Hey guys…
Recently, my 2001 Jetta with 155k miles starting exhibiting a horrible exhaust rattle at random RPMs. I took it to a small town repair shop, which quoted me $800 for a new catalytic converter and installation.
My heart sank, and I now drive a 2001 Jetta with a horrible rattle. Here’s my question…Is he right? Is there no way to get rid of this rattle except for a new catalytic converter? If you go to eBay, or a parts shop, you can find ‘universal’ cats for under $200…whats the deal?
Get another opinion. There are many possible causes for an exhaust rattle. If, in fact, you need a new cat, avoid anything with the word “universal” in it. That just means it won’t fit ANYTHING.
If you need a cat, you need one that FITS. I just had the cat replaced on my car, and the part alone was a little less than $400. Where’s the other $400 coming from? There’s not that much labor involved.
I will definitely get a second opinion…The guy gave me a free estimate, and quoted the part from his ‘distributor’ at around $700, and an additional $30 for some gaskets or whatnot. My quote sheet says only $50 in labor, which i thought was reasonable. The cat problem made sense to me, because it rattles when its cold too, something no other exhaust rattle i’ve had has done before.