Discussion
Ive got a pre-cat TVR V8S, sounds great, but will sound deeper, better etc and much louder with stainless sports pipes. I'll be upgrading next month, and have been told they should/could be as loud as 110db.
re: the law about sound levels on UK cars... anyone know what the legal level is? And just how loud is 110db?
I read a few posts about the plod having the ability to pull drivers with cars that were too loud... but didnt find any real info re: what was legal, what wasnt, and what happened to drivers/cars over the legal limit etc.
My main concern is what will/might be done in reality should I be pulled for having a car thats too noisy, and also, whether or not its likely that I even would be pulled.
re: the law about sound levels on UK cars... anyone know what the legal level is? And just how loud is 110db?
I read a few posts about the plod having the ability to pull drivers with cars that were too loud... but didnt find any real info re: what was legal, what wasnt, and what happened to drivers/cars over the legal limit etc.
My main concern is what will/might be done in reality should I be pulled for having a car thats too noisy, and also, whether or not its likely that I even would be pulled.
ukbob said:I have just asked one of my colleagues at work who deals with car drive by noise legislation, and he reliably informs me that the permissible limit is 74dbA measured at a distance of 7.5 metres from the passing vehicle
Ive got a pre-cat TVR V8S, sounds great, but will sound deeper, better etc and much louder with stainless sports pipes. I'll be upgrading next month, and have been told they should/could be as loud as 110db.
re: the law about sound levels on UK cars... anyone know what the legal level is? And just how loud is 110db?
I read a few posts about the plod having the ability to pull drivers with cars that were too loud... but didnt find any real info re: what was legal, what wasnt, and what happened to drivers/cars over the legal limit etc.
My main concern is what will/might be done in reality should I be pulled for having a car thats too noisy, and also, whether or not its likely that I even would be pulled.
Reg 54,55,55A MV Con and Use Regs, 1986 deal with noise limits from vehicles. This is a very complex section and should be read with a number of Community Directives of which I do not have, plus I have no desire for a headache.
Seems from the regs themselves (without reference to Directives)the maximum is 82db. However to be absolutely sure suggest contact with :
www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa
the ultimate authority on all things broom broom.
Reg 97 is in more simpler terms and does not need a decibelmeter in that no motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such a manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. (Move off from stop on full revs and sharp clutch to impress the bimbo). Of interest, I understand that this bit of ledge has been used against the CHavs on Brighton front up and downing with max volume on the music boxes.
DVD
Seems from the regs themselves (without reference to Directives)the maximum is 82db. However to be absolutely sure suggest contact with :
www.vosa.gov.uk/vosa
the ultimate authority on all things broom broom.
Reg 97 is in more simpler terms and does not need a decibelmeter in that no motor vehicle shall be used on a road in such a manner as to cause any excessive noise which could have been avoided by the exercise of reasonable care by the driver. (Move off from stop on full revs and sharp clutch to impress the bimbo). Of interest, I understand that this bit of ledge has been used against the CHavs on Brighton front up and downing with max volume on the music boxes.
DVD
Don't the rules on noise apply to cars of a certain age (ie newer ones). My V8S has what I presume are the factory fitted pipes and its over 100dba. If the V8S was this noisy new, then surely thats ok.
(at last MOT asked what would fail on the 'too noisy' section, chap said small cars with silly loud exhausts, V8 rumble was fine with him, the louder the better!)
(at last MOT asked what would fail on the 'too noisy' section, chap said small cars with silly loud exhausts, V8 rumble was fine with him, the louder the better!)
The seicento is 107dB at about 90cm when bouncing off the limiter!
So I dare say that a V8S with sports pipes on is going to be above 110!!
Having said that, apart from SVA I thought it was down to an MOT testers discretion as to whether an exhaust was too loud..
I guess the BiB could have an issue with Antisocial noise tho?
slinky
So I dare say that a V8S with sports pipes on is going to be above 110!!
Having said that, apart from SVA I thought it was down to an MOT testers discretion as to whether an exhaust was too loud..
I guess the BiB could have an issue with Antisocial noise tho?
slinky
If podie's ok with his, I'll be ok with mine. The Pod somehow got a reading of 127, although Im not sure how that works. I think its just the non-sports-car owning friends of mine who recon anything louder and I'll have to have it removed. Loud is great, but its better resonance Im after ledfoot 
each db is a doubling of noise 
Byff's and Craig450's Cerbera both hit 130.3, Stainless Steve's 450 Seac was 129+ IIRC and they haven't had any problems...johnny senna said:Old hat! In the Charteris novels, the Saint's "Hirondel" had a "cut-out" in the exhaust (for whisper-quiet approaches). Of course, the Volvo P1800 that was used in the original TV series didn't ... and neither did the Jag used in the "Return" series - Streaky (a font of trivia)
This issue is where Porsche's switchable sports exhaust really scores. If it's night, you pop it in whisper mode. On open country roads.....let it roar.
hertsbiker said:
oh you've got me confused now ! I thought it was 2db, but is it 1, 2 or 3 ?? anyway, 110 is loads louder than 108... and 127 *should* be illegal. Bikes are now limited to about 82, so why should cars be allowed to get away with it?
It's 3dB.
As for 127... the pain threshold is about 120
ukbob said:
If podie's ok with his, I'll be ok with mine. The Pod somehow got a reading of 127, although Im not sure how that works. I think its just the non-sports-car owning friends of mine who recon anything louder and I'll have to have it removed. Loud is great, but its better resonance Im after ledfoot
Mine was measured at Brands Hatch earlier in the year at 127.5dBA. That's using the "standard track day test"... something like 50cm away from the pipes, at a 45degree angle, holding 2/3rds of the rev limit (so at 4000rpm).
Oh, and mine has the baffles in it.
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