As the topic says, I just got pulled over, right as I was pulling up to my house.

Cop goes through all my paperwork, makes sure the cars not nicked, then tells me that "aftermarket exhausts with a wider bore fitted to increase the noise of your exhaust are a fineable offense, but this time I'm just gonna let this go as a friendly tip, get it changed alright?"

Now, I know for a fact my exhaust is under the dB limit for UK roads, which I thought made it completely legal.

Where do I stand on this if I get pulled over again?

sadly he is right in part of that statement. the limit is something like 80-90db's (dump valves are 120db's) but it is down to the individual copper, the fine is anything up to £300.

have you got the means to test your exhaust to show its below that?

your not alone as almost every copper these days seem to think that "modified" is the same as dangerous.

Edited 2 October, 201015 yr by Cymro

sadly he is right in part of that statement. the limit is something like 80-90db's (dump valves are 120db's) but it is down to the individual copper, the fine is anything up to £300.

have you got the means to test your exhaust?

your not alone as almost every copper these days seem to think that "modified" is the same as dangerous.

I haven't got a dB meter, but I know it's quiet, it idles quieter than my grandads 360TDi, only really getting louder than it right at the top of the rev range.

The part I'm questioning is his "It's illegal to fit a wider-bore aftermarket exhaust."

Uh, if that's right, aren't like 75% of aftermarket exhausts illegal?

Mine's not even wider bore, every piece of pipe other than the backbox is standard, and if I remember right, the pipe exiting the back of the backbox inside the chrome outer part, is standard size too.

the police are taking a dimmer view on aftermarket bits but currently it is down to the individual copper, i had the same plates on for 4 years with ghosted welsh dragons in the background, last month i get a jobsworth who pulls me and fines me for them, there doesnt seem to be any real written down stuff and it all says "at the officers discretion" but they will then have to prove and provide evidence that the exhaust is producing that much noise.

Edited 3 October, 201015 yr by Cymro

have you got the means to test your exhaust to show its below that?

has the copper got the means to prove it's over the db limit? unless his hearing was calibrated before his shift i'm pretty sure he has no way of telling that it is above the allowed db?

and if he says it is and gives you a fine i'm sure you can dispute this?

you can't be done for some thing that isn't breaking the law, even if it is aftermarket.

sadly he is right in part of that statement. the limit is something like 80-90db's (dump valves are 120db's) but it is down to the individual copper, the fine is anything up to £300.

have you got the means to test your exhaust?

your not alone as almost every copper these days seem to think that "modified" is the same as dangerous.

I haven't got a dB meter, but I know it's quiet, it idles quieter than my grandads 360TDi, only really getting louder than it right at the top of the rev range.

The part I'm questioning is his "It's illegal to fit a wider-bore aftermarket exhaust."

Uh, if that's right, aren't like 75% of aftermarket exhausts illegal?

Mine's not even wider bore, every piece of pipe other than the backbox is standard, and if I remember right, the pipe exiting the back of the backbox inside the chrome outer part, is standard size too.

you can pick up a new DB level meter for £15 on the bay

have you got the means to test your exhaust to show its below that?

has the copper got the means to prove it's over the db limit? unless his hearing was calibrated before his shift i'm pretty sure he has no way of telling that it is above the allowed db?

and if he says it is and gives you a fine i'm sure you can dispute this?

you can't be done for some thing that isn't breaking the law, even if it is aftermarket.

you ve hit the nail on the head, there was a copper in cardiff who got given a calibrated db meter but he went around advising people of the noise limit and not handing out random fines.

I cant remeber the exact wording but there is a section in the MOT testers handbook regarding "acceptable", really MOT legal should also mean road legal but we all know thats impossible to enforce.

coppers hate me were i live and I'm always straight with what they ask me they know i know most of the laws when they try to do me so i would say it was legal as they would have alredy try to do me for this i would say lol

in his ultimate wisdom then shouldnt he have pulled over every subaru owner in the country

in his ultimate wisdom then shouldnt he have pulled over every subaru owner in the country

Fantastic point, and every supercar and most motorbike owners? Come to think of it, mopeds too!

I thought it wasnt allowed to be louder than the system it came out of the factory with? Maybe I'm wrong i dont know thats just what i though it was!

best thing in my eyes would be to have it VOSA checked and get the examiner to sign a small compliment slip advising that it is above board and fully legal.

Someone on here has a similar compliment slip from the police saying the pressed plates he has are perfectly viable.

this means you just show them the finger...i mean the slip when and if you get pulled...

Edited 4 October, 201015 yr by DubbPrince