Toyota 4Runner Catalytic Converter Scrap Price – How Much For a Japanese Cat?

We know a lot of people who want to sell their old catalytic converters. And they keep asking us how much they can earn. This is not a simple question to answer, so we try to find some time and write articles about different models. Today, we are going to tell you the Toyota 4Runner catalytic converter scrap value. And also a little about the cats in Toyota SUVs.

Japanese cat converters are not always as precious as European or American. But some of them can be even more expensive than average. The 4Runner is an old model and it had a lot of generations. So, we'll need to differentiate numerous engines and tell you how to understand that you have an original 4Runner catalytic converter in your hands.

Here's what we are going to talk about:

1. What kinds of catalytic converters does your 4Runner have?
2. What should be the price of the Toyota 4Runner cat converter?
3. Why are some converters $10 while some others are $200?
4. What should you do to sell your catalytic converter from a Toyota?
5. What can change the price of your cat converter?

Let's get started!

Types and location of catalytic converters in a 4Runner

The 4Runner is a legendary SUV and off-road vehicle that has been manufactured in Japan and other locations since 1984. The vehicle has changed five generations and has had dozens of engine types. So, it's impossible to tell how many converters it has. Some vehicles have just one cat converter, but most 4Runners will have two or four cats (including pre-cats).

The freshest generation of the 4Runner has 2.7-liter and 4-liter engines (L4 and V6). The V6 engine has four converters - two pre-cats and two main cats. But pre-cats are not very valuable, so we can say that it has two cat converters that can be sold at a good price.

Here are some important things about the cats in a 4Runner:

• they are quite big and heavy, the converters are precious and are hunted for, so you shouldn't sell them at a bad price;
• the original Toyota cats usually have the Toyota logo on them, also they have a serial number which makes it easier to estimate the price;
• the catalytic converters are integrated with the exhaust pipe, but if they are aftermarket cats, they can be welded into the pipe;
• aftermarket cats are nearly useless, you can sell them for $10 or $20 to a local scrapyard, but the original ones are really expensive;
• there are still a lot of factors that can change the eventual price of your cat converters from a Toyota 4Runner.

Now, we should pay more attention to the most complicated things. You should be able to differentiate between OEM and aftermarket catalytic converters. Without this, you will not be able to say of the cat converter you have in your hands is actually worth anything.

Unfortunately, a lot of 4Runners will have aftermarket cat converters in their exhaust systems. The reason for this is that these vehicles are often not young and they have high mileage. But the OEM cats live only 100,000 miles or up to 10 years and then they need replacement.

How much is it to replace the cat converters in your 4Runner?

Once your old catalytic converters are broken, you will need to do something because you won't be able to pass the fog test and your vehicle will be illegal on the road. So, the best decision is to replace the old malfunctioning catalytic converter with a new one. But we see one big problem - the price.

A new OEM cat converter for a 4Runner will cost between $1500 and $2200 depending on the type of cat you need. Given you'll need two of them, it makes your purchase insanely expensive.

You can go for an aftermarket cat but bear in mind that it won't live as long as you want it to live. The $900 cat made by a reputable manufacturer will live twice less than the original catalytic converter for a 4Runner. The cheaper options for $250 will only live a year or something and will die then.

How much is a broken OEM catalytic converter from your 4Runner?

Toyota equipped its 4Runner with solid cat converters, so their average price should be anywhere between $150 and $280 per cat. We are talking about the main cats. Pre-cats will cost much less. But of course, the price depends much on the generation, year, and the engine of your car.

The prices aren't stable, they go up and down all the time and they depend on many things. Unfortunately, you can't control the majority of these things. But you can control the main ones of them.

Here are the main reasons that define the cat converter price:

1. The weight and size of your catalytic converter. This depends on the model and year of the vehicle. Often, a company or a buyer will just need the serial number, not a precise weight.
2. The price for precious metals. It's important because the final goal of cat converters recycling is to get a lot of precious metals and then sell them. It's about platinum, palladium, and also rhodium.
3. Also, the price will depend on the condition of the cat converter. It can be a broken and rusty part and it will cost less. While a good-looking cat converter will always cost more.
4. The buyer is also an important thing to consider. You may sell your converter to a private buyer for $10 or you may find a company ready to pay over $200 for the same catalytic converter.

You can't control market prices for precious metals and you can't control the type of converter that was installed in your vehicle by Toyota. You also can't change the condition of the cat converter.

But what you can do is choose the buyer of your catalytic converter. You can sell the cat to the first person who will offer you money or you can investigate more and find a company that is ready to give you five times more than that guy. It's your choice, our task is to show you all options you can have.

Who can you sell a Toyota 4Runner cat converter to?

Your old catalytic converter can be sold in different places and to different people. It's not just about the obvious buyers, though. And we've also found out that the majority of car owners just don't know where they can get the best price for their broken catalytic converters. We are here to fix that.

So, you will basically have four main options for selling your catalytic converter:

• a scrapyard;
• a private buyer;
• an internet auction or forum;
• a recycling company.

If you are selling your cat to a local scrapyard, you are going to get twice less money than you actually can get. Also, private buyers are not very generous. Selling your cat converter by advertising them online in auctions like eBay may take months which is not a good idea at all.

So, you have the recycling company left. And this is the best option for any catalytic converter because they offer the highest prices and best conditions.

Here's how you can sell your old cat converter to a recycling company:

1. Take a picture of your cat, and make sure you can see the serial number on it.
2. Find a recycling company online, or better find a couple of companies.
3. Send them the picture of your cat and ask how much they will pay for it.
4. Compare the prices offered by a different recycling company and make your decision.
5. Get instructions on how to send the old cat converter to them.
6. Get money and spend them as you want.

This may seem to be harder than selling a 4Runner cat converter to a middleman or to a scrapyard. But the difference in prices can be shocking. While a scrapyard will probably offer up to $50, the recycling company will be ready to pay over $200 for the same cat.

Also, this is the most eco-friendly way to deal with an old converter. Instead of lying somewhere in your garage, this part will be properly recycled and sold to industrial companies.

You shouldn't let other people and middlemen earn on your converter. Why should you just lose your money?

Final words

Be careful when you choose a place to sell a catalytic converter from your Toyota 4Runner. Once you see that the cat converter is done, you should contact one of the recycling companies or find a couple of them. You will be offered a certain price and you will have some time to think and compare the price offers. After that, you will just need to send the catalytic converter to the company you've chosen. Never lose your money and always get the maximum from what you have.