[XutvJet]

Originally Posted by Elvisfan

Maybe because I’m old but, I disagree with almost everyone on this subject. Most laws are there for a reason. If you are too loud you should be ticketed. I have more of an issue with motorcycles.

Agreed. In New York, the limit is 90 decibels which is slightly quieter than a typical lawnmower running under load. The MP exhaust and no other exhaust changes will put your car very close to that limit. One should know that removing the cat and adding a high flow exhaust will certainly increase volume in excess of most any state and federal noise emission limits and it really shouldn't come as a surprise that you might get a ticket for it. You also know just how damn loud these cars can be on a cold start with a stock exhaust or MPE. With no cat and a high flow exhaust, it is certainly a neighborhood nuisance during "quiet" hours which almost every city has. That's what the cops are really looking out for. I certainly don't appreciate my neighbor's (200 feet away) full exhaust F150 starting up every week day morning at 530am and rumbling my house.

If you want an illegal race exhaust on your street car, then you should be prepared to pay in the event you catch attention OR you keep your car on the track. Keep in mind that more race tracks have noise limits too.

[Elvisfan]

I’m surprised no one has mentioned the air pollution by removing the cats. Besides it being totally illegal. Auto manufacturers spend thousands of dollars to make cars clean. VW is paying billions of dollars because of cheating on emissions. Some folks take out the cat because it makes the car sound cool? I don’t understand it.

[Elvisfan]

Originally Posted by Breezin

y d. Its funny because most of us like too enjoy our cars and upgrade them, but the laws make it impossible to do anything to cars.

Yes,having laws can certainly interfere with my having fun. Who needs laws anyway? We should be able to do whatever we want.
That is funny.

[zinner]

I think the ticket is more about no cat than a loud exhaust. You can easily smell the no cat and the exhaust probably just pushed the cop to give you a simple loud exhaust ticket vs an emissions violation (which is probably very harsh). If you frequent your friends house a lot the neighbors probably complained about your car and the cops are just doing their jobs.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

90dB - 4 times as loud as 70 dB. Likely damage in 8 hour exposure.

Boeing 737 or DC-9 aircraft at one nautical mile (6080 ft) before landing (97 dB); power mower (96 dB); motorcycle at 25 ft (90 dB). Newspaper press (97 dB).

80dB - 2 times as loud as 70 dB. Possible damage in 8 hour exposure.

Garbage disposal, dishwasher, average factory, freight train (at 15 meters). Car wash at 20 ft (89 dB); propeller plane flyover at 1000 ft (88 dB); diesel truck 40 mph at 50 ft (84 dB); diesel train at 45 mph at 100 ft (83 dB). Food blender (88 dB); milling machine (85 dB); garbage disposal (80 dB).

70db

Passenger car at 65 mph at 25 ft (77 dB); freeway at 50 ft from pavement edge 10 a.m. (76 dB). Living room music (76 dB); radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner (70 dB).

BMW 440 2018

Idle 69dB
WOT 77dB
70mph cruise 69dB

[Livetodrive]

Putting a cat back on your vehicle so that it's it's no longer a one-car polluting smog factory is a good thing. It may also tone down the noise enough so that you can keep your aftermarket exhaust pipe.

[BMWM5NYC]

Originally Posted by upsidedownfunnel

While I'm totally fine with modifying your car, you have to understand that we share the road with other people that don't want a ton of loud cars. If there were no laws and every other car on the freeway had a loud exhaust, I don't think you understand how irritating it would be to live anywhere near any major road.

Modify and have fun with your car, but also learn to accept the consequences for your actions. Not enough people do that anymore. You modified your car to be louder than legal and you have no one else to blame but yourself. You can argue all day about how the cops have nothing better to do, but at the end of the day, you know what you're doing is illegal and if you get caught, you get caught. Complaining about the cop doing his job accomplishes exactly nothing. The police are there to enforce all laws, not just the ones that are convenient for you.

Just put your stock DP back in and go get your car inspected. The aftermarket exhaust by itself is most likely legal. Then if you feel like it, put the catless DP back in.

