Mercedes catalytic converters run about $30 to $400 for one original unit in 2026. C-Class units bring $100 to $275, E-Class units $125 to $300, S-Class and AMG units up to $400, and a Sprinter diesel particulate filter $100 to $350. Most petrol models carry two units.
Briefing: the Sprinter exposure
If you run vans, this is the operational summary.
The Sprinter sits high enough that a thief can work underneath without a jack, which is the same reason pickups and 4x4s dominate target lists. Two cuts and the part is off. Where vans are parked in rows in an unlit yard, a small crew can clear ten to fifteen converters in an hour — the yield per visit is what makes commercial fleets a different risk category from a single owner on a driveway.
The exposure is not theoretical. Mercedes-Benz worked with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on the problem and now security-etches exhaust systems on new Sprinters at the port of entry, with windscreen stickers advertising the fact. Dealers have run retrofit programmes for older vans. A manufacturer does not add a factory process for a marginal problem.
What a thief receives is modest against what it costs you. UK police figures put the payment at roughly £50 to £200 per unit, and the ranges below say much the same. The replacement side is the part that hurts a fleet: an original Mercedes DPF for a Sprinter runs around $1,500 before labour, with aftermarket alternatives at $200 to $550 plus fitting, and a van out of service while parts are sourced.
Mercedes catalytic converter scrap prices by model
Model Years Notes Indicative range (USD) Measurement Model years covered What sets the unit apart Buyer quotes for one complete unit, honeycomb intact AMG and V8 (S-Class, GLE, G-Class) 2000 to 2018 Largest petrol units, two fitted $150 to $400 S-Class and GL/GLE (petrol) 1998 to 2018 Large saloon and SUV, two units $150 to $350 ML, GLK and GLC (petrol) 1998 to 2018 Mid-size SUV, two units $125 to $300 E-Class (petrol) 1995 to 2018 W210, W211, W212; usually two units $125 to $300 C-Class (petrol) 1995 to 2018 W202, W203, W204; the volume Mercedes $100 to $275 CLK, SLK and CLA 1997 to 2018 Coupe and roadster, often two units $100 to $250 Sprinter diesel particulate filter 2007 onward Large platinum-bearing filter; the top Sprinter part $100 to $350 A-Class and B-Class (petrol) 2005 to 2018 Smallest Mercedes petrol units $75 to $225 Sprinter diesel oxidation catalyst 1998 to 2018 CDI van unit; mostly platinum, almost no rhodium $75 to $250 Vito and Viano (diesel) 2000 to 2018 Smaller commercial van $50 to $200 Passenger CDI diesel catalyst 1998 to 2018 C, E and ML diesel; platinum-led $30 to $150 Manifold pre-cat, any model Various Small unit close to the engine $20 to $100 Aftermarket replacement, any model All years Universal unit, trace metal $5 to $50
Ranges are compiled from published core-buyer code lists, catalyst exchange transaction data and current scrap guides; they are not a live per-code feed. Petrol and diesel rows are separate components, not grades of the same part.
Fleet math, per van
The useful number for budgeting is not the scrap value. It is the gap.
A Sprinter is a diesel, so it does not carry a three-way catalytic converter. It carries a diesel oxidation catalyst — mostly platinum, very little palladium, essentially no rhodium — worth $75 to $250. On 2007 and later vans there is also a diesel particulate filter downstream, physically larger and worth $100 to $350 on its own.
So a thief taking both parts off one van collects somewhere in the low hundreds. Replacing them costs you a four-figure sum plus downtime. Across a yard of eight vans hit in one night, the arithmetic stops being an annoyance and becomes a line item.
One practical consequence: if a buyer offers a single figure for "the Sprinter exhaust," find out which component they mean. There are two, they price separately, and the filter is often the larger of the two.
Why the etching matters commercially
Etching does not stop a saw. Its value is at the other end of the transaction.
An unmarked converter is close to impossible to tie back to a particular vehicle once it is off the van, which is the problem marking is meant to solve. With an etched part, police have a materially better chance of bringing a prosecution if the component is recovered, and the unit is harder to move through a legitimate buyer in the first place.
For a fleet, that is worth doing across the yard rather than van by van. It costs little, it deters selectively — a thief choosing between a marked van and an unmarked one has an easy decision — and it improves recovery odds if a batch does turn up.
Passenger annex
For private owners rather than operators, the picture is closer to the other European premium brands.
Petrol Mercedes models sit in the same tier as BMW and Audi on buyer lists, above mainstream domestic and Japanese units. A C-Class unit runs $100 to $275, an E-Class $125 to $300, an S-Class or AMG up to $400.
