BMW driver scratching head over aftermarket catalytic converter

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November 18, 2008

Auto Scanner The Salem News Tue Nov 18, 2008, 05:30 AM EST

Q: I have a 1998 BMW M3 sedan, which I love and only use in the summer and fall. I was using a local mechanic who specialized in fixing BMWs. He was good but has since gone out of business. He mentioned last year that my catalytic was going and replaced it with one from an aftermarket shop. It cost about $1,100. The car ran great. Six months later, the "check engine" light came on and I went to a BMW dealer to have it looked at. He mentioned that BMW specs called for a BMW replacement because aftermarket catalytic converters don't measure up. But it worked fine for six months, and the light sometimes comes on and then goes away after driving on the highway for a while. The aftermarket one is about $1,000, and BMW wants $2,700. Are there specific reasons the BMW ones are so expensive? Am I being taken for a ride, is this legit, or is something else the reason behind the check engine light? Sometimes I feel the BMW mechanics don't really fix stuff as much as want to replace parts.

A: That's a great series of questions. I wish you had included the trouble code that was stored for the check engine light. However, I am assuming it is a catalyst efficiency code. I have had no problems with the aftermarket catalytic converter just as long as it is categorized properly for the vehicle it is being used for. I don't think you should have replaced the catalytic converter for the reason "it's going." If a cat con is on its way out, it will turn on a check engine light, and you never mentioned you had this problem. The bigger question is why is the cat con failing? The usual reason would be an engine problem that is being masked by your computer engine controls. Cat cons fail for a reason, not just age. So step one is to have the engine looked at by a competent diagnostician. Just replacing parts is not the way to go.

Next question concerns why the dealer one costs more. Well, look at the facility, imagine the overhead. Imagine all the hands that the part goes through before it reaches you. Everyone wants a piece of the pie, and you pay the bill. ¬Also there is a benefit of an exact-fit catalytic converter: It fits absolutely perfectly. Plus, you're a BMW customer, so you are going to pay more, that's just a fact. Lastly, it's my feeling the BMW teams are not that interested in your 10-year-old car. That's just my opinion from observations and conversations with dealer techs.

Car Care Tip: Don't ignore your tire pressure monitor light. It is there to let you know there is a problem, and fixing the problem will give you better fuel mileage.

¬¢¬¢¬¢

Larry Rubenstein is a master technician who owns a North Shore service station. His column appears Tuesday in the Biz North section. Write to Larry at Salem News, c/o Auto Scanner, 32 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915, or send e-mail to scan auto@aol.com.

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BMW driver scratching head over aftermarket catalytic converter

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