Loud Exhaust and Cold Starts.. Am I doing anything wrong?
Discussion
I bought an EP3 Type R which has intake and exhaust work done (intake/exhaust manifold, unsilenced mid pipe and Spoon N1 exhaust) as a result it is very loud - especially at cold starts, as the car will idle at 2000 rpm until it warms up.
The N1 was tested at 115db (5000rpm static) at a track day before the tester told me to stop as the limit was 105db.. With a tailpipe bung the reading was 104.6db. I run the bung almost permanently, especially when around my house or area.
Now I leave for work at 7:30am and I've tried to keep it as quiet as possible, even taking my diesel to work M-T to avoid the cold start. If I do take it to work I have rolled it out of my drive and to the end of my park before starting it, in the hope that it won't cause too much of a disturbance to my direct neighbours...
My neighbourhood is made up of a lot of retired professionals and families (all detached houses w/ driveway and gardens), I'm concerned they might object at some stage and possibly contact the police or council (they have done this previously about a tenant's kids making too much noise outside, and also someone working in a garage w/ a compressor late at night).
If they do is there any laws/acts etc that I'm infringing on?
I don't deive the car outside of 7:30am - 8pm if I do drive it, so I'm not coming in and out at 3am and etc. I creep the car into my house and creep it out - as much as you can do whilst it's idling at 2000 rpm.
The N1 was tested at 115db (5000rpm static) at a track day before the tester told me to stop as the limit was 105db.. With a tailpipe bung the reading was 104.6db. I run the bung almost permanently, especially when around my house or area.
Now I leave for work at 7:30am and I've tried to keep it as quiet as possible, even taking my diesel to work M-T to avoid the cold start. If I do take it to work I have rolled it out of my drive and to the end of my park before starting it, in the hope that it won't cause too much of a disturbance to my direct neighbours...
My neighbourhood is made up of a lot of retired professionals and families (all detached houses w/ driveway and gardens), I'm concerned they might object at some stage and possibly contact the police or council (they have done this previously about a tenant's kids making too much noise outside, and also someone working in a garage w/ a compressor late at night).
If they do is there any laws/acts etc that I'm infringing on?
I don't deive the car outside of 7:30am - 8pm if I do drive it, so I'm not coming in and out at 3am and etc. I creep the car into my house and creep it out - as much as you can do whilst it's idling at 2000 rpm.
Possibly "yes".
See "The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986" section 55 (it also referes to EC Directive 77/212). This is from a google of "C&U regs exhaust noise" (so my suggestion might be outdated or inaccurate, I'm admittedly no expert)
); but that search also finds at least one thread on here where the police didn't know how to measure exhaust noise levels... 
See "The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986" section 55 (it also referes to EC Directive 77/212). This is from a google of "C&U regs exhaust noise" (so my suggestion might be outdated or inaccurate, I'm admittedly no expert)
); but that search also finds at least one thread on here where the police didn't know how to measure exhaust noise levels... Seems straightforward enough.
https://www.gov.uk/noise-pollution-road-train-plan...
The problem for the rest of us is that the police don't bother to enforce this law.
https://www.gov.uk/noise-pollution-road-train-plan...
The problem for the rest of us is that the police don't bother to enforce this law.
I was shocked by the answers, then I remembered what part of the forum I was in 
Don't worry about it, at least wait until someone mentions it before even looking into it. The chances of anyone official knocking on your door is almost zero due to a car exhaust, they have better things to do. If the neighbours are mostly retired then they will be up before you anyway, I know all mine are! In fact if any of mine moaned they'd be getting reminded about their use of the mower/drill/jet washer etc at 9am on a Sunday!
Don't worry about it, at least wait until someone mentions it before even looking into it. The chances of anyone official knocking on your door is almost zero due to a car exhaust, they have better things to do. If the neighbours are mostly retired then they will be up before you anyway, I know all mine are! In fact if any of mine moaned they'd be getting reminded about their use of the mower/drill/jet washer etc at 9am on a Sunday!
Mate of my son had a loud exhaust on his Subaru - neighbours got fed up with the noise and went to the police - he got an Asbo preventing him from making any noise over the legal limit or his car would be taken off him.
I've heard of others who have had Asbos against them for driving crazy through housing estates. One apparently did lose his car and had 6 points put on his license - he'd only been driving 6 months!
I've heard of others who have had Asbos against them for driving crazy through housing estates. One apparently did lose his car and had 6 points put on his license - he'd only been driving 6 months!
Cheers for the replies mens.
First of all, the db figures I gave were at 5000 rpm static - which might as well be redline. at 800-1000rpm when I'm pottering about the car is not very loud at all. You can hear it above normal diesels but it would not be as intrusive as something like an Impreza.
My only concern is on a cold start, when the car will idle at 2000rpm for a few minutes, so sitting idle or moving it will not fall before 2000rpm.
I did forget I was on PH there from some of the replies. The car is a weekend/second/track day car, I have a car for going to work. The exhaust and intake work was done in the pursuit of power, volume just happens to be a byproduct of this.
First of all, the db figures I gave were at 5000 rpm static - which might as well be redline. at 800-1000rpm when I'm pottering about the car is not very loud at all. You can hear it above normal diesels but it would not be as intrusive as something like an Impreza.
My only concern is on a cold start, when the car will idle at 2000rpm for a few minutes, so sitting idle or moving it will not fall before 2000rpm.
I did forget I was on PH there from some of the replies. The car is a weekend/second/track day car, I have a car for going to work. The exhaust and intake work was done in the pursuit of power, volume just happens to be a byproduct of this.
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