i got a ticket for a modified exhaust when i had a stock exhaust on ym BMW 325i '92. the officer just would not listen to me, even though i repeatedly told her it was stock. i got a letter from a technician at the BMW dealer and i brought it to court. the judge would not accept it. he said i should fight the ticket and subpeana the tech for my trial.
he told me i should try the sherrifs office downstairs and have them look at it to see that it is stock. i went there, and they said they have no way to dertermine if the exhaust is orignial or stock. i should go to the CHP office and have them use their equipment. i go there and the officer just laughs and cant believe what the other guys have been telling me and he writes it off without even looking at the car.
i dont know about florida, but in california, this is a fix-it ticket. if you fix it, the fine drops to $10. if you put your old muffler on, find an officer to sign the ticket as fixed, youll only have to pay $10. and you can just put your catback on later.
in almost everywhere, i find that officers are just doing their job. they dont nit pick about silly things like this, and i have great respect for them. i think its just a small number that give any headaches like this one.