How to Modify Cars in GTA V

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Grand Theft Auto V contains a huge assortment of vehicles. Most vehicles can be customized with performance enhancement, body work, and effects. Customization takes place at several Los Santos Customs outlets in the southern portion of Blaine County and at Beeker’s Garage in the northern portion of the county.

Steps

1
Enter the vehicle that you want to customize. Since customizing a vehicle can be pricey, consider customizing the characters’ personal vehicles. Even when they are left behind or destroyed, they will respawn at the characters’ residences with their upgrades still intact.
- Service vehicles such as police cars cannot be customized. The same goes for planes, helicopters, boats, semi-trucks, and security vans.
- Vehicles with the most unique (even bizarre) potential modifications include the Karin Rebel, Bravado Rat-Loader, Vapid Sandking XL, and Trevor’s Canis Bodhi. For instance, the Karin Rebel can be modified to remove most of the vehicle’s body, leaving only the frame.
- When playing Grand Theft Auto Online, other players will likely leave you alone in Freemode (instead of opting to attack you) if you have an expensive vehicle, such as the Truffade Z-Type, since it implies you must also have expensive weapons.
2
Pause the game and locate a Los Santos Customs or Beeker’s Garage on the map. These locations are marked by cans of spray paint. Click the location on the map to a waypoint to the garage if you’d like to have GPS guidance to the garage.^{[1]
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- There is no functional difference between Los Santos Customs and Beeker’s Garage. The same services are offered for the same price at both garages.
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3
Approach a garage and drive in when the doors raise. If your vehicle is damaged before you enter the garage, you will be forced to pay for repairs before you can make any modifications. The amount you pay for repairs depends on the severity of the damage and the model of the vehicle. Light damage to a high-quality vehicle (such as the Truffade Adder) will cost about $300 to repair.
4
Select the categories of modifications you want to make, then click on the modifications to purchase them. The categories include “Transmission,” “Turbo,” and “Brakes.” Some of these categories are further divided into subcategories. For instance, when respraying a vehicle, possible subcategories include “Primary Color,” “Secondary Color,” “Metallic,” “Matte,” “Pearlescent,” etc. Scroll over the various options until you find what you most prefer, then select it.^{[2]
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- For improved gameplay, you can purchase turbocharging (for faster speed and acceleration), armor and bulletproof tires.
- Performance enhancing upgrades will show their effectiveness on the ratings bars underneath the list of customization bars. The ratings bars are labeled “Top Speed,” “Acceleration,” “Braking,” and “Traction.”
- Visual upgrades will be reflected in the car model, but won’t be applied permanently until you actually buy them.
- Upgrading a car to its peak performance should be expected to cost at least $200,000, depending on the player’s aesthetic preferences. New vehicles and some modifications like new chrome rims are available during in-game flash sales for a reduced price.
- Bear in mind that all sales are final, and you can’t resell your vehicle.