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So I'll be moving to SF for about the next 4-6 years as a student. I'm also planning to get my first car (will be securing an apartment with a dedicated garage space).
I was wondering if anyone knew the extent of crimes with regards to cars. For example, a friend told me that Honda Accords was the make that attracted the most break-ins (such as broken windows/etc). I really don't know where she got that piece of information from, as I can't find anything on that online.
I would like to know if "nicer" and "newer" cars are significantly more targeted (I was personally looking into a Honda Accord coupe or sedan until my friend informed me). And are there areas where I should just not park my car? I will be using it most often for commuting to school/work and the supermarket (as I tend to buy a lot at once).
I understand that living in a city, it's to be expected that the car will receive damage (dents/scratches because other people can't park), and I do have a budget, so the car won't be amazingly expensive.
Any suggestions on what brand or level of quality/price would be very helpful. I am currently considering living in the sunset areas. (Also, any advice regarding coupes vs sedans in SF would also be appreciated. My idea is that it will be easier to park a coupe, but my friend told me the difference will be negligible and that I should go with a sedan).
Car break-ins really depend on your area, they seem to often happen anywhere that is dark. I live in a good area of Hayes Valley and there is an alley behind my building and just yesterday there was glass all over it from a break-in.
But in the Sunset you should be fine, for the most part it is a very quiet area with very low crime. But it's still in the city so you shouldn't be careless. There are lists of which cars are most popular for thieves out there, you can probably find them easily with google and decide if a car is too tempting for thieves.
Beyond that, don't have a radio that can be stolen easily in a smash and grab (most people I know just pop off the front and put it in the glove box or take it inside when they arrive at home), don't leave any valuables in the car that are visible from the outside, and just in case don't leave anything in it that would be a pain to lose.
Parking at school should be fine (but expensive!) and many grocery stores have security guards around the parking lots. The worst thing would be to park your car in some alleyway and leave it there overnight, but most parking in the Sunset is on the street and is well-lit.
Car break-ins happen all the time in San Francisco. The car have now (89 Mazda 626) has been broken into three times. I used to have a Honda Accord; that got hit once. I also had another car (Toyota Corolla) stolen. One time when my parents came to visit me, their car was broken into. These incidents were all in different neighborhoods. I see auto glass on the ground pretty much every time I go out. Sometimes it's theft but often it's just for "fun"-- the windows are broken but nothing is taken. Best to just accept that it will probably happen, NEVER leave anything in your car, make sure you have vandalism insurance, and find out where your nearest auto glass place is.
I don't know if car break ins is something you can avoid. Just about every car I've ever owned in the City has been broken into...even in the best areas. I've had my trunk broken into 3 times (drove a older Toyota).
My mom's car was stolen in a very quiet part of the Sunset (so take the advice above with a grain of salt). Fewer people/traffic often around means more opportunities to do some damage/avoid being caught on the part of the criminal.
My advice is to not worry about what kind of car, but definitely consider a deterrent like the "club" or something like that. Also..don't ever throw a towel over the dashboard to protect the dash/or stereo- that just seems to scream "valuable" even if nothing's there! As for parking- the smaller the car, the better. Parking spots are often just a tad too small for a larger sedan.
Thanks for the advice, guys. Seems like the make of the car won't make a huge difference. Guess I'll go with a cheaper and more common make so I can get parts replaced relatively easily.
I'll definitely invest in as much security as I can (though I think if all the cars have alarms installed and cars still get broken into so much, I don't know how effective those are...) and just keep my car off the streets as much as I can.
Thanks for the advice, guys. Seems like the make of the car won't make a huge difference. Guess I'll go with a cheaper and more common make so I can get parts replaced relatively easily.
I'll definitely invest in as much security as I can (though I think if all the cars have alarms installed and cars still get broken into so much, I don't know how effective those are...) and just keep my car off the streets as much as I can.
By the way, what exactly is this "club"?
It's one of those devices that locks onto your steering wheel to prevent car thefts...Maybe they don't even make them anymore?? They were quite popular back in day but maybe that's old fashioned stuff now days.
Americans who live in easily walkable cities such as New York and San Francisco and “have to have their cars,” and worry about their cars being broken into... *Sigh*
Silly Americans.
