New Cat for 2010 Mazda 6?

Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
211
Location
TX
Hi Team, My son is away at college and his 2010 Mazda 6 (approximately 92K miles, 2.5L) had the check engine light come on, and it threw code P0421 on the OBD scanner. I was hoping he needed 1 or both O2 sensors replaced, but the garage he took it to said he needed a new catalytic converter, and since it is connected to the manifold it involves a little more labor than usual to the tune of about $1300. He's had some work done at this place before, and I have no reason not to trust them. It is driving fine at the moment, and the mechanic said it was safely driveable with no issues, but would obviously have to be repaired to pass an emissions test. We are the only owners of this car since new, and it has been meticulously maintained. I've had previous cars go well over 100K miles without needing a new cat (never had to replace one actually), so I am a little bummed and surprised at the same time as this fix is not really in the budget right now. He graduates in May and hopes to drive this car another year or 2 after graduation.

He is going to continue driving it, although not very far, until we decide what to do. Do you agree it is ok to drive for now? Is there anything else we should try prior to committing to have the cat replaced? Thank you for your thoughtful input. I appreciate it.
 
It is ok to drive with the cat like this as long as you aren't experiencing any other problems (such as a misfire that could damage it; that would make the CEL blink). Does the car burn oil?

When is it due for inspection? My recommendation would be to get a cheap cat a month before it's due for inspection. There is one on eBay for less than $200. The cheap cats will last about 2 years, just in time when you plan on getting rid of it.
 
Thank you both for the advice. It does not burn oil.

Faced with potentially spending $1300 for a new cat and o2 sensors, or having one of my son's friends who "knows cars" replace it for the cost of parts plus some Natural Light and White Claw, on a lark I asked him to add a 20oz bottle of Techron (we do that prior to most every oil change anyway), and fill it up with 93 octane Top Tier gas. Without clearing the code, the CEL turned off after 3 days of minimal driving and 1 Italian tune-up. We'll see if it stays off for a while.
 
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