Mazda Catalytic Converter Scrap Price Today: 2, 3 and 6, Sorted

When your model is a bare number, every search returns the wrong thing. This page sorts the Mazda range by name and by number, covers the rotary RX-8 as its own case, and flags the models that are really Fords.

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Mazda catalytic converters run about $30 to $300 for one original unit in 2026. RX-8 rotary units lead at $100 to $300, CX-9 units bring $100 to $275, Mazda6 and CX-7 units $75 to $250, Mazda3 units $60 to $200, and Mazda2 units $40 to $150. Most four-cylinder models carry one main unit.

When your model is a number

Mazda has a search problem that no other brand on this site shares. Three of its highest-volume cars are called 2, 3 and 6.

That is not a small inconvenience. Type a bare number into a price search and you will get part quantities, engine sizes, cylinder counts and prices, none of which are your car. It also runs the other way: buyer lists genuinely use the bare numbers. Core buyer catalogues for this brand list the models as 3, 6, 323 and Protege, 626, CX7, MPV, MX5 Miata, MX6, Millenia, Pick-up, RX8 and Tribute, exactly like that.

So the table below carries both the number and the alternative name for every model, and the rest of the page sorts the range into groups that behave differently.

Mazda catalytic converter scrap prices by model

Mazda catalytic converter scrap price by model, one complete OEM unit, updated Sep 7, 2026
ModelYearsNotesIndicative range (USD)
MeasurementModel years coveredWhat sets the unit apartBuyer quotes for one complete unit, honeycomb intact
RX-8 (1.3 rotary)2003 to 2012One unit only, ceramic plus ceramic; ref 3G14 family$100 to $300
CX-9 (V6)2007 to 2018Largest Mazda crossover, two units$100 to $275
Mazda6 and Atenza2002 to 2018Listed as bare 6 on buyer lists$75 to $250
CX-72006 to 2012Turbo crossover$75 to $250
CX-52012 to 2018Compact SUV$75 to $225
Tribute and B-series1994 to 2011Ford Escape and Ranger twins$75 to $225
MPV1996 to 2016V6 van, often two units$75 to $225
Mazda3 and Axela2003 to 2018Listed as bare 3; the volume Mazda$60 to $200
MX-5 and Miata1990 to 2018Small roadster, one unit$60 to $200
626, MX-6 and Millenia1988 to 2002Older mid-size range$60 to $200
Protege and 3231990 to 2003Older compact$50 to $175
Mazda2 and Demio2002 to 2018Smallest Mazda units$40 to $150
Skyactiv-D particulate filter2012 onwardPlatinum-bearing filter, priced separately$50 to $250
Skyactiv-D oxidation catalyst2012 to 2018Mostly platinum, almost no rhodium$30 to $150
Manifold pre-cat, any modelVariousSmall unit cast into the exhaust manifold$20 to $100
Aftermarket replacement, any modelAll yearsUniversal unit, trace metal$5 to $50
Metal reference: Platinum $1,826 per troy ounce, Palladium $1,404 per troy ounce, Rhodium $9,425 per troy ounce. Platinum and palladium refresh from the daily futures feed; rhodium is a dealer reference updated manually. Model ranges are compiled from published core-buyer code lists and catalyst exchange transaction data, not from a live per-code feed, and are cross-checked against current published scrap guides. Buyers price the exact part number stamped on the shell, so treat the range as a sanity check rather than a quote.

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.

The numbered cars, sorted

Mazda2, sold as the Demio in Japan and some export markets, is the smallest unit in the range at $40 to $150.

Mazda3, sold as the Axela in Japan, is the volume car and sits at $60 to $200. This is the model most people are actually holding when they search this brand.

Mazda6, sold as the Atenza in Japan, sits at $75 to $250, with V6 years toward the top of that band.

If you are quoting any of these, give the number and the year together, or better still give the code stamped on the shell. A buyer hearing only 3 or 6 has to ask twice.

The RX-8 is its own case

The rotary deserves separate treatment, because almost everything about it differs from the rest of the range.

Every RX-8 built between 2003 and 2012 used the 1.3 litre Wankel rotary, and every one of them carries exactly one catalytic converter, sitting in the exhaust ahead of the muffler. There is no second unit to find, which is unusual for a car of this performance level.

That single unit is worth more than its size suggests. Catalyst databases record the RX-8 reference family, carrying numbers such as 3G14 and N3H1, with an internal construction of ceramic plus ceramic. Two bricks in one shell, which is why it sits at $100 to $300 rather than with the small cars, and why published averages for an original RX-8 unit land around $220.

One practical warning. Rotary engines run hot and are hard on catalysts, and RX-8 converters fail more often than most. A unit that has been cooked will show melting or blockage at the ends, and a broken substrate rattles. Check before assuming yours is a good one, because on this model the failure rate is the main risk to the price rather than age.

The aftermarket reflects the same demand: replacement units for an RX-8 list from roughly $85 to $280, with premium branded parts near $720.

The Ford years

Mazda spent decades under substantial Ford ownership, and two models in the table came directly out of that.

The Tribute is the twin of the Ford Escape. The B-series pickup is the twin of the Ford Ranger. Both sit at $75 to $225, and both are catalogued by core buyers under Mazda even though the engineering is shared.

