NEWS: Zippy Subaru thieves' choice
10-21-2004 | 08:01 AM
#1
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RX-8: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....
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From: Toronto, Canada
NEWS: Zippy Subaru thieves' choice
Zippy Subaru thieves' choice
Lack of anti-theft devices blamed
Second year sports car has topped list
TONY VAN ALPHEN
BUSINESS REPORTER
Auto thieves still love Subaru's zippy Impreza sports car more than any other vehicle in Canada.
The Impreza WRX four-door, all-wheel drive car, with a retail price ranging from $35,495 to $37,795, is the country's most frequently stolen vehicle for the second consecutive year, according to 2002-2003 model statistics from the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
"The good news is our model is popular," Brian Hawkins, vice-president of after sales services for Subaru Canada, said yesterday. "The bad news is it's popular with thieves."
The bureau, an association representing the private property and casualty insurance industry, says between six and seven out of 100 insured Impreza WRX models were stolen in each of the past two years.
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said the Impreza doesn't even appear among the top 10 vehicles with the highest theft claim rates south of the border.
Another Canadian difference is the top 10 appearance of three pickup trucks among the most frequently stolen vehicles.
Rick Dubin, vice-president of investigations for the insurance bureau, said the reason why the Impreza and some other models are popular targets is because they don't contain the group's immobolizer as standard equipment.
"They're just easier to steal without it," he said.
Hawkins said Subaru is currently working with the manufacturer and insurance bureau to include the immoblizer in the 2006 Impreza WRX model. Other Subaru models already have the immoblizer.
The bureau's statistics, which looked at data from models with insurance on at least 1,000 vehicles, showed the 2002-2003 Ford F350 super duty, 4WD truck and Cadillac Escalade four-door, four-wheel drive sport-utility vehicles are the second and third most frequently stolen models.
The Cadillac Escalade EXT pickup is the vehicle most targeted by U.S. thieves. The Nissan Maxima, a midsize sedan, was the second most likely to be stolen, followed by the Escalade SUV.
The Ford F350 and GM Escalade also did not have the immobilizers — systems that prevent a vehicle from starting unless a specific electronic code is used in a computer chip in the ignition key.
More auto makers are using the special key chip and other anti-theft systems in their models in efforts to curb stealing and reduce the theft portion of insurance premiums.
The bureau's results showed the Subaru Impreza WRX also had the dubious distinction of having the highest theft claim cost per vehicle. The cost to cover the WRX's theft-related losses were 16 times higher than the average cost of theft coverage on a vehicle, Dubin said.
Other models in the top 10 Canadian list of favourite stolen vehicles are the Honda Civic Si two-door hatchback, BMW 325Ci/330Ci, Hyundai Tiburon, Accent and Tiburon GT and Ford F250 super duty, four-wheel drive and Dodge Dakota trucks.
The Tiburon sports car had topped the list in 2001 and 2002 but Hyundai has since added a special transponder in the ignition key that makes starting impossible without it.
Hyundai said the only reason the Tiburon is not much lower on the list is because 2002 statistics are included, meaning theft rates before the addition of the the new equipment.
The company added the only way anyone can steal a Tiburon now is if someone tows the car away or takes the key.
A spokesperson for Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. said the company has a theft-deterent system but it is currently incompatible with the electronics of some pickup models.
Dubin said many stolen vehicles end up in eastern Europe, the Middle East, Lithunia, Costa Rica, Panama and the United States.
"Thieves have `grocery lists' of what people want elsewhere."
Other models besides the Impreza that reported the highest theft claim costs per vehicle included the Escalade, Ford F350 and F250, GMC Yukon XL, Toyota Sequoia, Acura RSX, Infiniti QX4, Acura 3.2 and Chevrolet/GMC Tahoe/Yukon.
The 2002-2003 vehicles with the lowest theft frequencies are the Buick Le Sabre, Mercury Grand Marquis, Buick Century, Volvo S40, Ford Taurus station wagon, Saturn SC, Taurus sedan, Mazda MPV, Pontiac Montana and Oldsmobile Intrigue.
Vehicle theft costs Canadian policyholders more than $600 million annually in premiums.
source
Lack of anti-theft devices blamed
Second year sports car has topped list
TONY VAN ALPHEN
BUSINESS REPORTER
Auto thieves still love Subaru's zippy Impreza sports car more than any other vehicle in Canada.
