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Disgruntled SUV owners torch trucks

06/12/2006, 10:49 AM

By admin

SUV owners fed up with riding gas prices have found a new way to get out of high car payments. Apparently, many owners have turned to insurance fraud to get rid of their unwanted vehicles. In Southern California, a popular scam involves arson-for-hire. “Because of the way the economy has gone, the gas prices skyrocketing the way they have, we started to see a peak” (in arsons), said investigator Robert Rowe. “People that had the gas-guzzlers that got eight miles per gallon, they started to get hit hard. They didn’t want those cars anymore.”

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06/12, 10:51 AM

posted by:

Toy Yoda

Why don’t you guys ever point us to the link of the original article, or copy the original article sans pictures as another link on your site? This headlines is worthy of further details.

06/12, 11:00 AM

posted by:

Mike

I am sure E.L.F. members would have burned them to the ground for free… suckers.

06/12, 11:02 AM

posted by:

joeb

Yet another way that SUVs suck for America. Here’s a link to the full article:

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/specialreports/articles/115584article.html

06/12, 11:03 AM

posted by:

bill

he tardo.. the original link is always hyper linked in the article

06/12, 11:04 AM

posted by:

Northeasterner

WOW. I wasn’t aware this was going on.
#2, don’t know if they added it later, but there is a link to the original article (”turned to insurance fraud” is underlined meaning it’s a hyperlink).

06/12, 11:08 AM

posted by:

Karl

I think the collective IQ of the nation just dropped a point. I hate insurance companies almost as much as cops who run speed traps, but this is not a good way to unload your car. Is $25,000 worth a year or two in the pen for arson?

06/12, 11:35 AM

posted by:

The Stig

smokin…

06/12, 11:44 AM

posted by:

Toy Yoda

No they didn’t have it, and most of the time they don’t post the original source. And half the time they do, the original source wants you to sign up. This service could be a whole lot better if they could save us the grief. So, bill stop being a prick.

06/12, 12:47 PM

posted by:

Mike

or them tundras, tacomas, seqoias, FJ cruiser, 4 runner, gx, LC, etc…

06/12, 1:02 PM

posted by:

Alex

I’m happy about this, I hate those Tahoes

06/12, 1:21 PM

posted by:

Thom

I like Mike’s comments. How come no one else mentioned the Toyoda crap trucks and SUV when they play “haters” to SUVs?? Hmmm? They are just as bad as Tahoes you boneheads.

I happen to like my SUV, and don’t care if gas is $10/gallon. Buy stock in the oil companies and you wont care either.

06/12, 1:51 PM

posted by:

Ahk-Med

I agree, the big import SUVs are not really any better than the domestics. However, the big domestics are larger vehicles overall and greater in number so its no wonder why the’ve become the poster child for the big evil SUVs.

Also, I think Toyota escapes alot of that crticism simply becuase they’ve got cars like the Prius for the “green” crowd to rally around. You can question the legitmacy of the Prius and it’s enviormental impact, but were dealing with perception here, not reailty.

If GM, (or any other manufactuer) had a product that generated the same feelings as the Prius, that would go along way torwards eliminating the vilification they get for their V8 powered lineup.

06/12, 3:13 PM

posted by:

daveo

You’re happy about people committing insurance fraud which raises everyones rates so effectively you are paying for their mistakes? Good thinking. No imagine the risk to the fire fighters who have to put out the fires, risk their lives. And maybe be busy at one of those calls when your house catches on fire so there is a delay with getting to the call.

It”s really a sad state of affairs…

06/12, 3:28 PM

posted by:

Anonymous

Import SUV’s get worse gas mileage than domestics.

06/12, 4:05 PM

posted by:

Josh

I love how they show a burning CR-V to be the poster-car for gas guzzlers. I drive an ‘04 CR-V and got 25.6 mpg on my last tank :-p

06/12, 4:09 PM

posted by:

Mike

I got 23mpg last weekend in my ‘05 Wrangler 4.0, what is your point josh? just trying to toot your own horn?

06/12, 4:38 PM

posted by:

MH

A SUV it’s really not adequated for the kind of roads and streets we have. It’s simply stupid to use a low efficiency vehicle on fast highways. If mileage is important a efficient and fast car is much more smart way to drive. I usually get 50 mpg from my BMW 320d (diesel).

06/12, 6:00 PM

posted by:

Anonymous

Burn Honda, burn !!!!!

06/12, 9:03 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

#22: well said. :-)

06/12, 10:03 PM

posted by:

Money

”Import SUV’s get worse gas mileage than domestics.”?
What are you on are you saying Hummers get better gas mileage than a Honda CR-V. Burn GM burn crap Tahoes.

06/13, 2:46 AM

posted by:

D

That’s not what he’s saying, Money, and you know it. Mike and Anonymous are saying that the import brands make just as many gas-guzzling SUV’s as the domestics, and yet the domestics are torn to shreds for killing the planet?

Well, colour me befuddled, because:
Sequoia
Landcruiser
GX470
LX470
4Runner
Tacoma
Tundra
Titan
Armada
Pathfinder
Montero
Endeavour
QX56
Cayenne
Touareg
etc etc

Hmmm… Makes you think, doesn’t it?

06/13, 8:43 AM

posted by:

1c3d0g

#27: LMAO…riiiiight. :-P

06/14, 2:56 AM

posted by:

D

Don’t patronise me.

The domestics make plenty of adequate, good and even great cars. Want me to make another list?

Oh, and I hold no bias towards either imports or domestics, but the Sequoia is based on a pickup platform, the QX56 has horrid reliability, and the GX470 is a mid-size, body-on-frame SUV costing… how much?!

And that was just out of my list…

06/14, 3:10 PM

posted by:

1c3d0g

#29: exactly. No import crap is ever going to touch my feet.

06/14, 9:01 PM

posted by:

Money

The reason the domestics are torn to shreds for killing the planet is because domestic SUVs came first.

06/14, 9:01 PM

posted by:

Money

The reason the domestics are torn to shreds for killing the planet is because domestic SUVs were first.

06/15, 8:24 AM

posted by:

D

Mitsubishi, Toyota and Nissan have had big SUV’s for years. The SUV started because people wanted them, and the cheapest ones available were by Ford and Jeep.

[...] It is shocking and sad to think these owners would commit insurance fraud — especially when it has only been a few months since the PenOpticon launched its widely acclaimed Save the SUVs campaign. Give it a chance people! Ya try to be helpful, but some folks just like to play with fire, I reckon. This was all news to me today, but it seems this story has been plastered across the net for a few weeks. In any case, here is a smattering of stories covering this, um, burning issue: Don’t set the car on fire yet Disgruntled SUV owners torch trucks SUV owners burn their own expensive vehicles [...]

 
 
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