BMW X5 Catalytic Converter Scrap Price - Expensive?

If you are a proud owner of the BMW X5, you may be wondering if you can sell the catalytic converter from this vehicle once it's out of order. You may have heard that other people successfully sell their used cats to different companies and get decent money. So why not try this trick with your BMW which should certainly have an expensive converter full of precious metals?

Today, we'll tell you how exactly you can try to sell your catalytic converter from the BMW X5 and also how much money you can get if you choose one or another method. We know for sure that after reading this article you will change your mind about selling the old cat to a scrapyard and also about the whole cat converter kind of thing.

Well, here's what we are going to discuss today:

• Where are the BMW X5 cat converters located and what type are they?
• How much money should you expect to get from a BMW X5 converter?
• What are the ways you can use to sell your old and broken catalytic converter?
• What are your options for a replacement of the cat converter in your BMW?

Let's get started!

The location and type of the BMW X5 cat converter

All BMW X5 vehicles are equipped with catalytic converters. Some of them have two while some other will have four of them in their exhaust systems. This depends on the engine under the hood of your car. Of course, throughout the years of production, the BMW X5 had a lot of engines, so the type of the converters will differ much depending on the year and engine type.

We can presume that not all of the converters that have been installed in this vehicle are actually precious and valuable. But you can sell all of them using our methods. Also, we know that all BMW X5 models were equipped with OEM BMW converters, and also other European manufacturers made cats for this company.

Here's what you should know about the converters:

• all of them should have the BMW logo on them, also each converter has the serial number on it to quickly identify the type of cat;
• one more thing - all cars are pretty tough and heavy, they are big (unless they are pre-cats) and they contain a lot of side materials, not just precious metals;
• so, these converters contain platinum and palladium, some of them have 1-2 grams of rhodium and these ones are the most valuable;
• the manufacturer has used hundreds of types of catalytic converters in the BMW X5, so it's hard to find a lot of information online even if you know the serial number;
• you can expect to see two types of converters in your X5 - pre-cats are smaller and located near the exhaust manifold while main cats are bigger and placed near the muffler;
• main catalytic converters from your BMW SUV are more valuable and they are the cats you will make money from;
• still, you can sell all cats from your X5 including the pre-cats but don't expect to get hundreds of dollars for them.

Now you know some key facts about catalytic converters that are used in your BMW X5. You can even get under the vehicle and make sure your car still has the original OEM converters. If they have already been replaced with aftermarket ones, these cats are not that valuable and can't be sold at very high prices.

Unfortunately, there is one more important reason why a lot of people don't get a lot of money for their converters - they are fooled by buyers or they just don't know how to sell their BMW X5 scrap cats. To get some money for this, you will need to know some tricks. And we'll tell you about these tricks later in the article.

How much should a BMW X5 scrap cat converter cost?

A scrap converter in your X5 is not that expensive because European companies use cheaper technologies than you may think. But still, it's not 30 bucks that you may be offered in the local scrapyard.

The OEM main converter from your BMW X5 should cost about $220 while a pre-cat will cost much less - something like $70. That's not a lot of money for a BMW owner, but why should you just lose this money?

Still, you may find out that when you are reading this article, prices are different. And here are the main factors that influence these estimated prices:

• the buyers you find for selling your cat converters to - it's the most important thing you should know about;
• one more important thing is the prices for precious metals, mainly platinum, palladium, and also rhodium;
• also, prices will vary according to the demand for scrap converters - the fewer cats are offered for sale on the market, the more they may cost;
• the condition of the converter - some cats will cost more than others just because they look better and are easier to estimate.

So, you can't actually change the main factors like the prices for rhodium or the condition of the cat. But you can find a better buyer who will surely pay more than your local scrapyard. And this is what we'll concentrate on later in this article.

Prices are not stable, they can change every day of the week, so we will show you how exactly you can get to know the true up-to-date prices for your converters for free.

Selling a cat from the X5 - how do you find a buyer?

So, different kinds of buyers can buy your catalytic converter. But only some of them are worth your attention. In most cases, these buyers are going to offer you just a fraction of the money you can actually get for your converter. Just because they are resellers and want to earn money by selling your cat to a different buyer who pays more. But why should you lose your revenue?

So, here are some types of buyers you can rely on when selling your converter:

• exhaust shops and mechanics - they will give you a quick discount if you leave the converter at their place, but the discount will not be that huge;
• eBay - you can advertise your catalytic converter for sale if you want to get the best price, but this only works with cats that can still go through the fog test;
• scrapyards - this is the most popular choice for American drivers, but you should know that scrapyards don't offer good prices to you;
• recycling companies - these companies offer better prices and often pay for shipping, so we would choose them.

Also, you can sell your catalytic converter to a private buyer who is actually a reseller. The disadvantages are pretty simple - the price is not going to be that good. But the advantage is that they pash you some cash instantly.

We would still choose recycling companies if we wanted to sell our catalytic converter from a BMW X5. These are the companies that don't tend to trick you out of money and they actually offer good prices.

How to sell a BMW X5 converter to a recycling company?

You can do it pretty easily. For this, you should just find one of these companies and go to its website to quote. The best solution is to take some pictures of your converter and send them to the company you want to deal with.

Actually, we highly recommend finding several companies and asking them about the possible price for your catalytic converter.

Here's what you should do for this:

• take the converter you want to sell off your BMW X5;
• clean it a little to see the serial number;
• take some pictures of the converter;
• go online and find websites of recycling companies;
• offer them your cat, send pictures to let them see it;
• wait for the replies and compare the prices;
• choose the company that offers the best conditions.

This is not going to take a lot of time, so you shouldn't worry much. Just follow this simple guide.

Also, even if you don't want to sell the converter right now, you may use this method to learn more about the up-to-date price of your BMW X5 catalytic converter. This is the easiest method to know the price for sure and then decide if you want to sell the cat for this money.

Do you need a replacement converter?

You will need a replacement catalytic converter for your BMW X5 if you are still going to drive your car in any American state where fog tests are needed. Emissions tests can't be passed without a properly installed catalytic converter.

Unfortunately, a BMW X5 cat will cost you a lot of money. The OEM main cat will cost over $2,000 while the decent aftermarket option will take over $500 from your pocket.

Final words

Catalytic converters from BMW X5 SUVs may be sold at a relatively good price. The estimated prices tend to change every now and then, so we've provided you with a way how to check these prices right when you are going to sell the converter. Be careful - your BMW will not be legal on the roads in many states once you cut off the converter. You will need a replacement option.