Getting ready to buy yourself a used car?  Well…we all know that cars develop reputations for various things and the list of cars here have quickly become notorious for being the most stolen used cars in Canada.

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

According to Statistics Canada, the percentage of stolen cars has declined over the last year. However, there are still over 100,000 cars being stolen across the country, every year. This list was compiled by the Insurance Bureau of Canada in an attempt to educate consumers about which cars may be most susceptible to theft.

Some were surprised that so many older vehicles were featured on this list. However, the chief of the Insurance Bureau said cars like the Neon were easy targets because they easily blend in with other vehicles and are therefore difficult to track down. Most often, these cars are stolen as a mode of transport required to commit other crimes.

The Cadillac Deville four-door (2003), the Lincoln Continental (2002) and the Lincoln Town Car (2001) are the proud leaders of the list for the ‘Least Stolen Used Cars’.

If you own a car that is on the ‘Most Stolen’ list, there’s no need to panic. However, now that you do know that you car could be a target, it might be a good time to get some of those extra safety features (like an alarm) installed in your car and of course, remember to always park your car in a safe spot.

For more information, visit United Auto Credit – providing Used Car Loans and Bad Credit Car Financing in Oshawa, Oakville, Mississauga, Brampton, Maple, Woodbridge, Scarborough, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering and the Greater Toronto Area.

Buying a used car means getting some pretty great deals but if you’re not careful, you could be a victim of odometer fraud. One of the most common used car scams is tampering with a used car’s odometer. Here are some tips to see if the odometer of a used car has been changed or tampered with.

Line Up
Look at the odometer very closely. The numbers should all line up. If they don’t, there might be something fishy going on.

Car History
Most trustworthy dealers, or even individual sellers, will have a log book that will show you the car’s history. When a car is taken in for servicing, the mechanic will usually record the miles in the log book. If the car you’re looking at doesn’t have a reliable log book or the odometer doesn’t match up with the log book, chances are you’re being taken for a ride.

New Parts?
Rogue used car dealers often replace old car parts with brand new ones to get rid of any telltale signs of wear and tear. For example, a car that has a fair amount of miles on it will probably have pedals that are considerably worn out. If the pedals seem brand new, you should probably question why they were replaced in the first place. Of course pedals aren’t the only used car part that can be replaced and you should look closely to see if you notice any car parts that don’t seem to be as old as the car.

The Driver’s Seat
Very few used car dealers or individual sellers will replace a worn out car seat. This is expensive and time consuming. However, if the driver’s seat looks like its seen better days, you should question why the miles on the odometer don’t match up.

Happy - and safe - car hunting.

For more information, visit United Auto Credit – providing Used Car Loans and Bad Credit Auto Loans in Ajax, Ancaster, Beeton, Bradford, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Castleton, Cobourg, Cooksville, Dundas, Ft. Erie, Freelton, Georgetown, Hamilton, Keswick, Malton, Milton, Mississauga, Newmarket, Niagara Falls, Oakville, Oshawa, Port Credit, Port Perry, Richmond Hill, St. Catharines, Selkirk, Streetsville, Thornhill, Unionville, Welland, Toronto, North York, Etobicoke, Scarborough, Brampton, Woodbridge, Vaughan, Maple and the Greater Toronto Area.