When discussing the world's most luxurious vehicles these days, it's easy to forget about Maybach. After languishing for decades with humongous sedans that weren't fully Mercedes, Maybachs, nor really anything at all—just outrageously expensive oddities for rich people who refused to buy a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley, for whatever reason—the Maybach name became the pinnacle of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class range in 2015. Today, embodying the new W223 S-Class, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S580 aims to make Stuttgart's latest and greatest sedan even more luxurious, more comfortable, and perhaps unexpectedly so, more romantic. The M badge (no, not that M badge, a different one) elevates the S in a variety of ways, some subtle, some not—but all grandiose. From the classy two-tone paint to the flashy monoblock wheels and the elegant interior, you get the sense that even though the gaudiness that landed old Maybachs in rap music videos is long gone, it's sti...
When it comes to your car’s exhaust system, the catalytic converter (often called the "catalyst") plays a crucial role in reducing harmful emissions. However, when it fails, it can lead to performance issues and even legal problems. In this blog post, we’ll explore **how a catalytic converter works** and **what happens when it goes bad**. What Does a Catalytic Converter Do? The catalytic converter is an essential part of your car’s exhaust system. Its main job is to **convert harmful pollutants into less harmful gases** before they exit the tailpipe. Here’s how it works: 1. Reduces Harmful Emissions The catalyst contains precious metals like platinum, palladium, and rhodium,which facilitate chemical reactions that break down pollutants: - Carbon monoxide (CO)→ Converted into carbon dioxide (CO₂) - Hydrocarbons (HC)→ Converted into water (H₂O) and CO₂ - Nitrogen oxides (NOx) → Broken down into nitrogen (N₂) and oxygen (O₂)* 2. Helps M...