Dodge Dakota Catalytic Converter Scrap Price – Big And Expensive?

Dakota is a legendary truck that was produced between 1986 and 2011. Now you can't buy a new Dakota. Instead, Dodge offers RAM 1500 and some other trucks for different purposes. But the Dakota is something many Americans will remember for decades. A lot of Dodge Dakota trucks are still in use, and they are very reliable, so you will see them for many years even when modern trucks will go to scrapyards.

Of course, not all parts of these trucks can go 300 000 miles without problems. You will need to repair and replace a lot of things to ensure your vehicle can go that many miles. Especially, you will need to replace the original Dodge catalytic converter (made by Chrysler, of course). Don't throw away this part because it contains some precious metals!

Here's what we'll discuss today:

1. Does the Dodge Dakota OEM converter contain a lot of precious metals?
2. What's the optimal scrap price for the old Dakota cat converter?
3. How to sell your catalytic converter from the Dodge Dakota truck?
4. How shouldn't you sell the converter not to lose your money?

Let's get started!

Why will somebody want to sell your Dodge Dakota cat converter?

It's hard to answer this question with a precise price. Dakotas came with different engines. For example, the 1990 Dodge Dakota came with a choice of engines starting with 2.2 L and finishing with 5.2 L engines. Of course, all of the engine types had a different system of converters.

But in most cases, Dodge Dakota had two separate cat converters that were mid-sized. Such catalytic converters will be sold in a scrap cat market for about $130-$150 each. If your Dakota has one big converter, you can sell it for $350 or even more. We've seen ads on eBay selling the Dakota converters for $550 (though, we aren't sure if the sale was successful).

Dodge Dakota catalytic converters will cost from $130 to $350 with some exceptions that may cost more. But you will need to find ways to sell these old cats.

Here's what ensures the price of the scrap cat:

• platinum - this is a rare precious metal that is used in many spheres and industries, it costs over $30 per 1 gram;
• palladium - an even more expensive metal type that costs around $75 per one gram with big fluctuations;
• rhodium - the most precious metal that may cost around $600 per one gram and even more.

A small Dakota converter will contain around 7 grams of platinum, 5 grams of palladium, and 1 gram of rhodium. While the bigger cat converter will contain up to 10 grams of platinum and 10 grams of palladium, and also around 2 grams of rhodium.

That's why these converters are so valuable and can be sold easily on the market. Unfortunately, not all precious metals are easy to recycle and get the full amount of them, but the recycling companies do their best and improve their technologies to make the process even more efficient.

Why do people say a converter will cost $50 maximum?

Unfortunately, the market of used converters is not that easy to understand. The first thought you will have when you hold an old rusty converter in your hands is to go to a scrapyard near you and sell this thing for $40 or $50. And this is what most people do. But this is not the best price offer you may get.

It's not only about scrapyards. Drivers will also get bad price offers in other places:

• car shops and repair stations - they sometimes buy converters, but they will pay just a minimal possible price;
• middlemen - these guys will only want to make money with your converter, so they are not the best options for you (though, sometimes, good middlemen can offer good deals);
• car scrapyards - some local scrapyards will even try to persuade you that your Dakota converter is not original but aftermarket;
• eBay and other websites - yes, you can advertise your cat for sale, but do you know what price you should offer?

Just because a lot of people don't know the actual scrap price of their old converters, they will sell the equipment at a low price and will lose their money. It's a shame, so now we'll give you a simple instruction on how to sell the converter at a much better price.

Please bear in mind that we only talk today about the original converters. If you have an aftermarket converter without a serial number and a Dodge logo on it, you will be lucky to sell it for $20.

Selling your converter right to recycling companies

In the end, your old converter has two ways: it can be restored and sold as a used and working part, or it can be sent to recycling companies for recycling and taking those precious metals out of it. The first option is not always possible, so we'll be talking about the second one - the recycling companies.

These businesses usually buy catalytic converters for recycling them and taking out some precious metals. They will then sell these metals to industrial companies at a market price and will earn some money.

Here's how you can sell your Dakota converter directly to these guys:

1. Research the internet and find at least five websites that belong to recycling companies (or at least claim that they belong to such companies).
2. Find the option to quote for price. Usually, you will have to register with these websites and you will get access to inquiries.
3. Take a lot of pictures showing your cat converter. The most important pictures are those that show the serial number and the logo on the converter body.
4. Inquire online to get the price offers from these companies. They usually work fast and will send you the offer within one working day.
5. Compare not only the price offers but also the conditions. Sometimes you will be offered free shipping and also other perks.
6. Deal with the company that offers you the best price for your Dakota catalytic converter.

Dodge provided Dakota trucks with wonderful cat converters that will not get physical damages within all the years of their service. That's why recycling companies are glad to buy such converters because they are sure they will earn money.

Even if selling a cat converter is not allowed in your state for some reason, you may deal with one of the companies that are located outside your state. Usually, the price offers from recycling companies will be much more interesting than the offers from local dealers and scrapyards. Just try - you will only lose your time but you will get data to compare.

How long will a Dodge catalytic converter last?

You will need to know when you should replace the converter. The first signs of a clogged converter are a check-engine pictogram on your dashboard and loss of power. Also, you will feel a bad smell from the exhaust pipe once you start the engine and until it warms up a little. Also, the fuel consumption may get worse.

On average, a Dodge Dakota original catalytic converter will be OK for more than 120 000 miles. Some of them will be ready to go 150 000 miles. But sometimes you will need to replace them sooner.

The longevity of the catalytic converter depends on many things:

• the climate - cold weather, sharp temperature changes will shorten the lifespan of the catalytic converter;
• petrol quality - bad fuel will not be burned in the combustion chamber and will get to cat converter and then burn there;
• some engine failures - ignition failures will lead to overheating of the converter and many problems with the part;
• physical damages - sometimes, road debris and off-road obstructions just damage the converter and it starts to fail;
• rust issues - if the converter is all rusty, it can get holes in the body and it will stop cleaning the exhaust gasses completely.

As you see, the converters are quite vulnerable and they can fail at any time. It's not only when your car hits 150 000 miles or reaches 12 years of age.

After your converter in Dodge Dakota starts malfunctioning, you can buy a new original Chrysler cat or an aftermarket cat. An OEM converter will cost well over $1000, while the aftermarket cat will be twice or even three times cheaper.

Final words

As you see now, selling an old catalytic converter from your Dodge Dacota is not a very hard task. You can do that easily. Just find a buyer who will be ready to give you more money for the converter. Sometimes, the prices for scrap cats may go as high as $350 or even more. This depends on the current price for precious metals and also on the chosen ways of selling the converter.

It's more convenient to sell the converter to middlemen, but you can get much more money and sell the old part to recycling companies. Just read our quick instructions and do it spending an hour of your time.