# Worth the investment? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 4, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165 "2011-03-04T01:00:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/1 "2011-03-04T01:00:19Z")
My beloved Jeep Grand Cherokee (2000)140,000 miles, now needs a catalytic converter.All told the estimate was 2,000.00 I really was hoping to hold on to this car for another year, plus I just put 4 new tires and brakes on it for inspection. My mechanic says the car is driveable,but won’t pass inspection next year(the problem in something inside the catalytic converter) so do I sink the $ in it or bite the bullet for a new car. I was hoping to hold on to this car for at least another year as I know Jeeps can go the distance. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/2 "2011-03-04T01:05:41Z")
$2000.00 for a catalytic converter installation? Take the car to another mechanic and ask how much it would cost to install a universal catalytic converter. Tester ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/3 "2011-03-04T01:05:46Z")
If you like the vehicle, and you want to keep driving it, pay the money and get if fixed. You’re not going to buy a new vehicle for $2,000. Just don’t look at this as an investment. It’s an expense. Shopping around might get you a better price. That’s a lot of money for a cat. ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/4 "2011-03-04T01:09:00Z")
That includes labor…should get a second opinion huh? ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/5 "2011-03-04T01:15:17Z")
Get another estimate using aftermarket parts. I suspect that your mechanic quoted the price with Jeep parts. You won’t keep it another 140,000 miles or 10 years, so less expensive and presumably shorter life parts should be OK. I see a lot of them advertised for $150 to $300 each. Since you said “a” catalytic converter, I assume you only need one. I’m sure that even the $100 model will last one year. BTW, is your mechanic a dealer? They often charge a lot more than indy mechanics. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/6 "2011-03-04T01:16:16Z")
I had a cat replaced on one of my cars about a year ago. The total bill was under $750. That includes labor. $2K is outrageous. You’re not driving a Porsche. Yes, you should get a second opinion, or at least a second estimate. ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/7 "2011-03-04T01:19:12Z")
yea, he said it needs a cat con…oxygen sensor,muffler and tail pipe. Think I’ll get a second opinion thanks. ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/8 "2011-03-04T01:21:36Z")
Thanks! Will do ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/9 "2011-03-04T01:25:59Z")
Right,what happened was the engine light came on and when he put it on the computer there is something wrong inside the cat. so what I will be needing he says is the following…front and rear cats, muffler, oxygen sensor and a tail pipe…something about the underneath is all one piece and so all must be replaced. No he’s not a dealer and the quote came down from 3,200 to 2k when he said he could get parts other than from Jeep. ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/10 "2011-03-04T01:33:18Z")
Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/11 "2011-03-04T01:35:23Z")
Even if you needed all that there’s no way in hell it should total $2000.00. I’ve replaced cats and exhaust systems in Cherokee’s. And if you do need a complete exhaust system, it makes it easier. You just go in and cut all the old parts out and let them hit the floor, and then install all the new pipes, clamps, and hardware. A lot easier than messing with old rusted pipes, clamps, and hardware. Tester ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/12 "2011-03-04T01:45:49Z")
Thanks so much! So good to know! Love Car Talk peeps! ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/13 "2011-03-04T02:45:52Z")
Has it ever had new Oxygen sensors put in? Maybe an old/bad O2 sensor is making the light come on. ---
**Author:** ![britamonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@britamonster](https://community.cartalk.com/u/britamonster)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/worth-the-investment/62165/14 "2011-03-04T03:11:17Z")
Hmmm, not sure…probably not…going to take it to get a second opinion from my old mechanic.South Philly boy will set me straight…can’t thank you enough . Will bring all this info to him.