.

Just a thought.

For the record, I never said I was planning on taking the $170. I haven't decided what to do yet...

[Xenocide]

I agree with wkohler, if you sold it to an e28 owner you'd be doing someone a solid. Reasonable money can't buy a cat as good as the OE one. That said, cash is cash. I'd put it up for sale here, people know what you were offered and if they want it they'll pay you the same or more. When you need the cash or get tired of storing it take it to the scrapper.

I took 100 bucks for my dead cat from a scrap guy here in Atlanta (plugged so hard it was glowing).

[nell]

I was the one that got your "old" cat. Still works perfectly and quietly. It was a great opportunity to fix my car without having to install the aftermarket units. I agree with you totally, the oem cats are so much superior.
I still remember your packing of such a large item was simply perfect.
Thanks once again. That's what this forum is for. Helping.

I was just figuring that maybe Joe Bob decided you were the last one to get $170.

Here is what I recommend. Sell the cat to someone on the forum. It's a shame to see these get trashed when they're still good. Just a data point. I parted my zinno car with 325k miles on it. Original catalyst. It flew through emissions testing. At the time, scrap was really high. I could have gotten $300 for it. Instead, I sold it to someone in CA who could use it. These cats are better than aftermarket and most can install them themselves since it just takes hand tools. I don't understand why so many want to scrap their stuff others can use. New ones are $1600 from the dealer and we know the aftermarket ones are poor.

Just a thought.

[ahab]

Anyone get any catalytic conv recycling pricing lately? I see above I got a quote of $180 for an M30 cat back in 2012, I got a quote of $80 picked up for the same unit today. I know the metals market is off (AMHIK...) but that was a lot lower than I expected. I think it's a combination of things, market pricing, regional demand, industry consolidation, etc.

[1st 5er]

Got similar quote for an E32 cat a couple months back
so I just let it go with the car when they picked it up.

Whole cars here are anywhere from $3.50 - $5.00 currently.
Not worth the time and energy to load and haul.

[ahab]

Whole cars here are anywhere from $3.50 - $5.00 currently.
Not worth the time and energy to load and haul.

Per hundred?