Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Boss Guide: Strategies for Every Boss

Q: Why do the cars have names I do not recognise?

Licensing. The 72 base game cars are modelled on real vehicles but wear invented badges, so Bolt stands for Chevrolet, Salem for Ford, Ribbsan for Nissan, Sakura for Toyota, FMW for BMW and DC for AC. The Bolt Reptilia is a 1970 Corvette, the Salem Spectre is a 2013 Mustang and the Sakura Supa is a 1993 Supra. The licensed DLC packs are the exception and use real names, including a Nissan Fairlady, a GT-R R35, a Tesla Roadster and a Model 3.

Q: What should I buy first with my credits?

The 2,000 credit Engine Crane and the 1,500 credit parts Repair Table, in that order. Both are used on almost every job. The 500 credit Tablet and 750 credit Warehouse are cheap quality-of-life additions worth grabbing early. Hold off on the 15,000 credit Paintshop and 20,000 credit Dyno until the job queue actually demands them.

Q: How do I unlock the Junkyard and the barns?

The Junkyard opens at level 5, so completing story orders for experience is the fastest route to it. Barns work differently: each one needs a map, and maps drop randomly from the lootboxes awarded for finishing story orders. There is no way to buy a barn map, so story progress is the only supply.

Q: Is the Dyno worth 20,000 credits?

Only once you want tuning work. The Dyno measures horsepower and torque and is what makes tuning orders available in the first place, so without it that whole job category stays closed. For a garage running ordinary repair orders it is dead weight, which is why most players buy it last after the Test Path, Welder and Paintshop.

Q: How do I find a fault that does not show on any part?

Use the 10,000 credit Test Path. Suspension problems and wheel or headlight misalignment do not display as a condition percentage on any component, so examine mode will never surface them. Driving the car on the Test Path is the only diagnosis the game offers, and it doubles as the alignment tool once you have found the problem.

Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 boss guide with strategies, recommended builds, and tips for every boss fight from start to endgame.

EarlyGuides Editorial Team

Researched and editorially reviewed. Updated August 12, 2026.

Red Dot Games released Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 through PlayWay on 11 August 2021 with 72 cars and more than 4,000 individual parts. You start with one lifter, a free repair bench and no money, and every piece of workshop equipment after that has a price: 2,000 credits for the Engine Crane, 5,000 for the Welder, 10,000 for the Test Path, 15,000 for the Paintshop and 20,000 for the Dyno. Base game cars carry fictional badges for licensing reasons, so the Bolt Reptilia is a 1970 Chevrolet Corvette, the Salem Spectre is a 2013 Ford Mustang and the Sakura Supa is a 1993 Toyota Supra. Only the licensed DLC packs, such as the Nissan and Electric Car sets, use real names.

Boss fights are where Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 tests everything you've learned. This guide covers strategies for bosses across all areas, organized by progression order. For general combat techniques, see our combat guide.

Boss Difficulty Overview

Area	Difficulty	Recommended Build	Key Equipment
Garage	Easy	Body and paint specialist	Welder
Junkyard	Moderate	Body and paint specialist	Welder
Barn	Hard	Engine rebuild specialist	Engine Crane
Car Auction	Very Hard	Engine rebuild specialist	Engine Crane
Car Salon	Extreme	Engine rebuild specialist	Engine Crane

Garage Bosses

Area difficulty: Easy Recommended level: From the first order onward Recommended build: Body and paint specialist with Welder

Strategy

The first bosses teach core combat mechanics. Focus on learning patterns rather than dealing damage. Every base game car is modelled on a real vehicle but wears an invented badge because Red Dot Games did not license those brands. This is your primary tool here.

Key tips:

Don't rush. Learn the attack patterns first.
Use Fictional badges on real cars to create safe windows.
Welder is enough to handle everything here.

Junkyard Bosses

Area difficulty: Moderate Recommended level: Level 5 onward Recommended build: Body and paint specialist with Welder

Strategy

Early game bosses test your understanding of Examine mode and part condition. Players who skipped learning this mechanic will hit a wall here.

Key tips:

Examine mode and part condition is critical for these fights.
Farm Welder upgrades if you're struggling.
Consider switching to Body and paint specialist if your current setup isn't working.

Barn Bosses

Area difficulty: Hard Recommended level: Mid game, once story orders start dropping maps Recommended build: Engine rebuild specialist with Engine Crane

Strategy

Mid-game bosses are the major skill check. They combine multiple mechanics and punish players who rely on a single strategy.

Key tips:

You need both Fictional badges on real cars and Garage levels and equipment costs mastery.
Engine Crane makes a significant difference. Get it before attempting these.
See our combat guide for advanced techniques.

Car Auction Bosses

Area difficulty: Very Hard Recommended level: Once you can hold several thousand credits in reserve Recommended build: Engine rebuild specialist with Engine Crane

Strategy

Late-game bosses are serious challenges. Build optimization matters as much as mechanical skill.

Key tips:

Make sure your build is fully optimized.
Engine Crane at max upgrade is recommended.
Study each boss's attack patterns. Most have 2-3 phases.

Car Salon Bosses

Area difficulty: Extreme Recommended level: Late game, once credits stop being the constraint Recommended build: Engine rebuild specialist with Engine Crane

Strategy

Endgame bosses are the ultimate test. They require mastery of all combat systems and an optimized build.

Key tips:

Top-tier build with best-in-slot gear is mandatory.
Master every mechanic. See our combat guide.
These fights reward patience and pattern recognition above all else.

General Boss Tips

Learn before you fight: Spend your first attempt observing attack patterns. Don't try to win on attempt one.
Match your build: Some bosses favor certain builds over others. Don't be afraid to switch.
Upgrade your equipment: A max-upgraded Engine Crane trivializes fights that seem impossible with weaker gear.
Use Fictional badges on real cars: The core combat mechanic is your best defensive tool in every boss fight.
Check the walkthrough: Our walkthrough tells you when you're ready for each boss.

More Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Guides

Similar Games

If you enjoy Car Mechanic Simulator 2021, check out these related guides:

Stardew Valley Boss Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
Satisfactory Boss Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
The Sims 4 Boss Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics

More Game Guides

American Truck Simulator

Assetto Corsa

Assetto Corsa Competizione

BeamNG.drive