Why are vehicle enthusiasts attracted to LOUD vehicles?

[Abe Froman]

Originally posted by: SelArom

Originally posted by: SunnyD
I've noticed an increasing trend, both amongst the hardcore car enthusiasts, the ricers, and the hog/crotch-rocket riders...

I'm sorry to say, louder is NOT better.

It annoying enough when the ghangstahs drive by and you can hear all the loose parts of their car vibrating cause of the base - and you can't even hear your own radio with the windows rolled up.

WHY do people insist on making loud vehicles? I mean, I prefer a car that purrs, so damn smooth that you can't even tell it's running. Not something that shakes the walls of my house as you drive by on the road no less than 50 feet from me.

It's called a MUFFLER. Ever hear of it? Without it, your car sounds like an untuned piece of junk...

Or in the case of the ricers, it makes it sound like you put in a little 50cc engine and you're riding a rice-rocket!

Rant off...

I AGREE 100%

However, few things are sexier than a nice set of exhaust on a V-8, Borla perhaps, but none of that flowmaster redneck crap...

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
The S2000 got SERVED!

Oh yeah? Well, you left out the "Chick Factor"

"It's a convertible? I wanna go for a ride!"

vs

"A Neon? Ew."

- M4H

 

[DougK62]

OMG this is the funniest thread ever. AMDZen is such a little riceboy loser. It's almost painful reading some of this stuff that he thinks is true. LOL!

 

[CVSiN]

Originally posted by: SunnyD
I've noticed an increasing trend, both amongst the hardcore car enthusiasts, the ricers, and the hog/crotch-rocket riders...

I'm sorry to say, louder is NOT better.

It annoying enough when the ghangstahs drive by and you can hear all the loose parts of their car vibrating cause of the base - and you can't even hear your own radio with the windows rolled up.

WHY do people insist on making loud vehicles? I mean, I prefer a car that purrs, so damn smooth that you can't even tell it's running. Not something that shakes the walls of my house as you drive by on the road no less than 50 feet from me.

It's called a MUFFLER. Ever hear of it? Without it, your car sounds like an untuned piece of junk...

Or in the case of the ricers, it makes it sound like you put in a little 50cc engine and you're riding a rice-rocket!

Rant off...

the problem is they are using race mufflers on the streets...
race mufflers are louder make more horsepower becasue they are less restrictive..
so basically car people know this and want the max horsepower for thier cars and bikes and thats what they buy...

until there are free flowing quiet mufflers and exhaust systems your out of luck =P

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Originally posted by: CVSiN
the problem is they are using race mufflers on the streets...
race mufflers are louder make more horsepower becasue they are less restrictive..
so basically car people know this and want the max horsepower for thier cars and bikes and thats what they buy...

until there are free flowing quiet mufflers and exhaust systems your out of luck =P

No, some people really just do want loud. This isn't limited to any single subsection either.

 

[CVSiN]

well if you want loud then why run expensive mufflers at all? just run a set of full length headers and dump them over the rear axel with no mufflers... that is ear splitting loud....

I didnt put a 1600 dollar carbonfiber/titanium exhauast on my bike for looks or for sound its purely for the documented dynoed 30 hp i got by dumping the stock POS system...
not to mention the 25 lbs...

 

[SunnyD]

Originally posted by: CVSiN
the problem is they are using race mufflers on the streets...
race mufflers are louder make more horsepower becasue they are less restrictive..
so basically car people know this and want the max horsepower for thier cars and bikes and thats what they buy...

until there are free flowing quiet mufflers and exhaust systems your out of luck =P

No - that's YOUR problem. The mufflers are on there for a reason, which is why a lot of communities are starting to enact noise ordinances.

My question for you - if you're driving down a 25MPH residential street, then what is that extra 15 horsepower really going to do for you?

My answer... hopefully get you a ticket, an appearance in court, and a $200 fine.

 

[skace]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
People are attention whores.

Theres your answer right there. QFT. When someone is driving down the street and you can hear their car from your basement, it is screaming "attention pee el zee!!"

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: exodus454
BOV's dont always have to be loud, the ones that dump the extra boost back into the exhaust are silent, and there is no need for these rice rocket jackasses with the screaming BOVs.. its useless and completely "look at me" imo.

You are correct. They're called recirculating bypass valves. Except they dump back into the intake, not the exhaust. The wastegate is what dumps back into the exhaust.

Screaming BOV's on street cars are exclusively for bling, and can actually reduce performance and/or harm the engine because they can screw with the A/F ratios.

