Are the Honda Civics/CRXen still a thief magnet like they used to be?

Pretty much as per subject - I'll be working in the Bay Area for a few months and ideally will have a vehicle I can leave down there. First thought was 'motorcycle' but I have trouble finding something I want for a price I'm willing to pay.

Then I noticed a few 2nd gen CRXs and a couple of EF/EGs that might fit the bill, including a couple of BARD B18 swaps. I like those Hondas and wouldn't mind one, especially given that the mileage I'd be driving on expenses would mean it'd pay for itself. But I am concerned about them being thief magnets and I'd come back to a missing car at some point.

It depends on where you're storing it. I wonder if the thieves can afford to live in the Bay Area?

Still magnets. Had my B18 swapped EK hatch stolen 3 years ago in the Chicago suburbs in broad daylight right outside the main entrance of my work.

I thought everyone in the Bay area was issued a Tesla when they arrived.....

Well, they may have to steal a lot of them to afford living there .

It'll be parked at the airport for 3-4 nights/week, on client premises but also in dark corners of places like Whole Foods parking lots. Oh, and probably in the paddock at Laguna Seca from time to time...

KyAllroad wrote: I thought everyone in the Bay area was issued a Tesla when they arrived.....

I think that's only for people who can actually afford to live there and not people like me who make decent money, but not Bay Area decent money.

Of course both a Tesla and a bike have the advantage that you can use the HOV lanes. That's a pretty big deal during rush hour.

BoxheadTim wrote:

KyAllroad wrote: I thought everyone in the Bay area was issued a Tesla when they arrived.....

I think that's only for people who can actually afford to live there and not people like me who make decent money, but not Bay Area decent money. Of course both a Tesla and a bike have the advantage that you can use the HOV lanes. That's a pretty big deal during rush hour.

While there are a lot of Teslas here, comparatively, it's a long way from being the dominant species. I see a lot more Leafs and electric Fiats, for example.

Mid-90s Civics are still pretty high on the list of "most stolen cars", partly because newer ones are a whole lot harder to steal. I wouldn't get too attached to it if you're going to leave it long-term airport parking frequently...

I don't think it's changed too much. Oakland, Richmond, San Jose still have their chop shops. Where you gonna be working out of?

San Jose?

Well, the apartment I was looking at is in Los Gatos, but I'm going to work with clients in San Jose and Mountain View/Sunnyvale.

An older 5spd manual Kia Rio sounds about as theft proof as a car could get ...

In reply to Dave:

I have standards. They might be low, but I still have standards .

You could always try what I hypothesize is the best theft deterrent for Civics; unscrew the shift knob, pull the center console out and drop in a matching one from an automatic. Then shove the automatic shift handle down on the manual shift lever and boom! No more magnet to thieves.

It probably can't be driven like this, but would take you less than 5 minutes to setup before parking it for a few days.

The best intersection of old-school Civic hatchback fun while being new enough to have an immobilizer and not be a theft magnet is the early 2000's EP3 Si. Anything before that is fair game for a chop shop, because they are easy to steal and B-series swaps are way easier than K-series.

pointofdeparture wrote: The best intersection of old-school Civic hatchback fun while being new enough to have an immobilizer and not be a theft magnet is the early 2000's EP3 Si. Anything before that is fair game for a chop shop, because they are easy to steal and B-series swaps are way easier than K-series.

I'd recommend wheel locks if you go that route. I live in a very sleepy suburban neighborhood and the one off my wife's EP3 back in the day were stolen from it.

-Rob

I've driven civics for years, even in the hay day of the chop shop FF crowd getting to them. Never once has one gotten stolen.

Mine sits out on the street in front of my house day and night. I've only had it a month but it's not been stolen yet (knocks on wood) but I do live in a small Texas town.

Full agreed value coverage. Just a cost of ownership.

Around here, you couldn't give away an old Civic/CRX. Market differences I guess.

A friend of mine had his mid-90s Civic (I don't what that gen is called) stolen in SF last year. It was parked on the street, as he doesn't have a garage. Thief drove the car for a week, then ditched it on a random freeway. My friend had to pay the ticket for illegal parking! Insult to injury. He did get the car back though, and still drives it.

I think it depends on where you park the car, but I think these are still magnets for thieves. There is an old lady that drives an 89-90 Civic Si in my neighborhood, it looks brand new.

is the fuse panel easy to access? Pull the one for the fuel pump when you park. Maybe a kill switch or something? Not a perfect solution, but its a start.

penultimeta wrote: I've driven civics for years, even in the hay day of the chop shop FF crowd getting to them. Never once has one gotten stolen.

Greatly depends on where you live.

Actually, in typical 88-00' fashion, the fuel pump relay will crap out and they won't make it far. If I were to stop a civic/teggy thief I would eliminate the fart can. It's a direct invite that more leaks beneath. Strap a lx badge on it. No one wants those.

A local blog in SF posts Police reports and I am really surprised at the number of stolen cars in my neighborhood.

I won't park my '90 Integra anywhere but my locked garage or the patrolled and gated lot at work. There's no such thing as full-coverage insurance for it and I don't want to give it away.

In reply to EvanR:

You need Hagerty insurance. Insure it for what YOU think it's worth

A buddy had a '98 hatch stolen from his driveway some years ago. Stock DX. My gut says yes, still thief magnet.