Cadillac CTS Catalytic Converter Scrap Price – How Much Is the Cat?

The scrap price of a catalytic converter will depend on so many factors that we can't just tell you a certain figure. This will not be relevant in just a couple of weeks. Instead, we offer you to spend ten minutes of your time investigating the question of the scrap price of these parts to have an understanding of how to sell them and get the best money.

Today, we'll be talking about the Cadillac CTS catalytic converter scrap price. Also, we'll tell you what are the possible ways of selling your cat and getting more money than in a scrapyard. It's quite important to understand what to do with a scrap cat once you take it off the vehicle. Otherwise, it will be sent to one of the shelves in your garage and will be buried there for a long time.

Here's what we are going to talk about:

• What are the Cadillac CTS converters? Location and types.
• How much money can a Cadillac CTS converter bring you?
• What should you do to sell your cat converter at a good price?
• What are the options for the CTS cat converter replacement?

Let's get started!

What type of converters are there in your Cadillac CTS?

If you wonder whether your CTS is equipped with the cat converter, you may be sure - it is. All vehicles in America have been sold with catalytic converters for the last 5 decades or so. Your CTS may not have a cat in one case only - someone stole it. But this is a topic for another article and we hope you'll never have these problems.

So, the CTS was made and sold in the American market between 2002 and 2019. It managed to change three generations and have a lot of facelifts. Also, different generations and trims had different engines. So, not all CTS models will have the same catalytic converters in their exhaust systems.

Here's what you should know:

• all Cadillac CTS will have a main catalytic converter - one or maybe even two of them;
• also, the majority of fresher vehicles will have pre-cats - smaller converters for primary cleaning of the exhaust gasses;
• main cats are located near mufflers while pre-cats are always integrated into the exhaust manifold;
• also, the CTS of different years will have different serial numbers on the cats, which means that the scrap prices will also vary;
• you should have OEM cats with the proper serial number on them to sell them at a good price, aftermarket cats are not bought at high prices;
• the primary reason why companies buy these cats is that they contain platinum and palladium (and even a gram or two of rhodium).

All these are the standard domestic cat converters made by GM. They are not the most expensive ones on the market, but still, you can get some money when they are clogged. Unfortunately, not all catalytic converters live a long life. Some of them will die at 100,000 miles or after 10 years or something.

They usually die because of misfiring engines, bad fuel quality, overheating, or physical damage. Even if you never abuse the vehicle, a cat converter is not likely to survive for more than 150,000 miles and still be good enough to clean the gases. So, you will need to replace it to pass the fog test. While pre-cats will not cost a lot as scrap parts, main catalytic converters from your Cadillac CTS can still be sold at a decent price.

How much will you get for an old CTS cat converter?

The eventual price may vary a lot. For example, you can have a broken and worn-out cat that is missing some parts and has a damaged ceramic honeycomb inside it. In this case, your cat will not cost much at all and you'll need to sell it to a scrapyard where they can visually investigate the converter and decide on a price offer.

But if you have an OEM converter that still looks good and even has the serial number on it, you can easily sell it to another buyer and get more money.

Here's what can change the price of your cat:

• the condition of the converter - one of the most important factors to consider;
• the origin of the cat - an OEM converter may cost a lot while an aftermarket one will only cost up to $30 max;
• the demand for broken and clogged cats among recycling companies - they are the destinations of all killed converters and they control prices on the market;
• the prices for precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium which may fluctuate every single day;
• the buyer of your converter - this will also mean a lot.

OK, so your Cadillac CTS main catalytic converter may be sold on average at $120-$180. While a pre-cat will cost $60 or something like that. You may think that's not a lot, but it's certainly not cheap as for the piece of rusty metal that will only take some place in your garage unless you sell it to someone.

It's especially good to know that the old broken cat still costs some money when you are thinking about a replacement. It will cost you some money, so the best idea is to get as much as you can from the old converter.

How can you learn the best price for your cat from a CTS?

Well, it's natural that to understand the best or the average price for something, you need to gather different offers and compare them. But instead of wasting your time on exhaust shops, private buyers, or scrapyards, you should concentrate on two possible ways to sell the converter: eBay or recycling companies.

You will get more money on eBay but there are a couple of disadvantages, too:

• your cat should be working and able to pass the fog test on a Cadillac CTS;
• you will have to wait no one knows how long until you find the buyer.

Recycling companies are much more convenient because they buy nearly all OEM and aftermarket cats and they also give fair prices. It means you'll be able to sell the cat for a couple of minutes and get your money with no expectation.

Here's how you can figure out the best possible price for an old CTS cat:

• take the converter off your car and clean it to make the serial number and other signs visible;
• take pictures of the cat that would show its actual condition without hiding anything;
• then find three or four websites of the companies that recycle cat converters and buy them from private owners;
• use their websites to send these pictures and ask for the price evaluation;
• in a day or two, these companies will all reply by showing their price offers;
• you will just compare prices and choose the best one.

This is the easiest way to get the information for free. Even if you change your mind and decide to sell a converter on eBay after all, you'll know the average price and the best price offer that you can get. But we assure you that nearly all CTS owners will agree with one of the offers and will just ship the cat.

Actually, you should also make sure that the company you choose pays for shipping. If it doesn't, you'll have much less left in the end.

What can you decide about a replacement cat for the CTS?

You can't drive your Cadillac without a cat converter legally. You can try driving it and you will probably not get caught by federals because they have some other things to do. But once your vehicle has to go through a fog test, you will get problems. They physically check the presence of the catalytic converter and then measure different emissions in the exhaust of your car. No chance to trick them here.

You will have several choices in this case:

• to buy a new OEM converter which is the number one thought you will get, but hold your horses - the expenses are insane with over $1,500 for a single main cat and this doesn't even include labor costs;
• to get a used OEM cat which is actually a lottery you will probably not win - used cats have an unpredicted lifespan, but usually they will not go a lot of miles and years;
• to find an aftermarket cat - this will cost you $200 to $600 for a single main cat converter but this is a good option because you usually get a warranty.

Aftermarket cats don't live as long as you would want them to live, but they are not bad unless you choose the cheapest option.

Final words

You shouldn't sell your cat converter at a low price to a scrapyard or some private buyer who is most often a middleman. Resellers will earn something after selling your cat to a recycling company. Just find a recycling company that is ready to pay you more money by using the step-by-step guide we've presented above and get the full revenue by yourself. Also, remember that only OEM Cadillac cats cost a lot while aftermarket converters will not be very lucrative when you sell them.