The service department of any new car dealer will only be able to offer OEM (eg. genuine Toyota parts, genuine GMC parts, genuine Volvo parts). OEM parts are excellent quality, but are far more costly than most owners of aging vehicles would like to spend or need to spend on catalytic converter service. At The Catalytic Converter Shop, we utilize our specialized skills in pipe bending and welding, our decades of experience, and our access to quality aftermarket catalytic converters and other exhaust components to offer our customers a much more pocket-friendly solution to any catalytic converter issue. Our catalytic converter service is high quality (backed by generous warranties) and cost effective for any vehicle.

We often see dealers and mechanics condemning catalytic converters because a related component that happens to be attached to the catalytic converter (eg. a flex pipe, a flange, or a hanger) has failed. Our approach is different. At The Catalytic Converter Shop, we will repair that failed component without needlessly replacing the cat.

Catalytic converters fail in several different ways. Here are a few common reasons why they fail:

• Improperly maintained engines often dump unburned fuel into the exhaust system, which combusts when it makes contact inside a hot catalytic converter. This breaks down the substrate of the cat and quickly leads to failure. Following recommended maintenance schedules, especially regarding tune-ups, helps avoid such problems.
• Rust. In New England we deal with rust attacking so many different parts of our vehicles, and the catalytic converter is no exception. Especially on older vehicles, rust will eventually cause severe rot on the body or shell of a catalytic converter and lead to exhaust leaks. It is helpful to get an occasional car wash that includes an undercarriage wash in order to rinse off salt residue and especially the corrosive chemicals used on our roads in the winter. Otherwise, we consider rust and rot to be normal wear and tear and is difficult to avoid completely.
• Other vehicle fluids such as antifreeze or engine oil sometimes leak past the engine cylinders and find their way into the exhaust system, eventually causing catalytic converter failure. 

No. If your vehicle came with catalytic converters, by law it must have them. Exceptions are made for certain vehicles designated for off-road or track use only.

If your vehicle is at least 15 years old in the year of your inspection, you may be exempted from the vehicle emission test at the state inspection station. This would mean your catalytic converter(s) must be there, but do not necessarily need to be fully functioning to pass the state inspection.

Here are several signs you might need a new catalytic converter. Ultimately, we can help determine if you need a catalytic converter repaired or replaced after we inspect your vehicle - for free!

• Excessive exhaust noise from an exhaust leak at your catalytic converter.
• Certain engine codes often indicate a failed catalytic converter. These include P0420, P0421, P0430, P0431. It is well worth noting that we often see these codes appear due to an exhaust leak, rather than from a failed cat. We will fix the exhaust leak first before condemning the cat, potentially saving a ton of money.
• A loss of power can sometimes be a sign that your catalytic converter has failed because the substrate is plugged and is no longer able to allow enough exhaust to freely flow through. Your vehicle will feel sluggish on acceleration, and may even have trouble getting up to highway speeds.
• A rattling noise might indicate the substrate inside the cat has begun to break up and move around inside the shell of the cat.

No. Our aftermarket (not OEM) catalytic converters are high quality, built to last, and will function properly for years on well-maintained vehicles. They meet or exceed state and federal EPA regulations. There is no reason to overspend on an OEM cat.

Yes. We hand-pick our catalytic converters from several highly reputable manufacturers, who take great care in building high quality cats that are durable and will function reliably for many years on any well-maintained vehicle.

This is unfortunate and upsetting, of course. But we can help solve your problem and replace your stolen catalytic converter in a timely and cost-effective way. Call us to schedule an appointment. If you can stand the loud noise, in many cases it is perfectly safe to drive the vehicle to our shop. In some cases (especially if you are coming from some significant distance, as many of our customers do), it might be preferable to have your vehicle towed in, which is always the safe option.

There are several notable reasons why our prices are so low compared to a regular mechanic or the service department at any new car dealer. 

• We are a true specialty shop. Catalytic converter and exhaust service is all we do. We utilize expert skills in welding and exhaust pipe bending, practiced on a daily basis, and perfected over many decades of being in business, to be able to repair or replace only the exhaust parts/components that are broken and need attention. We do not ever replace exhaust parts that are still good. Many catalytic converters are attached to large sections of the exhaust system. Where most other shops and dealers will replace the entire section just to replace a bad cat (throwing out the baby with the bathwater), we will just replace or repair the bad catalytic converter and save all of those components surrounding and attached to the cat that are still in good working order. This not only saves time and money, but it also preserves exhaust components that might never need to be replaced.
• Often, dealers and mechanics recommend replacing a catalytic converter, when all that is broken is the flange connecting it to the rest of the exhaust system. They aren’t able to repair that flange, but we are. We will address that broken flange and reattach the cat (which is still good) to the exhaust system. This is a much less expensive repair than replacing the cat.
• New car dealers only offer genuine OEM parts. We offer high quality aftermarket catalytic converters that meet or exceed state and federal EPA standards. They work well, we guarantee them, and this saves our customers tons of money vs. OEM cats.
• We keep a large inventory of catalytic converters and exhaust parts in our shop, and we have quick access to many more exhaust components that we don’t keep here regularly. This allows us to perform almost any catalytic converter/exhaust job on the spot without costing our customers any more of their valuable time than necessary.
• We often see engine codes indicating a failed catalytic converter appear due to an exhaust leak, rather than from a failed cat. It’s a false positive, in other words. Dealers often still replace the catalytic converter in this situation. We will fix the exhaust leak first before condemning the cat, and this type of exhaust repair is typically much less expensive than replacing the catalytic converter.

It is very important to make sure your exhaust system, including the catalytic converter, is in proper working order. Exhaust leaks are dangerous to your health (all exhaust fumes should exit the tailpipe, so they don’t end up inside your vehicle). A clogged cat will negatively impact your vehicle’s performance and gas mileage, and may even lead to a breakdown. And, since catalytic converters clean up nasty vehicle emissions, a properly functioning catalytic converter is good for the environment. 

If your vehicle came with catalytic converters, by law it must have them. Exceptions are made for certain vehicles designated for off-road or track use only.

If your vehicle was manufactured some time after Gerald Ford was president, then you have at least one catalytic converter on your exhaust system - maybe even two, three, or four!

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In short, a catalytic converter is an automotive exhaust component whose primary function is to clean up harmful vehicle emissions before they exit the tailpipe and enter the atmosphere. Please read through our website for more information.