ALMOST made a big mistake

Went around one of my auto shop routes buying today. Hasn't been much activity for the past couple of months and business has been way off. First place I went today, he'd been having a good buildup of business and had a catalytic converter he wanted to sell. He said it was off a Ford pickup 6 cylinder so I looked it over. No Ford markings; no aftermarket markings; one tube ("Cigar") and about 12-15" long. Conclusion - Small Domestic. I've had a few like it before. As for pricing - I knew what I'd gotten for them but that had been about a year ago. Metal prices in general and precious metal prices have gone up since then, but there has been a sharp down turn in the stock market (metal prices tend to follow the stock market) and in base metals. I decided I'd offer the same as in the past and hope for the best (I usually call the cat buyer at the scrap yard as I'm negotiating). Added factor in pricing is that this shop is 50 miles from the scrap yard. I pay half of what I expect to get. Most recent similar cats went for $40 at the yard. I offered him $20. He said he'd think about it and we'd talk it over when I came back next week. Then he'll have a bunch more batteries and brake rotors, too.

Got home and finished the "paperwork" (computerwork?). On a whim, I called that cat buyer and described the cat. He said he suspected it would be classified as Small Domestic and he'd pay --- $25.



He should have taken me up on the $20. The price just went down - considerably.

That's a good habit to get into Mick. I need to call my guy and start figuring out how to buy cats.

Originally Posted by Bigblue12v

X2 My thoughts exactly!

Mick, if you get you a boatload of them things saved up I can set you up with a core buyer from our area that will probably be going up your direction on occasion and will pay you loads better than that. Buying converters will be your main business at that point! The big guys here travel all over the US to buy core stuff. Friend works for one of the larger companies, they are sending 3 trucks to Florida tomorrow to buy cores (they buy big rig core parts also).

Appreciate it. I don't get a lot at any one time. I was saving them up when the prices were down. I may just start saving up again and take you up on that. I hadn't really gone after cats, but buy them when they "present themselves". Every so often I run across someone trying to sell one or two. The competition was buying for more than I could sell them for and I never was able to figure out their/his market. This could change things. Can you get me a "Price Sheet/List"?

Originally Posted by Focker

See Blue that's where you are messing up.You need to have him save them then you buy them and sale them to the core place yourself.Not give the core place more business where you aren't getting anything.

I doubt that would work in this case. Bigblue is in Indiana and I'm in Maine. Besides, isn't that what this forum is all about?

I'd prefer to think that we're all here to help each other. Not sure what "the point" is.

Originally Posted by Mick

I'd prefer to think that we're all here to help each other. Not sure what "the point" is.

Focker has just been banned. Yes, we should all be here to help each other.

Carry on.