My son's beloved 1994 Ford Explorer with 165,000 miles was parked between the Booth School of Business and the Law School at the University of Chicago Tuesday and was stolen some time in the afternoon to early evening. Mind you, this is within ten blocks of present President of the USA's home. My son looked up the statistics and discovered the number of car thefts has increased significantly in the past month. It is the cars older than year 2000 being stolen moreso than newer because you don't have to present a title to the junkyard for the stripped remains for cars older than year 2000.

I'm thinking about letting him have my 2006 RL for the next six months until he moves to California for a job. I've got a feeling he is going to buy a 2013 RDX during the summer as a small SUV is pretty much his thing, but it is not available now and he spent some time in the hospital last summer from being hit by a Jeep while riding his bike in traffic. Mom does not want her son riding a bike cross-town to school!!

Anyone heard of a 2005 - 2011 RL getting stolen? Are the electronic counter-measures like immobilizer chip and other built-in security measures discouraging would be thieves? We have a 2002 Explorer in the family that could be his ride, but it is almost as easy to steal as the 1994 Explorer. Anybody have insights as to the relative stealability of a 2006 RL?

 

can get stolen. but without the fob the RL will not start.

 

OK, why would someone steal a 1994 Explorer? Sounds like a crackhead/methhead crime.

In all my years in this section of AZ, I have never read a thread regarding a stolen 2G RL. Ever. This compares to S2KI (S2000 International), in which there are a couple of theft threads a month, on average.

 

1994 Ford Explorer probably represents easy money. It had good tires, good standard Explorer rims, leather power seats and the remaining components plus residual metal value totals to $1500 to $2000.

Take a look at the auto theft reports in and immediately surrounding the area:
http://chicago.everyblock.com/locati...rk/?only=crime

 

I wouldn't want anything happen to my RL. But, I think the RL is hard to steal. Especially with the keyless start.

New suggestion: Take a bus

 

The frequency of stolen vehicles by model is directly correlated to the demand for parts. The '90's Honda Accord is the number one stolen vehicle year after year (followed closely by the Toyota Corolla) b/c it used the same parts for many years and it sold by the boat load. Given the fact that Acura can't sell a handful of these cars, I think it may be your safest bet.

I believe someone tried to break into Legend #1 when my mom owned it as the driver door looked like it had been pried at the top corner. The door didn't open. Solid car, good anti-theft measures, and parts no one needs = safe bet.

 

It would basically have to be stolen with a tow truck.

 

Leaving any car between a law school and a business school is tantamount to enticement and could therefore be argued that theft in such environments be considered homework!

 

haha... well played

 

And good point, oo7spy. The only person who'd be interested in stealing an RL is probably another RL owner. Luckily, most of us here are classier than that......I hope.

 

RL owners have so much class, when we do steal wheels off another RL, we put jack stands underneath.

 

Nice.

Seriously, 007 nailed it. Old copies of cars that sold well when new are the primary theft candidates, even if they seem undesirable now, because there's a demand for the parts. The RL is not impossible to steal, but since it's neither the above nor a favorite of status-seekers today, few would want it. Luckily for us.

See, there are rewards to being in the know, even after you get a great price buying it used.