The car that is least noticeable...

[raccoon]

If you wanted a car that you figured would be the least noticeable/least memorable--say you're a PI and you're watching somebody--what model/color would you choose?

[Squatch]

1. Gray 1998 Honda Accord

There are thousands of them, plus they have good get-up-and-go.

[Squatch]

4. And, it doesn't fit the typical "I'm a PI and I drive a Crown Vic"

stereotype

[Poll_Blind]

7. OMG all of us typed those Honda Accord messaegs at the same time! LOL n/t

PB

[jakefrep]

2. Beige Honda Accord...

..there's only a brazillion of them on the road.

[Poll_Blind]

3. Honda Accord, recent but older model in gray or champaign. n/t

PB

[5X]

5. Depends on the location...

around here it would be a chevy pickup.

[WyLoochka]

21. In the northern mountain west

I'd pick a Subaru. They are everywhere. Plus they are very practical, reliable and can really get you to remote scenic areas for your enjoyment, if you like that type of thing.

[MadHound]

6. Blue Honda Civic

Very, very anonymous car.

OK, so what are you up to?

[Laura PourMeADrink]

pink cadillac convertible

[raccoon]

20. Like the red Ferrari Magnum drove!

Very inconspicuous..not.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

42. Yes, at first, I was just kidding, but then I thought - I would never

suspect someone who had such a "loud" car to be watching me...

[salin]

8. interesting question...

begging the ... so why do you ask? question :D

[raccoon]

19. Well, I just don't want everybody to know where I am. LOL nt

[salin]

29. stalker ex? Wacko rushite former employee?

oh the speculation could go on and on :D

[Richard Steele]

9. 10 year old white van with a ladder on top.

But it really depends on the area, you know?

[Deep13]

10. Ford Taurus

There's millions of 'em and they are nice and comfy for a stake-out.

[TygrBright]

28. And they last forever and are cheap to repair...

...we got 360,000 miles out of our last Taurus and cried when Ford discontinued the model. Fortunately we invested in a nice used Sable (the Mercury clone of Taurus) just a couple of years ago, so by the time that one's worn out Ford might have worked the kinks out of the model they're replacing it with.

Helpfully,

Bright

[NickB79]

47. Last forever and cheap to repair?!?!?!

You must have an angel on your shoulder. Mine needed a new engine at 80,000 miles (factory installed the new one). Then I needed brake work which wasn't covered under warranty that cost over a grand, then issues with the transmission, rusting, etc. I'll be delighted if it makes it to 200,000 miles, if the price of gas doesn't make the 24 mpg combined highway/city doesn't keep it off the streets sooner.

[TygrBright]

52. Wow... sorry you got a lemon...

We've had three and every one has been excellent.

apologetically,
Bright

[Atman]

11. Don't forget the Ford Taurus

They're like cockroaches.

[Tyler Durden]

12. late model FORD ESCORT.

Not white, red or black. Station Wagon.

There are about 3 billion 1997-2000 Gunmetal or Dark Green Ford Escort wagons around.

I exagerate, but they are as common as it gets.

[Wickerman]

13. Damn, next time I see a Honda Accord, grey, I'm gonna

suspect that a PI is following me! :rofl:

the votes are in!

[Jacobin]

14. Are you thinking of having a little, uhm, fling or something?

:-)

[raccoon]

22. If so, I'm single, no hay problema! nt

[MadisonProgressive]

15. '72 beige Ford Fairlane

[shenmue]

16. 1990 Ford Tempo

I had one. It sucked. It was so awful, people would stay away from it, which makes it a good car for a p.i. to have.

[mikeytherat]

17. Mid-90s Ford Escort station wagon, or same era Taurus - blue or maroon

They are everywhere. Plus my blue Escort wagon gets 35 mpg in town and 42 on the highway!

mikey_the_rat

[raccoon]

18. Interesting so many of you said Gray Honda Accord...

I was thinking gray too.

Lots of Tauruses around too.

Reason I asked is before I bought my present car I had an 1980-something car that really stood out. Once I'd stopped at a library and an old friend saw my car and stopped by to say hello! (This wasn't in a small town, either.)

[AlCzervik]

26. i had a grey taurus rental car when my car got stolen--most non descript

car ever--nobody ever looks at a ford taurus in my experience.

[Batgirl]

23. My most invisible car was a metallic beige 82 Buick Skylark

I could have driven through a police station parking lot at 100mph in reverse and gone unnoticed.

[slackmaster]

24. Brown 1984 Toyota pickup with bondo and primer patches

Nobody would want to look at that very closely.

[raccoon]

33. But they'd remember a car like that. nt

[Goblinmonger]

25. If it is really for PI stuff

you may want to get a mini-van. Possibly a Chrysler since they are the most popular. Why? You get the tinted windows so nobody can see in. You take out the back seat(s) so that you can set up a video camera on a tripod in the back for when you need it.

I was an investigator for a law firm for 4 years. Let me know if you have questions.

[raccoon]

53. It isn't, but thanks for the info. nt

[Catherine Vincent]

27. Okay, whose husband (or wife) are you planning on spying on?

:hi:

[bunkerbuster1]

30. Around metroLanta--gray or black Explorer

or similar Blazer.

