http://editorial.autos.msn.com/slideshow.a...amp;GT1=22008#1
Hot Wheels: America's 10 Most Stolen Cars
By James Tate of MSN Autos
It's a car owner's worst nightmare: stepping outside at home, office or grocery store only to find a pile of broken glass where the car was once parked. The police call it auto theft. We call it a pain in the . . . well, you know what. A car is stolen every 26 seconds in the United States, costing the American public nearly $7.6 billion each year. And if the National Insurance Crime Bureau's list of the most frequently stolen cars of 2008 is any indication, auto theft can happen to anyone. While it's no surprise that some cars are more likely to suffer a "Gone in 60 Seconds" type of incident than others, our eyebrows rose when we saw that the most stolen vehicle in America is one you can buy legally for $3,000.
10. 2002 Ford Explorer
Cinching up the list of the most stolen cars in 2008 is the 2002 Ford Explorer. While the poster child for the excessive SUV movement may not have much in the way of resale value these days, its 4.6-liter V8 engine shares parts with a number of Ford products, and that means there's a wide market for stolen bits and pieces. Of course in the summer of 2008, when gas prices were astronomical, the fuel in the truck's 22-gallon tank was probably worth more than the rest of the vehicle. Haven't thieves heard of siphoning?
9. 1999 Ford Taurus
Long before the Taurus evolved into a mean-looking, direct-injection 4-wheeled beast for 2010, this car was rental-fleet fodder. In fact, the Blue Oval sold more than 51 percent of this particular generation sedan straight into hard labor at Hertz and other rental companies. The rest went to schoolteachers and nice little old ladies. While you couldn't pay us enough to actually drive a pre-2010 model these days, there's a strong enough market in America's chop shops for the popular parts. How do you think cars are staying on the road longer these days?
8. 1994 Acura Integra
A perennial favorite among car thieves, the Acura Integra has slid down to No. 8 on the bureau's list. Last year the quick, front-wheel-drive car held a respectable No. 6. Although the tuner craze that consumed so many owners of Honda's luxury sport model has died off as of late, there are still more than a few whippersnappers out there who wouldn't mind paying a pretty penny for the right Integra-sourced engine. That includes ones that have been illegally obtained. We blame Vin Diesel.
7. 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee
The winner of the "most surprising" category has to be the Jeep Cherokee. While these particular SUVs were more popular than umbrellas in Seattle, they were plagued by drivetrain failures. Thieves are probably doing owners a favor by making off with Jeep's family hauler, but we're surprised they made it out of the neighborhood without the gearbox falling out. Whatever the reason for their popularity among thieves, the Cherokee and its classier Grand Cherokee cousin managed to place No. 7 on the list.
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
It takes a special kind of soul to eye a 2000 Dodge Caravan and think, "Yeah, that's the one I want to risk going to prison for." What draws those bent toward grand-theft auto to Dodge's symbol of domesticity? It certainly isn't the car's anemic V6 engine, weak transmission or heavy all-wheel-drive system. It's possible that thieves like the easy sliding doors and cavernous cargo space for moving other stolen parts around. Or maybe Mrs. Car Thief really needs a way to get the kiddies to school in the morning.
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
The Dodge Ram pickup has moved up two slots on the list from last year. Heinously tough, the Dodge Ram boasts beefy axles and snarling V8 and diesel engines. The trucks are also incredibly popular, which means thieves have their pick of HEMI-powered pickups from which to choose. Throw in the fact that the Ram is likely to be a work truck loaded with expensive tools and building equipment, and you have a tasty target for any criminal mastermind.
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
Not surprisingly, America's best-selling truck also makes an appearance on the list of most stolen vehicles. Like the Ram, the truck itself isn't worth the sum of the parts inside. The '90s-era F-150 came with a variety of powerful engines, the most sought-after being a 7.5-liter fuel-injected big-block V8. It's the same engine that powers many of Ford's bigger commercial trucks and RVs, and it fetches a pretty penny on the "pre-owned" market. Even the smaller engines share parts with the legions of Blue Oval vehicles on the road, making it a treasure trove for whoever can lay hands on one.
3. 1989 Toyota Camry
We're guessing this one has more to do with sheer volume than it does any actual demand for parts. The 1989 Toyota Camry is unlovable by nearly everyone's standards today. Well, everyone except car thieves. The segment-topping 2.5-liter V6 engine pumped out a blistering 160 horsepower in 1989, and we'd wager that most of those horses have fled the stable in the 20 years since this car was sold new. However, the Camry was popular and that means Toyota's ubiquitous sedan cements a No. 3 spot on the list.
2. 1995 Honda Civic
Last year's winner has been bumped off by the new ruler of stolen autos. Even so, the 1995 Honda Civic still holds a respectable second place. Not too shabby for a 14-year-old car. Like many of the vehicles on this list, the combination of outrageous production numbers and relatively high-dollar parts makes the Civic a winner among thieves. The 1995 Honda Civic is the poster child of the tuner movement, and that means owners can dump thousands of dollars into customizing their cars — icing on the cake that makes an already tempting target all but irresistible.
1. 1994 Honda Accord
The 1994 Honda Accord didn't even rank on last year's list of top 10 most stolen cars. As with the Accord's little brother, the Civic, Honda built a large number of Accords in 1994. If you're looking to steal a car that won't raise any eyebrows, it's hard to do better than one everyone on your block already owns. Throw in the temptation of easy-to-sell, easy-to-remove parts and the Accord basically becomes the belle of the ball. Of course, this just goes to show that stealing cars is nothing like it is in the movies.
