GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Local mechanics show how quick it is to make a car louder while also sharing the advice to drivers who keep coming back for more.
- For the past few weeks, I have looked into the driving disturbances in downtown Green Bay and actions taken to reduce noise complaints.
- Video shows the quick process drivers take to get their cars to sound louder at a local auto repair shop.
- Mechanics say they advise customers about the consequences of getting pulled over. One mechanic believes social media is playing a role for new-age car enthusiasts.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story)
Exhaust Pros co-owner, Chris Vengrowsky, said they gets a lot of requests to make cars louder.
"I think there's good tones and then there are bad tones," Vengrowsky said.
He said their work is all by the book — nothing illegal. He tries to let customers know what to avoid.
"You're gonna get pulled over, this is going to be obnoxious," Vengrowsky said. "(Heavy modifications) is where I try not to go, because one, it just ends up bad for everybody."
Chris said it's not just young people coming in but adults born in the 1950s and 60s looking for a sporty sound.
"I'm here to do what the customer would want me to do in a legal realm," Vengrowsky said.
I went back to the shop later onto see exactly how it's done.
"I've been doing this for about 11 years now," one mechanic said.
The mechanic agreed to talk if we didn't identify him over concerns about loud driving on the street. The process to modify a muffler takes about an hour.
"I could do this in my sleep," he said. "It puts a little weight on your shoulders, but I'm here to do my job."
Video shows the steps he took to mod a car Thursday morning.
After the job's done, video shows the slight difference from before and after the modifications.
He said they do about one or two of these mods a day.
"I'd say most of the people here, that come through here, they just want to hear their vehicle, they're not out there to be horsing around," he said.
He said he believes social media plays a big role in blinding young enthusiasts to the repercussions of unsafe, loud driving.
I reached out to the city for specifics on its noise ordinance and what rises to a violation, but have not heard back yet.
