The Long Drive Vehicles Guide

A complete guide on all currently available vehicles with my thoughts on them.

Introduction

Having trouble deciding which vehicle you want for your 5000 km journey? Well, this guide should help you out. I'll be sharing my thoughts on all the game's vehicles and rating them in 5 categories:

Speed
Handling
Fuel Capacity
Storage Capacity
Overall Score

Please bear in mind that the ratings for speed and handling will be based on the stock engine and stock tires for all vehicles. We're also assuming that the tires and wheels are in the best possible condition. I'll be testing each vehicle's 0 - 100 km/h time as well. To test this, I simply drove them down the same flat stretch of road 3 times and then averaged out their times.

My provided fuel consumption numbers are also approximations and are assuming that you're running at full throttle 100% of the time so obviously you'll get better numbers if you do some coasting.

I'll also provide pictures of all the engines and radiators that go with each vehicle so you can easily identify them.

Anyway, let's get started.

Trabant 601

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Overview

For some, one of the most enduring symbols of East Germany and Communism in general. The Trabant in The Long Drive is based on the third generation Trabant 601 which was produced by East German manufacturer VEB Sachsenring starting in 1964. It can be found in two variants - a sedan or a station wagon with a removable rear seat. Uniquely among the cars, the Trabant uses a two stroke engine which will require you to mix the oil in with the fuel rather than place it in a separate tank. The ideal mix is 97% gas to 3% oil. The engine is also air cooled so there is no radiator to worry about. The downside to this is that swapping in a different engine is not really a viable option since most of the other engines are water cooled and there is no place to mount a radiator. Another unique feature of the Trabant is that there is no external fuel cap. Instead, the fuel tank is located under the hood in the engine compartment and can be removed:













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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas/Oil Mix

Size - 0.6 Litres

Cylinders - 2

Horsepower - 23

Torque - 53 NM

Oil Capacity - N/A

Cooling System - Air Cooled

Radiator Capacity - N/A

Radiator Cooling Ability - N/A

Fuel Consumption - 7.2 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 35.8 Seconds

Rating - 3/10

Well, it's not the slowest vehicle in the game, but it's not far off. With the Trabants tiny 23 horsepower engine, the most you can expect on flat terrain is about 105 km/h, and it will need some space to reach that speed. It will definitely have trouble on hills as well.

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Handling

Rating - 5/10

Having a slower top speed does sort of work in the Trabants favor here. It's not terribly prone to spinouts or rollovers and the steering is decently responsive. However, the car's handling can be greatly affected by any cargo you might be carrying and can result in the steering pulling to one side if you don't keep the load even.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 3/10

The Trabant can hold up to 24 litres of fuel with the stock fuel tank.

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Storage Space (Sedan)

Rating - 3/10

The Sedan variant offers very little in the way of storage space, The trunk is comically small and you'll only be able to fit a few containers in it and the back seat is almost unusable since you have very limited access to it. Really the most viable means of carrying anything is to attach baskets to the car's exterior.

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Storage Capacity (Station Wagon)

Rating - 5/10

Mercifully, the station wagon variant exists and offers infinitely better storage. The rear cargo hatch and removable back seat means you have plenty of space for all the essentials. And the extra space on the roof gives even more space to attach baskets.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 4/10

I know that the Trabant has its fans, but I'm not one of them. The station wagon can make for a good starting car thanks to its storage space and ease of maintenance. However, there's little reason to keep using it once you find something better to swap into. I'll admit it isn't the worst vehicle to be stuck with, but that's sort of like saying a second degree burn isn't the worst either.

Lada 2101

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Overview

Glorious cars from Mother Russia (even though they're a licensed copy of a Fiat). The Lada 2101 was produced by Soviet manufacturer AvtoVAZ starting in 1970. It can be found in two variants - A sedan or a station wagon. The station wagon variant can have the rear seat removed in order to improve its storage capacity. On both variants, the fuel cap is located on the rear right hand side of the car:











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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 1.2 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 61

Torque - 87 NM

Oil Capacity - 5 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 55

Fuel Consumption - 8.5 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 24.6 Seconds

Rating - 5/10

It's no race car, but it's not half bad. On flat terrain, the Lada can reach about 150 km/h though the acceleration is a bit sluggish. Hills will be somewhat problematic depending on how steep they are.

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Handling

Rating - 6/10

Overall, the Lada drives well though like most rear wheel drive cars, it can be prone to oversteer and spinouts. The soft suspension can also occasionally cause rollovers. The station wagon variant also sometimes has collision detection issues that can cause unexpected flips.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Lada can hold up to 39 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity (Sedan)

Rating - 5/10

The Sedan variant has average storage capacity in line with most other sedans. It can easily fit a barrel in the back seat, several containers in the trunk and has space to attach several baskets.

