Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Classes & Characters: Complete Guide

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.

Every Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 build and class explained. Strengths, weaknesses, best gear, and which to pick for your playstyle.

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.

Choosing the right build shapes your entire experience. This guide breaks down every option: what they're good at, what they struggle with, and which one matches your playstyle. For optimized builds with full gear sets, see our builds guide.

Quick Comparison

Build	Tier	Playstyle	Best Equipment	Beginner Friendly?
Engine rebuild specialist	A	Balanced	Engine Crane	Yes
Body and paint specialist	A	Balanced	Welder	Yes
Suspension and alignment specialist	A	Balanced	Paintshop	Yes
Barn find restorer	A	Balanced	Test Path	Yes
Auction flipper	A	Balanced	Dyno	Yes

New player? Start with Body and paint specialist. See our beginner's guide for why.

Engine rebuild specialist

Engine rebuild specialist is a strong option in Car Mechanic Simulator 2021.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Engine Crane
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Fictional badges on real cars

Strengths

Highest overall performance across all content types
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Engine Crane

Weaknesses

Popular choice, competition for resources
Needs specific gear to reach full potential

Recommended Progression

Start in Garage to learn Engine rebuild specialist-specific mechanics
Focus on Fictional badges on real cars. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Engine Crane as your first major upgrade
See our full Engine rebuild specialist build guide for the optimal gear progression

Body and paint specialist

Body and paint specialist is a strong option in Car Mechanic Simulator 2021.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Welder
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Examine mode and part condition

Strengths

Most versatile, adapts to any situation
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Welder

Weaknesses

Lower peak damage than S-tier options
Needs specific gear to reach full potential

Recommended Progression

Start in Garage to learn Body and paint specialist-specific mechanics
Focus on Examine mode and part condition. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Welder as your first major upgrade
See our full Body and paint specialist build guide for the optimal gear progression

Suspension and alignment specialist

Suspension and alignment specialist is a strong option in Car Mechanic Simulator 2021.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Paintshop
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Garage levels and equipment costs

Strengths

Best survivability for learning hard content
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Paintshop

Weaknesses

Slower progression speed
Needs specific gear to reach full potential

Recommended Progression

Start in Garage to learn Suspension and alignment specialist-specific mechanics
Focus on Garage levels and equipment costs. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Paintshop as your first major upgrade
See our full Suspension and alignment specialist build guide for the optimal gear progression

Barn find restorer

Barn find restorer is a strong option in Car Mechanic Simulator 2021.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Test Path
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Test Path and Dyno diagnostics

Strengths

Excellent in group and cooperative content
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Test Path

Weaknesses

Less effective solo
Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively

Recommended Progression

Start in Garage to learn Barn find restorer-specific mechanics
Focus on Test Path and Dyno diagnostics. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Test Path as your first major upgrade
See our full Barn find restorer build guide for the optimal gear progression

Auction flipper

Auction flipper is a strong option in Car Mechanic Simulator 2021.

Attribute	Detail
Tier	A
Playstyle	Balanced approach
Best Equipment	Dyno
Stat Priority	Balanced stats
Core Gear	Best available
Key Mechanic	Barn maps and junkyard salvage

Strengths

Highest skill ceiling with unique mechanics
Solid all-around choice
Pairs well with Dyno

Weaknesses

Steep learning curve, punishing mistakes
Requires deep game knowledge to use effectively

Recommended Progression

Start in Garage to learn Auction flipper-specific mechanics
Focus on Barn maps and junkyard salvage. It's this build's primary system
Prioritize Dyno as your first major upgrade
See our full Auction flipper build guide for the optimal gear progression

Which Build Should You Pick?

For Beginners

Body and paint specialist is the clear winner. It's forgiving, teaches core mechanics, and remains competitive into endgame. Follow our beginner's guide for the best first-session experience.

For Maximum Performance

Engine rebuild specialist is the top pick once you understand the game's mechanics. Pair it with Engine Crane for the strongest overall setup.

For a Challenge

Auction flipper offers the highest skill ceiling. It's punishing when misplayed but incredibly rewarding when mastered. Only recommended after you've completed the game with another build.

For Group Play

Barn find restorer shines in cooperative content with utility and team support capabilities.

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