Now Reading: Expired Tabs, Loud Mufflers and What To Do About Them
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Expired Tabs, Loud Mufflers and What To Do About Them
Q1: I have noticed that a lot of cars have expired tabs. Is that not being enforced anymore? What is the current fine for not having current tabs displayed?
Q2: Why are the police not enforcing a muffler regulation? I hear muffler-free cars all days sounding off; have things changed?
A: What do expired tabs and loud exhausts have in common? It sounds like the setup for a joke, doesn’t it? I wish I had a good punchline for you. While I’m thinking of one, here’s a summary of the law for both violations:
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Mike Hogen
Low risk unless there is a correlation between expired tags and expired insurance. I can’t help wondering if those who don’t have the money or inclination to take care of one might also fail to take care of the other. In that case it might be wise for law enforcement to pay a little more attention.
Harold strey
Apparently you haven’t been stopped by a police officer for tag or muffler violations. Where I live in Texas the police use that as a reason to stop a person and search their vehicle.
And most of the people with expired tags are single women with kids who have to choose between vehicle tags insurance and such things like that or buy milk and food for their kids.
Or pay the electric or water bill.
And the uncompassionate police write them a 300 dollar ticket making it even more difficult To provide for their children. That’s child abuse in my eyes
Kary
The Washington State Constitution has been interpreted to not allow a search in those circumstances. So unless you’re somehow pulled over by a federal officer, they cannot search your car.
Kary
And what do expired tabs and loud mufflers have in common? Neither make your car go faster.
I’m sort of serious about that, and almost wrote it the other way–what’s the difference, expired tabs actually help your car go faster. (The car being slightly lighter without the new tab.)
We’re not in the 60s anymore. Engines have been highly tuned to get the best MPG, and that means the most power, and that means things like new intake systems or exhausts don’t really make as much of a difference as in the past. Ford even has the F-150’s audio system make fake engine noise because the systems are so quiet.
Kary
Here’s a video showing a car getting about a 2% improvement from a catback system. It’s not until the end that EE (a very good source of information) explains that the temps were cooler and barometric pressure higher with the catback tests. That could easily explain the small differences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FC-WuvZvVrQ&ab_channel=EngineeringExplained
You could probably get more of an improvement with some sort of software change on the engine’s programming, without the extra noise. At greater risk of engine failure, however, depending on the tune.