How catalytic converter scrap prices are calculated
Why a used catalytic converter has value, how the platinum, palladium and rhodium inside it set the price per piece, and what changes the price from day to day.
· Catalytic Price
- The value is in the platinum, palladium and rhodium inside the ceramic or metal substrate, not in the steel shell.
- The price is calculated per reference: metal content × weight of the substrate × today’s market price, minus refining and handling.
- Prices move with the metal markets, which trade every working day.
- An original, complete, unopened unit gets the full price; damaged, emptied or aftermarket units get less.
Where the value comes from
A catalytic converter cleans exhaust gas with a thin coating of platinum-group metals – platinum, palladium and rhodium – spread over a honeycomb block inside the steel shell. The steel is worth almost nothing; the metals are worth a great deal, and they can be recovered by refining. That is the whole value of a used converter.
The calculation
For each reference in our catalogue, laboratory assays of real units tell us how much of each metal the substrate contains, usually expressed in grams per tonne of ceramic. The price per piece then follows four steps:
- the metal content of the reference (platinum, palladium and rhodium);
- multiplied by the weight of the substrate in that reference;
- valued at today’s market price of each metal;
- minus refining, processing and handling costs.
The result is a price per piece for a complete, original unit. We publish that price, not the laboratory figures behind it. See the daily metal prices we use.
Why per piece and not per kilogram
Buying “by the kilo” treats a near-empty unit and a rich one the same. Metal content varies enormously between references: a small petrol-car converter can be worth many times a large diesel filter. Pricing by reference rewards you for what your unit actually contains.
What moves the price
- Metal markets. Platinum, palladium and rhodium trade every working day; rhodium in particular moves fast. Our prices are recalculated as the markets move.
- Exchange rates. Metals trade in US dollars; local prices follow the exchange rate.
- Condition. A unit that was cut open, emptied, flooded or that lost part of its honeycomb holds less metal and is re-priced at inspection.
- Original or replacement. Aftermarket replacement converters carry a fraction of the metal of the original and are worth far less, even when they copy its code.
Why prices differ between buyers
Buyers differ in the assays they rely on, the recovery rates and fees of their refiner, and the margin they keep. A price based on real assays of the same reference is the most reliable guide you can get before a unit is inspected. The final price is always confirmed after the unit is checked against its reference.
Questions & answers
Is the price per piece or per kilogram?
Per piece, for a complete original unit of that reference. The weight and metal content of the reference are already included.
How often do prices change?
Whenever the platinum, palladium or rhodium markets or our buying conditions change, usually several times a week.
Why is the final price confirmed only after inspection?
Because the unit must match the reference: complete, original and unopened. A different or damaged unit is re-priced.