Catalytic Converter

The Saturn dealer is telling me that my 1996 SL2 is starting to need a new Catalytic Converter. I'm figuring if they are right I won't pass emissions in the spring when I am due to go. The part is $870.00 from Saturn so since I have 170,000 miles I am not planning on investing nearly $1,000.00 into this car. The dealer is telling me that 1996's and newer cannot use an aftermarket catalytic converter. Can anyone confirm this? Also, should I consider a used catalytic converter perhaps from a used parts dealer? If anyone else has had this issue with their car, I would love to hear from them. I recently replaced the muffler and that was when they realized the catalytic converter was going.
Thanks.

Take the car to a respectable muffler shop for a second opinion and get them to give you their price for replacement. I only go to the dealer as a last resort. Shop around a little. I'm sure you can get a better price.

i know that there is a difference between the 1991-95 and the 1996-now converters, but i'm not sure what it is. 1996 was the year saturn started using the OBDII. the OBDII and similar computers use by gm were phased-in from 1994 til 1996. mainly becuss of new emisson laws, i beleave.so yes, there is something special about the new convertier, but i think its just a sensor(don't hold me to that). if it is a sensor, i think some people modifty atfermarket convertier to hold the sensor. i doubt you'll find a shop it do that. maybe you could run an aftermarket without the sensor, but your service light will ALWAYS be on.

forget about getting a used one unless you have a friend at a junk yard and a muffler shop or some one who would steal one and weld one for ya, because it is illegal to use a used cat

whos gonna know that you're using a used cat on a used car. first of all $900 for a catalytic converter is insane. there are two types of catalytic converters found on saturns, one is the one thats built into the exhaust manifold and the other is a regular old catalytic converter on the piping. you can remove the catalytic converter without an ses light and that is with a o2 simulator, it plugs into your rear o2 sensor and tells the computer that your rear o2 sensor is getting normal readings.

the guru of saturn used parts and performance is none other than joey cutrone of sixthplanetusedparts. he will get you the catalytic converter you need. talk to him at [email protected] or at his saturnforum, saturnspot.com. he is a friend of mine and I cannot complain about his service, never had a problem with his parts, amazing tech support, and even warranties a lot of his parts.