If you've got the funds to afford having a car in San Francisco, why not spring for a garage to park it in and dispense with all the parking hassles, sundry expenses such as ding repairs, and anxieties? For that matter, why not hire a driver or hail cabs? It might actually be cheaper than renting a garage, and perhaps cheaper than the total expenses of owning and operating a car in the city altogether after you factor in car payments, insurance, gas, repairs, etc..
Why not just walk/bike/bus/train/cab it around town and rent a car for trips or take the trains? It would be significantly cheaper and certainly safer in some respects. More than likely your travel time would be quicker without taking a car, especially if you're living and working in the city. It would be a lot less trouble. And environmentally-friendly, I might add, for all you tree hugging San Franciscans who profess to be so green and environmentally-conscious.
But no, Americans HAVE to have their cars. It's the only freedom they know. All the talk about being environmentally conscious, frugal, and community-oriented is a bunch of hooey. Talk is cheap; I'm too busy watching what you do. Progressive, liberal San Franciscans want everybody else to take the bus and forego their car-dependency, but they themselves of course do not want to surrender their wheels. Hypocrites!
But they want their freedom.
Apparently they want their freedom to spend exorbitant money getting around: car payment + car insurance + ding expenses + windshield replacements + oil changes and servicing + license and registration fees + gas + tires and car parts, etc. They want the freedom to spend all this money on something they don't need and is a burden on their time and checking accounts, yet they are the same people who will complain about "the exorbitant cost of living in San Francisco."
They apparently don't mind if it will take as long or longer to get from place to place (walk to the car, drive through gridlock, get gas, wait forever at the lights, find a parking place, walk from the parking spot to the destination, etc.).
They apparently don't seem to care that their cars are contributing to the oil & energy crisis, hole in the ozone, and general pollution. But they do care about YOUR irresponsible habits.
They want their freedom to not have to rub shoulders with other people or get their pant legs a little dirty from the grime of the streets. They don’t want to have to expend the walking energy; they’d rather burn fossil fuels and spend, spend, spend, and then complain.
They want their freedom!
Silly Americans.
The experts say that socialism will eventually Europeanize this country. Now, I'm no fan of socialism or Obama, but if being Europeanized will make people wise up about their modes of transportation, help make cities more livable, thin out the congested streets, help reduce noise pollution (honking, screeching tires, and those annoying security system activation beeps, tweets, and honks), and bring people back to community-centered living and reasonable travel radii, then I say YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN!
Maybe I won’t have to apply for a German Visa after all.
Americans who live in easily walkable cities such as New York and San Francisco and “have to have their cars,” and worry about their cars being broken into... *Sigh*
Silly Americans.
If you've got the funds to afford having a car in San Francisco, why not spring for a garage to park it in and dispense with all the parking hassles, sundry expenses such as ding repairs, and anxieties? For that matter, why not hire a driver or hail cabs? It might actually be cheaper than renting a garage, and perhaps cheaper than the total expenses of owning and operating a car in the city altogether after you factor in car payments, insurance, gas, repairs, etc..
Why not just walk/bike/bus/train/cab it around town and rent a car for trips or take the trains? It would be significantly cheaper and certainly safer in some respects. More than likely your travel time would be quicker without taking a car, especially if you're living and working in the city. It would be a lot less trouble. And environmentally-friendly, I might add, for all you tree hugging San Franciscans who profess to be so green and environmentally-conscious.
But no, Americans HAVE to have their cars. It's the only freedom they know. All the talk about being environmentally conscious, frugal, and community-oriented is a bunch of hooey. Talk is cheap; I'm too busy watching what you do. Progressive, liberal San Franciscans want everybody else to take the bus and forego their car-dependency, but they themselves of course do not want to surrender their wheels. Hypocrites!
But they want their freedom.
Apparently they want their freedom to spend exorbitant money getting around: car payment + car insurance + ding expenses + windshield replacements + oil changes and servicing + license and registration fees + gas + tires and car parts, etc. They want the freedom to spend all this money on something they don't need and is a burden on their time and checking accounts, yet they are the same people who will complain about "the exorbitant cost of living in San Francisco."
