Most people who own loud performance cars have earned a bit of a reputation among their neighbors. Whether it’s the early morning cold starts, the late-night arrivals, or the occasional spirited acceleration down the street, living next to a car enthusiast isn’t always the quietest experience.
However, one Audi owner on social media is proving that not every enthusiast is determined to wake up the entire neighborhood before sunrise. A video making the rounds online shows a man stepping outside at approximately 5:30 in the morning to leave for work.
Before climbing into his Audi, though, he performs a rather unusual ritual involving a pair of blue pool noodles. No, he wasn’t getting ready for an early morning swim.
Instead, the man carefully inserts sections of the pool noodles into the vehicle’s exhaust tips in an effort to muffle the notoriously loud cold start produced by his Audi. According to the video’s creator, he does it for one simple reason: he actually likes his neighbors.
Honestly, that’s probably the most shocking part of the entire video.
Not Every Car Enthusiast Wants To Wake the Neighborhood
@sneaky.a7 gf said it’s still pretty loud for the morning #fyp #catless #loud #audi #coldstart ♬ original sound – sneaky.a7
Many modern sports cars and performance-oriented vehicles intentionally increase engine speed during startup to help warm up emissions equipment more quickly. The downside, of course, is that these cold starts can be incredibly loud, especially during the quiet hours of the morning.
And at 5:30 a.m., when most people are still asleep, even a stock exhaust system can feel obnoxious. Add an aftermarket exhaust or a particularly aggressive performance setup, and it’s easy to understand why neighbors might not appreciate the daily wake-up call.
The short video begins with the owner walking out to his parked Audi in the early hours of the morning. Rather than immediately pressing the start button and letting the car announce its presence to the entire zip code, he reaches for the blue foam pool noodles.
Turns Out Pool Noodles Make Surprisingly Good Peace Offerings
The clip then demonstrates the difference. With the pool noodles installed, the Audi starts with a noticeably softer and more subdued tone.
While the vehicle is certainly not silent, the improvised noise-reduction method appears to take some of the harshness out of the startup sequence. As strange as it may look, viewers online were surprisingly supportive of the idea.
Many people praised the owner for being considerate enough to think about those living nearby, especially given how common loud exhaust complaints have become in neighborhoods across the country.
Commenters Agreed That This Guy Deserves ‘Neighbor of the Year’
One of the top comments praises him for being a “decent person,” saying, “mad props to you for going the extra inch at being a reasonably decent person. if I was your neighbor and I knew you were doing this out of respect, I think I would end up being okay with the sound knowing how much of a good dude you are.”
Another person attributed a cold start to being another part of their morning routine, writing, “Am I the only weirdo that finds comfort in repetitive outdoor sounds (even if they’re obnoxious) 😅 like if I had a neighbor that would cold start every morning around the same time it would just be integrated to my day to day and the day it doesn’t happen it would feel like an off day to me.”
It’s probably safe to say that his neighbors like him just as much as he likes them.