 Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:17 | reply to Lurch77
Re: Higher cost of car battery and theft of catalytic converters »www.dealerservicewarehouse.com/d···tery.pdf
Dealer Cost is under $50.00  |
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said by Doctor Olds:said by gattaca:How much money can there possibly be in a catalytic converter? I just had the cat replaced on my Jeep about a year ago for less than $100 including labor, IIRC. Probably at a muffler shop with a universal unit, right? Does your vehicle still pass inspection on a sniff test? If yes, are the numbers equal to older tests or much higher, but still under the max to fail? Depending on the vehicle a converter can run as low as $69.95 up to and even over $750.00 depending on many factors. Regards, Doctor Olds We had the cat replaced at a repair shop that's run by a friend of my family. He understood that we only needed to get a few more years out of the Jeep, so it's probably a universal unit. That being said, when I looked at the receipt for my inspection it seemed like we were *far* below all requirements, so it seems to be doing its job so far.
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sailorPremium
join:2003-10-21
Long Island
kudos:6 | reply to CylonRed
said by CylonRed:For the age of most of my cars - they are simply too much to pay for right now. Last battery I had to replace was 7 years old in a 17-18 year old car. Probably will not keep the car for 5 more years. Might consider it when the van needs a new battery but I won't replace the wagons battery with one especially since I may not have the car when it needs a new one... Most batteries have lasted me an avg of 5-7 years. Within the last year I replaced the battery in my 93 Chevy G-20 5.7L 350 conversion van and I picked up an Exide on sale from the local auto parts store. I went back to the same store for the same battery in a different size and put another new one in the 1986 Lincoln Town Car I have. Both batteries have been good.
Now this AC/Delco I just bought was for my 2002 Pontiac Firebird Formula..It had the original A/C Delco battery in it and I want to replace things with original brand AC Delco name as much as possible...The Firebird is mint with only 35k miles and I have been asked to bring/enter it into car shows for this upcoming spring/summer season...
I realize I could have saved myself money by putting in say an Exide in my Firebird or anything but the AC/Delco was my choice..Even though it cost more.
But all in all, I feel a new cars battery should last an average of 5-6 years..I would automatically replace after 6 years. |
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 Lurch77Nope. But still a damn fine runPremium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | reply to Doctor Olds
The dealer cost for the model the OP purchased is $44.25, according to your sheet. That leaves them $103.43 for tax, install labor, and profit. They must have billed a full hour of labor. 
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I can spell. I just can't type. |
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sailorPremium
join:2003-10-21
Long Island
kudos:6
1 edit | Well it was my choice to replace with the AC Delco name. ( see above post I just made ) The same battery was $95-$100 just about a month ago but prices have gone up as mentioned.
Sure there are cheaper batteries but one needs to keep in mind they go by size..The Firebird takes a 75 size series and some of them are not that cheap to begin with...( not taking in the recent price increases )
And as you can by this chart, that they are also highly rated.
Keep in mind the prices on this chart are from last year. |
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Lurch77Nope. But still a damn fine runPremium
join:2001-11-22
Oconto, WI
kudos:4 | That's fine. It is your money, your car, and your choice. But for that money, I would have stepped up to a gel type battery.
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I can spell. I just can't type. |
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Victory
join:2005-11-11
Pawcatuck, CT | reply to sailor
I agree with you that it's your money and your car. I also change my own batteries and normal wear items in my '60 Ranchero. Do you keep your battery on a tender? I find a tender extends the life of my batteries on my Ranchero and my 2 motorcycles. Because my Ranchero is not a daily driver and M/C batteries are so small they need extra "lovin'".
Another option to look into is that you can buy a Delco battery top.  You can install a battery of you choice and you install this top and when you show under the hood it looks like a stock Delco battery. If you buy from a good antique car supplier it will be a nice looking one. I know guys that do this instead of using a tender and have them at shows. |
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LangningPremium
join:2003-04-28
Marlborough, MA | reply to gattaca
said by gattaca:We had the cat replaced at a repair shop that's run by a friend of my family. He understood that we only needed to get a few more years out of the Jeep, so it's probably a universal unit. That being said, when I looked at the receipt for my inspection it seemed like we were *far* below all requirements, so it seems to be doing its job so far. MA follows CA. emission standard. Currently there is no non-OEM cat. converter that complies with Cali. emission. If it was not for your family friend, there is little chance that you can put a cheap universal unit on a MA-registered car. I think the law might allow it if you have an older car.