Two qualifications apply, both familiar from the other European pages. Six-cylinder and V8 models carry two units, so a whole-car total is roughly double the per-unit figure. And a CDI diesel C, E or ML is a different component again, at $30 to $150 for the catalyst, with the particulate filter quoted separately.
Mercedes prices around the world
Platinum, palladium and rhodium settle in US dollars, so a Mercedes code holds the same metal value in every market. Currency and local buyer depth are what change. The table converts the Mercedes span into each market's money at today's rate.
Market Currency Unit Equivalent range United States USD per unit $30.00 to 400.00 United Kingdom GBP per unit £22.19 to 295.89 Canada CAD per unit C$41.49 to 553.23 Australia AUD per unit A$41.63 to 555.07 Germany EUR per unit €25.83 to 344.43 India INR per unit ₹2,836 to 37,819 Bangladesh BDT per unit ৳3,688 to 49,171 United Arab Emirates AED per unit AED110.18 to 1,469 Saudi Arabia SAR per unit SAR112.50 to 1,500 Turkey TRY per unit ₺1,454 to 19,384 South Africa ZAR per unit R478.72 to 6,383 China CNY per unit CN¥201.58 to 2,688
Europe is the deeper market for this brand and the more diesel-heavy one, so a European operator is usually holding CDI and DPF hardware rather than the petrol units at the top of the table.
Protecting a parked fleet
Four measures, in order of how much time they actually buy.
Underbody plating that covers the converter as part of broader drivetrain protection is the practical fleet option, because it addresses road damage at the same time and does not need to be specified separately for every van.
Etching, as above, works at the resale end and deters selectively.
Yard layout matters more than most operators expect. Vans parked nose-in against a wall or tightly in rows are harder to work under than vans in open bays. Lighting and camera coverage over the parking area rather than the building entrance is the version that helps.
And check the insurance position before an incident rather than after. Fleet policies vary on whether converter theft sits under comprehensive cover, and premiums have moved on operators who claimed repeatedly.
Questions people actually ask
How much is a Sprinter catalytic converter worth as scrap?
The diesel oxidation catalyst brings $75 to $250, and the diesel particulate filter fitted from 2007 brings $100 to $350 as a separate part. Ask which component a buyer is quoting, because a single figure for the exhaust usually covers only one of the two.
Why are Sprinters targeted for converter theft?
Ground clearance and yield. A van sits high enough to work under without a jack, and fleets park several together, so a crew can take multiple units in one visit. Mercedes responded by security-etching Sprinter exhaust systems at the factory.
Is a Mercedes converter worth more than a BMW or Audi one?
They sit in the same tier. Buyer lists class European premium marques together, so a C-Class unit is comparable to a BMW 3 Series unit, with engine size and unit count separating them more reliably than the badge.
Which Mercedes catalytic converter is worth the most?
AMG and V8 units from the S-Class, GLE and G-Class at $150 to $400 each, followed by S-Class and GL petrol units at $150 to $350. These carry a pair, so the whole-vehicle total is roughly double.
Figures on this page are indicative buyer ranges for complete, uncut original units and are not offers to buy. Converter types, codes and selling rules are covered on the main catalytic converter price page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Mercedes catalytic converter worth as scrap?
Between roughly $30 and $400 for one original unit in 2026. A-Class and B-Class petrol units bring $75 to $225, C-Class $100 to $275, E-Class $125 to $300, and S-Class, GLE or AMG units $150 to $400. Passenger CDI diesel catalysts sit lower at $30 to $150.
How much is a Sprinter catalytic converter worth as scrap?
The diesel oxidation catalyst brings $75 to $250 and the diesel particulate filter fitted from 2007 brings $100 to $350 as a separate part. A single quote for the exhaust normally covers only one of the two, so ask which component is being priced.
Why are Mercedes Sprinters targeted for catalytic converter theft?
Ground clearance and yield. The van sits high enough for a thief to work underneath without a jack, and fleets park several together, so a crew can take multiple units in one visit. Mercedes now security-etches Sprinter exhaust systems at the port of entry in response.
Does etching a catalytic converter actually help?
Not against the saw, but at the resale end. Police have reported recovering batches of converters without being able to prosecute because ownership could not be proved. A marked unit is harder to move through a legitimate buyer and improves recovery odds.
Is a Mercedes converter worth more than a BMW or Audi one?
They sit in the same tier. Buyer lists group European premium marques above mainstream domestic and Japanese units, so a C-Class unit is comparable to a BMW 3 Series or Audi A4 unit. Engine size and unit count separate them more reliably than the badge does.
How many catalytic converters does a Mercedes have?
Six-cylinder and V8 petrol models run two, one per exhaust bank, and many also carry a small manifold pre-cat. Because the table figures are per unit, an E-Class or S-Class commonly holds roughly double the single-unit range across the whole car.