Noisy cars = MOT failure - HURRAH!

Amchlolor

Amchlolor

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Any car making more than 80db in a drive-by test will fail it's MOT.
About ****** time!:yahoo:
Of course, two downsides to this.

1/ Three years of noise before the twits are due an MOT, on a new car.
2/ They could just put a standard exhaust back on for the MOT.

With regard to point two, I'd personally hope the hassle would put them off.
 
Is this a change to the MOT Bowfer?
Does it include fcuking bee in a bucket scooters?
Doubt any of the tossers running noisy exhausts have vehicles less than 3 years old, so hurrah again!
 
How loud is 80db as a drive by?

My S2 passes the noise tests at Bedford which is very strict and my exhaust isn't really what I would call quiet. When on boost at full chat I was told I was sailing a bit close to the limit. How can they test drive by? Are they going to drive past a meter? If so are they going to drive past normal or come past at full chat?

I can't help but feel this could be a can of worms about to be opened
 
feel sorry for the bloke who bought my mk2 golf then... 4 branch with a 3.5 inch pipe all the way to back box which was 4" wide!


i miss that noisy moose!
 
How on earth could an MOT station ever measure that with any sort of consistency? Surely if it were to be realistically enforced, it would have to be a static measurement.
 
The ol' Scoobys are 'rather' loud arent they!!!
 
Sounds strange to me.

In the past it has allways been at the testers descretion.
 
MintyS3 said:
Sounds strange to me.

In the past it has allways been at the testers descretion.
Click to expand...

That's always been the problem, the law has been too 'loose'.
I read it in a car mag this week, I can't recall which one.
I'll rake through them tonight, see if I can find it.

It really is about time, car exhaust noise is officially one of the most common complaints made to environmental health departments.
One English city council (may have been Norwich, I can't recall) has set up a department specifically to deal with it.

With regard to bike noise, I'm not going to deny (as a bike rider) that's a problem too.
It would be daft to do so.
I don't like noisy bike exhausts either, I keep mine standard.
However, it is far less prevelant than noisy cars (sheer volume of numbers dictates this will be true) and it is far easier checked.
One can easily see if a bike exhaust carries a BSAU/EC stamp.
PC plod would have to get down on his knees and root around to check a car exhaust.
Hey presto, bikes are more often prosecuted for noisy exhausts and Mr.Scooby-doo is allowed to "RRRRR RRRRRRRRRRR" past your house to his heart's content.:keule:
 
bowfer said:
That's always been the problem, the law has been too 'loose'.
I read it in a car mag this week, I can't recall which one.
I'll rake through them tonight, see if I can find it.

It really is about time, car exhaust noise is officially one of the most common complaints made to environmental health departments.
One English city council (may have been Norwich, I can't recall) has set up a department specifically to deal with it.

With regard to bike noise, I'm not going to deny (as a bike rider) that's a problem too.
It would be daft to do so.
I don't like noisy bike exhausts either, I keep mine standard.
However, it is far less prevelant than noisy cars (sheer volume of numbers dictates this will be true) and it is far easier checked.
One can easily see if a bike exhaust carries a BSAU/EC stamp.
PC plod would have to get down on his knees and root around to check a car exhaust.
Hey presto, bikes are more often prosecuted for noisy exhausts and Mr.Scooby-doo is allowed to "RRRRR RRRRRRRRRRR" past your house to his heart's content.:keule:
Click to expand...

