Another reason to by an efficient car: top 10 stolen vehicles

[koihoshi]

I'm more worried about one of my bikes being stolen than one of my cars. But I'm always paranoid about parking it "in the back" where it's isolated. Quite the opposite, I always keep my vehicles in plain sight.

Doesn't surprise me though how up there the escalade and si civics are up there though.

[wagonman76]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

I can't believe Tempos aren't at the top of the lists.

Maybe thieves, unfamiliar with them, all ended up in fireballs in the ditch from losing control. Then word got out.

Every person I know personally who has had a Tempo or Topaz has had it catch fire at some point.

GM's were like that too with similar and worn keys. The GM ignition cylinders would wear to where you could pull the key out when running, or even start it without a key if you did it right. Another time the wife locked the keys in our old 90 Lumina APV, and the key from one of my other GM cars opened the tailgate.

Someone I knew in college opened a fellow Ford Probe with her key in an emergency, it just happened to fit. I read once that at least in that era, it was either Ford or GM or maybe all makers used something like just 128 different keysets. Considering millions of cars made, that means a good chance you'd find another car your key would open.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Christ

US most stolen cars according to US NCIC:

But I think most of the cars on that most stolen list were high-selling models. Seems pretty obvious that if there are lots of a model out there, some will be stolen. How about a "chance of being stolen" figure: #stolen/#sold?

[thatguitarguy]

Originally Posted by koihoshi

I'm more worried about one of my bikes being stolen than one of my cars. But I'm always paranoid about parking it "in the back" where it's isolated. Quite the opposite, I always keep my vehicles in plain sight.

I do have more invested in bicycles than in cars. And they are a lot easier to store inside without a garage.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by jamesqf

But I think most of the cars on that most stolen list were high-selling models. Seems pretty obvious that if there are lots of a model out there, some will be stolen. How about a "chance of being stolen" figure: #stolen/#sold?

Dunno about those, I just found the list for this year. Obviously, if it's a high production model, it's going to be more likely to be stolen. Rare cars are less likely to be stolen because they're rare... not that people wouldn't steal them, but more because even if they did, what would they do with it?

[MadisonMPG]

How many Bugatti Veryons were stolen last year?

0?

Guess I gotta go get me one.

[Chalupa102]

My car made number 10? Didn't really see that one coming. I think now with the aeromods growing on my car, they probably wouldn't even want my car = good for me, bad for them.

[alohaspirit]

hondas...

they like pre 96 because they can jack the ignition and the airbag wont explode in their face

then the smart ones that can get around the air bag like the pre 01s because theres no code chip key

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Chalupa102

My car made number 10? Didn't really see that one coming. I think now with the aeromods growing on my car, they probably wouldn't even want my car = good for me, bad for them.

Of course they wouldn't - they don't have a pilot's license... :P

[Christ]

Originally Posted by alohaspirit

hondas...

they like pre 96 because they can jack the ignition and the airbag wont explode in their face

then the smart ones that can get around the air bag like the pre 01s because theres no code chip key

LOL - Get around the airbag = unplug the SRS sensor under the bumper before applying power.

Granny had a key that had a resistor in it. Without using the specific resistance value of the key that was needed, she wouldn't even consider starting. There were something like 15 different values used (maybe alot more, I dunno), so that would take some time to figure out.