It’s a rite of passage for young Aussie men to put an obnoxiously loud exhaust on one’s car. But be warned: authorities in Victoria are clamping down on this time-honoured tradition…
It’s bad news for hoons; the Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is teaming up with Victoria Police to crack down on and enforce laws for loud vehicles.
Drive reports that last week, the EPA conducted special exhaust noise emission tests at Altona Police Station in Melbourne’s inner west, with some cars tested being slapped with infringement notices of over $900 for being too loud.
If $900 seems like a lot for a bit of tailpipe music, that’s getting off lightly. Anyone can report a loud vehicle to Victoria Police, who then advise the EPA. Then the EPA can hit you with a Vehicle Testing Notice, which requires your vehicle to be presented for testing at an approved facility in order to gain a Certificate of Compliance.
Ignore the notice and you can be hit with a $1,090 fine. If the matter reaches court, fines can even exceed $5,000. Even with the ridiculous used car prices right now, you could easily buy a decent-sounding car for 5k… Similar fines can be handed out in other states, too.
It’s a hell of a dilemma for a revhead. Do you sacrifice performance and street cred by fitting a more restrictive, less loud exhaust? Or do you continue being a noise nuisance and run the risk of being hit with big fines?
This is why many performance cars increasingly come with active exhaust control. Essentially how this works is that the exhaust system features valves that can open and close depending on driving conditions or driver input. Many cars feature a button toggle that opens up the exhaust valves, which boosts performance… And makes your exhaust louder.
We here at DMARGE have dubbed this the ‘malaka button’ because by activating it, you can really act like a malaka if you want… Or, deactivate it, and you can cruise around without offending sticks-in-the-mud.
RELATED: Modern Performance Car ‘Malaka Button’ Leaves Australian Motoring Purists Fuming
Regardless of your stance on exhaust note volume, it’s important to make sure your car gets regularly serviced if you want to maintain peak performance as well as a reasonable exhaust note.
Mufflers degrade over time, becoming louder while also becoming more restrictive. Exhaust leaks can also cause excess noise and lead to big performance drops. Additionally, active exhaust control valves can also jam, either locking up or staying open, meaning your malaka button becomes useless.
If you want to maximise performance while keeping your car’s exhaust at polite volumes, consider supporting mods. High-flow mufflers and catalytic converters can make a big difference, as can using high-quality engine oils and fuel.
Alternatively, buy an electric car and you’ll never have to worry about loud exhausts ever again… But where’s the fun in that?
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