By Paul Michael, Wise Bread
Most of us won’t ever know the heartache and misery of having our car stolen. Despite the fact that thieves steal a car every 43.7 seconds in America , you have to be pretty unlucky to walk to the street or parking lot only to see an empty space where your car once was.
car thieves
But is it all just luck? As it turns out, thieves play the odds and favor some cars way more that others. So it’s in your best interest to choose a car that fits your needs and also makes car thieves look the other way. One of the best ways is to avoid luxury cars (which won’t be an issue for most of us). The penalties for stealing cars are the same, whether you choose a clapped out old banger or a top of the line sports car. So why risk going to jail for something that will make you a few hundred bucks, when you could earn many thousands? But that’s not the only factor.
The HLDI (Highway Loss Data Institute) recently released its list of the top five cars thieves avoid . The data comes from claims filed over the past year, parts taken from vehicles, or personal property stolen from within the car. Of course, we should all make sure we don’t leave valuables in plain sight, that’s just painting a target on your car.
So, in reverse order, here are the five cars you should consider if you’d like the odds to favor you and not the car thieves.
5. Toyota Matrix
(Starting price: $19,275)
Theft rate: 0.4 claims per thousand insured vehicles
The biggest reason this car (and most of the cars in this list) is not attractive to thieves is that it spends a lot of its time in a garage. The Matrix also suffers from styling issues and poor sales (the model will be discontinued in 2014 ). If the paying public doesn’t want it, thieves don’t want it either. After all, they’re looking to make quick cash selling it or chopping it up for parts; a basic case of supply and demand. However, the car is cheap, and if you like the styling, it’s well worth a look. (See also: How Much Should You Spend on a New Car?)
4. Acura RDX
(Starting price: $34,520)
Theft rate: 0.39 claims per thousand insured vehicles
At almost double the price of the Matrix, you’d think this one would be much more attractive to thieves. But once again, it’s a crossover favored by suburban moms and spends the majority of its time in a garage. And if you’re going to steal an Acura, why waste your time on a mom car when you can rip off a sportier version with a higher price tag?
3. Audi A4
(Starting price: $32,500)
Theft rate: 0.38 claims per thousand insured vehicles
I was surprised to see this car in this list. It seems far more likely to be one of the top five most stolen cars. It’s got a high starting price, it looks great, it’s fast, and there are a lot of them on the road. But the Audi A4 does come with some sophisticated anti-theft devices, and it’s also regularly garaged.
Read the full article by Paul Michael from Wise Bread.
