Metro Detroiters react to bill cracking down on loud cars

The sound of revving engines from a souped-up exhaust system is a noise that almost everyone living in Metro Detroit recognizes.

It's a sound that can get a lot of people fired up, as some see it as a sense of pride, while others think it's a nuisance.

A new bill in Lansing is looking to crack down on these loud cars. It would impose harsher fines on cars with modified exhaust systems.

We went to Royal Oak and spoke with people who love, hate and tolerate these loud rides.

Screenshot from WXYZ video

Noah Hudson, driver of his dream car, a Porsche 911: "It makes me a little sad because we all live in the motor city and there is so much car culture in Michigan."

"Noah you are 22 years old, why is it important to you to have a loud exhaust system?" I asked.

"I think the loud exhaust for me is all about the feeling. Its like a musical instrument, you are playing it. You get a new exhaust, you got a brand new instrument that you are playing," Hudson said.

Screenshot from WXYZ video

However, Kevin Davenport from Southfield disagrees and thinks they are a nuisance.

"When you are riding next to them, the noise can actually scare you," Davenport said.

Screenshot from WXYZ Video

Kevin Franzen, the assistant manager at Midas Royal Oak, has been in the auto repair industry for 35 years. Kevin says over the years, modifying a vehicle's exhaust system has become easy thanks to the availability of after-market products online. Franzen says that at his shop, at least one customer comes in once every two weeks to have their exhaust system modified.

"Well, to me, cars with a louder exhaust are usually sporty," Franzen said. "They are not driven around the whole year round. You probably will run into broken exhaust, then modified exhausts."

But here is the plot twist: this Metro Detroiter hopes the bill is not passed.

"I think they should come up with something different," Franzen said. "Go after the shops that modify it instead of fining poeple. Because a lot fo them are young kids. First jobs, first cars and they are looking to spruce their cars up."

"Maybe the enforcement cracks it down a little bit," Hudson said. "But I don't see people stop modifying their exhausts."

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