The cheap cars that could cost a packet

The Nissan Silvia claimed the title of NZ's most-stolen car for the second year running. Photo / Supplied

If you are planning on buying an early-1990s Japanese performance car on the cheap, spend the savings on making sure it doesn't get stolen.

Insurance Council chief executive Chris Ryan says it is not "the latest model Legacys" being targeted by thieves, but the earlier "mum-and-dad" models that lack modern security features.

His comments come with the release of the second annual AA Insurance list of the country's most-stolen cars.

The Nissan Silvia claimed first spot again this year, with the Subaru Impreza and Nissan Skyline running second and third, respectively.

Newcomers to the list include the Mitsubishi Legnum, Honda Integra, Subaru Forester and Mazda Familia.

Gone from the top 10 is the BMW 325 coupe, which was third in 2008.

The list was issued with a warning that of all vehicles stolen, 85 per cent were first registered before 2000.

AA Insurance deputy general manager Martin Fox said older models were popular targets as they tended to lack anti-theft devices, and a 16-year-old car was four times more likely to be stolen than a late-model vehicle.

"It does tend to be the older vehicle being targeted. Sixteen years ago it was very, very basic."

The "vast majority" of car thefts were opportunistic, and spending a little more on anti-theft devices would likely deter most thieves, who preferred easy targets.

Mr Ryan said car thefts cost the country an estimated $160 million a year, and the bulk were thefts of the "relatively cheap, performance vehicles" that comprised the list.

As a result, it was likely insurance companies would start to target car owners' security arrangements for their vehicle.

Though it already happened to an extent, Mr Ryan said insurers would probably ask owners questions, such as whether they had secure garaging, parked their vehicle off the street, or ever left it on the street.

Failure to take adequate security precautions could see owners stung with heftier excesses or premiums.

"Most of those things would probably kick in after the first claim," he said.

Police statistics show there were 18,338 vehicle thefts in 2008, with just 19 per cent of cases (3495) being resolved.

However, the term "resolved" did not necessarily mean someone had been convicted of theft, Auckland City police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said.

A car theft case could be considered "resolved" if: a thief admits to it, but is not prosecuted because of lack of evidence; a vehicle was reported stolen but was later found to have been towed; a thief is arrested and prosecuted and a vehicle is found, but no one is arrested.

John Coker, public relations for Subaru NZ, said that while secondhand imported cars were at a high risk of being stolen, New Zealand-new Subarus were secure.

"The vast majority of Impreza and Legacy car thefts are of imported second cars, originally sold in Japan."

Mr Coker said that out of the 10,000 Subarus first registered in New Zealand only 37 had been stolen since January 1, 2004.

* NZ's top 10 stolen cars

1.Nissan Silvia
2.Subaru Impreza
3.Nissan Skyline
4.Subaru Legacy
5.Mitsubishi Legnum
6.Honda Integra
7.Subaru Forester
8.Mazda Lantis
9.Honda Prelude
10.Mazda Familia

Source: AA Insurance