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Stop posting like a responsible adult.

[jinxremoved]

Friendly reminder that there are only two acceptable things to tell the police when you're suspected of a violation:

1. Nothing or,
2. the truth.

Most defense attorneys (like me), will tell you to stick with nothing, but it's just going to cause you more problems if you lie.

[jmg]

Originally Posted by Fuller

This where I have to draw the line and say that's an absurd charge. I don't care what stupid law was passed outlawing certain exhausts. This is a stark example of legislators and law enforcement that is spinning out of control. Clearly some folks are voting for the wrong candidates, and in some municipalities, there are too many law enforcement officials on the payroll if they can afford to take the time to harass people over their exhausts.

I don't think it's absurd at all. Although the 24hr window is not reasonable, a fix it ticket is. The OP was clearly violating the law, a law which I happen to agree with for the sake of noise and air pollution. Born and raised in Los Angles, I've seen the effects of car exhaust and the air quality. Growing up off a main street and waking up to some jackass with straight pipes speeding down the street waking everyone up on a school night and I know that noise regulations serve a purpose. Don't get me wrong, I love a nice sounding car and I have an exhaust on my F80: an MPE. It's very loud. But I can switch it to comfort mode and it's relatively quiet. I also still have my cats

Originally Posted by Fuller

When enforcing a law results in harassing otherwise normal, well meaning citizens, there's a serious problem.

I would hardly call this harassment and I wouldn't call it "serious".

Originally Posted by Fuller

I recognize that police officers have a difficult and often dangerous job, and I'm grateful for their service, but when people are forced to appear in court because their 3 series was too loud, people should be alarmed and take notice.

He doesn't have to show up in court. He can have law enforcement inspect it and submit the paperwork to the court. It's usually a $20 fine.

Originally Posted by pjkbrit

Ridiculous.... but hey... bikers with no mufflers always get a pass right?

It's ridiculous that bikes can get away with the noice ordinance, but cars don't. I fully support laws against overly loud bikes.

Originally Posted by WillSkill

He gave me a fixit ticket and I have 24 hours to fix it and show proof to the court for charges to be dropped.

Over all this really sucks. Just wondering if you guys have had similar experiences?

I'm planning to switch to a catted DP, and keep the akra exhaust as that isn't too loud. What do you guys think?

Ps. I guess modding is pay to play

24 hrs is ridiculous. Are you sure you are reading that right?
I've been pulled over on Mulholland Drive for nothing more than sounding like I was going fast because of my M Performance Exhaust on my F80. He didn't get me for speeding, that's for sure, because I wasn't. First thing he asked is if my exhaust was stock. I told him it was a sport exhaust option from BMW. He gave me a ticket for no front plate. We chatted a bit about the latest goings on on Mulholland Drive, his beat, and he let me go. It was a $20 fix it, and you are right modding is pay to play. People car argue all day long about how cops should have better things to do, but the fact of the matter is, we get caught and if he have the balls to commit the crime, we should have the balls to pay the price.

[Wires]

Originally Posted by FastF30

Lot's of cars out today due too weather... a challenger drove by and barely accelerated from 30 to 50... that was loud... I've heard many catless bmw's at meet ups etc ... they're more annoying than loud...

BMW is .5litre pop where as the challenger is a .78litre bang...so more than likely the op must of annoyed the cop...

With 20PSI of boost, the 3.0L will be loud as well. Same ~400HP pop.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Freedom to do what you like doesn't include intruding on the freedom of others not having to listen to your loud pipes. But the cop didn't get it right. New York doesn't prohibit exhaust modifications, so long as the car still meets inspection and noise level requirements. The fact that your exhaust isn't stock doesn't automatically mean that you're not within the letter of the law, and it's up to the cop to prove it. Take it to court. Without the necessary hard evidence it will get tossed. You might want to get a lawyer, but you may not need to. The ticket should list the specific statute that you supposedly violated. Look up that statute and make a copy of it as defense exhibit A. If the ticket does not list the statute in question that alone will get the charges dismissed.

