Opinions on loud exhausts

[SidewaysSi]

AW111 said:

SidewaysSi said:

I have a loud exhaust on my Lotus, a Larini Clubsport. Don't really care what people think as I love it - pops, bangs etc but is in keeping with the car so all good IMO. Of course, it is a stty 4 cylinder car so obviously some will think of it as the work of the devil...

You do realise that your pops and bangs probably really annoy some people, don't you? You obviously don't care about being a selfish dhead.


Not only is your car illegal, it almost certainly adds to the ranks of people wanting to ban all modifications.

Way to go, champ.

Thanks. I really don't care to be honest. It passes the MOT no problem and gets on trackdays with no changes whatsoever so what's the issue? The whining from the straight cut box probably annoys people too but I am sure they will get over it.

Champ.

[cerb4.5lee]

clarkey said:

My first Caterham superlight R wasn't mapped too well, and use to pop and bang and fire flames out. Childish but fun!

My decatted 200SX used to fire flames out as well! I used to love watching the flames when my mates were driving it and I was following behind. I loved that car, and it was great fun in every way for me.

It's small 2.0 4 cylinder turbo engine didn't offend me either(I usually much prefer bigger engines), and with the boost wound up nicely it was a fairly quick car I thought.

[ChocolateFrog]

On an everyday car they're a nuisance and anti-social.

No neighbours want to hear your car at 7am every morning however glorious it sounds.

On a weekend or occasional car then with plenty of caveats I don't mind them.

I think when Chris Harris bought his Ferrari FF he commented one of the things he didn't like about it was the noise it made everytime he started it up.

[Speed1283]

Ian Geary said:

+1

My former mr2 turbo had a stainless de cat and blue flame exhaust. Droned like hell on the motorway and would set car alarms off (back in the day when everyone had dodgy after market car alarms) in multistory car parks.

But I did like it and it was legal/mot-able.

Nowadays though I see them (or should that be hear them?) as largely anti social.

The worst vehicle round out way though is a small single cylinder motorbike that is ridden WOT everywhere, with practically no exhaust system.

Not only does it sound st, it's so fking slow it takes ages to get beyond hearing distance.. literally minutes will pass before it's gone.

At least the tts with noisy cars have the decency to drive by and be gone promptly.

Lol, I have to agree on the sh#tty motorbike exhausts, unfortunately I live near a one way system and I can't stand the damn slow mopeds and starter bikes, often get groups of 5+ teenagers ragging the hell out of them all of the way round.

Can't stand most of the modern popping exhausts, but do still love hearing a nice/good exhaust, there's a quattroporte GTS that goes by and it is just lovely, also a suped up Nissan GTR but it sounds nice and the driver isn't acting like an idiot, I even forgive the Lamborghini hurracan that resides in our parking lot that occasionally wakes me up at night because it's V10 sounds lovely.

[AC43]

Personally, in the case of my own cars when I've modded them, it's been 95% invisible stuff. Generally I've been far more interested in making them go and stop better. That's my priority. I did have a large exhaust on my S14 but was for power not looks or noise.

[anonymous-user]

Never had a complaint about my Subaru WRX with loud exhaust. A few have said how good it sounds.

[Krikkit]

I think exhaust noise, for me at least, is the ratio between whether it's quiet enough not to ps off your neighbours and the nice noise it makes when you're at full chat.

A perfect example is the Milltek exhaust on my cheap ST150 track car - at idle and low RPM it's very reasonable, obviously a bit louder than standard but nothing too silly. Then when you get going it's got real character with a good rasp, pops and crackles etc. Then you can pootle through a village in reasonable quiet with it.

These stupid pop and bang maps that are always going are highly annoying, as are stupidly loud exhausts at idle. Someone down the road from us has an FN2 CTR with a straight-through exhaust which is stupidly loud and sounds st. Another has a Golf R which is always in sport mode making stupid noises every time he lifts the throttle in a quiet housing estate.

[Schermerhorn]

I'm 35 and absolutely detest them.

Almost as much as I detest the Golf R and Audi S3/RS3 which tend to be driven like they are on a bank robbery.

[cerb4.5lee]

I know that I've always been very quick to criticise the E9x M3, but in some ways that did strike quite a nice balance if you don't like loud exhausts. The induction noise from inside the cabin was wonderful, and because the exhaust was so quiet as standard you could give it the beans knowing that you wouldn't offend anyone either.

I really missed not being able to hear the exhaust in mine though(especially when you consider that it is a V8), but the induction noise was really addictive.

[vixen1700]

Rolled past an old boy in his 60s at the traffic lights last year in the Chimaera and with a great big smile on his face he said "That sounds fruity ".

I like 'fruity'.

[cerb4.5lee]

vixen1700 said:

Rolled past an old boy in his 60s at the traffic lights last year in the Chimaera and with a great big smile on his face he said "That sounds fruity ".

I like 'fruity'.

I'm the same.

If I see a car with a nice engine under it's bonnet I will always drop my window so that I can hear the exhaust. Nowadays though you just don't get much luck because exhausts are so quiet now on modern performance cars.

