I replaced a catalytic converter in my 240 a couple of years ago and replaced one in my 740 last week. Not because the cat was damaged, but because the piping attached to the cat was cracked. Well today I brought the 2 old cats to the recycler with some other junk hoping to get enough money to cover my cost of going to the recycler. I almost fell over when they gave me $187. $174 for the 2 cats and $13. for the other junk - nice!

Before the bottom fell out of the market 4-5 years ago, I got $130 for an original 240 cat. Aftermarket ones are worth considerably less....

-Ryan
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Athens, Ohio
1987 245 DL 324k, Dog-hauler
1990 245 DL 142k M47, E-codes, GT Sways/Braces, Dracos, A-cam
1990 744GLE 189K 16-valve
1991 745 GL 304k

Oh man. Wish I had been paying attention to this last year when I replaced my OEM cat...

What about the cats are so valuable?

newer ones, esp from large SUVs with a lot of ground clearance are regularly cut off the vehicle as it sits parked overnight.

Just like copper pipes ripped out of construction sites.

Life in a Have/Have not Society.

See Brazil...Rio

Newer converters don't have as much of the precious metals in them so they are worth by far less..It's the older (large) foreign and domestic converters that have the huge value..

The catalytic converter uses a small amount of platinum as the catalyst. Platinum is about $1400(US) per ounce these days. It has been as high as $1900 in the past year.
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Bob: son's XC70, dtr's '94-940, my 81GL, 83-DL, 89-745(V8) and 98-S90. Also 77-MGB and some old motorcycles.

I've used this place with good results: http://sellyourcatsdirect.com

Free shipping and they'll send you a check or deposit right to your Paypal account.

Platinum, palladium, and rhodium.
Dan