Aging Neons, Luxury Audis Canada’s Most-Stolen Vehicles

Canada’s car insurers have released their annual list of the most frequently stolen vehicles, with luxury Audis and the aging Neon making appearances on the list.

The sharp contrast reflects the different purposes of auto theft. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, luxury vehicles are often stolen by organized crime for export, while low-end vehicles are stolen for transportation, parts or for use in other crimes.

The top ten stolen vehicles are:

1. 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door

2. 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door

3. 2004 Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STi 4- door AWD

4. 1995 Dodge/Plymouth Grand Caravan/ Voyager

5. 1995 Dodge/Plymouth Caravan/Voyager

6. 2002 Acura RSX Type S 2-door

7. 2001 Audi TT Quattro Roadster

8. 1995 Acura Integra 2-door

9. 1996 Dodge/Plymouth Neon 2-door

10. 1996 Dodge/Plymouth Neon 4-door

“I’m sure a lot of people with decade-old Neons don’t think that anybody would want to steal their car, but this shows that thieves aren’t just interested in new or high-value vehicles,” said Rick Dubin, vice-president, investigations, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). “These older vehicles are easier to steal, they have no approved anti-theft electronic immobilizers, and there are so many of them on the road that a stolen one can just blend in. That’s why they tend to be used to commit other crimes.”

I-CAR Seeking Licensee for Canadian Operations

I-CAR, the Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair, is seeking a Canadian firm to which it can transition its Canadian operations for collision repair training.

I-CAR is moving aggressively through the process and expects to complete the transition by the end of 2009.

Operations in Canada are continuing as usual while the training organization seeks a potential licensee.

“We are continuing to do what we do: scheduling I-CAR classes, conducting I-CAR training, and working to support the training needs of the inter-industry,” says John Edelen, president and CEO. “We intend to continue to do so as we transition to a Canadian industry-supported alternative,” he adds.

Interested parties will need to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) by March 1 to be invited to move further in the process and to submit a detailed proposal outlining a business plan that will successfully incorporate the ICAR vision in future operations in Canada.

Canadian firms interested in submitting an EOI can visit the I-CAR website at www.i-car.ca/eoi.

GM Approves PPG Global Refinish Products for Warranty Repairs

General Motors has approved PPG’s new D8152 Performance Plus Glamour Clearcoat and the DLV800X series of achromatic primer surfacers for worldwide use in warranty refinish repairs.

The two products, part of the PPG Global Refinish System, meet GM’s quality standard known as Specification GMW15406, and join a long list of GM-approved PPG coatings from the PPG and Nexa Autocolor paint lines, including Deltron and the waterborne Envirobase High Performance and Aquabase Plus products.

“PPG has worked very hard to meet GM’s high standards of quality and durability and we appreciate their recognition,” says Kevin Loop, PPG OEM business development manager. “GM dealers and their authorized repair and refinish facilities will be able to use these coatings for warranty work with the confidence they’ll be able to deliver a finish comparable in appearance to the original OEM vehicle finish.”

The D8152 clearcoat is designed for use over Global BC and Envirobase High Performance basecoats and is the perfect complement to D8150, Global Performance Clearcoat. This clearcoat has been specifically developed for exceptional gloss, ease of application, easy buffing, and exceptional holdout. The DLV800X series consists of three premium-level achromatic surfacers — white, black and grey — which can be mixed to achieve the desired grey tone.