Quoted for truth! :thumbsup:

A screaming BOV on even a mildly modded production car is only good for seperating you from your cash and fvcking up a perfectly good turbo'd car.

 

[IGBT]

Text

The Noise Code for each State should contain, but not be limited to, the following essential provisions:

(1) Plainly audible standard: Police and other enforcement officials shall detect excessive noise from motor vehicles, motorcycles, and houses according to the "plainly audible" standard.

(2) Ten foot rule: No motor vehicle or motorcycle shall emit an electronically amplified sound plainly audible beyond ten feet from its source.

(3) No loud pipes: No motor vehicle or motorcycle shall be equipped with an engine exhaust pipe or muffler not approved under given State noise abatement requirements.

(4) No loud amplifiers: The installation of electronic amplification equipment capable of generating noise beyond a specified decibel level within a motor vehicle shall be deemed a misdemeanor or better and subject the installer to a prescribed punishment and/or fine.

(5) Punishment for loud pipes: The installation of unapproved engine exhaust pipes or mufflers on a motor vehicle or motorcycle shall be deemed a misdemeanor or better and subject the installer to a prescribed punishment and/or fine.

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: CVSiN

until there are free flowing quiet mufflers and exhaust systems your out of luck =P

There are.

The difference between a loud free flowing exhaust and a reasonably quiet free flowing exhaust is the amount of pack (fiberglass or stainless steel wool type pack) in the can and the length of pipe covered by the can.

Many of the extremely loud "race exhausts" are nothing more than a can with a small amount of pack in it. More pack is quieter. I have a straight through 3" exhaust pushing 300 HP and my exhaust is not annoyingly loud becuase I have a pack resonator and a muffler with lots of pack. The same manufacturer makes an exhaust that dynos identically, but is significantly louder for those who LIKE loud.

Sure it's louder than stock, but there is a difference between louder than stock and annoyingly loud. My fiance didn't even notice the difference in sound (even though the tone changed) but to me that was the ultimate success. If she doesn't notice the difference, then it must not be annoyingly loud.

Like I said before:
loud = loud
loud != power

People don't seem to want to believe that there are reasonably quiet free flowing exhaust systems, but they do exist. At least for the applications I'm familiar with. Unfortunately volume is rarely a value published by exhaust manufacturers

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: IGBT
Text

The Noise Code for each State should contain, but not be limited to, the following essential provisions:

Most legislation I've seen uses the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineering) J1169 testing method which is described at the bottom of this manufacturer's information of one of it's products:

http://www.airpowersystems.com.au/us_sp...hausts/apswrx-hoe-r5/apswrx-hoe-r5.htm

California legislates below 95dB per this standard, and 95dB with this standard is above my threshold of what I would call 'annoyingly loud'. It's surprising how loud is technically legal. Here in CA, if you get a ticket for exhaust too loud, you can go to a referee who will test with the J1169 method to clear you of the ticket (for a nominal fee, of course). This was a relatively recent implementation (within the last 5 years at most) as enthusiasts were up in arms about getting unfair tickets on exhaust modification.

There were certain cities that would ticket just about ANY non-stock exhaust, as there is a section in the vehicle code that you cannot modify an exhaust explicitly for increasing noise (whistle tips for instance). They would cite with this section of the code and people wouldn't know that their particular mod was legal (replacing a rusted out exhaust with a louder one, or replacing for improved performance)

Perusing the vehicle code I noticed this new section since I last looked (effective Jan 2004):
Exhaust Systems: Whistle-Tip Prohibition

27150.3. (a) A person may not modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle with a whistle-tip.

(b) A person may not operate a motor vehicle if that vehicle's exhaust system is modified in violation of subdivision (a).

(c) A person may not engage in the business of installing a whistle-tip onto a motor vehicle's exhaust system.

(d) For purposes of subdivisions (a) and (c), a "whistle-tip" is a device that is applied to, or is a modification of, a motor vehicle's exhaust pipe for the sole purpose of creating a high-pitched or shrieking noise when the motor vehicle is operated.

Bubb Rubb should be proud, he helped craft the California DMV code. This in addition to the section stating exhaust cannot be modified solely to increase noise, which should technically already cover whistle tips. Gotta love the redundancy of bureaucracy.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Concillian

Originally posted by: CVSiN

until there are free flowing quiet mufflers and exhaust systems your out of luck =P

There are.

