A: Your car exhaust system is pretty complex. Excess noise could be from cracks or holes in manifolds or gaskets. Or on your muffler itself, excessive rust on a muffler, on holes in a muffler can cause a louder ride. Bad mufflers may also lead to increased pollution and even a rough idle. If you're not sure, stop by our shop and get it checked out.

Q: How do mufflers actually work? Are mufflers made of special sound-proof material?

A: Your exhaust system - and mufflers in particular - is sophisticated, although you might not appreciate how much so at a glance below your car. Technically, your muffler has baffled passages that the exhaust gases move through to muffle engine sound. But if you were to cut away your muffler, you'd find some tubes with holes in them. Sounds simple, but inside your muffler, these elements work together to have the sound waves hit one another to reduce the noise. Your muffler is actually a finely tuned instrument.

Q: Besides excess noise and rough idling, what are some other things I need to watch out for with my car's exhaust system?

A: Excessive rust or broken bolts could cause mufflers, pipes, and other parts of the exhaust system to hang dangerously low, resulting in a hazard for the people driving behind you. However, these aren't always things that can be easily assessed by just peeking underneath your car. As a rule, we recommend having your exhaust system inspected at least once a year.