Buick catalytic converters run about $40 to $225 for one original unit in 2026. Enclave, Lucerne and Rendezvous units bring $75 to $225, LeSabre, Century, LaCrosse and Regal units $75 to $200, Encore and Verano units $60 to $175, and old bead type units $40 to $150.
The car in the garage
A lot of people reach this page for the same reason. Someone has died or moved into care, there is a car in the garage that has not run in a while, and the family is working out what is worth doing with it.
If that is you, the car is most likely a LeSabre, a Century, a Park Avenue or a Regal, and there is a good chance it has the 3800 V6 under the bonnet. Those were the Buicks that sold in volume for two decades, and they are the ones now reaching the end of the road in numbers.
The figures below are what those cars actually return, not what an optimistic listing might suggest. This page is more useful if it is honest about that.
Buick 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 Enclave (3.6 V6) 2008 to 2017 Three units fitted, not two; Acadia and Traverse twin $75 to $225 Lucerne and Park Avenue 1991 to 2011 Full-size saloon, two units $75 to $225 Rainier, Rendezvous and Terraza 2001 to 2007 SUV and van; shares GM references widely $75 to $225 LaCrosse and Regal 1988 to 2018 Mid-size, two units on V6 $75 to $200 LeSabre and Century (3800 V6) 1985 to 2005 The classic Buick pair; realistic quotes near $90 to $140 $75 to $200 Encore and Verano 2012 to 2019 Compact; smallest Buick units $60 to $175 Bead type (Electra, Roadmaster, older) 1975 to early 1990s Heavy but pellet-filled; worth less than its weight $40 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 class lists, catalyst exchange transaction data and current scrap guides; they are not a live per-code feed. Figures are per unit, and V6 models generally carry two.
What a LeSabre actually fetches
The honest number first, because expectations set by headlines about thousand-dollar converters do nobody any favours here.
A LeSabre converter is commonly valued at around $120 to $140, and plenty of buyers will offer closer to $90. Two reasons, both fair. These cars are old now, so many units have degraded or been replaced at some point. And the demand is ordinary: it is a domestic passenger car unit, graded on the GM class list rather than as anything special.
That is not nothing. Against a car that may otherwise weigh in as scrap steel, a hundred dollars or so per unit is worth recovering, and most of these cars carry two. But if someone has told you the converter alone is worth a thousand dollars, they were talking about a different vehicle.
For comparison on the repair side, replacing a LeSabre converter is estimated at roughly $1,477 to $1,534, which is why almost nobody repairs one of these cars for that reason.
The Enclave is three, not two
One Buick genuinely breaks the pattern, and it is worth checking before you agree to anything.
The Enclave 3.6 carries three converters rather than two. Replacement sets for the 2008 to 2017 cars are sold explicitly as all three units together, which is the clearest confirmation available.
At $75 to $225 per unit that turns a vehicle most people would write down as a $300 recovery into something closer to $225 to $675. The Enclave shares this arrangement with the GMC Acadia and the Chevrolet Traverse, which are the same vehicle under different badges, and replacement sets are routinely listed as fitting both.
One reference, four GM badges
Buick converters are not Buick-specific, and knowing that protects you from a badge-based discount.
Catalyst databases list single references against long strings of General Motors vehicles at once. One such reference covers a Buick Rendezvous alongside a Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Venture, Malibu and Impala 3.4 V6, an Oldsmobile Alero and Intrigue, and a Pontiac Grand Am. Four badges, one part.
So quote the stamped number rather than the model name. A buyer looking up the reference sees a part they handle constantly. A buyer hearing Buick may reach for a category guess, and category guesses on unfamiliar badges tend to land low.
The old ones, and why heavy does not mean valuable
If the car in the garage is genuinely old, an Electra, a Roadmaster or a pre-1990s LeSabre, the converter under it may be enormous.
That is a bead converter, filled with ceramic pellets rather than a honeycomb brick. It is heavy because of the steel shell, not because of what is inside, and it brings $40 to $150. A sand-like sound when you shake it is normal and means the pellets are still there. Do not open the drain plug, and do not empty it, because buyers price the sealed unit.
The GM class reference sets out the bead and pancake vocabulary in full if a buyer uses those terms.
Buick prices around the world
Platinum, palladium and rhodium settle in US dollars, so a Buick reference holds the same metal value in every market. Currency and local buyer depth are what change. The table converts the Buick span into each market’s money at today’s rate.
