McGuillicuddy
Veteran Member
Have a downpipe/cat off my Jetta to dispose of. No idea what to expect for it. Any recommendations?
Good place in East GTA/Durham region to scrap catalytic converter?
- Thread starter McGuillicuddy
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\/\/0J0
Veteran Member
Edit: nothing to see here
imo000
Top Post Dawg
A new one from VW is $110? Aftermarket convertes have a lot less precious metals than OE.
McGuillicuddy
Veteran Member
When I was replacing this unit (flexpipe+cat assembly) an OEM unit was going to be $1100. Instead got a Buzzken version for <$400.
Alchemist
Veteran Member
I got $75 for an OEM ALH cat two weeks ago at a local scrap yard.
imo000
Top Post Dawg
Where did you get the info that the converter is OE (VW) quality?
I wouldnt say its OE quality, as OE tends to have more platinum, its more the metal and build is OE quality (aka no rust essentialy) but also works just as well. It's a magnaflow. Got it from tdot performance.
Magnaflow 51209 - Universal-Fit Catalytic Converter, OEM Grade, 3 in. Inlet/Outlet, Round, L-9 in., Overall L-13 in., W-5 1/8 in., Magnaflow-51209, 1, $124.39 (after tax)
Magnaflow 51209 - Universal-Fit Catalytic Converter, OEM Grade, 3 in. Inlet/Outlet, Round, L-9 in., Overall L-13 in., W-5 1/8 in., Magnaflow-51209, 1, $124.39 (after tax)
McGuillicuddy
Veteran Member
You think most of the cost of that assembly comes from the DP/flexpipe? That would be a surprise to me.
imo000
Top Post Dawg
Is it CARB certifiend to be used in California? If not then it's just another aftermarket converter with much lower quality than OE.
Well I can tell you this. If you took all the precious metals out of the cat, you'd get ~$200 - $300. So how they can charge $1100, I don't know, thats how vbub and all the manufactures do it. The point was that for $1100 you got a whole assembly, not just a cat, and has no bearing on the scrap cost. The scrapper could care less about the $2 worth of steel.
I still stand by that it will scrap for around 110 bucks at the right place.
Carb was $300.
4JimmyVee
Veteran Member
MY cat was clogged, I could really feel the car was struggling to keep 120km when up a long hill. I had it removed and replaced with a straight pipe yes no more cat. Car runs better, tail end smoke seems no different and no change in sound so who needs it, not me. Don't waist your money on a new one just run a pipe.
imo000
Top Post Dawg
Carb is in par with OE quality and so is the $300 price of a universal fiting one. What you got for $110 is a converter that will last maybe until next etest time. Even when these are new, they don't bring the emission levels down to where the OE quality ones do because they can't. Not enough "brick" in the converter. Some manufacturers call them 'high flow converters". Ofcourse they are high flow when 2/3 of the material is missing. They are meant to be a cheap short term solution. There is no such a thing as free lunch, especially when it comes to catalytic converters.
imo000
Top Post Dawg
If my memory is correct, your '99 doesn't have an O2 sensor/s so the ECU has no idea that the converter is missing. All the slightly newer ones have dowstream O2 sensors and the ECU will know the converter is not working/missing and throw the check engine light in a very short order. Tunning it out cost money and is highly illegal.
Pretty sure 04 was the first year of the 02 sensor. And it is only upstream so still does not recognize the cat. My 2003 def did not have an 02 sensor. The 04 was the first year they started adding more emmissions equipment.
As for the converter, I don't expect the cat to work super well. But it keeps me legal, and more importantly keeps the smell down! Used to stink up my whole house when I started the car in the garage!
As for the converter, I don't expect the cat to work super well. But it keeps me legal, and more importantly keeps the smell down! Used to stink up my whole house when I started the car in the garage!
McGuillicuddy
Veteran Member
Following up on this. I took the cat/downpipe to Langille's in Port Perry. They gave me $125 for it. Was happy with that.