After having my 99 M3 for 8 days I was pulled over by an unmarked Durango and was told that in New York state it is illegal to have a muffler in any state other than factory spec. I asked the *nice* officer if it was too loud and what the law stated, and he told me that the mere fact that it was not the OEM muffler made it illegal. I explained to him that I had just purchased the car and that the Supersprint cat back was to be removed, hoping to persuade him to let me off. This in turn sparked him to test my tints for legality, and surprise surprise, my tints that don't seem dark at all are also illegal. After I explained that the tints were not to my liking either and asking for the reading and an explaination he handed me two tickets and left.

Is this muffler law actually legit? I can't imagine how they can sell mufflers at places like advance auto parts if it breaks the law. Isn't that like selling marijuana at a grocery store?

About the tints, I wouldn't mind getting them removed, but does anyone know of a good way to handle this?

that is soo rediculas its not even funny, just take it to court, if the judge has half a brain he will let you off. how much of a fine are we talking? also check your state laws. if you are using the cops words exactly than he was blatently lying to you.
it is perfectly legal to have what ever muffler/exhaust you want as long as it meets db and emissions.

call your police station are get you tint off and remove your exhaust till youy get the ticket handled and reinstall it.

places that sell exhausts usually have the disclaimer, "for off road use only. may not be street legal." As for "law" about the muffler not being OEM, that wouldn't make sense because Midas doesn't sell OEM.

As long as it meets emissions and dB standards it should be fine.

I don't think any state requires you to have the exact same muffler that came on the car from the factory. That is BS. The cop was pissed off or something. Take it to court the judge should just let it go.

thats BS, dont pay the fine and plead not guilty, take it to court. Also u can say that the tints came factory. My MB had factory tints because it was from Florida, got pulled over in NJ due to tints, went to court to show the car was a southern car with factory tints and i was let off. As for muffler, i guess u got really unlucky, i see these ricers everywhere in NYC with rice cans and no cops care.

I couldn't believe that out of the dozens of people driving around with cars far louder than mine that I would get slapped with the ticket. The tints I think I'll just take off and now that I have a spare minute I'll try to find out about the muffler law. I already plead not guilty and requested a supporting deposition, which I received and it plainly states "muffler was modified from original equipment". Thanks for the advice

What about ***Harley Davidson???

is illegal to buy/sell " Marijuana" but is legal to buy/sell "Alcohol"
but when you really think about it! both of these stuff could f#$k you up bad!
do it made sense?

That was the first thing that comes to mind about aftermarket exhaust. I just dont understand legallity issues with "motorcycles" and how they are allowed to have louder exhust systems then cars. I mean what makes them different. Noise is noise. Its disruptive thats why laws are imposed on cars (only for some reason). It only has to be something burocratic (sp?)

check with sema they might be able to offer advice about the muffler, they just had a law struck down in Mass about something similiar.

That is bizzare. His claim that anything other than factory is complete BS. As the other poster stated, Midas doesn't install factory exhausts. Hell if his patrol car has had it's muffler changed I guarantee NY doesn't buy from Ford they either bid it out to a local shop or buy from a distributor and install them in a state garage. They cannot have a law that only factory parts must be used on a vehicle because it would create a unfair business advantage for dealers. They can have laws on noise and emissions however. I would love to understand why a motorcycle can have a louder db exhaust than a car? Where can we see the laws?

Article 9 section 375 of the vehicle code labeled equipment.

31. Mufflers and exhaust systems. Prevention of noise. Every motor
vehicle, operated or driven upon the highways of the state, shall at all
times be equipped with an adequate muffler and exhaust system in
constant operation and properly maintained to prevent any excessive or
unusual noise and no such muffler or exhaust system shall be equipped
with a cut-out, bypass, or similar device. No person shall modify the
muffler or exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will
amplify or increase the noise emitted by the motor or exhaust system of
such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler or exhaust system
originally installed on the vehicle and such original muffler and
exhaust system shall comply with all the requirements of this section.
A muffler is a device consisting of a series of chambers or baffle
plates, or other mechanical design for the purpose of receiving exhaust
gas from an internal combustion engine, and effective in reducing noise.
An exhaust system is a series of mechanical devices for the purpose of
receiving exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine and expelling
it into the atmosphere.
31-a. No person shall, in the state, sell, install or use a motorcycle
exhaust device without internal baffles, known as "straight pipes".
31-b. No person shall, in the state, sell, install or use a motorcycle
exhaust device that is intentionally designed to allow for the internal
baffling to be fully or partially removed or interchangeable. This
subdivision shall not apply to a motorcycle manufactured or assembled
prior to nineteen hundred seventy-nine or a motorcycle registered as a
limited use vehicle or an all terrain vehicle pursuant to article
forty-eight-A or forty-eight-B of this chapter.

As far as your question about the tint, get some glass cleaner and razor blades. Took mine off a couple of weeks ago. Should just peal right off but the glue is a PITA to get off; that's where the glass cleaner comes in.

The glass cleaner would need to be ammonia based to get the results needed. You can mix up your own batch by mixing ammonia with water ( dont recall the ratios) and cover the window with a black plastic bag. This will help keep the soluton from evaporating, help the solution soak into the plastic film and weaken the adhesive and help keep heat in which will help with the breakdown of the adhesive.