$2800.00 bucks for a catalytic converter?

[Robert Haas]

Got a call from my Sister in law last night that her sons 2001 Toyota Tacoma got a check engine light and he took it into the dealer. Dealer looked it over and said it needed to have both Cats replaced. 1100 for one 1200 for the other and the remaining balance would cover the labor.

Yikes, I wonder how Toyota got such a bad reputation???

I live 500 miles away but it will still be cheaper if they drive it down here.

 

[HotRodKush]

They're pricey but that's a bit much - if that's even what's wrong. Do you know what the code was for the CEL?

 

[Interex]

It's the platinum that they use in them. I believe Toyota trucks and SUVs are the most sought after by cat thieves. Someone stole mine off of my '99 Tacoma last year. Luckily, I got one from a buddy that was parting out his truck.

All she probably needs is an 02 sensor.

 

[robertgreen79]

It's the platinum that they use in them. I believe Toyota SUVs are the most sought after for cat thieves.

I've heard that too. They just come with a sawzall and cash in.

I'd get another quote though. That really seems high.

 

[DARKSCOPE001]

The kid drives a toyota tocoma he should at least be handy with a wrench. Exhaust stuff isnt to bad just getting it off is the bear! I would just buy the parts myself and do it If i was him but IDK how the mother/son situation is. My mom insists that everything goes to firestone. I insist that firestone is a bunch of con artsists and should not even be given a smile. But thats just me

Good luck
Sean Scott

 

[930dreamer]

I'd take it somewhere else.

 

[shotgunfatcat]

You think that is bad, look up the prices of the new cats on Ford diesels. Makes you wanna cry.

 

[metalhead212121]

keep this in mind... you're going to the dealer.. everything costs MORE at the dealer. Is the work better than the guy down the street??? depends. Every dealer Ive worked at the quality of work varies GREATLY. If the cats are replaced by the dealer they *should* be using "Toyota Cats." I worked for Toyota years ago and their cats are made of heavy guage metal... made to last a long time (as long as the car is maintained). Sure you could go aftermarket but the quality of metal will not be as good. I've put a ton of aftermarket exhaust systems on cars and the quality of aftermarket metal vs. OEM is night and day. If you're gonna keep the car forever put OEM on..... if you're just gonna keep the car another couple years.. put *quality* aftermarket stuff on. Would I want to spend 2800 for a set of cats?? Hell no! I have connections to get OEM parts cheaper (because Im in the business). Thats why I drive a 21 year old car. My cat was 100 bucks. =) (Aftermarket)

 

[NJHandyGuy]

highly excessive around here i can get one for $532.70 source rockauto.com

 

[hifi_hokie]

Contributes to why you hear reports of them being stolen by meth addicts...

Just run straight pipes

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'm not surprised, and you'll probably find similar prices for just about any make late model vehicle. Factory catalytic converters are often a specific size and shape, and include specifically shaped pipes on both ends that match up to the rest of the factory exhaust. You can get universal cats for much less, but they'll require some fabrication to install them. He should take it to a local muffler shop for another quote.

 

[tdkkart]

I just saw a 40% off coupon for Advance Auto the other day, that would help.

 

[djjsr]

I've owned 11 Toyotas, currently have 3 and never had a problem, so I'm curious as to what caused the problem with the CATs. Unless the motor has been burning oil, isn't it unusual?

 

[koditten]

I replaced one on my '98 a year ago, I baught an aftermarket from Rock Auto. 168 bucks and fit like a glove. I did have to torch off the old bolts, but I was expecting that anyways.

Kirk

 

[Tom2]

I just bought a universal cat from autozone for my car. Around $100.

Surpisingly no CEL.. Sometimes cheap aftermarket cats can still throw CEL's.

The only reason I even fixed it is because of the NY law where you can't get through an inspection with a CEL on.

 

[d33pt]

i replaced the one on my 99 tacoma with a drop-in magnaflow for under $100. my cat flanges rusted through and just broke off one day. i kept the old cat around, and the other day i recycled it for $70!

 

[reyna14]

It's not just the cat, but they are placed in the midpipes that have to be replaced as well. I find it hard to believe that the cat is the problem though. Most likely the CEL is from the O2 sensor, I'd find out what code it's throwing. Most likely that is your problem, IMO. Also, the post cat (rear) O2 sensor is usually the cheaper of the two so I'd replace that first, easy to do. If the CEL is for the front O2 sensor then you're looking at almost double the price for the sensor but that one has nothing to do with the cat health. Get more info and a second opinion before doing anything. No exhaust-related CEL should cost three grand.

 

[rsanter]

can you getan aftermarker cat for it
seems like a good reason to take your old cats back and cash them in yourself to get some of the money back

bob

 

[jeepnut24]

Fix what caused the problem or you will be replacing the new cats again....

 

[bczygan]

Have them cut out and go straight pipes. Every big city has a shop that will do this even though it's illegal. Sell the removed converters.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

If you search online, they sell aftermarket post O2 sensors that will send your PCM a good post cat signal. They are for "off road" use only but....

 

[billspit]

My 99 4runner threw a CEL code that was for the downstream sensor/air flow meter. I replaced the sensor first and it wasn't too expensive. Code came back on so I had to replace the air flow meter. Its just a samll insert peice t that I got it at the local dealer and it was about $165. No more codes. Seems pretty early for two OEM cats to fail.

