it's funny how nearly every honda in town has their muffler chopped off, but my friend has a cut-out on his truck, and a cop told him to fix it. I guess if your car sounds like crap after cutting the muffler off you're left alone, but if it's loud and deep, then you're in trouble (the cop noticed the cut-out while the truck was not running, he has yet to paint it, and the chrome attracts attention).