Holden catalytic converters run about $30 to $300 for one original unit in 2026. Commodore V8 units lead at $100 to $300, Cruze and Captiva units bring $75 to $275, Commodore V6, Rodeo and Colorado units $75 to $250, and Barina and Astra units $60 to $200. Diesel catalysts sit lowest at $30 to $150.
A General Motors brand with several parents
Holden was General Motors in Australia, and by the later years it was assembling and importing rather than designing. That means the converter under your car almost certainly belongs to a family covered elsewhere.
The Commodore V8 was sold in America as the Pontiac G8 and GTO. The Rodeo, Colorado and Frontera are Isuzu underneath, which their reference codes confirm. The Cruze and Captiva sit in the European General Motors family alongside Opel and Vauxhall. The Barina and Astra came from Opel and Daewoo at different points.
So the useful first step is not looking up Holden. It is working out which family your car belongs to, and using that page as a cross-check.
Holden 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 Commodore V8 (VE, VF, Monaro) 1997 to 2017 Sold as the Pontiac G8 and GTO; two units $100 to $300 Cruze and Captiva (petrol) 2006 to 2020 Ref GM 142 shared with Opel Insignia and Vauxhall Astra $75 to $275 Commodore V6 (VT to VF) 1997 to 2017 Two units on most years $75 to $250 Rodeo, Colorado and Frontera 1988 to 2020 Isuzu hardware; AIA and ABA reference codes $75 to $250 Adventra, Crewman and Statesman 1990 to 2017 Commodore-based; two units $75 to $250 Barina, Astra and Viva 1994 to 2020 Small hatchback; Opel and Daewoo derived $60 to $200 Diesel particulate filter (Colorado, Captiva) 2007 onward Platinum-bearing filter, priced separately $50 to $250 Diesel oxidation catalyst 2000 to 2020 Mostly platinum, almost no rhodium $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. Figures are per unit, and V6 and V8 models generally carry two.
The Cruze reference worth nearly three hundred dollars
One example makes the point better than any general claim.
Catalyst databases carry a reference recorded as GM 142, also numbered 55572912 and 55562440, manufactured by Johnson Matthey with a ceramic core. It is listed against Opel, Vauxhall and Holden together, covering an Opel Insignia 1.8, a Vauxhall Astra and a Holden Cruze.
Its high over a recent six-month window was 293 US dollars.
That is worth knowing for two reasons. It is well above the figure a Cruze owner would expect from a local category quote. And it demonstrates that the Holden badge is not what the buyer is pricing: the reference spans three marques on two continents, and the number is what identifies it.
What Australian yards actually quote
Here is where the honest part comes in, because the local market and the global metal value do not always meet.
Published Australian guides quote around AU$120 for a VE Commodore converter and about the same for a general GM unit, with a Ford Falcon at roughly AU$100 and an older EA Falcon at AU$50. Thieves are reported to get up to AU$200 on the black market.
Those figures sit below what the same metal fetches through a specialist. Two things explain the gap and both are fixable. Australia has fewer dedicated converter recyclers than the United States, so more sellers end up at general scrap yards that price by weight. And a category quote on a badge rather than a lookup on a reference always lands low.
So treat a local AU$120 offer as a starting point rather than a valuation, and quote the stamped reference. The GM 142 example above is the difference that makes.
Reading a Holden reference
Holden units carry General Motors numbering, generally long numeric strings beginning 25, 20, 12 or 92, such as 25372355, 20757637 and 92224835.
The exception is the Isuzu-derived range. Rodeo, Colorado and Frontera units carry short alphanumeric codes in the AIA and ABA series, which is the Isuzu format rather than the GM one. If you find a code like that, you are holding Isuzu hardware, and the Isuzu page is the right comparison.
For the Commodore V8, the Pontiac page covers the same vehicle sold as the G8 and GTO. For everything else on the domestic side, the GM class reference sets out the grading vocabulary a buyer may use.
Holden prices around the world
Platinum, palladium and rhodium settle in US dollars, so a Holden reference holds the same metal value in every market. Currency and local buyer depth are what change. The table converts the Holden span into each market’s money at today’s rate.