Although the Taurus or Accord suggestions would probably work well too.

[justabob]

31. 2000 Toyota Corolla - White

They are everywhere and are very sensible and boring... easily forgetable.

[KansDem]

32. This is a "no brainer" -- A mid-'70s Pontiac Firebird, of course!

See a real PI drive one now!

[Samurai_Writer]

34. Well, if you're in Colorado, especially Boulder

It would have to be a Subaru Outback AWD wagon. Blue or grey. Those things are everywhere.

[slackmaster]

37. Cargo shorts, hooded sweatshirt, socks, and sandals you'll fit right in

Perfect Colorado camouflage.

[Tracyjo]

35. It must be the color gray

I drive a gray Corolla and sometimes I think it's invisible. People are always pulling out in front of me.

[Neil Lisst]

36. white car, 10 years old, not too clean, not too dirty, probably an Accord

[Joe Fields]

38. A 1939 Packard

[happyslug]

44. At least show us a Picture, like this one

http://oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Packard/1930.html

[Joe Fields]

45. My bad. BTW, No one would spot me in this!

[happyslug]

48. Yes in but only in a field of Packards.

Which do not occur that often.

[sinkingfeeling]

39. I'd use my 1991 Subaru Loyale station wagon....light blue and dirty.

[Atman]

41. Subarus probably would be best in Vermont.

Everyone drives them. Except the mooses.

[Atman]

40. Years ago, I knew some guys involved in some "nefarious" activities

I was living in Florida. Some daring entreprenuers would make runs up and down I-95 from Florida to New England carrying "contraband." A neighbor was out in his driveway with a few guys standing around looking at an old beater Ford station wagon. Fake wood sides, rusted fenders, looked like a total POS. Which made it all the more curious what the hell they were all looking at. I walked over, and under the hood was a gleaming bored out V8. The rust on the car was "fake," strengthened and sealed. There were no outward signs of customization, but underneath he had custom shocks, special stabilizers, custom steering and everything else. And for some reason, the entire underside of the rear bed was hollowed out. Hmmmm. I didn't have to ask why! After all, this was Florida in the seventies. I may have been high, but I wasn't stupid.

[happyslug]

43. A car not older than 10 year but not newer than 4 years

Look at the list of most stolen cars. The most stolen cars are stolen for parts for the car was a hot seller 4-5 years before and thus still a common car on the road.

You do not want something more than 10 years old, as cars get over 10 years old they start to be withdrawn from the market and become rarer and rarer (and thus start to stand out). Newer cars are heavily advertised so they tend to stand out in people's minds.

The ideal car is a car whose model style changed within the last 1-3 years but was in production for 5-10 years. Most car makers change the style of their cars about every Five years (Through some models can last for Decades for example the 1973-1989 Chevy Pickup and other are changed within a year if they do not sell). Thus you want a car that is still common on the road but NOT being advertised on Television as a new car.

As to color you want a car that does not stand out, white, gray etc are good colors. Red have become more and more a common color since the introduction of Polyurethane Paints in the 1980s (Prior to that time period Red would fade to orange after a few years so NOT popular). Remember it is NOT the brightness of the Color but does it stand out? A red car among other red cars do not while a gray car among red cars will (And white vans and trucks are one of the most common color work vehicles today, remember the DC Sniper and the report of a "White Van"? The report was do to the fact white vans are Everywhere).

The last time I check the most popular car colors were White, Black and Red. Variations of these will also work.

Thus a white minivan of a style (Notice I said Style NOT model) no longer in production would be the ideal surveillance vehicle. I will stay away from large vans for people have been joking about Large White Vans and Police Surveillance since at least the 1970s, but a mini-van in a dark red? (a very common Color Mini-vans) might be ideal.

Some articles On Most stolen Cars with lists:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/car-guide-2004/most-stolen1.asp

This look like it for 2000 so a little old:
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/auto/car-guide/stolen.asp

This is for 2004
http://www.statefarm.com/insuranc/auto/nicbcars/grndthft.htm

[slaveplanet]

46. silver/gray is the hardest

color to spot from a distance. Unless your in a forest.

All our cop cars around here have switched to silver, much harder to spot now.

It also hides road grime best, between washings.

[name not needed]

49. Silver Honda Civic

[Thtwudbeme]

50. a dark blue 1998 Subaru Outback. It's a station wagon, and I am telling

you...no one looks twice at it.

INCLUDING the cop that was running a speed trap.

[billyskank]

51. Dodge Charger, painted like the General Lee

:silly:

[jmowreader]

54. 1986-1989 four-door Honda Accord, gray in color

The ones with retractable headlights are the ones I refer to.

IIRC the 1989 Accord still holds the record for Largest Production Run of Any Model Year Car. They made approx. two brazillion units of this car. You could drive drunk in this car and never be noticed.

[Wilber_Stool]

55. '85 Volvo wagon, grey

Even the cops can't see them.

[texas1928]

56. 2006 Lamborghini

[DS1]

59. Actually, that's quite brilliant

put yourself on the other side of the road from a 2006 Lamborghini, selling lemonade, and NOBODY will even see you

[DS1]

57. Toyota Corrolla

[LeftyMom]

58. Early 90's four door Honda Accord, brown or green

They've got to be just about the most common car on the road around here.