Where in this useless state can I get a cheap catalytic converter replacement for my car? (Baltimore: buy)

[davesoprano]

A mechanic at NTB wants to charge me around1000 bucks to replace a faulty catalytic converter that's causing a rattling sound in my car.

[Infinite_heights77]

Baltimore is chop shop central! Try Crazy Ray's

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Crazy Ray's

www.crazyraysautoparts.com/
Crazy Ray's. 6201 Erdman Ave., Baltimore (410) 488-6650. 8125 Washington Blvd., Jessup, (410) 799-6630. 2801 Hawkins Point Rd., Baltimore (410) 354- ...

Originally Posted by davesoprano

A mechanic at NTB wants to charge me around1000 bucks to replace a f
aulty catalytic converter that's causing a rattling sound in my car.

[dogpark]

Catalytics don't come up used too often AFAIK. Some vehicles they are popular to steal as they are expensive, sell quick and some vehicles are easy to get then quickly (battery operated Sawzall thru the exhaust pipe on cars that are easy to get under, like my buddy's Honda Element, was $1300 to replace).

I suggest googling catalytic converters for you make and model and seeing what they go for to establish a ballpark. If you can get the unit cheaper, either bargain with the mechanic (has worked for me in the past) or buy teh cheaper unit an get another mechanic to install it.

[barante]

West Virginia

[james777]

The state is not useless. The state government is useless.

[DubyaM]

Everybody wants cheap. Them converters ain't cheap.

[choccity]

Auto Parts Warehouse, online website

[Zea mays]

Originally Posted by davesoprano

... a faulty catalytic converter that's causing a rattling sound ...

The cause of the rattle is probably the convertor SHIELD, not the convertor itself. The shield rusts out. The convertor's exterior is stainless steel — it never rusts out.

You can get along without the shield; just remove it. If you want the shield, it comes in two parts, top and bottom, costing about $25 each. Shops usually mount it around the converter with 2"-3" hose clamps at each end, because the original bolts are hardened steel and not easy to drill out.

This is not a difficult job to do if you're anywhere handy. It takes about 1/2 hour.

[B.K.]

As somebody mentioned, catalytic converters are one of the most frequently stolen car parts. There was a story in the Sun a few years ago about how owners would walk out to find a whole block of parked cars with the converters sawn/torched off. I believe it's because scrappers/metal thieves and the chop shops/how-are-they-legal scrap yards that support them, discovered that many of them contain small amounts of platinum or palladium.
Good luck at the you pull it yards, I've seen many junkers out there missing converters. My back room advice is don't go to a chain garage/mechanic, try to find a shady shade tree mechanic to get and install the part for you. As mentioned, it's an easy job-the part is usually freely accessible in line with the rest of the exhaust system, and either bolted/welded on.