Will see what I can find out on the Council bit. I`ve just let my mot licence expire due to a change in jobs but will find out if any new bits of equipment have been put in place to actually enforce this,previously it was always a bit of a grey area as if a vehicle passed the exhaust gas test but was a little noisey, it was difficult to prove it was `too` loud and if a tester failed it,it would then have to go to a VOSA station with the proper measuring equipment, it would also open a can of worms then for the particular station that tested\failed the vehicle-which trust me no garage wants to have a VOSA inspector watching them any more than normal.So in general no station really enforced it.
Will see what I can find out.:search:
 
One other thing-80db isnt actually that loud and bearing in mind that a lot of track cars eg The MK II GTI race series and many more , have to have a valid mot cert, I think most of which are louder(more like 90-105db) it will be a very hard rule to enforce, not against this at all by the way-I hate the saxo\corsa chav drainpipe culture but just saying unless they introduce some serious changes & new equipment it will be a nightmare to maintain a strict standard.
 
Clearly, if a business wants to retain it's testing cert they are going to have to buy the equipment involved.
I'd actually prefer to see the whole MOT thing shaken up.
I'd prefer it if we went to government run MOT stations.
It's always struck me as strange that a garage, which will stand to make money from failing you, has the power to do exactly that!
Many garages are bent, it really is that simple.
Dead easy for them to fail you on "brake pipes missus" (always a favourite), knowing full well you're highly unlikely to check and are more likely just to say "go ahead then"
Cha-ching, £200 sir.
A government run testing station would be far fairer, IMO.
I think this is the way it works in Germany, or somewhere like that.
They pass you or fail you, simple.
I'm not 100% sure what happens if they fail you though.
I assume you're allowed to drive off, but must return within a certain time etc.

Anyway, we digress.

Bottom line, I'm sick to the back teeth of noisy cars and I'm delighted something appaears to be being done about it.
 
bowfer said:
That's always been the problem, the law has been too 'loose'.
I read it in a car mag this week, I can't recall which one.
I'll rake through them tonight, see if I can find it.

It really is about time, car exhaust noise is officially one of the most common complaints made to environmental health departments.
One English city council (may have been Norwich, I can't recall) has set up a department specifically to deal with it.

With regard to bike noise, I'm not going to deny (as a bike rider) that's a problem too.
It would be daft to do so.
I don't like noisy bike exhausts either, I keep mine standard.
However, it is far less prevelant than noisy cars (sheer volume of numbers dictates this will be true) and it is far easier checked.
One can easily see if a bike exhaust carries a BSAU/EC stamp.
PC plod would have to get down on his knees and root around to check a car exhaust.
Hey presto, bikes are more often prosecuted for noisy exhausts and Mr.Scooby-doo is allowed to "RRRRR RRRRRRRRRRR" past your house to his heart's content.:keule:
Click to expand...

Well up here they are very strict on exhausts. The Police just hand out fixed £30 penalties without any evidence at all...Even if it looks different.

Used to dish out the vehicle defect form which meant you had 2 weeks to get it changed, tested at a garage and then let the Police know but now its just £30 fine....dont need to change it but you will just get the fine again if they see you.

Its almost like the Police are a protection racket....pay us £30 and you will be fine until we next stop you...lol
 
Having had cars fail on tax disc holder too big and no post code on rear number plate I wholeheartily agree the MOT is a complete joke. It should be nationalised and then we'd see some of these abortions off the roads. However a lot of them would just go underground, not registered/taxed/insured or MOT'd.
Has anyone ever succeeded in getting through an MOT without the complimentary £10 needed to correct headlight alignment. Everytime I get collared for this. Only seems to happen when there's nothing else wrong with the car, ummm funny that.....
 
Only car I've ever managed it on was TT, but it was under warranty at the time, so I guess they weren't likely to 'find' much.
 
Quick google of how loud 80db is...( I think quite a few of the tracks in the country have a 96db noise limit)

How load is
10 dB Normal Breathing
20 dB Rustling leaves, mosquito
30 dB Whisper
40 dB Stream, refrigerator humming
50-60 dB Quit Office
50-65 dB Normal Conversation
60-65 dB Laughter
70 dB Vacuum cleaner, hair dryer
75 dB Dishwasher
78 dB Washing Machine
80 dB Garbage disposal, city traffic noise

For the last one I take it the city traffic noice doesn't include anyone with a noise powered moped, Corsa, Subaru...