I only had cat. converter replaced once and it was within the 8-yr Cali. Emission warranty period and at no cost to me. I know other people paid like $1,000 to have a new cat. conveter. |
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 mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX | reply to sailor
I sure wish I could find a cheap catalytic converter for my '96 Taurus LX wagon.
$350 seams to be the cheapest and I need 1 for inspection . |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:17 | said by mityfowl:I sure wish I could find a cheap catalytic converter for my '96 Taurus LX wagon. $350 seams to be the cheapest and I need 1 for inspection . 
»www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carco···ype,5808
WALKER Part # 15036 {Universal}
Fed. & Calif. Emiss. Models. Not legal for use on OBDII vehicles licensed in the state of California -- $58.79
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX | Ohh we!!!
Thank you, thank you. |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:17 | said by mityfowl:Ohh we!!! Thank you, thank you. Read the notes carefully as it is not the direct fit unit that is $347.00 like you already know. It is a "universal replacement" and I don't know if you can just bolt it up or if it will require welding in place of the original.
Regards,
Doctor Olds
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX | * If welded assembly replace all required parts.
How do you determine all required parts? I guess that's what a pro determines? |
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 TA63ST215WPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
kudos:2 | The idea is that the $347 part (50424) actually has two converters in it.
Thus you need two of them, labor to re-re the pipe (+plus gaskets?), and labor to weld in the new ones. |
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mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX | I called a couple of shops since I posted this and they both said I couldn't use the universal replacement.
I don't know if they are full of baloney or just trying to rip me off at this point. I will have to look into this more tomorrow. Ha and they quoted $850 for the converter assembly. |
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TA63ST215WPremium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
kudos:2 | I would expect many shops to be unwilling to use the universal replacement(s).
If they install it, they have to warranty it. If I were in their place, I would also be unwilling to install the universals, as their performance is uncertain, and in this case, it appears that installation is less than straightforward (look at the shape of the front pipe).
I really doubt that "they are just trying to rip you off". |
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Doctor OldsI Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
kudos:17 | reply to mityfowl
Looking at the two part numbers shows what you get and it looks like you would need a Muffler Shop to weld it in place.
The DirectFit $347.00 Part. WALKER Part #50424 complete assembly. Bolt in replacement.
The Universal $60.00 Part. Looks like you need to buy two and have them welded in place at a Muffler Shop on the vehicle as each bank of cylinders of the V-6 uses a Converter from what I can see.
Then there is eBay Motors.
96-99 Ford Taurus Mercury Sable 3.0 Catalytic Converter
»cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/96-99-Fo···ohosting
$288.00 plus $28.00 shipping.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Doctor Olds
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What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time? |
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JoelC707Premium
join:2002-07-09
Stone Mountain, GA
kudos:2 | reply to mityfowl
What kind of shops did you call? I don't know of any shop that will replace a converter with one you bring in. Federal regulations or something along those lines. Now most privately owned shops can and sometimes will replace converters with universal ones. The ones that will usually know which ones are the good ones to buy and which ones to stay away from. You might not get it for $50 but I'm sure $200 installed would be better than $450 plus installation. |
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mityfowlPremium
join:2000-11-06
Dallas, TX | Actually the whole system installed is from about $50-100, just bolts. I can't find anyone at the independent muffler shops that will put in the universal(s).
After you buy 2 universals and get them welded I'm not so sure it would be much cheaper here in N. Dallas. I'm not even close to the cheap garages in the South side of the city nor would I even be able to guess who to use. |
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 hortnutHuh?
join:2005-09-25
Somewhere
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When a user needs drugs and scrap metals are at all time highs - anything that can be sold to a scrap dealer is dollars in their pockets.
Here in PDX, they stripped 150 feet of copper from the Light Rail system [it was not running at the time].
We even have had door hangers placed on our doors from the police of things to be on the lookout for as to metal thefts.
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Darn, its gettin that time to go to Wallymart to gits me picture taken agin.
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