Aftermarket exhaust illegal?!?!??!?! $126 fine!!!!

Re: Aftermarket exhaust illegal?!?!??!?! $126 fine!!!! (XSiVE)

Ugh... this doesn't look good... Here's what I pulled up from the 2000 Wisconsin State Statue's:
347.39 Mufflers.
347.39(1)
(1) No person shall operate on a highway any motor vehicle subject to registration unless such motor vehicle is equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or unusual noise or annoying smoke. This subsection also applies to motor bicycles.

347.39(2)
(2) No muffler or exhaust system on any vehicle mentioned in sub. (1) shall be equipped with a cutout, bypass or similar device nor shall there be installed in the exhaust system of any such vehicle any device to ignite exhaust gases so as to produce flame within or without the exhaust system. No person shall modify the exhaust system of any such motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and such original muffler shall comply with all the requirements of this section.

347.39(3)
(3) In this section, "muffler" means a device consisting of a series of chambers of baffle plates or other mechanical design for receiving exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine and which is effective in reducing noise.
So, I guess that means that any tuned-exhaust system in Wisconsin is now illegal, and I'm going to start making citizen's arrests every time I see a Harley-Davidson.
I'm sure glad we have police officers to serve and protect the public...

Re: Aftermarket exhaust illegal?!?!??!?! $126 fine!!!! (Mk3GolfGL)

Definitely a BS ticket. In order for the Officer to issue the ticket, he would have to know what the OE exhaust of every car sounds like and then determine that the person he pulled over had a louder exhaust on the car. UNLESS of course he had something to test the sound emissions, which I seriously doubt. And as has been said, the differences in A3 VWs is vast with the relatively quiet 2.0 and the deep roar of the VR6. Tell your friend to fight the ticket.
BTW, almost all states have the same general muffler noise statutes on their books. Enforcement of those statutes is almost impossible unless they have the proper equipment in place to properly test on the scene. If they don't, even if your car has a tremendously loud exhaust, they really can't make the ticket stick.
T.C.

Re: (koston)

You say harleys have loud exhaust. I didn't see a grandfather date on that law for classic/ muscle cars either. what about all those thousands of motorcycles on road with different mufflers. They set a precident when they allow those vehicles to continue running "illegal" exhaust systems.. They should camp out at cruise nights and car shows to bust all those middle age tax payers driving Camaros, Novas, mustangs, Mercs, Roadsters, Gto and others. they modify those and make them louder.. All Illegal.. Then to further make your point to a Db reading of those damn Ice cream trucks that cruise slowly through residential neighborhoods blairing sickening music with no problems. If a respectful and well worded case is presented to a judge and you have a ezhaust system that is resonably quiet (maybe not as quiet as stock but not straigh pipes) judge should let you go.. Wait is this a small town? If so common sense does not apply because its just a revenue generator. Trash the judge in a editorial..

Re: Aftermarket exhaust illegal?!?!??!?! $126 fine!!!! (Blitzkrieg)

The first section is a bit vague in the part about an 'adequate muffler'. What constitutes an adequate muffler?
Then in section 2, it goes on to say that the aftermarket muffler cannot be louder than what was originally on the car. I think that there is an easy way to defend against this: they would need to be able to provide PROOF that the stock muffler is so many db loud and that your's is obviously so many db louder than stock. If they can't, you win.
That's just my opinion though...I'm no legal expert! I would fight the ticket. Get a good traffic paralegal or someone to help your buddy with the ticket because although the cop charged him under a legit law, I think the burden of proof will be on the Cop / State / Prosecution to PROVE their case. All you need to do is provide a reasonable doubt as to the legitmacy of their claim.
Again, I'm no lawyer but it seems to me you could easily fight this thing.
Tell him good luck!