The fixit ticket may require you to have the exhaust tested for noise level. The car will be in comfort mode so the testing may reveal it isn't too loud so the case will be dismissed or you can say you fixed it then leave the testing facility in sport mode lol as you peal off.

[Ralph335]

You took off the cat and got a loud exhaust ticket. Be thankful you didn't get a worse ticket for not having a cat. Put the stock DP back in and move on.

[Billfitz]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

The fixit ticket may require you to have the exhaust tested for noise level.

Maybe, it depends on the local statute, but it's even more likely that if the cop didn't confirm that the car was in violation of said statute that the ticket is invalid. It's one thing to issue a ticket for an item that can be visually confirmed, like a missing plate, blown light bulb or bald tires. It's quite another for either sound level or air pollution, which can only be quantified by measuring it. 'It sounded loud to me' doesn't meet the standard of probable cause.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Maybe, it depends on the local statute, but it's even more likely that if the cop didn't confirm that the car was in violation of said statute that the ticket is invalid. It's one thing to issue a ticket for an item that can be visually confirmed, like a missing plate, blown light bulb or bald tires. It's quite another for either sound level or air pollution, which can only be quantified by measuring it. 'It sounded loud to me' doesn't meet the standard of probable cause.

Would have to challenge the cop in court through cross examination did he measure the decibel level. Are they going to schedule it be tested in 24 hours? I doubt it there will be more time than that. Multiple ways to argue this and there's always the possibility the cop won't show. I'm going to reschedule the court date on a ticket I received since the judge told me which dates he isn't available and I'm hoping I can get the clerk to reschedule to one of those dates. Even on a day he is available he might not show as cases are often dismissed because cops often don't show.

[tsm007]

Originally Posted by XutvJet

Agreed. In New York, the limit is 90 decibels which is slightly quieter than a typical lawnmower running under load. The MP exhaust and no other exhaust changes will put your car very close to that limit. One should know that removing the cat and adding a high flow exhaust will certainly increase volume in excess of most any state and federal noise emission limits and it really shouldn't come as a surprise that you might get a ticket for it. You also know just how damn loud these cars can be on a cold start with a stock exhaust or MPE. With no cat and a high flow exhaust, it is certainly a neighborhood nuisance during "quiet" hours which almost every city has. That's what the cops are really looking out for. I certainly don't appreciate my neighbor's (200 feet away) full exhaust F150 starting up every week day morning at 530am and rumbling my house.

If you want an illegal race exhaust on your street car, then you should be prepared to pay in the event you catch attention OR you keep your car on the track. Keep in mind that more race tracks have noise limits too.

When I take out my motorcycle at night, I roll it out the driveway and down the street. Then I start it, sounds like a bomb going off hahaha

[FastActionJax]

Originally Posted by Breezin

Yeah i went to a car show with my mazda speed about 5 years ago in MA. and the cops showed up and blocked everyone in and gave tickets to the people that were stuck there. Unfortunately for them MA has a very strict law that if you get a ticket for mods on your car you have to go to a 3 hour class to keep your license. Its just another way for them to get money, and the people that get the tickets have to take the class also have to call out of work to attend because they don't have weekend classes haha. Luckily for me i didn't get a ticket, but a couple friends of mine told me about having to take a class due to the mods on their cars and they give them points on their license for things like that. VT doesn't have a point system for stuff like that thank god, but yeah the north east is ridiculous and they do take out the book if your car is modded. Its funny because most of us like to enjoy our cars and upgrade them, but the laws make it impossible to do anything to cars.

As for bikes i don't mind them being loud and i think a lot of the time cops wont bother with bikes because they will just take off on them and that puts everyone in danger. I maybe wrong but i have seen this summer several times on the highway after work cops chasing after bikes, most give up if the bike doesn't slow down after a mile.