J.
 
Geordie Mike said:
Only car I've ever managed it on was TT, but it was under warranty at the time, so I guess they weren't likely to 'find' much.
Click to expand...

In that instance, fair chance it genuinely didn't need anything.
It's not as if any warranty work comes out of the dealer's pocket, meaning it would be in their interest 'not' to notice anything.
They would just bill Audi UK, albeit at a lesser rate than they charge you.
 
I also agree with the above , the whole Department of transport testing system needs a major overhaul...:banghead:
Would be good to have proper VOSA test stations for light vehicles just like commercials, but with the volume of cars on the rd today it would need some mahoooosive investment from the gov" to set up-hence the reason I cant see it changing anytime soon if ever.
They will just have to toughen up on the `dodgy` stations.:cool:
 
I recently sold my Fabia. The handbrake cable on it needed adjusting as it came up too high but was still adequate. I told the guy about it and that it would likely be an advisory. He accepted this.

2 days later I got a call from the guy telling me the garage failed it on the handbrake cable and was gonna cost him in excess of £700 to get it road worthy.

I dont know who was taking the **** more him or the garage...I suspect both.

Surfice to say I told him to **** off and take it to a proper garage.
 
MintyS3 said:
I recently sold my Fabia. The handbrake cable on it needed adjusting as it came up too high but was still adequate. I told the guy about it and that it would likely be an advisory. He accepted this.

2 days later I got a call from the guy telling me the garage failed it on the handbrake cable and was gonna cost him in excess of £700 to get it road worthy.

I dont know who was taking the **** more him or the garage...I suspect both.

Surfice to say I told him to **** off and take it to a proper garage.
Click to expand...

You could replace the whole rear brake system for that!:wtf:
Sure thats not had the chinese whisper effect???We know there are dodgy places out there-but thats not the topic.;)
 
AndyMac said:
Has anyone ever succeeded in getting through an MOT without the complimentary £10 needed to correct headlight alignment. Everytime I get collared for this. Only seems to happen when there's nothing else wrong with the car, ummm funny that.....
Click to expand...

Until the law changed recently with MoT pricing, there was a garage near me that used to put £10 MoT vouchers in the local paper each week. I used to collect them, use what I needed and then hand the rest out to friends and work colleagues.

Anyway, years back I had a 1988 Orion 1.6i Ghia, which was the sort of car you would need to watch being MoT'd from the public viewing area, such was the long list of things wrong with it :) One year, after I'd had a whole heap of welding completed on the front, the MoT tester switched on the headlights and the offside one failed to light up. He called out to me, and, probably against health and safety rules, I walked over to the car where he pointed out it wasn't working. Scratching our heads, he tapped the top of the unit with his hand and it came on straight away. 'That'll do,' he said, promptly dishing out a fresh certificate a short time later...
 
Weren't they discussing making the MOT every other year?
That seriously scares the hell out of me.
Every single day I follow cars with defective brake lights etc.etc.
These are just the visible defects too, god knows what horrors lie underneath.
It annoys me that incompetent owners need the likes of an MOT to tell them their ****** brake lights don't work, but that's life.
If the MOT test became biennial, these morons would be driving around with defective brake lights for two years....
Unbelievable.:wtf:
 
My old track car has sailed through all bar the last MOT. My old Fiesta Turbo only failed once in 4 years.

Whilst silly loud exhausts are annoying 80db is silly low. You may find some standard cars will fail that.
 
bowfer said:
...I'd actually prefer to see the whole MOT thing shaken up.
I'd prefer it if we went to government run MOT stations.
It's always struck me as strange that a garage, which will stand to make money from failing you, has the power to do exactly that!
Many garages are bent, it really is that simple.
Dead easy for them to fail you on "brake pipes missus" (always a favourite), knowing full well you're highly unlikely to check and are more likely just to say "go ahead then"
Cha-ching, £200 sir.
A government run testing station would be far fairer, IMO.
Click to expand...
There is something sort of similar in the UK - take it to your local council depot. I think under legislation they have to test cars as well as their own vehicles (bin lorries etc). That way you get a fair test as they have no ulterior motive to sell you bits you don't need. I know the garage I use in Guildford use the council depot to do their MOT testing and I think they are fair.
 