The difference between a loud free flowing exhaust and a reasonably quiet free flowing exhaust is the amount of pack (fiberglass or stainless steel wool type pack) in the can and the length of pipe covered by the can.

Many of the extremely loud "race exhausts" are nothing more than a can with a small amount of pack in it. More pack is quieter. I have a straight through 3" exhaust pushing 300 HP and my exhaust is not annoyingly loud becuase I have a pack resonator and a muffler with lots of pack. The same manufacturer makes an exhaust that dynos identically, but is significantly louder for those who LIKE loud.

Sure it's louder than stock, but there is a difference between louder than stock and annoyingly loud. My fiance didn't even notice the difference in sound (even though the tone changed) but to me that was the ultimate success. If she doesn't notice the difference, then it must not be annoyingly loud.

Like I said before:
loud = loud
loud != power

People don't seem to want to believe that there are reasonably quiet free flowing exhaust systems, but they do exist. At least for the applications I'm familiar with. Unfortunately volume is rarely a value published by exhaust manufacturers

Most high flow performance mufflers don't have any "pack" in them. They use baffles to quiet the exhaust pulses without causing restriction in the flow.

 

[newParadigm]

can anyomne say 'glass-packs'

~new

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: AMDZen
You know. I have the exact opposite question. Why are so many people concerned with "quieting" their cars. You know how they do that? They restrict the air flow. Lots of air = good, restricting air flow for noise concerns = bad.

You can take any car on the road today, put a better and less restrictive air filter, box, or intake on it and it will sound BETTER, the way it was meant to sound, and it will get better gas mileage.

The other thing is the sound when you floor a car thats made to sound "muffled" and not make any noise. It sounds like complete a$$ when its wide open, and yet this is what consumers want?

Any way, if you think all ricers sound like a 50cc motor, you obviously haven't heard any of Honda's high output motors at high RPM's. My B16 sounds fantastic at WOT @ around 7000-8000 rpm. The B18C, and the 2.0 in the S2000 all sound frickin' fantastic.

I will forgive you since your not a car person, but more sound = more power. I can't believe people would rather have a quiet car that sounds like utter shite at WOT.

BTW, what do you drive? Try slapping an intake on it, you will fall in love with the sound of your motor no matter what you drive.

WRONG. Sounds like a ricer dumb@$$ to the bone. More sound does not mean more power. Some of the best mufflers for horsepower have a nice mellow sound to them. B16's do NOT sound "fantastic" no matter what RPMs they are at. And I guarantee my nice mellow 5.0 mustang will blow the tires off the majority of the d@mn annoying ricer cars around here that you can hear 5 blocks away.

And I had a sh!t truck that was the loudest thing on the road (not by choice, it just was) and it couldn't outrun spit.

 

[imported_Mitchell]

"I'm sorry to say, louder is NOT better. "

I agree, a nice clean sound is better then some POS clanking noise bucket.

 

[iversonyin]

I put holes in my muffler so the whole neighborhood know what I'm driving

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: AMDZen
Any way, if you think all ricers sound like a 50cc motor, you obviously haven't heard any of Honda's high output motors at high RPM's. My B16 sounds fantastic at WOT @ around 7000-8000 rpm. The B18C, and the 2.0 in the S2000 all sound frickin' fantastic.

Hate to break it to you, but the monotonous drone that is a Honda motor at high RPMs with a bigger exhaust is HEADACHE-INDUCING, not "fantastic". It's not just that I don't like the sound of 4-bangers...I think my MR2 sounds pretty good at high RPMs...but the difference is that my 4AGE has a more complex and throatier sound than your average Honda engine.

Like most everyone else here, you have no idea what your talking about. I don't have exhaust on my Civic. And I guarentee my B16A2 sounds better then your 4AGE

By the way, no exhause = loud & less power due to back-pressure

Once again proving you don't know what you are talking about.

 

[Subzero]

WHAT !!!??

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: Brazen

Originally posted by: AMDZen
You know. I have the exact opposite question. Why are so many people concerned with "quieting" their cars. You know how they do that? They restrict the air flow. Lots of air = good, restricting air flow for noise concerns = bad.

You can take any car on the road today, put a better and less restrictive air filter, box, or intake on it and it will sound BETTER, the way it was meant to sound, and it will get better gas mileage.

The other thing is the sound when you floor a car thats made to sound "muffled" and not make any noise. It sounds like complete a$$ when its wide open, and yet this is what consumers want?

