I dropped the Boxster off to besides have the accident damage estimated and ultimately fixed to have the oil/filter service done. At the same time I asked that the metallic buzzing that I had assumed was from loose heat shields be addressed.
The tech reported to me today the noise is not from the heat shields -- they are fine -- but from as near as he can tell the driver's side primary converter. The "brick" or converter is loose and rattling. That the car did poorly -- even though it passed (after a 2nd try) -- its last emissions test indicates the converters or at least one is not performing as well as it should.
That occasionally the CEL comes on and I read out a P0430 error also points at this converter.
I talked about options.
Factory converters are $1000 (at least) apiece and then there is labor. Roughly with any discounts I'm facing $2500 to replace both converters. The tech advised given the miles/age of the converters that both be replaced and I agree with his thinking although I of course dislike the cost this represents.
I asked the service manager -- who was there -- and the tech if there was any objection to installing used converters? They said they usually do not like to do this but would in my case as they know if the used converters do not work right I'll not "sue". I told them that of course I would assume the risk the used converters would not work right. They still have the responsibility of installing them correctly but I am not worried about this.
So, with this in mind I went out and bought two used converters today (from Parts Heaven in Hayward). They are nice looking converters, with no rattles. I do not know the miles on them though. Parts Heaven said if the converters prove to be bad out of the box so to speak (and they put them in a box for me) that they would accept them back.
I asked what they'd give me for the converters with almost 280K miles on them, and they just laughed...
Anyhow, I'll drop the new (so to speak) converters off tomorrow and get them installed ASAP.
Before I accept the car though I will see if the dealer will let the tech throw the car on the emissions testing dyno and check exhaust for emissions compliance, as sort of an acceptance test of the converters. I'm hoping for not only quiet from the converters but lower emissions to give the car some extra margin come next emissions testing time.