The practical point is a comparison rather than a warning. If a buyer quotes you low on a Tribute, the Ford figures for an Escape of the same year and engine are a fair check, and quoting the stamped code rather than either badge settles it.

Mazda prices around the world

Platinum, palladium and rhodium settle in US dollars, so a Mazda code holds the same metal value in every market. Currency and local buyer depth are what change. The table converts the Mazda span into each market's money at today's rate.

Mazda OEM catalytic converter, Mazda2 at the low end to RX-8 rotary at the high: the reported US range in each market's money
MarketCurrencyUnitEquivalent range
United StatesUSDper unit$30.00 to 300.00
United KingdomGBPper unit£22.19 to 221.92
CanadaCADper unitC$41.49 to 414.92
AustraliaAUDper unitA$41.63 to 416.30
GermanyEURper unit€25.83 to 258.32
IndiaINRper unit₹2,836 to 28,364
BangladeshBDTper unit৳3,688 to 36,878
United Arab EmiratesAEDper unitAED110.18 to 1,102
Saudi ArabiaSARper unitSAR112.50 to 1,125
TurkeyTRYper unit₺1,454 to 14,538
South AfricaZARper unitR478.72 to 4,787
ChinaCNYper unitCN¥201.58 to 2,016
These are currency conversions of the reported United States range at today's exchange rate, shown in each market's customary unit. They are not local market prices: recovered material markets differ genuinely by country, and no free licensed local series exists for us to show. Rates refresh daily.

These conversions are the metal-value anchor rather than a local quote. Mazda sells under different names in different markets, so a reader in Japan or Australia may be holding a Demio, Axela or Atenza while reading rows labelled 2, 3 and 6.

The older names

A quick pass through the models that predate the numbering, since these turn up regularly and are easy to mis-search.

The Protege and 323 are the same compact car under two names, at $50 to $175. The 626, MX-6 and Millenia cover the older mid-size range at $60 to $200. The MX-5, known as the Miata in North America, sits at $60 to $200 with a single unit. The MPV is the V6 van, frequently carrying two units at $75 to $225.

With all of these the same rule applies as with the numbered cars. The name varies by market and by decade; the stamped code does not.

Questions people actually ask

How much is a Mazda catalytic converter worth as scrap?

Between roughly $30 and $300 for one original unit. A Mazda2 brings $40 to $150, a Mazda3 $60 to $200, a Mazda6 $75 to $250, a CX-9 $100 to $275 and an RX-8 $100 to $300. Diesel units and aftermarket replacements sit below those figures.

How many catalytic converters does an RX-8 have?

One. Every RX-8 built from 2003 to 2012 used the 1.3 litre rotary and carries a single converter positioned ahead of the muffler. There is no second unit, which surprises owners expecting a pair on a car of that type.

Why is the RX-8 converter worth more than a Mazda3 one?

Because of its internal construction. Catalyst databases record the RX-8 reference as ceramic plus ceramic, meaning two bricks inside one shell, which puts it at $100 to $300 against $60 to $200 for a Mazda3. Published averages for an original RX-8 unit sit around $220.

Do Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape converters price the same?

Generally yes. The Tribute is the Escape's twin, and the B-series pickup is the Ranger's twin, both from the period of Ford ownership. Compare by the stamped code rather than the badge, and use the Ford figures as a cross-check.

What are Mazda models called in other markets?

The Mazda2 is the Demio, the Mazda3 is the Axela and the Mazda6 is the Atenza in Japan and several export markets. The MX-5 is the Miata in North America. Buyer lists usually use the numbers, so match on the code rather than the name.

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 Mazda catalytic converter worth as scrap?

Between roughly $30 and $300 for one original unit in 2026. Mazda2 units bring $40 to $150, Protege and 323 units $50 to $175, Mazda3 units $60 to $200, Mazda6 and CX-7 units $75 to $250, CX-9 units $100 to $275 and RX-8 units $100 to $300.

How many catalytic converters does a Mazda RX-8 have?

One. Every RX-8 built between 2003 and 2012 used the 1.3 litre Wankel rotary and carries a single converter, positioned in the exhaust ahead of the muffler. There is no second unit to find, which surprises owners expecting a pair.

Why is an RX-8 converter worth more than a Mazda3 one?

Because of what is inside it. Catalyst databases record the RX-8 reference family as ceramic plus ceramic, meaning two bricks in a single shell, which places it at $100 to $300 against $60 to $200 for a Mazda3. Published averages for an original RX-8 unit sit near $220.

Do Mazda Tribute and Ford Escape converters price the same?

Generally yes. The Tribute is the Ford Escape's twin and the Mazda B-series pickup is the Ford Ranger's twin, both dating from the period of Ford ownership. Quote the stamped code rather than either badge and use the Ford figures as a cross-check.

What are Mazda models called in other markets?

The Mazda2 is sold as the Demio, the Mazda3 as the Axela and the Mazda6 as the Atenza in Japan and several export markets, while the MX-5 is the Miata in North America. Core buyer lists generally use the bare numbers, so match on the stamped code.

Why do RX-8 converters fail so often?

Rotary engines run hot and are hard on catalysts, so RX-8 units fail more frequently than most. A cooked converter shows melting or blockage at the ends and a broken substrate rattles when shaken. On this model condition matters more to the price than age does.