Sports and muscle cars are a better investment than the stock market

Hagerty's is a really cool car insurance company, this was part of their newsletter. Click on it to make it full size and easier to see what the various colored lines represent, and what cars comprise the group that the blue line that is out outperforming the stock market

"Why car thieves love a '94 Honda Accord" from Insure.com, a good look at the stolen car issue

The most stolen vehicles:

1. 1994 Honda Accord
2. 1995 Honda Civic
3. 1991 Toyota Camry
4. 1997 Ford F-150 Pickup
5. 2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
6. 2000 Dodge Caravan
7. 1994 Chevrolet pickup (full size)
8. 1994 Acura Integra
9. 2002 Ford Explorer
10. 2009 Toyota Corolla
Source: NICB, based on car thefts in 2009

Older cars tend to be popular targets. In addition to supplying in-demand parts, these older cars are:

•Easier to steal. Car manufacturers in recent years have added many theft deterrents that older models don't have.
•Not as likely to have after-market security devices, such as warning, tracking and disabling devices.

Metropolitan areas with the highest vehicle theft rates

1. Laredo, Texas
2. Modesto, Calif.
3. Bakersfield, Calif.
4. Stockton, Calif.
5. Fresno, Calif.
6. Yakima, Wash.
7. San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, Calif.
8. Visalia/Porterville, Calif.
9. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nev.
10. Albuquerque, NM

Source: NICB, based on car thefts in 2009

Read the whole article to be better informed about car theft:
http://www.insure.com/car-insurance/most-stolen-cars-2010.html

Car insurance from a different viewpoint

"Car insurance companies will offer somewhat lower rates to their customers simply by driving a car that will cost less to fix if it gets in an accident." http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/car-insurance-rates-and-damage-susceptibility/

Makes sense! I never thought of it that way, since so much of my insurance is based on age, and location... I wonder how much of my 65 a month is based on what the car stats are for repairs?

"In setting insurance premiums, insurance companies mainly rely on factors that are not directly related to the vehicle itself (except for its value). They mainly consider driver characteristics (such as age, gender, marital status, and driving record), the geographic area in which the vehicle is driven, how many miles are traveled, and how the vehicle is used."
http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/car-insurance-rates-and-damage-susceptibility-alt/

Ok, those two excerpts seem to conflict a little...

"However, some companies adjust their premiums for personal injury protection and medical payment coverage if the insured vehicle has features that are likely to improve its crashworthiness, or ability to protect occupants from injury or death, such as air bags. " http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/car-insurance-rates-and-damage-susceptibility-alt/

Ah HA! I was right

For the stats on vehicles, so you can base a car purchase on what your insurance company is likely to charge relative to other purchases...
The luxury "large", and "very large" have the highest "Relative Average Loss Payment Per Insured Vehicle Year" usually twice to three times the ordinary cars

Lotus Elize : 435
Maserati Quattroporte 4dr : 429
BMW M5 4dr : 317
Nissan 350Z : 217

Dodge Caravan : 68
Saturn Outlook 4dr : 33
Jeep Wrangler 4dr : 33
GMC Acadia 4dr 4WD : 30

So boring cars are less paid out than exciting cars... logically.
Thanks to Scott at http://www.cheapcarinsurance.net/

I've read every issue, I get them from paying Hagerty's for insurance, but both are worth praise

https://shop.hagerty.com/s-9-hagertys-magazine.aspx