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Storage Capacity (Station Wagon)

Rating - 6/10

The station wagon is one of the most spacious cars in the game especially once the rear seat is removed. Two barrels can be carried with room to spare and there's even more space to attach baskets on the roof.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 6/10

While the sedan variant isn't really anything special, the station wagon is a very solid vehicle worth considering since it offers so much storage space. If you do decide to use it, make sure to keep most of your items in baskets to minimize the chance of collision detection issues. Also keep your eyes open for a gas VW motor to swap in for a big performance upgrade.

Skoda 100

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Overview

And now for something completely different. The Skoda 100 was produced by Czech manufacturer AZNP from 1969 to 1977 and is one of only two rear engine vehicles in the game alongside the VW Beetle. This of course means that the trunk is now moved to the front of the car where you would normally find the engine. The fuel cap is also located on the front of the car on the right hand side:












Another unique feature of the Skoda is the vents on the rear fenders which assist in cooling the engine (though they don't actually do anything in the game).

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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 1 Litre

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 41

Torque - 70 NM

Oil Capacity - 5 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 35

Fuel Consumption - 6.9 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 24.6 Seconds

Rating - 4/10

On flat terrain with enough space, the Skoda can reach about 120 km/h. Acceleration isn't amazing but is acceptable though it will sometimes struggle on hills due to the lower than average power.

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Handling

Rating - 4/10

Being rear engine and rear wheel drive unfortunately does make the Skoda very prone to spinning and oversteer with little provocation. Fortunately though the car's low speed does make it easy to recover from mistakes and means that crashes usually won't be very severe.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 4/10

The Skoda can hold up to 32 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Skoda offers an average amount of trunk space and space in the back seat. Like most other sedans, it can easily carry a barrel in the back seat as well as several canisters in the trunk. There's also plenty of space all over the car to attach baskets.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 5/10

White it is unique, the Skoda is just a little too average in all areas in my opinion and doesn't really do much to differentiate itself from the other sedans in the game. The rear engine configuration can also make it a pain to drive sometimes. Overall a good starting car, but i'd certainly abandon it as soon as I find something better.

Dacia 1300

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Overview

Good news! There's a Dacia featured in this game! The Dacia 1300 was produced by Romanian manufacturer Dacia starting in 1969 and is mostly just a licensed copy of the Renault 12. Uniquely, it has the fuel cap placed on the car's rear next to the right hand side tail light. Also unique is that the Dacia can sometimes be found with a spiked gear lever (know as a spikemission transmission) though this is purely cosmetic and has no effect on the vehicle's performance:


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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 1.3 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 53

Torque - 88 NM

Oil Capacity - 5 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 45

Fuel Consumption - 8.3 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 19 Seconds

Rating - 6/10

On flat terrain the Dacia can reach about 145 km/h and has good acceleration. Hills usually aren't much of a problem with this car.

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Handling

Rating - 3/10

The Dacia overall drives well and isn't very prone to spinouts. However, it has very soft suspension so it can roll pretty easily. The reason it has such a low rating though is because it has possibly the worst collision detection issues of any vehicle in the game. This is most noticeable if you clip the boundary between the road and the dirt while traveling at higher speeds. It can often send the Dacia flying a considerable distance.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 6/10

The Dacia can hold up to 50 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Dacia's storage capacity is comparable to most other sedans. The back seat can easily fit a barrel and the trunk will store several containers. There is slightly less room to attach baskets though.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 3/10

It's bad enough that there isn't much to distinguish the Dacia from the other sedans, but the collision detection problems render this car almost unusable. I'd honestly prefer to be stuck with the Trabant.

VAZ 2105

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Overview

Even more glory from Mother Russia. The VAZ 2105 (also know as the Lada Riva/Nova) was produced by Soviet manufacturer AvtoVAZ starting in 1979 making it one of the most modern cars in the game. In many ways it is an updated version of the Lada 2101 with a restyled body, a new gauge cluster and a more powerful engine. The car's fuel cap is located on the rear left hand side:


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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 1.3 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 69

Torque - 94 NM

Oil Capacity - 5 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 60

Fuel Consumption - 8.7 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 18.6 Seconds

Rating - 7/10

With it's more powerful engine, the VAZ can reach 170 km/h on flat terrain with enough space though the acceleration is still a bit sluggish. The extra power does at least mean that hills will be less of a problem.

