Chevy S10 Catalytic Converter Scrap Price and Ways to Sell It

Chevrolet catalytic converters are extremely good in terms of reselling price. Even when they are clogged and failing, they can still cost some money because they contain some grams of precious metals. The main task of the owner of these cat converters is to find the best way to sell these scrap parts to get the maximum possible amount of money.

Today, we'll be talking about the scrap prices for Chevrolet S10 catalytic converters. You will get to know where and how you can sell your cats and get some decent money for them. Also, you will be able to see some most common mistakes that lead to low income from scrap catalytic converters.

Here are some points we'll talk about:

1. The location and type of the Chevy S10 catalytic converters.
2. The average prices for scrap cat from your classic Chevrolet truck.
3. The optimal ways to sell the Chevrolet S10 catalytic converter.
4. Is it expensive to replace a cat converter in your truck?

Let's get started!

Where is the Chevy S10 converter located?

Chevrolet S10 is a very old truck. The first generation was presented in 1982, the more popular second-gen truck appeared in 1993. The truck was discontinued in the US in 2004 but it got the third generation in 2012 in Brazil and some other countries. Though, in the USA, the history of the legendary S10 truck ended in 2004.

So, the youngest S10 in the US is now about 20 years old. And we bet that about 80% of these trucks don't have the original (OEM) cat converter in their exhaust system. It's obvious that nearly all of these trucks have over 300,000 miles on the clock and they aren't very fresh. An average cat converter can live up to 150,000 miles or something like that.

So, here's what you need to know about the Chevy S10 cat converter:

• usually, it's only one catalytic converter in the system of the S10 - at the times when this car was made, no one was caring that much about ecology;
• these converters are not very big, let's say, originally, they were mid-sized cats and they could be bread-loaf or any other type;
• the size and the price of the catalytic converter in your S10 depend much on the year and the engine type of the pickup truck;
• some of the OEM cats have serial numbers and the Chevy logo on them, but on most of the original converters it's still hard to see these things now;
• the converters belong to that old type of cats that cost some money because they contain a lot of precious metals;
• you will be surprised to see that the OEM cats still look OK and aren't very rusty, although the serial numbers may have gone already.

The original cats are heavier than the aftermarket ones. But it's still hard for an inexperienced person to distinguish between an OEM and an aftermarket cat converter. So, you will probably need some help. This is a very important factor because we know some cases when the original cats were bought as aftermarket and the owners got $10 for them instead of getting the full price.

These catalytic converters are classic and they were made at a time when people didn't care much about rhodium and weren't searching for a way to replace it with a cheaper metal. Now, rhodium costs over $600 for one gram, and this makes the difference.

How much should a Chevy S10 cat converter cost?

So, the average price of the S10 catalytic converter should be around $200 if it's still in a good condition. We know some cases when people managed to sell their cats at $250 or even $270, but these are exceptional lucky devils. Very often, buyers will offer about $150 and you'll be able to bargain for a better price.

But the eventual price for the cat converter depends much on who you sell it to and how you present your cat. Sometimes, the price can be higher than average just if you have some time and passion to sell it privately.

So, here are the factors that will change the S10 converter price:

• the market of precious metals - prices change every day and they influence the price offers for your cat;
• the origin of your cat - we are mainly talking about the OEM cats, any aftermarket converter won't cost so much;
• the condition of the S10 converter - it shouldn't be damaged, shouldn't have holes in it, etc.;
• the company or the private buyer that buys your catalytic converter.

Actually, it's that simple - four factors that will determine the actual price of your catalytic converter. But what can you do to make the price better? Nothing much but choosing the proper buyer. If you don't like what your local scrapyard offers, don't hurry up with the decision to sell the converter. We think you can find a better deal.

Your task is to check whether there are any other ways to sell the cat and get more money. We believe you can get some price offers above average if you spend some time on it. How can you do that?

Selling your Chevy S10 cat to a recycling company

So, you have a couple of choices when you are going to sell an old catalytic converter. These choices are as follows:

• scrapyards;
• car mechanics and shops;
• eBay, Craiglist, forums, etc.;
• private buyers, middlemen;
• recycling companies.

We would choose recycling companies. If you have some time and want to get a better price, you may try eBay and other websites. But we would anyway try to quote at first. The recycling companies that deal with cat converters can give you an understanding of what your cat actually costs.

Here's how you can quote:

1. Take pictures of the S10 converter - make sure you can see the condition, the serial number, and other important things in these pictures.
2. Find some companies that have decent websites. We know at least three of them, but there are plenty more. We don't give links to avoid being blamed in the advertisement, sorry.
3. Send the pictures of your cat converters and ask the companies to offer you a certain price for your cats.
4. In a day or two, you will gather all the offers and will be able to compare them in order to choose the best offer.
5. The last step is to ship your converter - in most cases, the company will pay for shipping.

Cooperating with recycling companies is a great idea because this way your Chevy S10 catalytic converter will get exactly to the needed place and it won't be causing any problems to the nature. These companies are licensed and they have to recycle the converters optimally without any leftovers being thrown away.

Also, recycling companies usually offer the best prices. You will get about $50 for a cat at scrapyards, $100 for the same cat from a middleman, and about $200 for the same converter from a recycling company.

How much is it to replace the converter in your S10?

If your state has the fog test which you can't skip, you should install another catalytic converter instead of the old one. And this may be a problem if you want an original cat. Even if you can find one on sale, it will cost you a fortune.

Most people who need a new cat converter for the Chevy S10 buy some aftermarket options. They may cost $200 to $700 depending on the manufacturer.

Here's what you'll need to have done:

• taking the old converter off your vehicle (that may cost you some money because it's not easy to unscrew those old bolts);
• choosing and buying the new converter - it may be any working unit that suits your vehicle;
• installing the new cat converter - some welding may be needed which makes the process even more expensive;
• checking the exhaust gases to see if everything is OK.

We think that the approximate labor cost will be about $300, in this case. You can't find original cats on the market that you will just have to fix with bolts. Welding is needed and it's a long and expensive task that needs special equipment and an experienced mechanic.

So, the old catalytic converter will compensate you for some money for the labor cost for the installation of the new catalytic converter. Sounds bad but this is what it takes to own an old vehicle.

Final words

The cat converter in your Chevy S10 still costs some money if it hasn't been already replaced with an aftermarket one. Original Chevrolet cats will cost up to $250, but the average price should be considered at about $200.

It's not a bad deal. So if you feel that the original cat in your Chevy S10 is not working properly anymore, just sell it. If your state allows you to drive cars without converters, just arrange a metal tube. But if not, you will have to buy a new catalytic converter.