# Cost of replacing a catalytic converter on a 2004 Chevy Cavalier?

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-a-catalytic-converter-on-a-2004-chevy-cavalier/76808>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chevrolet, cavalier\
**Created:** [January 20, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-a-catalytic-converter-on-a-2004-chevy-cavalier/76808 "2013-01-20T20:14:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gorm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/779978/32.png) [@Gorm](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Gorm)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-a-catalytic-converter-on-a-2004-chevy-cavalier/76808/1 "2013-01-20T20:14:47Z")

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I live in Tampa Fl. I need an idea of the cost of replacing the converter at a repair shop.

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**Author:** ![RemcoW](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/remcow/32/2471_2.png) [@RemcoW](https://community.cartalk.com/u/RemcoW)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 8:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-a-catalytic-converter-on-a-2004-chevy-cavalier/76808/2 "2013-01-20T20:43:20Z")

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A cat really is just part of the muffler. It unbolts and a new one bolts back on. Sometimes bolts need to be cut off but that’s not a problem for a muffler shop, where the work is done on a lift.  
I’d say an hour’s labor plus the cost of the CAT.

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**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-a-catalytic-converter-on-a-2004-chevy-cavalier/76808/3 "2013-01-20T22:00:58Z")

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@Gorm a bad cat is usually a symptom of some underlying problem (misfires, oil burning, etc.)  
Make sure you don’t have any problems which will kill the new cat in short order.

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**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\
**Post date:** [January 20, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/cost-of-replacing-a-catalytic-converter-on-a-2004-chevy-cavalier/76808/4 "2013-01-20T22:05:27Z")

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Gorm…make sure the catalytic converter is actually bad. If your mechanic is relying on the CEL system for replacement…then that can be a problem in itself. About half of the catalytic converters replaced in the U.S. are replaced needlessly. The real problem crops up after the replacement of the good cat.