Are noisy ICE cars becoming embarrassing?
Discussion
Not my exact car but same exhaust system
I get this every morning I start it!!
Luckily I don't often start early and take this car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puFN75bq7Js
I get this every morning I start it!!
Luckily I don't often start early and take this car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puFN75bq7Js
For special cars a nice sounding ICE engine will always have a place. However for white goods cars that just get people from A to B, I can definitely see the appeal in less noise.
Also if EV cars being too quiet is an issue for pedestrian safety, please lets not resort to beeping. There are literally hundreds of cooler noises from a sci-fi movie back catalogue that could be used to make them sound 100% cooler without being too obtrusive or annoying. In fact I'm really surprised EV manufacturers haven't caught on to this trick yet.
Also if EV cars being too quiet is an issue for pedestrian safety, please lets not resort to beeping. There are literally hundreds of cooler noises from a sci-fi movie back catalogue that could be used to make them sound 100% cooler without being too obtrusive or annoying. In fact I'm really surprised EV manufacturers haven't caught on to this trick yet.
Guvernator said:
Also if EV cars being too quiet is an issue for pedestrian safety, please lets not resort to beeping. There are literally hundreds of cooler noises from a sci-fi movie back catalogue that could be used to make them sound 100% cooler without being too obtrusive or annoying. In fact I'm really surprised EV manufacturers haven't caught on to this trick yet.
Tie fighter noise gets my vote.I like the sound of a great engine, be it on a car or a bike. I went to a hill climb for the first time last year and the smells and racket from the vintage cars and bikes was incredible.
I'd only get cheesed off if someone had something very loud and it was getting loudly fired up every morning when people are still asleep. I see this as a reducing issue due to EV adoption, young people being less interested in car modifications and (apparently) fewer and fewer young people taking up biking.
I'd only get cheesed off if someone had something very loud and it was getting loudly fired up every morning when people are still asleep. I see this as a reducing issue due to EV adoption, young people being less interested in car modifications and (apparently) fewer and fewer young people taking up biking.
Grahamdub said:
Oooo, 2 strokes ! I used to have a 350 YPVS with a Stan Stephens stage 3 tune and a pair of his expansion pipes. When it hit the power band it would absolutely scream. Funnily enough, no one ever wanted to ride behind me though 
Oddly enough I was thinking LC's when I wrote that. I briefly had a 350LC, my mate a Stan Stephens one.Mine had standard pipes and I think his did. Anyway, just loved that engine and the noise it made.
It was all very Yo Vtech when it hit the powerband.
Codswallop said:
I saw a Tesla Model S and Golf R have a cheeky race away from some traffic lights today. The Tesla pulled a significant gap while the Golf parped away in the slightly contrived way that all DSG VAGs seem to do. It looked/ sounded embarrassing in some ways; almost a case of all show and no go from the Golf (even though it's a quick car by most normal standards).
In the past Joe public associated noise with speed and power. However with the increasing prevalence of silent, instant torque EVs, I wonder how long it'll be before the loud and comparatively slow ICE cars begin to look old fashioned?
I love a nice sounding engine, but am aware that being a car enthusiast is a minority hobby, and one that is increasingly being frowned upon by certain people.
Will noisy cars always be a thing?
I drive an Alfa that has as much exhaust pipes as it has cylinders and makes an awful lot of sound. I do kind of like that because it’s silly but will steer actively clear of any kind of loud or sports exhaust in the future because of the downsides (can’t even hear the engine when I rev it). A good engine sound in the fun car is a prerequisite though, can’t see that changing.In the past Joe public associated noise with speed and power. However with the increasing prevalence of silent, instant torque EVs, I wonder how long it'll be before the loud and comparatively slow ICE cars begin to look old fashioned?
I love a nice sounding engine, but am aware that being a car enthusiast is a minority hobby, and one that is increasingly being frowned upon by certain people.
Will noisy cars always be a thing?
Edited by Nerdherder on Monday 15th April 18:10
xjay1337 said:
Not my exact car but same exhaust system
I get this every morning I start it!!
Luckily I don't often start early and take this car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puFN75bq7Js
Sounds like a bunch of farting. Not cool. I get this every morning I start it!!
Luckily I don't often start early and take this car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puFN75bq7Js
It’s fake noise I think is embarrassing. Cars that deliberately pop and bang when you’re just driving round town. Things that are engineered to sound sporty. Jag, Mini, Porsche, Audi all do it.
My car flames and pops occasionally when you’re working it hard, I find that satisfying, it’s an old school V8 with straight pipes. Stuff that just dumps fuel in the exhaust is tragic.
In my opinion of course.
In terms of cylinder count, I’ve heard plenty of 4 cylinder WRC cars that sound ace, so don’t think less cylinders always means a worse noise.
My car flames and pops occasionally when you’re working it hard, I find that satisfying, it’s an old school V8 with straight pipes. Stuff that just dumps fuel in the exhaust is tragic.