They apparently don't mind if it will take as long or longer to get from place to place (walk to the car, drive through gridlock, get gas, wait forever at the lights, find a parking place, walk from the parking spot to the destination, etc.).
They apparently don't seem to care that their cars are contributing to the oil & energy crisis, hole in the ozone, and general pollution. But they do care about YOUR irresponsible habits.
They want their freedom to not have to rub shoulders with other people or get their pant legs a little dirty from the grime of the streets. They don’t want to have to expend the walking energy; they’d rather burn fossil fuels and spend, spend, spend, and then complain.
They want their freedom!
Silly Americans.
The experts say that socialism will eventually Europeanize this country. Now, I'm no fan of socialism or Obama, but if being Europeanized will make people wise up about their modes of transportation, help make cities more livable, thin out the congested streets, help reduce noise pollution (honking, screeching tires, and those annoying security system activation beeps, tweets, and honks), and bring people back to community-centered living and reasonable travel radii, then I say YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN!
Maybe I won’t have to apply for a German Visa after all.
WTF?
You've really got some serious problems that nobody here wants to know about.
The only point I am going to second in this is, yes, why not narrow down your rental search to solely places with a garage? That would very much calm your nerves regarding breakins.....
BTW- Laocoon, I am not American either, but know better than to generalize and insult a whole culture....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Laocoön
Americans and their cars... *Sigh*
Americans who live in easily walkable cities such as New York and San Francisco and “have to have their cars,” and worry about their cars being broken into... *Sigh*
Silly Americans.
If you've got the funds to afford having a car in San Francisco, why not spring for a garage to park it in and dispense with all the parking hassles, sundry expenses such as ding repairs, and anxieties? For that matter, why not hire a driver or hail cabs? It might actually be cheaper than renting a garage, and perhaps cheaper than the total expenses of owning and operating a car in the city altogether after you factor in car payments, insurance, gas, repairs, etc..
Why not just walk/bike/bus/train/cab it around town and rent a car for trips or take the trains? It would be significantly cheaper and certainly safer in some respects. More than likely your travel time would be quicker without taking a car, especially if you're living and working in the city. It would be a lot less trouble. And environmentally-friendly, I might add, for all you tree hugging San Franciscans who profess to be so green and environmentally-conscious.
But no, Americans HAVE to have their cars. It's the only freedom they know. All the talk about being environmentally conscious, frugal, and community-oriented is a bunch of hooey. Talk is cheap; I'm too busy watching what you do. Progressive, liberal San Franciscans want everybody else to take the bus and forego their car-dependency, but they themselves of course do not want to surrender their wheels. Hypocrites!
But they want their freedom.
Apparently they want their freedom to spend exorbitant money getting around: car payment + car insurance + ding expenses + windshield replacements + oil changes and servicing + license and registration fees + gas + tires and car parts, etc. They want the freedom to spend all this money on something they don't need and is a burden on their time and checking accounts, yet they are the same people who will complain about "the exorbitant cost of living in San Francisco."
They apparently don't mind if it will take as long or longer to get from place to place (walk to the car, drive through gridlock, get gas, wait forever at the lights, find a parking place, walk from the parking spot to the destination, etc.).
They apparently don't seem to care that their cars are contributing to the oil & energy crisis, hole in the ozone, and general pollution. But they do care about YOUR irresponsible habits.
They want their freedom to not have to rub shoulders with other people or get their pant legs a little dirty from the grime of the streets. They don’t want to have to expend the walking energy; they’d rather burn fossil fuels and spend, spend, spend, and then complain.
They want their freedom!
Silly Americans.
The experts say that socialism will eventually Europeanize this country. Now, I'm no fan of socialism or Obama, but if being Europeanized will make people wise up about their modes of transportation, help make cities more livable, thin out the congested streets, help reduce noise pollution (honking, screeching tires, and those annoying security system activation beeps, tweets, and honks), and bring people back to community-centered living and reasonable travel radii, then I say YES WE CAN, YES WE CAN!
Maybe I won’t have to apply for a German Visa after all.
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but maybe that's old fashioned stuff now days.