Market Currency Unit Equivalent range United States USD per unit $30.00 to 300.00 United Kingdom GBP per unit £22.19 to 221.92 Canada CAD per unit C$41.49 to 414.92 Australia AUD per unit A$41.63 to 416.30 Germany EUR per unit €25.83 to 258.32 India INR per unit ₹2,836 to 28,364 Bangladesh BDT per unit ৳3,688 to 36,878 United Arab Emirates AED per unit AED110.18 to 1,102 Saudi Arabia SAR per unit SAR112.50 to 1,125 Turkey TRY per unit ₺1,454 to 14,538 South Africa ZAR per unit R478.72 to 4,787 China CNY per unit CN¥201.58 to 2,016
This brand is the clearest illustration of why the table exists. The metal in a Commodore unit is worth the same whether it is sitting in Melbourne or Michigan. What differs is how many buyers near you know how to price it.
Repair or retire
For context on the other side of the decision, Australian workshop figures put converter replacement at roughly AU$700 to AU$3,000 or more, with labour commonly quoted between AU$90 and AU$160 an hour and aftermarket parts running 20 to 40 percent below original ones.
Against those numbers, most Holdens now reaching this point are retired rather than repaired. If the car is going to a dismantler, sell the original units separately as cores, and count them: the V6 and V8 cars carry two.
Questions people actually ask
How much is a Holden catalytic converter worth as scrap?
Between roughly $30 and $300 for one original unit in 2026. Diesel catalysts bring $30 to $150, Barina and Astra units $60 to $200, Commodore V6, Rodeo and Colorado units $75 to $250, Cruze and Captiva units $75 to $275, and Commodore V8 units $100 to $300.
Why do Australian yards quote so much less?
Partly buyer depth and partly method. Australia has fewer dedicated converter recyclers than the United States, so more sellers end up at general scrap yards pricing by weight rather than by reference. Published local quotes near AU$120 for a VE Commodore are a starting point rather than a valuation.
Is a Holden Commodore converter the same as a Pontiac G8 one?
Effectively yes. The V8 Commodore was exported and sold in North America as the Pontiac G8 and, in coupe form, the GTO. The Pontiac page covers the same vehicle, and its figures are a fair cross-check.
What is a Holden Rodeo or Colorado underneath?
Isuzu. Their converter references appear in the AIA and ABA code series, which is Isuzu’s format rather than General Motors numbering. If your unit carries one of those codes, use the Isuzu figures as the comparison.
Which Holden converter is worth the most?
The Commodore V8 at $100 to $300 per unit, with two fitted. The Cruze is worth noting separately: its shared reference with the Opel Insignia and Vauxhall Astra reached about $293 over a recent six-month window, well above a typical local quote.
Figures on this page are indicative buyer ranges for complete, uncut original units and are not offers to buy. Australian figures cited are published local quotes in Australian dollars. Converter types, codes and selling rules are covered on the main catalytic converter price page.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Holden catalytic converter worth as scrap?
Between roughly $30 and $300 for one original unit in 2026. Diesel catalysts bring $30 to $150, Barina and Astra units $60 to $200, Commodore V6, Rodeo and Colorado units $75 to $250, Cruze and Captiva units $75 to $275, and Commodore V8 units $100 to $300.
Why do Australian scrap yards quote less for converters?
Partly buyer depth and partly method. Australia has fewer dedicated converter recyclers than the United States, so more sellers reach general scrap yards that price by weight rather than by reference. Published local quotes near AU$120 for a VE Commodore are a starting point, not a valuation.
Is a Holden Commodore converter the same as a Pontiac G8 one?
Effectively yes. The V8 Commodore was exported to North America as the Pontiac G8 and, in coupe form, the GTO. The same hardware applies, so the Pontiac figures are a fair cross-check on a Commodore quote.
What is a Holden Rodeo or Colorado underneath?
Isuzu. Their converter references appear in the AIA and ABA code series, which is Isuzu's format rather than General Motors numbering. A unit carrying one of those codes should be compared against Isuzu figures rather than GM ones.
Which Holden catalytic converter is worth the most?
The Commodore V8 at $100 to $300 per unit with two fitted. The Cruze deserves separate mention: its shared reference with the Opel Insignia and Vauxhall Astra, catalogued as GM 142, reached about $293 over a recent six-month window.
What does it cost to replace a Holden catalytic converter?
Australian workshop figures put it at roughly AU$700 to AU$3,000 or more, with labour commonly between AU$90 and AU$160 an hour. Aftermarket parts typically run 20 to 40 percent below original ones, though local emissions rules should be checked first.