How to Permanently Save a Car in GTA 5: A Comprehensive Guide
The streets of Los Santos are teeming with an incredible array of vehicles, and for many players, building a personal collection is a significant part of the Grand Theft Auto V experience. However, the game doesn’t always make it straightforward to keep your favorite rides safe and sound. So, how exactly do you permanently save a car in GTA 5? The answer isn’t as simple as just parking it anywhere.
The key to permanently saving cars in GTA 5 lies in understanding the garage system within the game. For story mode, each of the three main characters – Michael, Franklin, and Trevor – has access to their own safehouse garage, capable of storing either one or two vehicles. To ensure a car is saved, simply park it inside these garages. The car will remain there as long as you consistently park it back in after each use. In addition to the safehouse garages, each character also has access to additional four-car storage garages located at various points throughout the game world.
It’s crucial to understand that GTA 5’s saving mechanism isn’t automatic. If you leave a vehicle out on the street, there’s a good chance it will disappear, even if it’s a prized, customized ride. Unlike GTA Online, story mode lacks insurance, meaning a destroyed vehicle is gone for good. Consequently, the process of saving your cars must be deliberate and consistent. It involves understanding where storage locations are and making a habit of putting cars away when they’re not in use.
Beyond the free garages available to each character in Story Mode, players can also purchase garages scattered across Los Santos. These act much like the safehouse garages, providing secure places to store your vehicles.
Understanding Vehicle Storage in GTA 5
Story Mode Vehicle Storage
In Story Mode, here’s what you need to know about storing your cars:
- Safehouse Garages: Each character’s main residence comes with a small garage, ideal for storing one or two primary vehicles. These garages are often the first point of vehicle saving that players encounter and should be the base of your saving strategy.
- Purchased Garages: Across Los Santos, additional garages can be bought by any of the three protagonists. This gives the player a larger space to store their vehicles. These garages are also linked to that player only.
- Vehicle Impound: If your car is not destroyed but rather left on the streets, it may be impounded. Check the police impound lot near Los Santos Customs to retrieve it. This is not a permanent saving method, and the car will still disappear if left unattended or destroyed after retrieval.
GTA Online Vehicle Storage
GTA Online employs a different approach to vehicle storage. Here, players need to purchase properties to store their cars.
- Properties with Garages: Properties such as apartments, garages, and businesses come with varying vehicle storage capacities. The number of spaces available varies greatly based on the property purchased, ranging from simple apartments with small garages to large business garages able to house dozens of vehicles.
- Vehicle Storage Limits: Different properties have different vehicle storage capacities. Plan your purchases with your collection goals in mind.
- Mors Mutual Insurance: In GTA Online, if your purchased vehicle is destroyed, you can simply contact Mors Mutual Insurance via your in-game phone to have it replaced, often for a small fee. This makes vehicle retention much more reliable.
How to Save Cars Permanently: Key Steps
To ensure your cars are permanently saved in GTA 5, adhere to the following steps:
- Identify Your Storage Location: Determine whether you want to store the car in a safehouse garage, a purchased garage, or a storage unit of a property in Online.
- Park Your Vehicle: Drive your car into the chosen garage or storage unit. Make sure it is completely inside.
- Always Store After Use: Get into the habit of returning the car to its garage after every time you use it. Never leave it unattended on the streets, as it could disappear.
- Manage Full Garages: If your chosen storage is full, you might need to make some choices. The game will offer a prompt to replace one of your existing cars with the one you’re currently trying to store. Be careful – if you click replace you will lose that car. A tip to manage this better is to drive a car out before adding a new one.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Can I store stolen cars in my garages?
Yes, both in GTA 5 Story Mode and GTA Online, you can store stolen vehicles in your garages. However, vehicles bought on websites need to be insured in GTA Online.
2. Can you lose cars in GTA 5 Story Mode?
Yes, you can easily lose cars in GTA 5 Story Mode. Cars do not automatically return to garages and they lack insurance. Once destroyed they are lost forever.
3. Are purchased cars permanent?
In GTA 5 Story Mode, purchased cars are NOT permanent if you lose or destroy them. They do not automatically respawn or return to your garage. Unlike GTA Online, there is no insurance to recover them if destroyed. In GTA Online, vehicles can be insured, and they will respawn through Mors Mutual Insurance.
4. Where can I sell stolen cars?
You can sell stolen cars at Los Santos Customs located at multiple points throughout the map. This is the only place that will buy stolen vehicles in the game.
5. What happens when my garage is full?
If your garage is full when you try to store a new car, you will be given the option to replace an existing car. If you choose to replace, the replaced vehicle will permanently disappear.
6. Where can I store helicopters and planes?
Helicopters can be stored at helipads, while planes can be stored in hangars. These are available at purchased properties in GTA Online and some Story Mode locations.
7. Can I customize saved vehicles?
Yes, in both Story Mode and GTA Online, vehicles can be customized at Los Santos Customs or other relevant shops. Customizations will remain as long as the vehicle is safely stored.
8. What happens if I forget to park my car in the garage?
If you leave a vehicle out on the street in GTA 5 Story Mode, it’s highly likely it will disappear. In GTA Online, vehicles will be impounded by the police if not left in a safe location.
9. Does the location of the garage matter?
In GTA 5 Story Mode, each garage is specific to each character and their properties, so the location does matter in the way it’s used. In GTA Online, the garage location matters because it ties to your online property.
10. How many cars can I save in GTA 5?
In Story Mode, each character can store a limited number of cars, between their garages and purchased garages. In GTA Online, the number of cars you can save depends on how many properties and garages you own.
11. Is there insurance in GTA 5 Story Mode?
No, there is no insurance in GTA 5 Story Mode. If a vehicle is destroyed, it’s permanently gone.
12. Do stored vehicles respawn if destroyed?
No, stored vehicles in GTA 5 Story Mode will not respawn if destroyed. However, In GTA Online, if you have insurance you can get your vehicle back via Mors Mutual Insurance.
13. Can Trevor store vehicles at the Vanilla Unicorn?
Yes, Trevor can park two cars next to the Vanilla Unicorn, but only in the designated parking spaces next to the green and blue dumpster. Any more than that will disappear.
14. If I buy a new GTA game will I lose my cars?
No, your Story Mode save files are stored locally, and your Online progress is linked to your Rockstar account. You won’t lose your cars if you buy a new game.
15. What is the most expensive item in GTA 5?
The most expensive item in GTA Online is the Luxor Deluxe, costing $10,000,000.
By understanding the nuances of vehicle storage in GTA 5, and consistently parking your favorite cars, you can maintain a collection that’s safe and ready for any adventure the game throws your way. Remember, vigilance is key to permanently save a car!