R.I.P.

On December 9 Rush Limbaugh, referencing an article posted on ABCnews.com titled “The Most Stolen Cars in the US” made the following absurd claim;

“RUSH: Quick, folks, what are the two most stolen cars in America, according to Forbes.com?  Two most stolen cars in America.  If you said the Escalade, you're right, if you said Hummer, you're right.  SUVs.  Why?  Not because they can strip 'em and ship parts overseas.  It's because those are the cars people want.  They're General Motors products.  Escalade and a Hummer.  That's what people want, but what are we going to make for them?  A bunch of crap!  Well, yeah, crime will go down.  Who's going to want to steal crap?”

To begin with, Hummers and Escalades are NOT the most stolen cars in the US, that honor goes to the 1995 Honda Civic according to State Farm Insurance.  Here’s the complete list:

1.  1995 Honda Civic
2.  1991 Honda Accord
3.  1989 Toyota Camry
4.  1997 Ford F150 Series
5.  1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup
6.  1994 Acura Integra
7.  2004 Dodge Ram Pickup
8.  1994 Nissan Sentra
9.  1988 Toyota Pickup
10. 2007 Toyota Corolla

No Rush, “people” don’t want Hummer’s and Escalade’s, thieves do. Limbaugh’s stock-in-trade is spin. He reports only those things that benefit his own political agenda and spins the rest. Lies, half-truths, untruths, misrepresentation, straw-man arguments and innuendo are what’s in his toolbox. 

Hummer’s and Escalade’s are not the “most stolen” cars in the US, they have, according to State Farm, the highest  “theft claim rates”. Read the details; theft claim rates are based upon the cost of the vehicle and the number of them sold.

 According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Highway Loss
Data Institute, the 2003-05 model Cadillac Escalade EXT and Cadillac Escalade 4dr have theft claim rates seven to eight times the average for all cars.

Highest Theft Claim Frequencies, 2003-05 Model Passenger Vehicles:

1. Cadillac Escalade EXT 4dr 4WD
2. Cadillac Escalade 4dr
3. GMC Savana 1500 cargo
4. Dodge Ram 1500 quad

Which newer cars are stolen the least?

Lowest Theft Claim Frequencies, 2003-05 Model Passenger Vehicles:

1. Ford Taurus
2. Pontiac Vibe 4WD
3. Buick LeSabre
4. Buick Park Avenue 4dr

Back in October one of the nation’s largest Hummer dealers “Towbin Hummer” located in Las Vegas closed its doors due to a huge DECREASE in sales,  and trust me, Vegas is a Hummer kind of town. A Towbin sales person told me yesterday that they still have 13 unsold on their lot. Who wants to buy a dinosaur really cheap?

Towbin Motorcars is one of the most prominent auto dealers in the western US. Towbin sells Bentley’s, Rolls Royce’s, and now, the Mercedes Smart Car. Yes, Towbin has replaced Hummer with Smart. Undoubtedly a smart move.

 

Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and the rest would have us believe that “The Big Three” US automakers are in trouble because of onerous regulations imposed by the US government. As usual, the “conservative right” manipulates the information to prove their point. No boys, the problem is that GM, Chrysler and to a lesser extent make products that no one wants to buy.