Loud exhaust regulations in Illinois? Options

[awd4kicks]

Ok, last night I got stopped by the same county cop that gave me a ticket for my license plate cover a couple months ago. In the previous stop, he told me it was illegal to make the exhaust tone of your vehicle louder than stock. I told im that wasn't the case, but didn't push the issue and he let it go.

Last night he stopped me because of my exhaust and we went through the whole thing again except I told him the cat back was labeled as 50 state legal. He retorts with 'That's not true and I've talked with the State's Attourney and he says that he will prosecute anyone that an officer decides to write up for this violation.' Then he handed me my stuff and let me go!?

Don't get me wrong, I don't intend on changing my exhaust...but I would like to get the story straight and maybe have some back-up paper work with me if the cops are gonna start this friviless non-sense.

Has anyone researched this issue in deapth. Any ideas on where to go for Illinois legal regulations on the internet?

Thanks,
Marcus

[gvr4ever]

Where do you keep getting pulled over? I hate cops that try and make up the law on the spot.

It never fails to amaze me that cops try and run it all. The only right a cop has on the street is to give you a ticket or arrest you. If a cop ever tells you that you are breaking the law (like having a exhaust that is too loud), tell him that he can then write you a ticket. Take it to court. You know in court, if you make a cop look bad, the judge starts to ride the cops ass. I've done it before. Cops are not the law at all, they only inforce it.

As far as not having a exhaust that is louder then stock, that is BS. There are laws about changing a exhaust on a brand new car. You're car really should be like 3 years old and 30K miles or something like that. However, I think all our cars are past that. As far as how loud your exhaust can be? That comes down to local laws, but you have to be pretty loud to be breaking the law. V8 boys make a lot more noise then us.

If I ever got pulled over for my exahust, I'd invite the officer to give me a ticket. I'd then take paperwork to court showing my muffler has a DOT rating. Cuz no cop or judge can really argue against that. If they did, then you could really raise a stink. Write to the papers, the DOT department, ect. There are ways and then there are ways.

My Galant exhaust is kinda loud, but only when I get on boost. When I see cops, I just chill out. They could never really pull me over unless I was above 3K RPMs and giving it some gas. Then, I would be getting a ticket for speeding, not being too loud, so.....

Sorry for the long post, but I've read about this crap before. I've heard stories about cops threting to have cars towed or impunded if the exhaust wasn't returned back to stock. They are picking on you. They don't have this right. They have to test the loudness of your exhaust from a distance (90' I think it might be). Then and only then do they have a real case. If they tell you different, they are BSing you.

BTW club, good job on looking up the laws.

William