How to price a catalytic converter

1. Find the converter code

Most legitimate OE converters carry a stamped or embossed code. That stamp is your index into a price list — not the vehicle year alone, and not a guess from the shape.

• Look along the body, heat shield, and end cones for a clear alphanumeric stamp.
• Wipe grease and rust carefully; partial characters are better than a wrong full code.
• Note brand family when you can tell — GM, Toyota, Ford, Diesel, and others often group differently on lists.
• If the stamp is worn, search what you can read and confirm the match before you quote.

On a busy yard, full-or-partial code search is faster than flipping paper lists. That’s the job CatXapp was built for: type what you see, get candidates in milliseconds.

2. Adjust for live PGM markets

Catalytic converters hold platinum-group metals — platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), and rhodium (Rh). Refiners and price lists are ultimately tied to those spots.

A printed price list is an anchor, not a forever price. When metals move, the same converter code should move with them. Pricing from last week’s memory is how yards overpay on rising markets or lose deals when spots drop.

Practical habit: before you lock a large buy, refresh today’s Pt · Pd · Rh and apply the adjustment your process uses. CatXapp scales catalog anchors with live spots so the number on screen reflects the market you’re buying into — not yesterday’s printout.

3. Factor integrity and condition

Two units with the same stamp are not always the same buy. Condition changes recovery and risk.

• Intact OE unit — full body, substrate present, stamp readable.
• Cut, emptied, or aftermarket — lower or reject; don’t pay OE money for hollow metal.
• Damaged, soaked, or unreadable — discount or hold until you can verify.
• Wire / foil / packed fakes — know your red flags; when in doubt, walk.

Build integrity into the quote before the seller hears a number. Changing the price after they’ve already heard the high figure burns trust and slows the line.

4. Build the buy price

A repeatable quote is a short pipeline — not a gut feel:

1. Identify the converter code (full or confirmed partial match).
2. Start from your catalog / list anchor for that code.
3. Adjust for today’s Pt · Pd · Rh.
4. Apply integrity or condition discounts.
5. Apply your margin so the buy leaves room for freight, refining, and profit.
6. Document the quote — especially on multi-unit loads.

CatXapp mirrors that workflow on iPhone: Free gives you 5 code lookups per week with live PGM-adjusted prices. Essential unlocks unlimited search. Pro adds cart tools, margin control, saved loads, and PDF export so you can hand the seller a clean, dated receipt.