Jeep Wrangler Catalytic Converter Scrap Price - How Much is for Your Cat?

If your Jeep Wrangler hesitates or has lost some power, you should check the catalytic converter. In most cases, this is exactly the part you should blame for such symptoms. It may have got clogged and is now preventing exhaust gases from freely leaving the manifold. Your engine lacks normal airflow and loses power as the result.

What should you do with the old catalytic converter that is malfunctioning? Today, we'll tell you how much should a cat converter from your Jeep Wrangler cost and also how you can sell it without losing your money. Ready to learn some new facts about the cats in your Jeep? Then keep reading and note some important things we have in mind.

Here's what we are going to talk about:

• What types of converters does Jeep use in the Wrangler?
• How long can a Jeep Wrangler Converter live?
• How much can buyers pay for your Wrangler catalytic converter?
• What are the optimal ways of selling the Jeep cat converter?
• Should you be worried about the cat converter theft issues?

Let's get started!

Types and locations of the Wrangler catalytic converters?

Jeep Wrangler has been in production for decades now and it's one of the most popular off-road vehicles in America. Hundreds of thousands of cars of different models and trims are now rushing around in the US. And many of them have different engines. The type of engine in your Wrangler decides the type, quantity, and also location of the converters.

Normally, a V6 Wrangler will have two pre-cats near its exhaust manifolds and also one main cat converter near the muffler. But the quantity may be different in other engines. Pre-cats are smaller and they are still valuable if you know how to sell them.

Here's what you should know about Wrangler cats:

• these are Chrysler catalytic converters which are supposed to be pretty valuable and aren't very hard to sell at a good price;
• the converters are covered by metal shields, inside they have the ceramic honeycomb which is the most precious part;
• the cats are pretty durable, they can last for more than 150,000 miles, but their lifespan depends on the way you use your vehicle;
• if the Wrangler is used mainly on harsh terrain, the main cat is in danger of being damaged by a rock or some other object on the road;
• damaged cats are not valuable and are very risky to buy because they may not have the ceramic honeycomb intact inside them;
• all OEM cats will have serial numbers on them, this is the important part that shows your cat is valuable;
• aftermarket cats are never valuable, no recycling company will want to pay more than $30 for any aftermarket catalytic converter.

So, now you know that we are only talking about OEM cats in your Jeep Wrangler. Unfortunately, aftermarket catalytic converters are unpredictable in terms of the amount of precious metals inside them, so buyers can't pay more than $30.

Check if you have an OEM converter before you decide whether you want to read further and to get to know if you can sell the cat at a good price. If you have already replaced a cat in your Wrangler, chances are it's an aftermarket part with low value.

How much should a Jeep Wrangler scrap cat converter cost?

Scrap converters from any Chrysler car will cost between $60 and $180. Sometimes, prices get higher and you'll be able to get over $220 for the Wrangler catalytic converter. But the average price is still lower.

For understanding the price, you should know about some factors that influence and change it every single day. Of course, smaller pre-cats will be cheaper than bigger main catalytic converters. But still, the prices change frequently and you should understand why.

Here are the main factors if understanding the cat converter prices:

• Type of your cat and its year - usually, the serial number helps you understand everything you need to know about the converter and check its current price online.
• The condition of the converter - sometimes, buyers may ask for a big discount if they see that the converter is in bad condition, very old and rusty, and has holes in its metal cover.
• The current prices for precious metals. Mainly, it's all about platinum, palladium, and also rhodium that are present in Chrysler cats;
• The buyer of your cat - this is an important factor that you can change and control. Just choose a buyer offering more money for your catalytic converter.

You may see that most of the factors you just can't control. You can't change the type and size of the catalytic converter that is presented in your vehicle. But you can find a person or a company ready to pay more for the converter.

When you have an old converter in your hands, it may seem like a piece of scrap metal to you. But in fact, it has precious metals inside, so selling it at a low price is not an option. We don't recommend agreeing on the first offer you get. The best option is to check what different buyers may offer.

How to sell your Wrangler cat converter at a good price?

To get more money for your scrap catalytic converter, you should prepare it and send pictures to different guys ready to buy it. How to find these guys? And what exactly should you take pictures of? Let's see.

First of all, you should have the catalytic converter taken off your car. Then, you can clean it a little and take pictures. Make sure the pictures show the serial number and the actual condition of the converter.

After that, you should do just this:

• go online and find websites that offer you the opportunity to quote - dozens of them are available, you should find three or four;
• after that, send the pictures you've taken and also a short description of the cat, its damages, and condition;
• then, wait for a day or two until all companies come up with their prices and send their offers to you;
• you should compare those offers and choose the best one before you make up your mind on who you should sell the converter to;
• after that, just follow the recommendations the chosen company gives you in terms of shipping the old cat.

As a rule, you will be able to get a twice better price than a local scrapyard may offer. For example, a decent Jeep Wrangler main catalytic converter may be sold for $100 in a scrapyard while a recycling company will give over $180 for this cat. Always start with big recycling companies. They are mostly generous in offering a certain price for your cat.

Of course, this is not a strict rule. If you have a catalytic converter that can still work and pass fog tests, you can try and sell it on eBay. Some Wrangler owners will be glad to pay $300 to get this replacement converter and to pass the fog test with their vehicle.

What about catalytic converter theft and Jeep Wrangler?

Well, we know some factors that make a vehicle magnetic for catalytic converter thieves. Here are the most important ones:

• the vehicle has high ground clearance;
• the converter is worth more than average;
• the car can be found parked in some remote place.

The Wrangler matches all of these factors, so yes, it's prone to cat converter theft. But you can make life harder for any cat converter thief that will want to get under your car.

First of all, don't park your car in a remote dark place overnight. Choose secured parking areas with cameras and lights. Try to park over something that would disturb a thief from easily taking off the converter from your car. It may even be a rock.

Also, use special cables and cages that are usually used for preventing catalytic converter theft. You may find ones in exhaust shops or in auto parts stores. You may even weld one by yourself if you have the equipment and qualification for this.

If you don't have an optimal insurance policy and you will have your Wrangler robbed in terms of catalytic converters, you will not get any compensation. The price of a new main converter may be between $400 for a poor aftermarket option and $1,600 for an OEM part. Also, you'll need to pay for labor.

Final words

Well, Jeep Wranglers don't have extremely expensive catalytic converters. They offer Chrysler cats with an average price of $60 to $180 depending on their size and type. But anyway, you should sell an old cat converter instead of putting it somewhere in your garage. This is good for your budget and for the ecology. Because eventually, all cat converters get to recycling companies and are recycled to be used then as materials for industry. This saves natural resources and prevents extensive mining of precious metals.