Subaru Forester Catalytic Converter Scrap Price - How to Sell It?

Do you own a Subaru Forester? This magnificent SUV is known for being strong and sturdy, while at the same time very practical, and especially powerful in off-road conditions.

With the very first model released back in 1997, in Japan, the Subaru Forester is a comfortable and roomy vehicle, which over the years became a popular choice of purchase for people with a considerable amount of family members.

Although the driving behavior and smooth sailing aren't as enjoyable as with his rival SUVs, such as Toyota Rav 4 or Honda CR-V, the Forester prides itself on having more room for passengers.

Having been on the market for decades, the Subaru Forester has established itself a name in a plethora of different SUVs available for purchase. The parts of your Forester are also very easily salvageable and might be worth more than you think, so it's always worth informing yourself if you have parts that you wish to sell.

What is a Catalytic Converter in your Forester?

A catalytic converter is an invention created to diminish the toxic fumes of harmful emissions that cars produce and that go out into the air.

Catalytic converters are made of valuable materials making them valuable and useful even disregarding their main function which is to filter.

Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency produced an act that demanded that all vehicles built from 1975 had to include a two-way catalytic converter so they could pass the tests and be available to the general public.

The catalytic converter's main purpose is to purge the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons out of the exhaust fumes.

In recent years, on the market, there are also three-way converters that also diminish nitrous oxide emissions.

Catalytic converters - how do they work?

The process and operating principles are not very complex when it comes down to catalytic converters. The catalytic converters are built simply. 

On the outside, they seem like regular slightly larger pipes, while on the inside they possess two honeycomb meshes, one of which is coated in rhodium and platinum and the other coated in platinum and palladium.

As we know, there are various chemical components present in exhaust fumes. Some of them are: 

• carbon oxides CO2 and CO
• nitrogen oxides NO2 and NO
• carbon hydrogens

In the process which we call reduction, these various elements enter the catalytic converter and head to the first honeycomb which they then heat. 

After the honeycomb in the catalytic converter has been brought to a certain temperature, the mesh will break the chemical bonds, thus creating N2, O2, CO, CO2, H2O, and carbon-hydrogen.

After the first mesh there comes the second one inside of which the process of oxidation unfolds. The oxidation process makes the very harmful compounds that entered the first comb come out on the other end reduced in their capacity and intensity.

What is a catalytic converter made of?

While the physical properties and the process of making catalytic converters don't affect their price range what are the very precious materials that they are made of?

Catalytic converters are fabricated and created of platinum, rhodium, and palladium. These precious compounds are very rare, hard to get, and expensive. 

To give you a better idea, let's look at some of the general prices for the materials in question. For example, rhodium holds a price of 15,000 USD per ounce which is the most expensive one of the three. Secondly, palladium holds a price of roughly 2,000 USD per ounce, while platinum is the cheapest at about 1000 USD for one ounce.

How to classify scrap converters?

We've come up with different things to look for to classify and grade the converters so that people have a better idea of what they have and how much it costs.

To start off, we have a shell/cover by which we determine the converter's size shape and cut-outs. Some cats also have stampings on their shells, Ford stamps most of its models for example. Next, we look at the honeycomb which holds all the value, there must be a honeycomb inside or else it's usually not worth much.

It's also important to keep in mind that aftermarket catalytic converters, which are cheaper options usually used when repairing vehicles will be worth nothing close to the original ones.

What are your catalytic converters worth?

If you are looking to sell your catalytic convertor for scrap, there are a few things to consider doing. 

These few quick tips on how to check what the price of your catalytic converter is, whether you own a Subaru Forester or not will have you off on a good start.

The first thing you can do is browse recycling websites to find the scrap price of your catalytic converter. 

Another good idea can be to post a picture of your catalytic converter on car forums or sites which look to buy catalytic converters. The pictures should contain the serial numbers of the units and an overall photo from all angles.

Checking the price through the serial number is a great option as well. 

It's important to keep in mind that every converter has different high-value metals and compounds inside, so yours might not be worth as much or it might, you never know. The exact price of the catalytic converter is most often based on the type of unit.

Subaru Forester Cat Scrap Price?

Subaru catalytic converters are usually very pricey because of the rich compounds that inhabit their honeycombs. Subaru converters usually have two units, the first one is called bean cat because of its shape and the other one is the pre-cat.

Furthermore, the pre-cat is usually quite larger than the bean cat but the important thing to note here is that size doesn't equal worth. Moreover, in many cases, the smaller one is more worthy than the bigger one because it contains more precious metals and compounds inside it.

Usually, the best way to tell the price of your catalytic converter is to search for its serial number. It can be found stamped on the outsides of the shell or under it, depending on the model.  

Also, much like the VIN, it can be difficult to see sometime due to rust and dirt accumulating over the years.

Do keep in mind that the market prices constantly change and the model that was priced high last year might not do well in the year to come, but you can almost always be sure that the highest yield you can get will be out of the metals and compounds that reside within the honeycombs. 

How to sell your Forester cat?

After you've got the serial number it's smooth sailing from there! There are many databases created to keep people updated and informed about the model of catalytic converter that they own and their worth. Just enter the serial number in the desired database and wait for the price to pop-up, it's as simple as that.

There are also some mobile applications filled with lots of data on various catalytic converters and some pictures of them that you might want to check out. 

It's always good to inform yourself as much as you can about the price of the item you are trying to scrap sell before going to the actual scrapyard.

You could also sell it online! There are sites and forums, much like craigslist, that offer services and provide a place for you where you can sell your car parts. Keep in mind that if you are going to try and sell it to a scrapyard you will most probably get half the price of what you looked up in the database, so don't be disappointed.

If you are looking to get more value out of it, you can try looking up a catalytic converter specialist and have them inspect your converter because they are willing to pay heftier amounts if you have the converter they are looking for.

It might take some time to find the right buyer but when you do it usually pays out no matter the scale of your operation.

Conclusion

The scrap price for your catalytic converter ranges from 20 USD to more than a couple hundred dollars if you can find the right buyer. 

You'll have to pinpoint the size and type of your converter and ideally know what metals and compounds are residing within the honeycombs. You can usually identify your catalytic converter by looking up its serial number which can be, in most cases, found on the shell.

The platinum, palladium, and rhodium deposits inside make catalytic converters very pricey and worth a while so be sure to follow us, distinguish what you have, and find the right buyer!