Customizing Non-Customizable Vehicles

Frustrated by cars that are labled as non-customizable? Irritated that the game won't let you have that solid-gold tank? Fear not! This guide will show you how to open the customization menu for any vehicle you choose!

Introduction and Preparation

Saints Row the Third contains a lot of vehicles that, for some reason or another, are listed as non-customizable. This means that you can't change the colors, give them Nitrous, or upgrade their performance. However, a glitch exists that can be executed to open the customization window for these vehicles. To do this, you will need the following things:

• A customizable vehicle
  
• A non-customizable vehicle that is already in your Garage inventory
  
• A Rim Jobs

Like the list states, we'll need a customizable vehicle to do this with. Any vehicle will do; we're just using it to open the Rim Jobs menu.
Edit: As I state lower in the guide, the vehicle you use to open this menu actually determines which vehicles you will be able to customize using it. To perform this glitch and customize anything, use the Gatmobile to trigger it. The Gatmobile works with everything.


Let's use this Thorogood I found lying around outside a Planet Saints.

Take this car to a Rim Jobs, and drive it into the garage.


Press whatever button you have assigned to open the customization menu.


Click on the "Garage" option to bring up your list of stored vehicles.

Executing the Glitch

Now that you have this list open, it's time to perform the glitch that gets you into the customization menu.


Firstly, click on the vehicle you want to customize. For this guide, we'll be using the Bloody Cannoness from the Nyte Blayde DLC. This will give you the option of retrieving the vehicle or cancelling the selection. Retrieving it will kick you out of the garage, so don't do that. Instead, click "Cancel"


DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING. This is important. Now that you have the vehicle you want selected, you're going to hit the Escape key. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T MOVE THE SELECTION BAR AT ALL.


Click on "Accept" to leave the Garage screen.


If done correctly, you should now be in the customization screen with your non-customizable vehicle.

Additional Information

Every vehicle will have different customization options, but keep in mind that non-customizable vehicles won't have as many options as customizable ones. Some vehicles may not work with this glitch; I tried to get this to work with the Genkimobile, but it wouldn't open the menu. The person who showed me this DID have a customized Genkimobile, though, so I'm not entirely sure what I was doing wrong.
EDIT: Apparently the specific vehicles you're allowed to customize with this glitch depend on which vehicle you use to perform it. I'm told that the Gatmobile makes everything work, so I'd reccomend you find one.

They all should be paintable, with most having two sections of paint. The Bloody Cannoness, for example, has a body section and a rims/tailpipe section. When painting, keep in mind that since these vehicles were not intended to be paintable, not all of the sections may be changed. The accent lines on the body of the Cannoness remain red regardless of how you paint it.


Body mod options for non-customizable vehicles will be EXTREMELY limited. The Cannoness only has options for Handlebar customization, and I believe that may only be because it uses the Kaneda's handlebars.


All vehicles will have Performance upgrade options, which is a godsend for players who love the non-customizable vehicles but can't stand how easy they are to destroy. All car-type vehicles (this includes tanks) will have the option to add kneecappers.


Once you've finished, take your newly-customized vehicle out and show it off to Steelport!

[Not an American]

You can't change the paint jobs of the N-Forcer, Bear and some other vehicles in vanilla SR3.

If you're not averse to modding I'd recommend the following mods:
- Extended Customization Mod [www.saintsrowmods.com]
- Delete Reward Vehicles Mod [www.saintsrowmods.com]
These allow you to customise all vehicles in the game, including the Bear, boats and aircraft (make sure you read the instructions - heli customisation is very clunky).

[the chimp event]

fully upgrading the wraith has been my dream since forever, thanks

[rebel6301]

i wish we could recolour the BEAR. that'd be kinda dope, but sadly we cannot.

[rebel6301]

i should try this with the absolutely absurd amount of 'BEAR' apcs i have stolen from the Steelport National Guard and local swat teams.

[A-1 Abdullah]

gatmobile works fine on it

[A-1 Abdullah]

nvm you definitely cant respray it so no point modding the n forcer

[A-1 Abdullah]

anyone know what you need to customize the STAG N Forcer or is it a gat mobile one?

[Stary_Z_Mlekiem]

To anyone who wants to customize the Challenger tank: you need the sovereign car to customize it

[TheMole132231]

Check outside Planet Saints as well, they can spawn parked out front.

[TheMole132231]

The Gatmobile has a very small chance to spawn anywhere, maybe try rushing around on mostly straight stretches of road to increase the amount of new vehicles that spawn.