Can anything be done about neighbor's noisy car?

[Denise L]

Our neighbor (a renter-relative of the owners) has a brand new Mustang that he had taken the muffler off of, I think. When he starts it up every morning at precisely 8:45 AM, it shakes the house and the reverberates (is that a word?) off of the houses across the street. He leaves it running for at least five minutes like this. When he comes home in the evenings, usually late say 9:30 PM, it is super loud and rattles the windows. Our kids are asleep by 9-9:30, but I'm always worried that the noise will jolt them out of their sleep. Sometimes on the weekends, he comes home late or leaves later in the day.

Is there a course of action that we can take? We aren't friends with them. They moved in, I went over to say hello and to give them our phone number, etc., but I got a smile and that was all. That was probably two years ago, maybe?

We do have the license number of the car. I was wondering if we can call the police and have them parked outside some morning at 8:45? Is excessive noise and revving considered "disturbing the peace?"

 

[charford]

What defines "disturbing the peace" varies between municipalities. I would check your town or city's website or call to find out if the noise qualifies. Also, does your community have any deed restrictions that might apply?

Do you have the landlord's phone number? I would try contacting the tenant or the landlord before the police.

 

[camachinist]

Yep, disturbing the peace. I used to do this decades ago when running my race car and driving old cars around without bodies on them. Fortunately, neighbors took pity upon the crazy teenager I was.

The sheriff will straighten it all out. If you file a written complaint, you may be subpoenaed to go to court. We filed such a complaint against a neighbor for consistent loud parties and have a court date next month. Now all I need to do is own their mortgage

Pat

 

[CarolF]

Here in Australia, the car would be "defected" by the authorities and the owner fined and instructed to bring it up to standard. Modifications to vehicles (adding parts or removing them) need approval by our transport authority. There are standards for noise also. Perhaps check with your transport authority, I would be surprised if there aren't rules and regulations around this issue.

 

[Sir Newf]

Denise- how about checking with other neighbors...they are probably bothered too. Sometimes it's easier for a group to complain- can led to faster action and no-one sticks their own neck out...or an anonimous note in their mailbox saying that several of you are going to the authorities if the matter is not remedied by the car owner, give him 1 week to fix....good luck.

 

["Roger"]

Check to see whether there is a local noise ordinance. It was used in our neighborhood to put an end to teenagers running around on modified dirt bikes with the mufflers removed.

 

[Denise L]

Denise- how about checking with other neighbors...they are probably bothered too. Sometimes it's easier for a group to complain- can led to faster action and no-one sticks their own neck out...or an anonimous note in their mailbox saying that several of you are going to the authorities if the matter is not remedied by the car owner, give him 1 week to fix....good luck.

We talked with both neighbors across the street. It bothers one family and the other family is 1/2 bothered. I guess I will talk with some of the other neighbors next time I see them. We don't live in a super neighbor-friendly area. I don't know why, but that's how it is .

 

[Denise L]

What defines "disturbing the peace" varies between municipalities. I would check your town or city's website or call to find out if the noise qualifies. Also, does your community have any deed restrictions that might apply?

Do you have the landlord's phone number? I would try contacting the tenant or the landlord before the police.

I'm pretty sure that our CC&Rs (community rules) prohibits such noise disturbances and altered cars, but it is up to the individual owners to enforce the rules. There is no community organization to help us. But I will check with our city's website and call.

We used to be in touch with the landlord. In fact, they were very good friends who came to our wedding on Maui 10 years ago. I sent them a Christmas package, but have not heard a word from them since last year when they fixed the fence between our two properties. No luck trying to track them down so far.

 

[derb]

Are there cities where your allowed to run a vehicle without a muffler. I know I have never lived in one.

 

[DeniseM]

Hi Denise - If he has taken the muffler off, or has an illegal muffler, it's a vehicle code violation. Have you tried calling the nonemergency number for the police or highway patrol and asking them?

BTW - our neighbors across the street have several teenagers. No matter what time of the day or night it is, their friends lay on the horn when they pick them up instead of going to the door. It happens multiple times a day!

 

[swift]

Hi Denise - If he has taken the muffler off, or has an illegal muffler, it's a vehicle code violation. Have you tried calling the nonemergency number for the police or highway patrol and asking them?

BTW - our neighbors across the street have several teenagers. No matter what time of the day or night it is, their friends lay on the horn when they pick them up instead of going to the door. It happens multiple times a day!

Ditto ---- It would not pass a SMOG inspection.

 

[ricoba]

If it's a brand new Mustang GT or a Shelby Mustang.....it's supposed to make that engine growl .....There's a quite a few of us who actually like that sound, especially if I am the one driving!

But perhaps they did modify it a bit and then maybe you do have a case.

 

[Denise L]

It definitely is new. I'll have to find out what model it is.

I was reading CA vehicle code and it says something about 95 dbA (or something like that) being acceptable. I have no idea how loud that is.

Okay, so first I'll figure out what model it is. I know it is red . Are they really supposed to sound like that? Is there any reason to "warm it up" by letting it run in the garage (door open) for five minutes in the morning? I certainly don't warm up my Toyotas...

Then I'll try and ask the neighbor on the other side what he thinks.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

 

[Denise L]

Hi Denise - If he has taken the muffler off, or has an illegal muffler, it's a vehicle code violation. Have you tried calling the nonemergency number for the police or highway patrol and asking them?

BTW - our neighbors across the street have several teenagers. No matter what time of the day or night it is, their friends lay on the horn when they pick them up instead of going to the door. It happens multiple times a day!

Hi Denise,

I haven't called the non-emergency number yet. We are tempted. I'm just trying to figure out how not to alienate them. Do folks get offended if you ring their doorbell and tell them that their car is rattling the windows of your house? Not sure how I would feel if it were me. Embarrassed and apologetic, or angry and vindictive? Who knows. Some others up the street were in a heated discussion about dogs and pee'ing on the lawn, etc. Others have been in heated discussions about parking cars on the street, so the one neighbor purposely parked his junkiest van in front of the complaining neighbor's house for weeks, just to tick him off.

Such a wonderful place to live!

 

[camachinist]

Videotape the offense and contact the non-emergency number. We were lucky; the sheriff deputy stopped by our house a couple of times during the latest incident before being called away on more important issues (domestic violence and shots fired from what they said) and actually witnessed the disturbance. Having an officer as a witness is very compelling. That and signing an official warrant and complaint and the spector of having to go to court has made for a deathly silence next door ever since. I'll just keep hammering away until they go back to Mexico. INS is next

Don't take cr@p from people. Life is too short.... you're a law abiding citizen. Use the system to get rid of the bad apples, or at least straighten them out, like the sheriff finally did to me as a teenager.

Pat

 

[Tom52]

I would doubt that your neighbor "took the muffler off" of a brand new car. It is possible, but I doubt someone would buy a new car and disrupt the exhaust system which could also affect the emmissions system which in turn could void a warranty.

I suspect that the neighbor has likely installed an aftermarket high performance exhaust system, which in all likelyhood would be both emmissions legal and within noise limits, decibals. These aftermarket systems can create a lot of rumbling at idle.

While I am sure the noise is disruptive to you and some of your neighbors, it may be a case that your neighbor is "legal" and it may be difficult to force the neighbor to "fix" the exhaust. You might be putting yourself in a difficult situation calling in the "authorities". If your neighbors want to be good neighbors they might cooperate, if they aren't.....well, just let me say that I have been on the receiving end of vindictive neighbors and it isn't pretty. Good Luck!!!