Larry Fallowfield: Motor Trade Association spokesperson on the Toyota Aqua's insurance costs going up amid increased theft

The country's most stolen car - the Toyota Aqua - is now costing some as much as $3,000 a year to insure.

Motor Trade Association spokesperson, Larry Fallowfield, says in the past couple of years, they've also become the most registered used car here.

He says their lack of modern features means they're easier to steal - but owners can give them an upgrade.

"Insurance companies are saying - if you fit in an immobiliser, then obviously there's a change to what your premiums look like."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now the country's most stolen car is now so expensive
to ensure that it's costing some key. He's nearly three
grand a year just in insurance premiums. This is the
Toyota Aqua. It's been the most stolen car for two
years running. You can buy these things for six k right,
six k secondhand, which means that within two years, taking
into account insurance premiums, you've bought the thing twice. Motor

(00:21):
Trade Association spokesperson Larry Fallowfielder is with us.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Now, Hey, Larry, Hey, Heather, how are you.

Speaker 1 (00:26):
I'm very well, thank you. I mean, this doesn't sound
to me like it's worth insuring.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
What do you think, Well, I think it's like everything.
If you don't ensure it gets stolen, then you're out
of pocket for six grand. So it is high. But
when you think about that, they are the most stolen car,
uisum But they are also the most popular car from
a used import perspective. Head that that's in the last

(00:49):
two and a bit years. They do represent nearly twelve
percent of the vehicles registered in New Zealand from a
used import perspective, So when you think about the most
popular car, they're always going to be a target. And
I think there's a little bit more to it than that.
These cars aren't stolen to go shopping. Well maybe they

(01:09):
are stolen to go shopping in just a different form
that you and I go shop.

Speaker 1 (01:13):
But they're stolen to blend in, aren't they. That's the
whole point of it.

Speaker 2 (01:16):
Yeah, Well, if you think about it, you watch the news,
you'll see that pretty much most ram raids or criminal
event that happens is probably in a small car like
an Equa. You know. So why is that? Because well,
I think they're easy to break into, aren't they? From
Net's side, you know, there are They don't have the

(01:37):
modern features like immobilizers like other cars. And I think
the other thing is insurance companies are saying, you know,
if you fit in a mobilizer, then obviously there's a
there's a change to what your premiums look like.

Speaker 1 (01:48):
Larry, is that the solution if you've got one of
these cars and you really don't want it to get next,
do you need to get in a mobilizer?

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Well, look, I think there's a couple of solutions there,
header and a mobilizer is one. The second would be,
you know, steering up, it goes on the steering wheel.
You know, you isn't it, But but hey, it works,
you know, because they'll take the easiest option, and if
it's got a steering handle lock on it, it's just
too hard for them to get those off.

Speaker 1 (02:15):
I mean, listen, the reason that people love these cars
is because they are really really economical right there, They're
really cheap to runt. Surely though, there must be something
similar out there that isn't being nicked at quite the
same rate.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well, I suppose there is. There is lots of vehicles
out there that are that are similar. There's two things
about them. They are economical, as you've highlighted, and they
are reliable. You know, Toyota is a reliable brand, so
you know from that side, there's a couple of elements
that make them popular.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Hey, Larry, while I've got you, have you been following
this Toyota faulty safety data saga?

Speaker 2 (02:50):
I have a little bit.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
What do you make of the raid overnight?

Speaker 2 (02:55):
What? Sorry, the raid overnight?

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Which raid was that? Oh?

Speaker 1 (02:59):
This is the you might not have seen it. Ll Larry,
go and read it. It's going to tackle you tickle
your pink because it's in your industry. That was Larry
Larry Faulerfield, by the way, Motor Trade Association spokesperson. For
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