In my opinion of course.
In terms of cylinder count, I’ve heard plenty of 4 cylinder WRC cars that sound ace, so don’t think less cylinders always means a worse noise.
Edited by Harveybw on Monday 15th April 18:28
m4tti said:
xjay1337 said:
Not my exact car but same exhaust system
I get this every morning I start it!!
Luckily I don't often start early and take this car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puFN75bq7Js
Sounds like a bunch of farting. Not cool. I get this every morning I start it!!
Luckily I don't often start early and take this car!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puFN75bq7Js
sparta6 said:
Walking to work. Check
Starbucks in hand. Check
Earphones on. Check
Staring at iPhone. Check
Step directly into path of oncoming EV. Check
In the metropolis EV's don't mix well with pedestrians.
Earphones and staring at phone. Car noise will be irrelevant in this scenario as someone is just as likely to step in front of a diesel bus as they would a smooth EV.Starbucks in hand. Check
Earphones on. Check
Staring at iPhone. Check
Step directly into path of oncoming EV. Check
In the metropolis EV's don't mix well with pedestrians.
Whilst I'm here, I'll give my opinion to the OP question. 'becoming' embarrassing? They've always been embarrassing when modified to sound different/louder. However, unnecessary revving of something that is naturally loud is also embarrassing (the for people sat in the car). All IMO of course and everyone has different tastes.
I think it partly depends on the person driving the car and partly the car itself.
Your Audi RS3s and A45 AMGs will be completely fine if driven by respectful people but unfortunately most people driving this type of vehicle tend to be 18-25 year olds with something to prove. Hard accelerating and braking in 30mph zones so they can hear the sound of the pops and cracks. It's embarrassing.
Loud aftermarket exhausts are embarrassing no matter who is driving the car.
Loud exhausts on modern lifestyle supercars like pink/gold lamborghinis, and G Wagens are embarrassing no matter who is driving.
Loud exhausts on proper exotics - perfectly acceptable.
We are at a point though where loud exhausts, and linked to this cars with large engines/high CO2 output/high fuel consumption, are becoming a social taboo. I was in a quiet neighbourhood in the the evening around 8pm recently in an E34 M5 with a brand new OEM exhaust system. I was a little embarrased - I was aware of how loud it was. This is because what is deemed to be acceptable has shifted.
Your Audi RS3s and A45 AMGs will be completely fine if driven by respectful people but unfortunately most people driving this type of vehicle tend to be 18-25 year olds with something to prove. Hard accelerating and braking in 30mph zones so they can hear the sound of the pops and cracks. It's embarrassing.
Loud aftermarket exhausts are embarrassing no matter who is driving the car.
Loud exhausts on modern lifestyle supercars like pink/gold lamborghinis, and G Wagens are embarrassing no matter who is driving.
Loud exhausts on proper exotics - perfectly acceptable.
We are at a point though where loud exhausts, and linked to this cars with large engines/high CO2 output/high fuel consumption, are becoming a social taboo. I was in a quiet neighbourhood in the the evening around 8pm recently in an E34 M5 with a brand new OEM exhaust system. I was a little embarrased - I was aware of how loud it was. This is because what is deemed to be acceptable has shifted.
simonbamg said:
Only embarrassing if your bothered what someone thinks of your car
I beg to differ. I think a lot of the time when someone buys a noisy car, it's precisely because they care an awful lot what other people think. I'd say there's a few people out there who like the fact their Pipercross'd Corsa gets a reaction at all, even if it's largely a negative one.Personally, I'd be a bit embarrassed by something with a 4 banger where the noise is all exhaust (looking at you A45 AMG), but I'd be very happy with the noise coming out of something with a bit more displacement. Especially if it's speed six TVR...
Saying that, just 'cause it embarrasses me doesn't mean it should embarrass you, of course.
An interesting topic and very similar to the conversation I was having with one of my friends not so long ago.
We were discussing the embarrassment of getting a TVR started and off the driveway for an early morning meet. It can be an issue with the neighbours now but I suspect this will become more of an issue if EV becomes mainstream. As time goes on combustion engines have become much quieter I remember one of my neighbours had a Mk3 Transit Van with a horrendously loud diesel engine, probably not much quieter than the TVR. Most cars now are very quiet which once people acclimatise to the reduced noise it results in performance cars looking more anti social.
I worry that people will look at loud ICE cars in the future in the same way people look at smokers now.
We were discussing the embarrassment of getting a TVR started and off the driveway for an early morning meet. It can be an issue with the neighbours now but I suspect this will become more of an issue if EV becomes mainstream. As time goes on combustion engines have become much quieter I remember one of my neighbours had a Mk3 Transit Van with a horrendously loud diesel engine, probably not much quieter than the TVR. Most cars now are very quiet which once people acclimatise to the reduced noise it results in performance cars looking more anti social.
I worry that people will look at loud ICE cars in the future in the same way people look at smokers now.
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