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Anyone gotten tickets for a loud exhaust?

4K views 39 replies 27 participants last post by  supersnake67 
#1 ·
I'm concerned about getting pulled over if my exhaust is to loud. Do the police use a decibel meter or just play it by ear? Just curious of peoples experience here. Thanks
 
#3 ·
Depends on the area, must low-budget departments dont have the resources for the tools involved (sound chamber, decibel meter, etc) to properly test an exhaust sound.

That is, unless you were high-revving in a neighborhood at night - then they can simply write you up for disturbing the peace.
 
#5 ·
I got a ticket once for a loud exhaust, but it got thrown out in court. I only had a magnaflow catback at the time...
 
#6 ·
Cops used to eyeball and follow me around sometimes to see if id get loud when I had different import cars.

Now ive had a cop give me a thumbs up getting on the freeway in my goat.
Same area same cops.

Cliff notes. Cops are cool and hate imports lol.
 
#11 ·
I haven't gotten pulled over.......yet.

Just don't drive like a dick from light to light and you'll probably be just fine with a loud exhaust. However since it will grab attention, make sure your tags are good, and be careful about tint. A cop might not think twice about your tint if your car is as quiet as every other car on the road.
 
#13 ·
I ran L/T's catless and dual 3" straight pipes (bought the car this way)...yes it was freakin LOUD but don't drive like an a$$ and don't wind out the RPM's while shifting and you should be fine.

Don't LOOK like a punk driving, don't DRIVE like a punk and you should be fine.

All depends on the cops in your area and their attitude.

I have had my neighbor cop admit that he pays more attention to the kids doing the ganster lean with their hat crooked driving their loud fart cans around than someone driving sensible with nothing to prove.
 
#14 ·
I have been pulled over for exhaust in my Camaro twice, and the GTO twice.

Camaro's first pull-over was a gimme. He said he liked it, but suggested I at least change to quieter mufflers. (Switched to quieter mufflers and hated it!)

Camaro's second pull-over was after I put the Bassani 3.5-inch bullets BACK on the car. haha It was actually the day right before I was putting a Y-pipe back on the car and I had the exhaust in the back and showed it to the officer. He said "I shouldn't be driving with this exhaust anyway." The guy waited for me to finish pumping my gas, followed me out of the station, and lit me up as soon as I hit the street. Lamest person I've ever met.

GTO's first pull over the office said "I heard you two miles up the road" and that was entirely untrue. I run a Corsa and was simply cruising down the road. He let me go with a warning and I was actually kind of an asshole to him.

The second pull over was a double ticket! I got for going WOT literally right in front of a cop. I just hadn't done it in a while, nobody was in front of my and apparently the cop was a quarter mile back and caught up to me. Quick WOT shot when it was bolt-ons, nothing too fast.

Now I'm louder than ever with heads/cam, LTs w/cats, and Corsa Sport. Nothing (knock on wood).

So it's hit or miss here in Tampa...sometimes I've gotten out of it, other times I've been slammed.
 
#15 ·
I havn't had a problem in either Cali or Vegas with my LTs and kooks 3" SS backed up to my 7.2L. Everyone around town keeps telling me sounds like a race car every time I touch the go peddal. Cops just looks and smile.
 
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#16 ·
Depends on the cop.

I have muffler deletes on my Mustang and have been pulled over doing STUPID stuff (doughnuts). No ticket yet - knock on wood.
 
#20 ·
Washington changed there law to anything modified form stock is illegal. But how they wrote the law, all you have to do to beat it is say that you bought it that way and it get thrown out.
 
#21 ·
As always it is up to the Officers Judgement to determin if you have loud exhaust. I got pulled over cause he said I had illegal exhaust. I just responded it was not illegal and argued a little about it. The real reason why i got pulled over was for no front plate. He never gave me a ticket for the exhaust he just wanted to give me a ticket for the no front plate. The cop was not a car guy cause I went to the station the same day and talked ton the sergent and he just looked at me after I started up and said "It's a GTO" and shrugged his shoulders with a smile. I got my no plate ticket written off and complained about the cop to simply just be honest and tell me he was giving me a ticket for the front plate. So I would say it depends if the cop is a car guy. Oh yeah Spintech Catback stock exhaust manifolds.
 
#23 ·
I consider setting off car alarms my second profession.
 
#32 ·
I was pulled over a couple weeks ago for no front plate and loud exhaust. I asked the officer what the actual law is on exhaust noise, like how many db or how far away you can hear it. He said there really isn't a db rating or a distance away without hearing it, but that it's really all up to the officer. If he thinks it's too loud, your probably getting pulled over with at least a warning, maybe a ticket.
 
#33 ·
if I got a ticket and the cop was a dick I would tell him to prove it where it is written about loud exhaust and HOW you quantify it. If he admitted there is no law and it's up to the officer then I would say " Soooo what am I getting a ticket/warning for exactly??"

Have him give you a definitive decible reading at a specified agreed upon distance. If there is no standard set up, then he is pissy and wants to give out tickets.

BUT before you do, I would make sure there IS NOT a law/specification for it LOL.
 
#34 ·
On my Camaro I had LT's, catless Y, and a LM1. On the Camaro the LM1 it pretty much the loudest catback and this car was real loud for just a bolt ons car. Never had a problem in it or my GTO which is LT's catless mids and a custom built catback *knock on wood*. I asked a local cop about cats and loudness and he laughed and said "We're police officers, not mechanics." Regardless I really think it comes down to what kind of car you drive. I was on a cruise with a bunch of Corvettes, camaros, ect... and 1 LS1 swapped Miata. Needless to say out of all of us the cop went after the 1 import that had a huge spoiler on it.
 
#36 ·
I have LTs, no cats and a Corsa sport, it can be NASCAR loud if I am stupid. Around town, just be gentle on the peddle and don't wind it out. You should be fine unless the cop is looking to be a dick, then he/she will find something to hit you with regardless.
 
#37 ·
I have the same setup as SJFGTO. I have not been hassled in the 5 years I have had mine. And he is right, you will be fine unless the cop is out to get someone.
 
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