Shatalytic Converter.

[freshvoice]

Alright here is the rundown. I have a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am GT. I just spent $700 getting the car serviced last week in prep for a long relocation to DC. I got the work done at a dealership here in Dayton, who do decent work. I had a Trans FLush, engine flush, oil change, and replaced the water pump. Also the fuel pump was replaced about 3K miles ago.

I should mention that I was told when I got the car serviced last that the catalytic converter was going to need replaced- Check engine light diagnosed as Clogged Catalytic converter. However the service advisor suggested that I find one for cheaper as the shop would charge me another $700 in parts and labor to replace it. So I decided to wait till I went to DC to fix it. Heres where the problem starts.


The problem is I was supposed to leave this morning for DC. The car ran fine when I was heading to meet my parents and get gas. However after I filled up the car would not start. It would turn over for about a second, drop RPM's and stall. Finally after a couple times trying to start it I pushed the car to a parking spot and went to breakfast with my parents. (What? I was hungry. Besides there are no garages open in Dayton on Sunday that I got ahold of.)

I need any advice on where to go to get it serviced for cheaper, and so that I will not have the post cat replacement problems that I have seen discussed in these forums. Any advice, information, or anything that you can give me would be helpful, because I am behind schedule and feel like I am pissing into the wind. Thanks.

[digitalballz]

First off $700 for what you had done is a RIPOFF!!! As for the cat situation, try the local part stores for one ( doubt they will have it). I know the dealer part is way expensive. You could go highflow aftermarket like magnaflow or someone.

[freshvoice]

The initial price was only 5 something. As it was inconsequential I really didn't look when I was typing it.

None of the local part stores have one. I have already checked them. The only place I have yet to call are the muffler shops that aren't open on Sundays. I have also found the bolt up replacement mid-pipe for as low as $156 online. Just can't understand why the labor cost for the replacement would be so high. Is there something more complicated than pulling the old one and bolting in the new one? Possibly O2 sensors, which I am sure they would charge more for, a changing the plugs maybe? Even then, the price seems ridiculous.

[j_yewchin]

the post cat o2 sensor is pretty close to the end of the cat, but i dont see any reason the labor should be more expensive than say... taking out the resonator and putting in straight pipe. same area.. not hard to do. i dont think theres any bends in the pipe around there.

what if you just go to a performance exhaust shop, ask for a high flow cat (which i've heard are cheaper than oem) and have them weld it on.

im just guessing, but does anyone think this should cost more than 200 $?

[j_yewchin]

oh one more thing. i could be wrong again here. but i thought there was an emissions warranty, covering the pcm, egr valve and catalytic converter for 130,000 kms...?
i think i threw out my manual, otherwise i'd check...

[freshvoice]

My car has a bit more than 88K miles on it. I am not going to put an aftermarket catalytic converter on a car that I have no desire to modify further. From what I have read, regardless of what kind of catalytic converter I replace it with, there is a salvo of post replacement problems. i.e. the engine code P0420.

Also if there was any warranty on the Cat they failed to mention that to mewhen they told me it would need to be replaced. The prie hey quoted me for parts and labor ws like 700. There is no way I would ever pay them 700 dollars to install a 150 dollar part. Thanks or the suggestions.

[j_yewchin]

i only say aftermarket because it's probably cheaper that way.
a little more flow just happens to be an added bonus.
theres quite a few cat's on ebay, and a lot of them say free shipping in the u.s.
i really don't think an install should be over 40 or 50 dollars..