Any way, if you think all ricers sound like a 50cc motor, you obviously haven't heard any of Honda's high output motors at high RPM's. My B16 sounds fantastic at WOT @ around 7000-8000 rpm. The B18C, and the 2.0 in the S2000 all sound frickin' fantastic.

I will forgive you since your not a car person, but more sound = more power. I can't believe people would rather have a quiet car that sounds like utter shite at WOT.

BTW, what do you drive? Try slapping an intake on it, you will fall in love with the sound of your motor no matter what you drive.

WRONG. Sounds like a ricer dumb@$$ to the bone. More sound does not mean more power. Some of the best mufflers for horsepower have a nice mellow sound to them. B16's do NOT sound "fantastic" no matter what RPMs they are at. And I guarantee my nice mellow 5.0 mustang will blow the tires off the majority of the d@mn annoying ricer cars around here that you can hear 5 blocks away.

And I had a sh!t truck that was the loudest thing on the road (not by choice, it just was) and it couldn't outrun spit.

Oh shiet. Battle of the e-penis... over 4 bangers.

 

[Brazen]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: AMDZen
Once again. I"M TALKING ABOUT THE MOTOR NOT THE EXHAUST. Jesus.

Whether its your preference or not, a B16 at 8000rpm and a Ferrari at 8000rpm both sound FRICKIN AMAZING. I can't understand why anyone, WHO HAS HEARD ONE FROM INSIDE THE CAR, can argue with this fact.

My dad was (retired) a mechanic. Such a good mechanic that he actually worked on Ferrari's. I have ridden in Ferrari's. And now, like him I work on Cars. Not for a living, but for a Hobby. I know Honda motors aren't as good sounding as Ferrari motors, but the SPECIFIC sound of a B16 in VTEC at 8000rpm can only be compared to a Ferrari. Its quite similar in tone, just not as pronounced.

The difference between the engines that YOU like and the engines that I like sound wise is the difference between a bass guitar and a violin. I like the guitar, you like the violin.

No, he likes the cat getting raped out back. Violins aren't that bad.

 

[JDub02]

to the OP .. loud on a ricer with 4 angry squirrels under the hood is pointless

loud on a V8 muscle car means the engine is breathing well. quiet mufflers are too restrictive.

 

[Concillian]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Most high flow performance mufflers don't have any "pack" in them. They use baffles to quiet the exhaust pulses without causing restriction in the flow.

No, most high performance mufflers that people buy and put on normal cars are pack mufflers with a perforated stainless tube, like Magnaflows:

http://www.magnaflow.com/wideopen/wideopen.asp

And Borlas:

"BORLA mufflers, on the other hand, contain T-304 stainless steel perforated pipe wrapped with several layers of stainless steel sound absorbing material and a blanket of ceramic sound absorbing, high temperature material."
from the borlas site: http://www.borla.com/faqs/

The can shapes, pipe sizes, and type/amount of pack vary, but the basic design does not. The only other muffler designs I've seen that are truly high flow are the spiral mufflers like Moroso makes, but I've never heard a spiral muffler that wasn't LOUD. Most aftermarket mufflers you buy from people like HKS, Greddy, Borla, or other common aftermarket exhaust manufacturers are these perf steel pipe with pack type mufflers.

It's the same basic design as the old school 'glass packs' or 'cherry bombs' with updated materials and a move away from louvers towards perforated pipe for the flow improvements.

There's always flowmasters, which are chambered/baffled, but their designs don't flow nearly as well as the straight thorugh and spiral designs. People who buy flowmasters buy them either because they're cheap or for the sound.

Baffles imply restriction, the perforated tube/pack mufflers generally quiet just as well (at flows encountered in normal driving) but flow better that baffled designs (at WOT flows). With a reasonably large can and/or a long length of tubing covered by pack (like a resonator muffler) you can get pretty quiet performance with very good flows.

Hang out at a shop that does mods, domestic or import, and look down the pipe of the aftermarket mufflers that come and go from there. VERY few are not this basic perf/pack design.

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: JDub02
to the OP .. loud on a ricer with 4 angry squirrels under the hood is pointless

loud on a V8 muscle car means the engine is breathing well. quiet mufflers are too restrictive.

sorry but both imports and domestics sound like ass when they're both obnoxiously loud. i don't care who's fscking side you're on since I've read your posts around here, but any car that's too fscking loud sucks.

 

[Toastedlightly]

my truck uses two normal stock mufflers and still is louder than most vehicles.. That coudl be because of 3 inch exaust out of the headers and the fact that it ends at the end of a short cab truck....