Noisy Exhausts - a question for the WOF Inspectors

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glang, Jul 2, 5:43am
I seem to live in a neighbourhood of boy racers and every morning I??
supernova2, Jul 2, 5:50am
Has it got a WOF ?

Other option at wof time the standard system put back on and removed after passing the test.
morrisman1, Jul 2, 5:52am
why do you think loud exhaust means boy racer. What meaning do you put to the term boy racer anyway?

To answer your question, the test is quite specific and theres a couple options, either the car passed in the specific test conditions which don't completely represent real world driving, or otherwise it hasn't been tested. The last option is the exhaust is actually fine and you're just a whinger.
franc123, Jul 2, 6:03am
Having subjected several cars to objective noise tests myself with a sound meter you would be surprised at how loud 95 dBa actually is on the ear. I had a VR SS Holden recently that I was certain wouldn't comply (hence carrying out proper test) and was very drony on the road, but came back as 92 under the prescribed test conditions. If it concerns you that much, report them and if the cops agree they'll get stickered. Not much else to say really.
brapbrap8, Jul 2, 6:06am
Most boy racer exhausts come with a removable baffle that plugs in the end of the muffler with 2 or 3 small screws holding it in so it can be put in to pass a WOF in all of 30 seconds.
Exactly the same setup as many standard motorbike exhausts have, but it is naughty to take it out of course.

Edit to add, some jap boy racer cars have noisy exhausts as factory equipment. My mate had a Honda Accord SIR-T sedan that had the full Mugen twin big bore exhaust system which was an option from the factory. It was seriously loud and it got pulled over and hassled by the cops constantly but it was all standard equipment so it never had issues getting a WOF.
2sheddies, Jul 2, 6:25am
Agree. 95 is surprisingly loud to the 'naked' ear. A lot of small engines - mowers, chainsaws etc are rated about there, and without earmuffs it's a helluva loud.

Also. , the high pitched farting sound of a 4 banger with an oversize exhaust sounds far worse than the throb of a big bore V8 even if the DB's are at identical levels. The tinny 4 cyl sound goes right through you.
unclejake, Jul 2, 6:32am
Do you actually live in the real world? The noise is waking up neighbours.
loose.unit8, Jul 2, 6:37am
And opinions are like arseholes, everyone's got one.
franc123, Jul 2, 6:39am
The other thing to consider is that its possible to drive a quiet car noisily and a noisy car quietly. Its as much a driver issue as it is an exhaust design issue.
2sheddies, Jul 2, 6:50am
That's exactly right. Depends if you're a considerate type or not I suppose. When I had a rattly old diesel turbo, I used to get so conscious arriving home late at night that I would park down the road a bit away from houses to let it run on the timer before going up the driveway, so I could shut it off right away instead of idling outside neighbours bedrooms. Basic consideration for others. A rare thing nowadays.
unclejake, Jul 2, 7:29am
I dunno. I guess it depends where you live, but I think by far the bulk of NZ tries to behave, and/or drive, in a way that doesn't inconvenience others.

Perhaps that's what makes the selfish prats who only think of themselves (or mistakenly think other people are staring at them because they're cool) stand out so much
poppajn, Jul 2, 2:14pm
A lot of it is in the way the vechicle is driven.
plasticboys, Jul 2, 2:41pm
what about harleys ? with there screaming eagle exhausts
bjmh, Jul 2, 3:38pm
So why are these cars still being issued with WOF??
tweake, Jul 2, 4:56pm
if i recall correctly, its in the book that adjustable exhausts are illegal.
so bypass valves or removable baffles are not allowed.
dublo, Jul 2, 5:09pm
And nothing new today - my Dad was fined 2 pounds 10 shillings in about 1920 (most of an apprentice engineer's weekly wage) after a vindictive policeman booked him for having a noisy exhaust when riding his little James motorbike to work. It had a perfectly standard exhaust pipe and would have been very quiet compared with what we have to put up with now.
nightsky1, Jul 2, 5:24pm
so your dad was like an inconsiderate and pre historic a boy racer
might be time to let that one go.
esprit, Jul 2, 6:19pm
That all depends, if the neighbour's driveway passes directly beneath the complainant's window, it's probable that even a non noisy car could and would wake up a light sleeper.

Place I used to live in, you could hear every little noise the neighbours made in getting into their car and starting it up quite clearly, right down to the "clunk" the central locking made as it unlatched.
whqqsh, Jul 2, 6:37pm
I agree, it could be about use, rather than vehicle type, I used to live next to a motel with my bedroom on an upper floor overlooking the motel carpark & hardly heard anyone until very early one morning a group were loading their car. Not only did it sound like they were taking long run-ups & all their strength to slam their doors as hard as they could but 5 or 6 people in the group all made several trips in & out slamming the doors every time. It was the only time in 5 years living there did I feel the need to yell out the window to these inconsiderate 'people'
tgray, Jul 2, 6:57pm
Harley's seem to get away with being twice as loud as other vehicles.
bill1451, Jul 2, 7:46pm
I was at Rolleston BP, heard this brap brap brap, started wondering where the ricer motorbike was, oh no it was a 80, s corolla full of hoody knuckleheads,
Anyways this thing finally took of and if it was loud then, it would have split eardrums heading back toward chch on main sth road, imagine a 100cc chainsaw with muffler removed, no way would that have a WOF.Glad they are not my neighbours.
bjmh, Jul 2, 7:52pm
always amuses me when you see a couple of car loads of Police following a roving bike gang,i wonder how many tractors they pink sticker for straight pipes,bet buggerall.
brapbrap8, Jul 2, 8:46pm
Tractors are not usually bad, but there are some seriously loud forage harvesters put there. The bigger ones are running a 24L V12 turbo diesel making up to 1,100hp through a straight 6 inch diameter exhaust.
Not to mention the whine they make when the chopper is running.
Pretty easy to hear them running 5km away.
purple666, Jul 2, 9:35pm
I don't mind loud exhausts, it's the noisy ones that get up my nose. You know the sort I mean, you hear them coming and expect them to go flying past any moment at a great rate of knots then 20 moments later they crawl past, all noise and no go.
bjmh, Jul 3, 12:01am
yer I meant Harley tractors. they are fairly agricultural