Classis Mini - annoyingly loud..,

[DoubleSix]

New neighbour has an old mini with some sort of custom exhaust.

I don't mind a bit of engine noise but am getting a bit tired of the house vibrating every time he starts it up and repeatedly revs the arse off it before pulling away, at idle it's not an issue at all.

Before I pop round and ask if he could be a bit more considerate can I ask you guys if there's a genuine need to pump the throttle on an old car like this? I've only owned modern vehicles so wouldn't know if there is a such a requirement.

Cheers

EDIT : title should say 'Classic', can't edit!

[DoubleSix]

Hmmm ok, glad I asked.

This is definitely driver throttle input, not just a higher rev idle on start up.

3 or 4 big stabs of throttle EVERY time he gets in, which is a lot as he's a young lad popping in and out all the time. Seems very nice though so I certainly don't want to be a dick about it, just suspect it's cause he thinks he's Steve McQueen unless you guys say otherwise.

[DoubleSix]

I'll be sure to kick his front door off it's hinges first thing in the morning...

[DoubleSix]

PositronicRay said:

He's a young lad, enjoys the noise, and probably assumes others do too.

This was my thinking too, must confess to similar behaviour in my youth, albeit without neighbours.

Thanks for confirming the technical side for me guys.

[DoubleSix]

gnc said:

hes a young lad, was every one here never young. i now realise what my neighbours must have thought 40 odd years ago about me. and thats when you could fit anything regarding exhausts to cars and bikes, just ask him nicely.

With respect, I haven't come on PH to ask for advice about how to converse with my neighbours.

I was seeking technical advice about the nature of older vehicles.

[DoubleSix]

Well, I had a brief word last night as we crossed paths and he was a little less accommodating than I had hoped citing "dodgy choke" but will "try" and keep it down a bit...

Not much seems to have changed tbh, and I don't have the technical know how to flip the bonnet and show him what to do.

[DoubleSix]

R8Steve said:

DoubleSix said:

Well, I had a brief word last night as we crossed paths and he was a little less accommodating than I had hoped citing "dodgy choke" but will "try" and keep it down a bit...

Not much seems to have changed tbh, and I don't have the technical know how to flip the bonnet and show him what to do.

I know you haven't come on here for advice on how to converse with your neighbours but what else did you expect him to say/do?

Any of the following would have been better than the somewhat apathetic response I got..


- "oh really? Sorry about that, force of habit, I'll back off a bit"
- "sorry, yes it's a bit temperamental on start up but I should be getting it looked at in the next week or two if you can stick it out till then"
- "sorry, I had no idea"
- "sorry, it's causing a nuisance but I'm skint so can't sort it right now"
- "sorry"

Not sure if you picked up on a running theme in the above but it seems to be something that comes easier to some than others.

[DoubleSix]

300bhp/ton said:

DoubleSix said:

New neighbour has an old mini with some sort of custom exhaust.

I don't mind a bit of engine noise but am getting a bit tired of the house vibrating every time he starts it up and repeatedly revs the arse off it before pulling away, at idle it's not an issue at all.

Before I pop round and ask if he could be a bit more considerate can I ask you guys if there's a genuine need to pump the throttle on an old car like this? I've only owned modern vehicles so wouldn't know if there is a such a requirement.

Cheers

EDIT : title should say 'Classic', can't edit!

I suppose an alternative option could be to be less grumpy. I'm sure it's not really causing that much of an issue.

Yes, I'm just being grumpy, that's it.

[DoubleSix]

300bhp/ton said:

Or they could have a rattly old Transit from the 80's or 90's. Or a motorbike. Or maybe you could live under a flight path for an International airport.

I sure it really isn't that bad.

I find your position on this baffling.

If I say it's causing a disturbance beyond what is 'reasonable' then surely that is a fact you'll just have to accept as far as this thread is concerned. You saying "no it probably isn't" doesn't really factor...

[DoubleSix]

R8Steve said:

Yes, you want him to say sorry for something he thinks isn't a problem and is just him going about his daily business. From your previous post you've said that he basically said "sorry, yes it's a bit temperamental on start up but I should be getting it looked at in the next week or two if you can stick it out till then". Minus the apology that you were looking for of course.

It's like someone coming down and complaining that you are cutting the grass or similar and keeping them awake when they have a massive hangover. You're annoying someone else but not doing anything wrong. Would you apologise for that?

I would just think myself lucky he didn't tell me to f*ck off and then rev it more just to annoy me as most of todays youth would do.

No steve. His response was to shrug and say "yeah, dodgy choke" no mention of getting it sorted and knowing how most people will just drive their cars until they stop working I didn't get the impression it was high on his 'to do' list.

Perhaps I am guilty of judging people by my own standards but if my neighbour approached me with such an issue I'd be pretty keen to assure them I'd address it and offering an apology. It's how I was brought up. Anyway, thanks to those who offered the initial technical advice I was after, it was very helpful.

Edited by DoubleSix on Thursday 21st April 09:30

[DoubleSix]

300bhp/ton said:

DoubleSix said:

I find your position on this baffling.

If I say it's causing a disturbance beyond what is 'reasonable' then surely that is a fact you'll just have to accept as far as this thread is concerned. You saying "no it probably isn't" doesn't really factor...

From your tone, I would say that you are probably being unreasonable.... rather than them.

Yes it might be loud, but so are a lot of things. And knowing what a classic Mini can sound like, I honestly don't believe it is anything to get in a flap about, unless you are an unreasonable grumpy person, with a large chip on their shoulder.

Re-read the first few posts of this thread and show me where the "flap" or "tone" is...

You are receiving my "tone" as a result of the bks you keep writing, not my neighbour.

[DoubleSix]

Agreed. A few more weeks of tolerance and then I'll review the situation.

[DoubleSix]

RobinOakapple said:

Never put off until tomorrow what you can leave for a few more weeks.

Well, seems fair to give a bit of time in case he does indeed intend to sort it, my having mistook his embarrassment for indifference.

[DoubleSix]

If I'm being totally honest with myself I think it's partly that I think the exhaust note itself is st.

I love the woofle of a high capacity engine, even run a performance exhaust on my own 6 cyl BMW, I'm not some bore who doesn't appreciate the sound of a good engine. Then again I'n considerate of others and keep the revs low in resi areas.

This noise just does nothing for me and vibrates our windows and letterbox etc in a way nothing else around here does.