Hi Scotty,
Love your channel!
Last fall, I purchased a used 2008 Toyota Matrix XR with 98k miles for my son to get back and forth to a summer job. The car's in great shape but now has a P0420 code and a check engine light. Otherwise, it runs great and is a good handling, sporty little car. Am I correct in assuming it's a bad catalytic converter and that it needs to be replaced? It looks like it's had some exhaust work as it's got one of those fancy chrome tailpipes.
I know catalytic converters can be expensive, but the Matrix can be such a reliable car. Is it worth spending the money to get it fixed and keep it running?
Thanks,
Olaf, from NY
Do you have a price quote or range?
New York State requires OEM cat. replacement to pass yearly inspection so an aftermarket converter is probably not an option. $1200 for a new cat-back OEM replacement. That's just parts.
Does it require an OEM converter or a CARB compliant converter?
If it is a good car otherwise I would go ahead and replace it.
Yes, it’s most likely the cat. I’d like to hear from other voices on the forum.
If the cat were a regular cat or you could just cut off and replace the cat, the answer would be simple. Yes, change it out, because a Matrix is expected to last a long time.
But CA, NY, have crazy regulations that makes cat super expensive. Which makes the repair for your Matrix super expensive.
