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.
Resource management and crafting determine how quickly your power scales. This guide covers what to prioritize, where to farm, and how to avoid wasting resources on the wrong upgrades.
Crafting Priority List
The order you should invest resources:
| Priority | Target | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Primary equipment | Biggest damage increase per resource spent |
| 2 | Core build gear | Enables your build's key combinations |
| 3 | Defensive upgrades | Survivability for boss fights |
| 4 | Secondary equipment | Situational options for specific content |
| 5 | Consumables | Temporary boosts for hard content |
Resource Farming by Area
Garage
Key resources: Equipment slots, second Lifter at 2,500, Garage Expansion at 10,000 Farming efficiency: Low value per run, but safe and consistent
Focus on gathering materials for Welder upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Junkyard
Key resources: Cheap donor cars, low cost parts, salvage material Farming efficiency: Good early-game farming spot
Focus on gathering materials for Welder upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Barn
Key resources: Project cars, used part sets, rare finds Farming efficiency: Best mid-game farming, worth revisiting
Focus on gathering materials for Welder upgrades here. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Car Auction
Key resources: Most of the 72 base game cars, flip opportunities Farming efficiency: High-value materials for late-game upgrades
This is where you farm materials for Engine Crane max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Car Salon
Key resources: Perfect condition cars, exclusive models Farming efficiency: Best resources in the game, requires strong build
This is where you farm materials for Engine Crane max upgrades. See our maps guide for detailed area layouts.
Upgrade Path
Early Game (Garage to Junkyard)
- Upgrade your starting equipment to functional level
- Craft basic defensive gear
- Save specialty materials, since you'll need them later
- Focus on Welder once accessible
Mid Game (Barn)
- Push Welder to mid-level upgrades
- Start collecting materials for Engine Crane
- Craft situational consumables for boss fights
- Upgrade build-specific gear pieces
Late Game (Car Auction to Car Salon)
- Max out Engine Crane. This is your top priority
- Complete your build's core gear set
- Craft endgame consumables
- Optional: upgrade secondary equipment for variety
Crafting Mistakes to Avoid
- Spreading upgrades across multiple equipment: Focus one weapon to max before diversifying.
- Hoarding materials: Use them. The game provides enough if you farm efficiently.
- Upgrading the wrong gear: Check our builds guide before investing.
- Ignoring Barn farming: This area has the best resource-to-time ratio in mid-game.
- Crafting consumables too early: Save specialty materials for late-game recipes.
Resource Efficiency Tips
- Examine before you unbolt. Every part shows a condition percentage in examine mode, and replacing parts sitting at 80 percent burns credits the customer will not reimburse.
- Farm Barn during mid-game for the best return on time
- Check the walkthrough to know when each resource becomes available
- Match your farming route to your build. Some classes farm faster in certain areas
More Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Guides
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Overview
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Best Builds
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Tier List
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Walkthrough
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Beginner's Guide
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Tips & Tricks
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Weapons Guide
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Combat Guide
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Boss Guide
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Maps & Locations
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2021 Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Car Mechanic Simulator 2021, check out these related guides:
- Stardew Valley Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- Satisfactory Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
- The Sims 4 Crafting Guide: simulation game with similar mechanics