The Impreza WRX four-door, all-wheel drive car, with a retail price ranging from $35,495 to $37,795, is the country's most frequently stolen vehicle for the second consecutive year, according to 2002-2003 model statistics from the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
"The good news is our model is popular," Brian Hawkins, vice-president of after sales services for Subaru Canada, said yesterday. "The bad news is it's popular with thieves."
The bureau, an association representing the private property and casualty insurance industry, says between six and seven out of 100 insured Impreza WRX models were stolen in each of the past two years.
The U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety said the Impreza doesn't even appear among the top 10 vehicles with the highest theft claim rates south of the border.
Another Canadian difference is the top 10 appearance of three pickup trucks among the most frequently stolen vehicles.
Rick Dubin, vice-president of investigations for the insurance bureau, said the reason why the Impreza and some other models are popular targets is because they don't contain the group's immobolizer as standard equipment.
"They're just easier to steal without it," he said.
Hawkins said Subaru is currently working with the manufacturer and insurance bureau to include the immoblizer in the 2006 Impreza WRX model. Other Subaru models already have the immoblizer.
The bureau's statistics, which looked at data from models with insurance on at least 1,000 vehicles, showed the 2002-2003 Ford F350 super duty, 4WD truck and Cadillac Escalade four-door, four-wheel drive sport-utility vehicles are the second and third most frequently stolen models.
The Cadillac Escalade EXT pickup is the vehicle most targeted by U.S. thieves. The Nissan Maxima, a midsize sedan, was the second most likely to be stolen, followed by the Escalade SUV.
The Ford F350 and GM Escalade also did not have the immobilizers — systems that prevent a vehicle from starting unless a specific electronic code is used in a computer chip in the ignition key.
More auto makers are using the special key chip and other anti-theft systems in their models in efforts to curb stealing and reduce the theft portion of insurance premiums.
The bureau's results showed the Subaru Impreza WRX also had the dubious distinction of having the highest theft claim cost per vehicle. The cost to cover the WRX's theft-related losses were 16 times higher than the average cost of theft coverage on a vehicle, Dubin said.
Other models in the top 10 Canadian list of favourite stolen vehicles are the Honda Civic Si two-door hatchback, BMW 325Ci/330Ci, Hyundai Tiburon, Accent and Tiburon GT and Ford F250 super duty, four-wheel drive and Dodge Dakota trucks.
The Tiburon sports car had topped the list in 2001 and 2002 but Hyundai has since added a special transponder in the ignition key that makes starting impossible without it.
Hyundai said the only reason the Tiburon is not much lower on the list is because 2002 statistics are included, meaning theft rates before the addition of the the new equipment.
The company added the only way anyone can steal a Tiburon now is if someone tows the car away or takes the key.
A spokesperson for Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. said the company has a theft-deterent system but it is currently incompatible with the electronics of some pickup models.
Dubin said many stolen vehicles end up in eastern Europe, the Middle East, Lithunia, Costa Rica, Panama and the United States.
"Thieves have `grocery lists' of what people want elsewhere."
Other models besides the Impreza that reported the highest theft claim costs per vehicle included the Escalade, Ford F350 and F250, GMC Yukon XL, Toyota Sequoia, Acura RSX, Infiniti QX4, Acura 3.2 and Chevrolet/GMC Tahoe/Yukon.
The 2002-2003 vehicles with the lowest theft frequencies are the Buick Le Sabre, Mercury Grand Marquis, Buick Century, Volvo S40, Ford Taurus station wagon, Saturn SC, Taurus sedan, Mazda MPV, Pontiac Montana and Oldsmobile Intrigue.
Vehicle theft costs Canadian policyholders more than $600 million annually in premiums.
source
10-22-2004 | 05:49 AM
#3
'RX-EIGHT'
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 2,768
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The WRX/Sti is the weapon of choice for bank robbers, burglars, ram raiders, drive by shooters and just about every other criminal element here in Australia, particularly in Sydney.
Because of this, insurance premiums are a joke since so many are stolen and/or car jacked.
In my area, I can't even get one insured due to their theft rate.
Because of this, insurance premiums are a joke since so many are stolen and/or car jacked.
In my area, I can't even get one insured due to their theft rate.
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