catalytic converter
 

Help!!! New to this site. My S430, year 2000, 68000 miles, has a bad catalytic converter. My car is not in warranty. DO I really need a Mercedes cat converter or would a replacement that meed OEM be OK? APpreciate any help. Thanks.

Au contraire, EVERY car sold in the USA comes with an 8-yr, 80K mile warranty on emissions systems, which includes cat converters. Guess you hope yours was sold after May 2000.

Actually, some model year 2000 S430's, S500's, and CL500's have had the 8/80 warranty extended to 10 years, with unlimited mileage. Check with your local dealer to see if you're one of the lucky ones.

but if not under warranty, then yes, you can replace it with an aftermarket cat, but get a good one that is around the same size.

The best and most cost-effective approach is to pull your old cats and pipes and replace the front cat (if you have two, which I think you do) only, because that is almost always the one that goes bad. Replace it with an aftermarket cat of exactly the same type as the original. Don't buy an aftermarket cat and pipe assembly (especially if you have double pipes through the cats) because often they reduce down to one pipe in spots, while the factory pipes stay double all the way. If your front cat has a big section blown out of it, you'll know that's the problem.

You can install two Magnaflow spun metal cats which use the latest technology.
Better performance, no change in exhaust sound and only about $125.00 each.

The word on the internet is that aftermarket cats have considerably less of the platinum and palladium when compared with OEM cats. Hence, the difference in price. This would make aftermarket cats last only a short while.

not quite- 99% of the time on these converters its the rear ones that come apart and start to rattle.

My dentist had them replaced last summer in his S430 for free. Its a 2000 with 70k or so miles on it.

I think the warranty is 8 or 10 years, so call your dealer like tomarrow and you can probably get MB to pick up the tab.

Catalytic converter
 

You guys are GREAT!!! Just called my dealer and they said it was covered under warranty even though I bought it from an private individual. :):):)I am all smiles. Thanks to all of you who posted a reply.