LOL at the 80 db noise limit will fail an MOT, as has been already pointed out - a good proportion of sporty cars comming off the production line would fail the 80 db limit ! From memory most race track set a noise limit between 98 and 102 bd at 3/4 max throttle measured at a 45 degree angle. (Cant remember at what distance though (1m in open ground ?) !

Even if they do bring it it which I doubt, a) the garages doing MOT would be reluctant to buy the noise testing kit - certainly not any certifed kit + associated annual testing / training - due to costs & the ability to manipulate / screw up the test ! ie get the angle wrong the distance wrong etc - makes a hugh differance.
b) anyone one with a slightly loud backbox / rear silcener will either put the bung in to reduce the noise or just put the normal backbox on for the test.
I know the Scottish Police carry portable testers but there have been a few case where they have been challenged sucsefully due to incorrect placing of the test equiptment.

Richard
 
rsarjantson said:
LOL at the 80 db noise limit will fail an MOT, as has been already pointed out - a good proportion of sporty cars coming off the production line would fail the 80 db limit !
Click to expand...

It's actually a new EU law that new cars must not make more than 80db in a drive-by test as well, with the MOT failure for going over it just being a spin-off.
So if any sporty cars are making more than 80db off the production line, they better get their act together pretty damned sharpish.
Manufacturers will undoubtedly get around it though.
They'll find out at which speed/revs the drive-by test is conducted and engineer their cars accordingly.
Something like a small exhaust valve that only opens at higher revs etc.
The test will, I guarantee it, be conducted at urban speeds though, which will benefit us all.
I like a noisy exhaust in a track situation, no-one wants to see whisper-quiet racing.
But I'd be surprised if anyone on here is infantile enough to welcome noisy exhausts going past their house.
I regularly get an RS4, Maserati quattroporte, Porsche 911 and, of all things, a rally-prepared Peugeot 106 going past my house.
I hate them all equally.:keule:
My favourite neighbour has a Toyota Prius.
Although, it has to be said, you can get a bit of scare when that thing creeps up on you!:lmfao:
 
Yes it's an interesting point about the oh so environmentally kind Prius and the like. If we all drove them how many more accidents involving pedestrians do you think there'd be? Quite a few I'd imagine.
 
Sorry mate but your posts on this subject really do make you seem like a grumpy old man who's trying to **** on other peoples chips.

If you're getting this worked up over such a daft thing you must be a nightmare with the problems in life that really matter.
 
Oranoco said:
Sorry mate but your posts on this subject really do make you seem like a grumpy old man who's trying to **** on other peoples chips.

If you're getting this worked up over such a daft thing you must be a nightmare with the problems in life that really matter.
Click to expand...

I'd say he sounds like someone who pee'd off with the chav's and their noise powered cars who seem unable to drive around at anything less than 4K rev's

I'm guessing your not a parent or someone who lives on a through road...

In my old place it was a night mare at the start of the school holidays when the schoolies turned 16 and got their little buzz boz mopeds... from early evening till late they would drive past every 5 or 10 minutes. Used to drive me nuts. And I'm not that old and have very little in life to worry about before you ask ;)
 
Oranoco said:
Sorry mate but your posts on this subject really do make you seem like a grumpy old man who's trying to **** on other peoples chips.
Click to expand...

Whereas you sound exactly like the sort of person I'd like to see stopped.
You're in the minority here, I can assure you.
The huge majority of the popluation want an end to noisy cars/bikes on public roads.
 
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