 

[gatewaysysop]

Got a call from my Sister in law last night that her sons 2001 Toyota Tacoma got a check engine light and he took it into the dealer. Dealer looked it over and said it needed to have both Cats replaced. 1100 for one 1200 for the other and the remaining balance would cover the labor.

Yikes, I wonder how Toyota got such a bad reputation???

I live 500 miles away but it will still be cheaper if they drive it down here.

Doesn't surprise me. I had some ***** steal the 100% PLASTIC center caps off my Sequoia about a year ago, while we were shopping for Christmas trees. Pieces of **** cost like $70 each at the dealership. They offered me two free t-shirts for spending so much money at the parts counter on such tiny ****. They should start handing out Vaseline instead of t-shirts if they're going to **** people like that for a piece of plastic.

Thankfully mine were the $70 variety. Parts guy told me that they have some for other cars, they run $90+ a piece. For plastic center caps.

 

[danski0224]

OEM converters have more platinum in them than the aftermarket cats.

Current price for 1 oz of platinum is just over $1700.00. How much of the stuff do you think is really in a $120 auto parts store converter?

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

You can buy aftermarket Magnaflow cats for about $75 at Summit. Grab whatever is the closest size to factory and weld that sumbitch up, should be less than $200 total, even with two cats

 

[hifi_hokie]

Could always do this:

 

[383 240z]

The cost does not suprise me, however the diagnoisis does, I remember a phrase from my days at the dealership tech school. "Cats dont die, they get murdered", The most common reason we found for killed cats, was when poly-gly antifreeze got into them, from an internal leak, IE headgaskets. the antifreeze coats the cats and they can no longer convert the oxides of nitrogen. So unless they can prove 100% that you have a dead cat NO WAY IN HELL would I be forking over ANY money. Also, the factory cats are covered by an 80K mile warranty, that was mandated by the EPA, anychance your under that milage? If so let them replace them, on and let them bill Toyota for it. Keith

 

[sdowney717]

what is the value in an oem 98 ford contour 4 cylinder cat?

I bought a new one for $250 shipped off ebay.

 

[koditten]

I just reread the opening post. I have 3 tacomas, They all have 1 cat. Did you mean to say have both O2 sensors and the cat replaced?


The only cat I had to replace was because of a bad O2 sensor.

 

[kornjulio]

I replaced the cat on my '99S10 2.2 a few years ago. Mileage was around 125K? The catalyst started disentegrating - you could hear it rattle around at idle. Wasn't long after that I got a CEL for poor efficiency. OEM part was around $400, changed it myself. Truck has around 175K & runs fine.

If it craps out again at 250K, I'll count my blessings & replace it again....

 

[beltfeed]

Have them cut out and go straight pipes. Every big city has a shop that will do this even though it's illegal. Sell the removed converters.

Won't pass an inspection if they have to plug in to the vehicle. Pretty much everything has pre and post converter O2 sensors.

 

[brassmoney]

Go with aftermarket! Even if you have to do some fab to make them fit. It will be way cheaper in the end, most likley around $500 or less for both installed at a corner garage.

 

[HookWorse]

I'm with the ones that say the cat(s) failed for another reason. Figure that out first.

 

[venom50svt]

My question is when you recyle your cat how do they measure the platinum for a price???

Cats are bull-****...... I hate them, it seems that they are a pre-determind wear out part..... get to 100k--BINGO

I would not pay that price for cats... I'm a back yard mechanic and would look for alternative methods to fix the prob.....stevo

 

[reyna14]

Also, the factory cats are covered by an 80K mile warranty, that was mandated by the EPA, anychance your under that milage? If so let them replace them, on and let them bill Toyota for it. Keith

Ahh, yes, I completely forgot about that. Any required smog device is covered under that, I think even the O2 sensors. I still think that it's the O2 sensor, though, and not the cat(s)

 

[Robert Haas]

Couple of updates.

The truck has a 4 cylinder not a v6, it was an adult owned truck when my nephew bought it. He does not hot rod it or abuse it. Changes the oil every 5,000 miles truck does not consume any oil.

125,000 total miles. thing is a creampuff, garage kept and looks like it has half the miles that show on the ODO.

The dealer tech just plugged in his reader and got a bad cat code. since the system only uses a single pre cat and a single post cat 02 sensor the dealer said they would just change both of them. No tests were run just read the code, it only threw one.

I called up there and asked if they could tell me why they decided that both cats needed to be swapped out they said it was company policy, and they will not install aftermarket CC's as they won't pass smog anyway.

I will be installing the CC's myself after confirming the 02 sensors check out.

I was quoted 1200 for the pair from Toyota on my jobber

 

[IDASHO]

The MOST expensive cat I could find on Rockauto for a 2001 Tacoma was less than $300.

 

[rodm1]

My RX7 cats cost about $2500. Just remove them and install a stainless system.

 

[hifi_hokie]

My question is when you recyle your cat how do they measure the platinum for a price???

Cats are bull-****...... I hate them, it seems that they are a pre-determind wear out part..... get to 100k--BINGO

I would not pay that price for cats... I'm a back yard mechanic and would look for alternative methods to fix the prob.....stevo

I've got a little over 200K on my E-150 and the cat hasn't gone yet.

Of course, I don't have to pass an emissions inspection with it anymore, just pay the annual fee and have them run the VIN

 

[Interex]

My 99 Tacoma cat went 210k before it was stolen. I never had any issues and even ran a TRD Supercharger for 60k of those 210k. Never had any issues.