Man that's unbelievable and kind of unethical really if you think about it, I know it seems like I'm ranting over here about it lol but I didnt know it was that bad. I've always lived in the south so I've never personally had to deal with any of that first hand. I definitely feel bad for you guys, No one should have to be afraid of consequences over modifying their own personal property. I would understand a little more in cases of "extreme" camber etc but a lot mentioned here is excessive.

And that's another crazy thing that differs from down here, I cant believe the cops up will even chase a bike, their is a no pursuit law here for bikes, if you run they are not chasing you. They consider it too much of a risk for the cop and the rider, In the article I read about it years ago it said the No Pursuit Law came about due to the fact "that all parties involved would most likely push their skill limits and cause damage to property and themselves". I've never ran though lol, not worth it.

[Breezin]

Originally Posted by FastActionJax

Man that's unbelievable and kind of unethical really if you think about it, I know it seems like I'm ranting over here about it lol but I didnt know it was that bad. I've always lived in the south so I've never personally had to deal with any of that first hand. I definitely feel bad for you guys, No one should have to be afraid of consequences over modifying their own personal property. I would understand a little more in cases of "extreme" camber etc but a lot mentioned here is excessive.

And that's another crazy thing that differs from down here, I cant believe the cops up will even chase a bike, their is a no pursuit law here for bikes, if you run they are not chasing you. They consider it too much of a risk for the cop and the rider, In the article I read about it years ago it said the No Pursuit Law came about due to the fact "that all parties involved would most likely push their skill limits and cause damage to property and themselves". I've never ran though lol, not worth it.

Yeah it is crazy, i went to college at Nova Southeastern in Ft. Lauderdale FL and i was shocked when i got down there at the speed of driving everywhere, and cops not really giving two hoots about bikes or cars. I do understand that down south there is greater concerns with crime than cars being modded and too loud. I loved living down there and at some point plan on moving back down south permanently. The car scene, warm weather, and the lack of annoyance from cops is great. Although i should say even still the only illegal thing i do to my cars is front tint, but living down there i might be more inclined to get a catless DP and exhaust. Probably wouldn't even go that route anyways, but yeah its crazy up here and the cops have nothing else better to do than meet their quotas.

[Breezin]

Originally Posted by Elvisfan

Yes,having laws can certainly interfere with my having fun. Who needs laws anyway? We should be able to do whatever we want.
That is funny.

Relax chief and don't take things so literal, some laws are a joke and are funny to even have them such as tint on front windows where i live. It actually has a lot of safety benefits to having tint on windows. And since you take things so literal i'll say that i think its funny you can't have 35% tint on your front windows. If you think im against laws you surely are mistaken.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by Breezin

Relax chief and don't take things so literal, some laws are a joke and are funny to even have them such as tint on front windows where i live. It actually has a lot of safety benefits to having tint on windows. And since you take things so literal i'll say that i think its funny you can't have 35% tint on your front windows. If you think im against laws you surely are mistaken.

We need transitions tint that adjusts automatically for light and dark conditions and that can be turned off when cops are detected.

[Breezin]

Originally Posted by bimmer456

We need transitions tint that adjusts automatically for light and dark conditions and that can be turned off when cops are detected.

I've found with 35% tint its dark enough during the day, and at night its light enough for me to be able to maneuver at night. Although transitioning tint would be a great invention!

[bhenault]

Sorry OP that really sucks! New England is weird like that. I'm unsure about other states but i know Connecticut has a newish law (within the last 6 months) stating that they can give a ticket and give you the fix it thing like mentioned, if your tires poke out too much. Somebody i work with who drives a larger lifted truck got a 175$ ticket for having his tires poke out of the fender wells a little over an inch and a half. However, the cop who pulled him over said the same thing about if he went to court with proof that he added fender flares/ got tires that didn't poke out of the fender, the ticket would be removed, however he did have more the 24 hours to do it. Connecticut is also weird with the Motorcycles, I don't think they even bother pulling them over anymore, because I think most of the time it ends in a chase, and if i remember correctly a few years back it ended in a fatality, and after that i believe it became illegal for cops to engage in pursuit of motorcycles, I'm pretty sure they're aloud to chase cars still though up to a certain speed