Big Sound.

[commoner]

...Could anybody please explain why, in these days of more and more "noise pollution" are we seeing..or rather hearing, more and more cars with huge booming sounds eminating from the tail pipe of their cars...presumably caused by the large orifices hung on the end of the said tail pipes?

Invariably from Boy/Girl Racers, might I add, one of which I am NOT. (you will already have gathered this. ;-))

I was very surprised also to see, on a visit to a certain well known car spares outlet, a display of these appendages with the accompanying caption in foot high letters...."Don't just be seen...be HEARD" and further wording extolling the virtues of having the loudest car on the planet. Amazing!

Are they actually legal? ......in view of the fact that they appear to make more noise than my car did when the complete exhaust system fell off?

Please I am not looking for a flame war here...just a simple explanation............thanks..............commoner :-)

[wduk2005]

some over the top ones are illegal, but they are put on originally to give the car more power but nowadays shops are trying to cash in on boy/girl racers by selling them something that doesnt effect the performance of their car at all (and even in some instances make it slower) , i have to admit i like a car with a reasonable sized and sounding exhaust

[Playbill]

The owner of a vehicle equipped with one of these devices (usual 1200cc hatchback), lives about 500 metres up the road from me. His girlfriend live a few doors past me. Several times a day he goes flat out 1st, 2nd,3rd gear to visit her; then drives back in the same manner. Small pleasures for small minds I suppose.

[Rock'n'Roll]

there is a noise level for exhausts,forgot what it is. Lad had a TVR and on track days the noise level was checked,if it was illegally loud,you couldn't drive. I believe sport exhausts will give you an extra few MPH,but the cars they're usually stuck on.it's either here nor there.

[umm]

it is just trendy to have loud exhausts just now..cops dont usually bother unless they keep running around the same streets annoying residents..some of them are illegal as they emit more than the permitted decibels..if they are seriously loud at mot time all you do is put the standard exhaust on for an hour to get mot then put big bore back on..i have always had seriously loud exhausts which i make myselffrom scratch,if you do it properly it is possible to get an increase in power.works on both cars and bikes.if it is loud at least you know that it is running

[jennyp]

I hope when they get older the boy/girl racers get some seriously good and trendy hearing aids. Thats probably going to be the latest fashion accessory in about 30 years time.

[commoner]

...Ok all...thanks for the input..........fortunately for me (?) I have 50% hearing loss..<g>.Ironically caused by noise at my employment in past years!.... but looks like from other sources I have looked at too that the Police are just not interested............better things to do maybe?

Guess I'm just "old fashioned" eh?

..............enjoy your hearing while you can...........you'll miss it when it's gone...............thanks again .................commoner.;-)

[Daveed]

Personally, I find motorbikes (many of which seem to have no silencers at all) more annoying.

I agree with Umm though, it is trendy to have a large exhaust. Nothing cooler than having something that looks like it came off a lorry slung under your micra or punto. And as I leave those biatches in my smoke at the traffic lights I think - so you spent the money on an annoying exhaust instead of a good car - good call!