Volvo S60 Catalytic Converter Scrap Price – We Know the Top Value

If you have the Volvo S60, you should be interested in the price of catalytic converters that are hidden in the exhaust system of your vehicle. You may have heard that people sell them at decent prices and actually buy aftermarket cats without adding money from their pockets. They sometimes even can drink a coffee in Starbucks spending some change.

Well, today, we'll be speaking about the scrap price of Volvo S60 catalytic converters. These cat converters are pretty cool in terms of prices, but you should know some facts about them. It's not guaranteed that you can sell a scrap cat converter from your Volvo at a really good price. But you should try just by using our methods.

Here's what we are going to discuss today:

1. Volvo S60 catalytic converters - types, location, and sizes.
2. What's the scrap price of the Volvo S60 old cat?
3. Who will buy an old catalytic converter from your Volvo S60?
4. How much is it to replace the catalytic converter in a Volvo?

Let's get started!

Volvo S60 - types and location of catalytic converters

We know that Volvo S60 has at least one cat converter with all types of engines. Some vehicles will even have 3 or 2 cats depending on the exhaust assembly. The S60 is a pretty popular model. It was first introduced in the year 2000 and it's still in production now, after changing three generations and numerous facelifts.

The S60 has had dozens of different engine types and this is the main factor for identifying the converter type you have in your vehicle. Smaller turbo engines have smaller converters and fewer of them are included in the exhaust assembly. But bigger V6 engines usually have a couple of pre-cats and one main cat.

Here's what you should know about Volvo S60 catalytic converters:

• they may be two-in-one units with the pre-cat and main cat in one body which is a pretty rare design of a cat;
• also, these converters are usually quite big and heavy, they are very valuable among recycling companies and other buyers;
• these cats contain quite a lot of palladium and platinum, also rhodium makes the highest revenues for recycling companies;
• the converters always have the serial numbers on their bodies unless they are aftermarket, so finding the number is important;
• they may get rusty all over their bodies, but you can easily clean off the rust to see the serial number and the Volvo logo;
• all OEM Volvo cats are integral parts of the exhaust systems and they should be cut off to be sold as scrap parts.

It's extremely important to check whether your catalytic converter in the Volvo is OEM. A lot of older 1st-generation Volvo S60s already have gone through a catalytic converter replacement procedure. The average lifespan of a Volvo converter is 120,000 miles or about 10 to 12 years. After that, these cats may affect the performance of the engine and gas mileage.

So, many of the older Volvos have aftermarket converters in their systems. Unfortunately, selling an aftermarket cat at a decent price is impossible. You may sell it to a scrapyard for $20 or something like that. The original (OEM) Volvo catalytic converters should cost many times more than that.

How much will an old Volvo S60 converter cost?

The new generation of the Volvo S60 has exclusively 2-liter turbocharged engines of different types. These engines will usually have two catalytic converters that are not so big. They won't cost a lot. The most precious converters were installed in older generations of the Volvo. Sometimes, we've met people who sold their OEM S60 cats for $800 for the whole assembly.

But usually, the prices will be a little lower. Pre-cats are not expensive, they will sell at $80 a piece if sold separately. But main cats used in the Volvo S60 may be sold at $350 and up to $500 a piece. These converters are extremely valuable compared to the average price of the catalytic converter scrap in America - something about $110 as of June 2022.

Here's why companies tend to pay a lot for Volvo S60 converters:

• these cats tend to be in a good condition even after two dozen years of use;
• they contain a lot of rhodium which is the most expensive metal out of all presented in any automotive cat;
• these converters are relatively simple to identify, so companies may offer good prices being sure they are OEM;
• Volvo cats are traditionally expensive, especially the older cats made between 2000 and 2014;
• prices go up as soon as one of the metals (platinum, palladium, or rhodium) gets more expensive;
• some of the Volvo S60 cats combine two catalytic converters in one body, so they can be sold at good prices.

Of course, the price is not stable, it varies all the time. Once you see any significant changes in the market of precious metals, you may be sure that buyers immediately start changing their price policies. It doesn't mean you should worry much about the market prices - it's just about your luck.

But there is one important factor to consider. We've heard a lot from people who sold their Volvo S60 OEM converters for $50. And they told us it was impossible to find better prices. What did they do wrong? They just chose the wrong buyer. In most cases, they went to some local scrapyards and those guys told them that the converters were bad and shabby, they could only pay $50.

Let's see what else you can do to get a better price

How can you sell your Volvo S60 converter at a much better price?

First of all, you should know that Americans usually sell their cats to scrapyards and middlemen and they lose some money. Sometimes, they just lose half of the actual price of their cat converters, especially if it's about the Volvo S60 cat converter. To avoid this, you can research more and find some fair companies.

We would go for recycling companies. These ones offer good prices, quick deals, and options to quote. You may go to their websites, tell them about your cat, and they will tell you the precise price they may offer for this converter. It's as easy as that.

Here's the full procedure:

• take the cat off the vehicle and clean it to find the serial number if it's possible;
• take pictures of the Volvo S60 cat (you may also take the picture of the VIN plate in your car);
• go online and find a couple of websites representing recycling companies;
• send them pictures and ask them to estimate the price they are ready to pay;
• compare the price offers you will get and choose the best option with the optimal price.

This is a simple way to get rid of the old converter and to get as much money as you possibly can get. A lot of Volvo owners actually think it's very hard to sell their scrap converters to recycling companies. They believe it will need a lot of their time and effort.

But now you know that you will have to make just a couple of simple steps in order to sell the cat. Also, you may not sell the converter from the S60 if you think that the recycling companies don't offer good prices. Just research further and see if you can sell it at a better price.

Will you need the new converter for the S60?

Your Volvo S60 can't legally be driven on the roads all around the US without the converter. Even if you put a simple metal pipe instead of the cat in order to get rid of excessive noise, you won't get through the annual fog test. This will obviously lead to problems.

So, we recommend replacing the catalytic converter if you are still going to drive your car for more than a year. But for the first or second generation, S60 buying an OEM converter is insanely expensive, so aftermarket parts will be your choice. Avoid buying the cheapest cats ($200-$300 a piece) because they are helpless.

Also, remember about the labor costs. A mechanic will charge you at least $200 for the entire cat assembly replacement. Prices may vary depending on the shop you choose.

We know that it can be hard for your budget, but you will still need to do something with the broken converter in order to legally drive your car on the roads.

Final words

Volvo S60 catalytic converters are not extremely expensive. They are pretty hard to break but after some time they will still need replacement. You can sell the OEM converters made by Volvo. The prices are pretty cool - one main cat will average about $350.

To sell the catalytic converter at a good price, you will need to find a fair recycling company and quote online. After that, the company will explain to you how you should ship the cat in order to get the money.