Market Currency Unit Equivalent range United States USD per unit $40.00 to 225.00 United Kingdom GBP per unit £29.59 to 166.44 Canada CAD per unit C$55.32 to 311.19 Australia AUD per unit A$55.51 to 312.23 Germany EUR per unit €34.44 to 193.74 India INR per unit ₹3,782 to 21,273 Bangladesh BDT per unit ৳4,917 to 27,659 United Arab Emirates AED per unit AED146.90 to 826.31 Saudi Arabia SAR per unit SAR150.00 to 843.75 Turkey TRY per unit ₺1,938 to 10,904 South Africa ZAR per unit R638.30 to 3,590 China CNY per unit CN¥268.78 to 1,512
These conversions are the metal-value anchor rather than a local quote. Buick sells in North America and, in large numbers, in China, where the range differs from the models listed above.
When you did not own the car
A short practical sequence for the estate situation, since it comes with steps a normal seller does not face.
Settle ownership before selling any part. Converter sales in most US states now require proof of ownership and photo identification, and an executor or family member needs the paperwork in order first. This is worth doing before anything is removed.
Decide whether the car goes whole or in pieces. A dismantler buying the complete vehicle is paying for the converters whether you mention them or not, so if the car is being sold whole, that value is already in the price. Selling the units separately only pays if you are keeping or scrapping the shell yourself.
Check whether the units are original before building expectations. A twenty-year-old car has often had exhaust work, and an aftermarket replacement brings $5 to $50 whatever the badge.
And get two quotes, one of them from a converter specialist rather than a general yard. On the ordinary Buick models the difference between a category quote and a code quote is most of the money.
Questions people actually ask
How much is a Buick catalytic converter worth as scrap?
Between roughly $40 and $225 for one original unit in 2026. Old bead type units bring $40 to $150, Encore and Verano units $60 to $175, LeSabre, Century, LaCrosse and Regal units $75 to $200, and Enclave, Lucerne and Rendezvous units $75 to $225.
What is a Buick LeSabre converter actually worth?
Commonly around $120 to $140, with plenty of buyers offering closer to $90. The cars are old, many units have degraded or been replaced, and the part is graded as an ordinary domestic passenger car converter rather than anything special.
How many catalytic converters does a Buick Enclave have?
Three on the 3.6 V6, not two. Replacement sets for 2008 to 2017 cars are sold as all three units together. At $75 to $225 each that puts the whole vehicle at roughly $225 to $675, and the same arrangement applies to the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse.
Why is my old Buick converter worth so little when it is so heavy?
Because it is a bead converter filled with ceramic pellets rather than a honeycomb brick. Most of the weight is the steel shell, and the precious metal loading relative to size is low, so these bring $40 to $150. A sand-like sound when shaken is normal and means the pellets are intact.
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 Buick catalytic converter worth as scrap?
Between roughly $40 and $225 for one original unit in 2026. Old bead type units bring $40 to $150, Encore and Verano units $60 to $175, LeSabre, Century, LaCrosse and Regal units $75 to $200, and Enclave, Lucerne, Rainier and Rendezvous units $75 to $225.
What is a Buick LeSabre catalytic converter actually worth?
Commonly around $120 to $140, with a number of buyers offering closer to $90. These cars are old, many units have degraded or been replaced over the years, and the part is graded as an ordinary domestic passenger car converter on the GM class list.
How many catalytic converters does a Buick Enclave have?
Three on the 3.6 V6 rather than two. Replacement sets for the 2008 to 2017 cars are sold as all three units together. At $75 to $225 each the whole vehicle holds roughly $225 to $675, and the GMC Acadia and Chevrolet Traverse share the same arrangement.
Why is my old Buick converter worth so little when it weighs so much?
Because it is a bead converter filled with ceramic pellets rather than a honeycomb brick. Most of the weight is the steel shell and the precious metal loading relative to size is low, so it brings $40 to $150. A sand-like sound when shaken is normal on these.
Do Buick converters share references with other GM brands?
Yes, extensively. One catalogued reference covers a Buick Rendezvous alongside Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Venture, Malibu and Impala models, an Oldsmobile Alero and Intrigue, and a Pontiac Grand Am. Quote the stamped number rather than the badge to avoid a category guess.
I am clearing a relative's car. What should I do first?
Settle ownership before selling any part, since most US states require proof of ownership and photo identification for converter sales. Then decide whether the car goes whole or in pieces, because a dismantler buying the complete vehicle is already paying for the converters.