Chevy Colorado Catalytic Converter Scrap Price – Is it Expensive?

If you own a Chevrolet Colorado, you will probably want to know the scrap price of the catalytic converter that you have in your vehicle. You may have heard stories about people who pay for the whole cat converter assembly after selling their old OEM cats from Chevy vehicles. And a certain part of these stories is actually true.

Today, we'll be talking about the Chevrolet Colorado catalytic converter and its average price as a scrap part. Can you sell it at a good price? Let's see. Probably, the only problem that you may face after reading this article is the volatility of the prices. Please remember that the old cat market is not stable and the offered prices may change every day.

Here's what you will learn today:

1. What are the types and sizes of cat converters installed in a Chevy Colorado?
2. What are the average prices for the cat converters from your Colorado?
3. How exactly can you sell a converter from a big Chevy vehicle?
4. Are Chevy Colorados prone to catalytic converter theft issues?

Let's get started!

What kind of a cat is there in your Chevy Colorado?

A Chevrolet Colorado was first introduced in 2003 and has changed generations only once, in 2011. It still had a couple of facelifts and still, it looks cool. This is a truck that is made for different purposes. It's not as huge as the Silverado, for example, but it's more comfortable in cities than the majority of other trucks out there.

Also, the Colorado has quite big engines, starting with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder unit and finishing with the marvelous 5.3-liter V8 engine. There are some versions with diesel engines, but Americans prefer traditional gasoline units thanks to their longevity, power, and simple maintenance.

Here are some facts about the converters in a Colorado you should know:

• these cats are usually placed in the engine compartment and under the vehicle;
• pre-cats are used in most cases, they are located near the exhaust manifold and are of a smaller size;
• main catalytic converters are much bigger and heavier, they are located closer to the muffler and usually resemble a muffler;
• the original (OEM) cats will have a Chevy logo on them (optionally) and a serial number;
• the OEM cats are really valuable while any aftermarket converters will not sell at a really high price;
• these cats contain ceramic elements with some platinum and palladium on them, some types of converters also have a little rhodium;
• the amount of precious metals in a certain cat depends on its year, type, size, and also weight;
• the vehicle now has almost two decades of history, so the cat types pretty much depend on the year of your vehicle.

Chevrolet has been making its technologies better every year, so the types of converters have changed. We can't say for sure if the first generation of the Colorado had more expensive catalytic converters than the second one. But we know for sure that the overall prices are not bad at all.

Unfortunately, to take out all these precious metals from a cat converter, you will need to have special equipment and knowledge. Only some companies all over the US are able to do that legally and without any damage to the environment. So, your choice is to sell the cat converter that is not working anymore to some of these companies. But how much can you get?

What are the average scrap prices for Colorado cats?

Selling a cat converter is not hard if you know how to do it. But finding a decent price may still be exhausting. We hope that after reading this article you'll be able to sell your catalytic converter from a Colorado at a higher price than average, but still, let's talk about some standards to consider.

The average price for a Chevy Colorado main catalytic converter will be around $240. Bigger cats will sell at higher prices while smaller ones won't cost as much. Also, pre-cats will sell, on average, for $80-$100.

Now, the average price doesn't mean that you can't sell a converter at a better price. But to find a good offer you should know some factors that influence the prices.

Here are some of them:

• the prices of precious metals - you will be mainly concerned about platinum and palladium among all metals;
• the type and year of the cat - these factors are important, too, and you can't do anything to change it;
• the demand for metals and different market conditions that are again out of your control;
• the condition of the converter you are going to sell which is an important factor - really damaged cats don't sell at a good price;
• the company or private buyer you have chosen to sell your catalytic converter to.

Probably, the only thing you can control is the way of selling the converter. You may choose a buyer among numerous guys who will want to buy your cat. How should you choose? This is a question that will require a longer answer.

Unfortunately, nearly all Chevy Colorado owners in America will sell their converters to private buyers and scrapyards which doesn't make much sense because they are resellers. They will then sell the converter at a higher price and will earn money doing basically nothing. You can earn this money by yourself easily!

Selling your cat to a recycling company

Basically, we see two optimal ways of selling catalytic converters: eBay and recycling companies. eBay is good for really decent converters that are still in working condition and can be used as a swap for destroyed ones. These cats will be bought by other Silverado owners for passing their fog tests.

If the cat is broken or clogged, the best option is to sell it to a recycling company. This is the business that recycles cat converters from cars and other equipment and gets some precious metals in the process.

Here's how you can sell your cat at prices higher than average:

• first of all, take the cat off the vehicle and cut off the exhaust pipes, but do it carefully or better have it done in one of the exhaust shops;
• then, clean the converter in order you can see the serial number and the logo - this is important;
• after that, just go online and search for official websites of recycling companies that deal with car catalytic converters;
• usually, these websites will have an option to quote, do this and send pictures of the cat to these guys;
• after that, you should just wait for all companies to answer, they will offer their prices and you will be able to choose between them;
• be careful when comparing - some buyers will pay for shipping while others won't, and this may change your eventual revenue.

This is probably not the easiest, but the most lucrative way to sell your cat converter from a Chevy Colorado. Actually, this way will work for any vehicle that has a cat converter in its exhaust system.

If you are searching for some alternatives to recycling companies, you may try it with scrapyards in your area. But we should warn you - these companies aren't going to offer you more than $120-$140 for a normal cat converter from your Chevrolet Colorado. And this is a too little price.

Can someone steal a cat from your Colorado?

You may have heard that catalytic converter theft is extremely popular nowadays. Owners of cars do their best to protect their vehicles from this "virus" but some of them still fail to do it.

Your Colorado is a perfect vehicle for cat converter thieves. Why? It has quite a decent ride height, so anyone can fit under the vehicle with a certain instrument to do their job. It makes it easier for a thief, no jacking-up is needed.

Also, a cat converter from your Colorado may be sold at a good price in a local scrapyard which is another good reason for giving it a try.

So, what you should do is protect your pickup from all types of cat converter crimes. First of all, make sure you have certain protection installed over the main cat. Also, park your vehicle in areas where it's hard or dangerous to try and steal the converter. Never leave your Colorado in a dark area with no security - otherwise, one day you won't find a part of the exhaust system in its place.

Final words

So, the Chevy Colorado offers a really good OEM catalytic converter to sell as scrap. You can get some money from it easily. One of the best options to sell your cat, in our opinion, is to try it with recycling companies that buy converters from private sellers. They will usually offer you the best prices and will buy your cat with no problems and questions.

But if you own a car with an aftermarket cat that has already been installed to replace the broken OEM one, you won't be able to sell these cat converters to recycling companies at a good price. They will probably cost around $20 or $30 only.