I had a Tesla absolutely bomb past me a few months back and that seemed really weird seeing something go so fast but not make any noise! It was odd.

[coppice]

vixen1700 said:

Rolled past an old boy in his 60s at the traffic lights last year in the Chimaera and with a great big smile on his face he said "That sounds fruity ".

I like 'fruity'.

Yeah - I've had that- except I've been the..ahem ...'old boy in his 60s' , but in a loud Caterham and the comment came from some man child in his thirties

[Moonpie21]

For my car, I am of an age where I like to slip by un-noticed and enjoy the drive.

There is someone down our street who had a Ferrari FF visit the other day and I hung around to listen to it drive off, there was also a 355 that used to accelerate past my mum and dads house every now and then, I loved that. I like a lazy V8 burble through the right exhaust too.

I am not a fan of most motorbike exhausts or cars that don't really deserve a loud exhaust. I will class the A45 I had in that bracket (standard exhaust), I guess it was all engineered in and didn't really need to be. Yes it was fun every now and then, but now I just think I was antisocial most of the time.

I really like the idea of silent electric speed at the moment, but I may get bored of that.

I don't think there is a right answer for me, sometimes I want it and sometimes there is just no need. I think I am mostly in the camp of if it's needed I'll enjoy it but if it isn't I just find it tiring. (There is a base level A3 with a stupid exhaust by me I hate, but I love to hear a light car like a caterham or something go by).

[Davie]

There's a time and a place...

I've never been a fan of loud exhausts, even back in my modified days and always felt there's a point where it just gets embarrassing and inappropriate.

I don't really but into the "Oh if it's over 6 cylinders" garbage either... what does it matter if it's a Corsa driven by Barry or your a wealthy golfer in a TVR, if you're driving around being unnecessarily loud and obnoxious, you're a tit.

Probably hits a nerve as a couple of weeks back, whilst out for a walk in the village some tragic middle aged chap in a convertible Aston Martin (DB7?) felt the need to rev the car as he passed us. Cue crying baby.

Why? What was going through his mind. Was he just a total dick and did it maliciously to cause grief or did he think we'd be super impressed and give him a round of applause? I'd have liked to have asked but as with most of these types, they ps off without a care.

So yes, understated exhaust tones are great... as are cars that sound awesome at full chat, regardless of what it is or what it cost but just painfully loud, intrusive exhausts in and around public spaces are just desperate, selfish and ignorant.

And relax.

[vixen1700]

coppice said:

Yeah - I've had that- except I've been the..ahem ...'old boy in his 60s' , but in a loud Caterham and the comment came from some man child in his thirties

Apologies, I'm 55 this year, so not far off meself.

[SWoll]

ChocolateFrog said:

On an everyday car they're a nuisance and anti-social.

No neighbours want to hear your car at 7am every morning however glorious it sounds.

On a weekend or occasional car then with plenty of caveats I don't mind them.

I think when Chris Harris bought his Ferrari FF he commented one of the things he didn't like about it was the noise it made everytime he started it up.

And at least that made a noise worth listening to.

[rxe]

fflump said:

Anything that is noisy when idling or cruising is tragic.

This is the bit that separates a properly made exhaust from a bit of aftermarket rubbish. I have a number of Alfa V6s - several have “Wizard” exhausts on them (Alfa people will know what these are) but they are nicely made and built. There is a bit of a bark from cold start, but at idle, they just rumble, quite a bit of bass, but not loud. If you drive gently, you’re hardly aware that anything is different. At speed on the motorway, they are no different to stock. Rouse the engine to > 4500 rpm and all hell breaks loose, it’s not particularly loud but it sounds fantastic.

[Gio G]

I don't get the whole "pops and bangs" thing, but I am in my late 40's, so probably too old to understand. When I owned a newer RS5 I would see many owners wanted to upgrade the performance exhaust for more noise. I really didn't see the point, they are not piloting a race car!

N/A V8/V10/V12's with loud exhausts - then bring it on..

G

Edited by Gio G on Tuesday 6th April 12:13

[culpz]

ChocolateFrog said:

On an everyday car they're a nuisance and anti-social.

No neighbours want to hear your car at 7am every morning however glorious it sounds.

On a weekend or occasional car then with plenty of caveats I don't mind them.

I think when Chris Harris bought his Ferrari FF he commented one of the things he didn't like about it was the noise it made everytime he started it up.

Was the complete opposite, actually. IIRC, he mentioned how expensive it sounds on start-up and how the overall ownership experience is 3 cuts above the AMG's and M's, etc.

[Om]

The most tragic I recall hearing was a 306 TDi that had a 'pops and bangs' map. I didn't even know it was possible on a diesel until the stbox rattled past with its pilot driving on and off the throttle in 2nd down a shopping street.

Other than that I am not keen on overly loud exhausts. I like to hear an exhaust note, but am not keen on the modern fashion for a ridiculously loud, often switch-able exhaust. Having said that I also don't like the more recent post DPF exhaust that sounds like a hoover whatever the throttle opening or cylinder count...

So I guess I like an exhaust that sounds 'just right'. At least to me...