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Handling

Rating - 6/10

The steering feels noticeably more responsive than the 2101 but it is even more prone to spinouts and oversteer thanks to the extra power. Still, it remains a fairly pleasant car to drive.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The VAZ can hold up to 39 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The storage is pretty much the same as the 2101 and is comparable to most other sedans in the game. A barrel will easily fit in the backseat and there's plenty of trunk space for multiple containers.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 5/10

A largely average and forgettable vehicle in my opinion with nothing to set it apart except for it's higher than average speed.. If it had a station wagon variant, then I might consider it interesting but as it stands, the station wagon variant of the Lada 2101 remains the better choice.

Wartburg

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Overview

Because one station wagon just wasn't enough. The Wartburg is based on the Wartburg 353W which was produced by East German manufacturer AWE starting in 1966. It can be found in two variants - either a sedan or a station wagon. Just like with Lada 2101, the rear seat of the station wagon variant can be removed to greatly inmprove storage space. The fuel filler on both variants is located on the rear right hand side:


The Wartburg shares it's engine and radiator with the Barkas. It is a two stroke engine so the oil will need to be mixed with the fuel. The ideal mix is 97% gas to 3% oil.

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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas/Oil Mix

Size - 1 Litre

Cylinders - 3

Horsepower - 50

Torque - 98 NM

Oil Capacity - N/A

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 7.5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 37

Fuel Consumption - 9 L/100 km

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Speed

0-100 km/h Time - 20 seconds

Rating - 5/10

Quite impressive for a two stroke. On flat terrain, the Wartburg can reach 140 km/h with very good acceleration. It also does a decent job on hills as well.

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Handling

Rating - 6/10

The handling is very similar to the Lada 2101 though the Wartburg isn't as prone to spinouts since it's front wheel drive. Steering feels responsive and it is stable even near top speed.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Wartburg can hold up to 43 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity (Sedan)

Rating - 5/10

The sedan variant of the Wartburg has similar storage to most other sedans in the game. A barrel will fit in the back seat and you have enough trunk space for all the essentials.

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Storage Capacity (Station Wagon)

Rating - 6/10

The storage capacity for the station wagon is very similar to the Lada 2101 station wagon. You have plenty of space in the back for multiple barrels and all the other supplies you'll need.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 6/10

Having another station wagon is a welcome addition and it stacks up well against the competition. Even having a two stroke engine doesn't really hold the Wartburg back very much though you can easily swap in a different engine if you want more power.

VW Golf

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Overview

Shall we show the commies how it's done? The VW Golf is the first vehicle from outside the Eastern Bloc to be featured in the game. It's based on the Volkswagen Golf MK1 which was produced by West German manufacturer Volkswagen starting in 1974. It is the first vehicle that can be found with two different engines - Either a gas engine or a less powerful diesel engine. An easy way to tell which engine a Golf has is to look at the roof. If the car doesn't have a sunroof, then it has a diesel engine. If it does have a sunroof, then it has a gas engine:












The car's fuel cap is located on the rear left hand side and unlike most other cars is fairly obvious. The Golf is also the first car in the game to feature a tachometer:


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Engine Specifications (Diesel)

Fuel Type - Diesel

Size - 1.6 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 56

Torque - 106 NM

Oil Capacity - 4 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 60

Fuel Consumption - 5.4 L/100 km

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Engine Specifications (Gas)

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 1.8 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 88

Torque - 145 NM

Oil Capacity - 4 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 60

Fuel Consumption - 6.3 L/100 km

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Speed (Diesel Engine)

0 - 100 km/h Time - 21.1 Seconds

Rating - 7/10

The diesel engine is surprisingly quick. On flat terrain, it can reach 160 km/h and has impressive acceleration as well. Hills can be somewhat challenging but not impossible.

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Speed (Gas Engine)

0 - 100 km/h Time - 12 Seconds

Rating - 9/10

With the gas engine equipped, the Golf becomes one of the fastest cars in the game. The top speed on flat terrain is increased to 180 km/h and the acceleration is remarkable. Hills are easier to tackle as well.

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Handling

Rating - 7/10

Overall, the Golf is a great car to drive. Even near top speed it is controllable and stable though it can sometimes have problems with spinouts, especially if it is loaded with heavier cargo. Being front wheel drive does also mean it has problems with understeer sometimes as well.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Golf can hold up to 40 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity

Rating - 4/10

Due to it's small size, the Golf is a bit more limited in terms of storage space. It can fit a barrel and a few containers in the back though it is a bit tight to do so. The back seat also isn't very easy to use but it's not impossible.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 6/10

The Golf is a very solid vehicle and it's great to get as your starter. Unfortunately it's completely overshadowed by the Caddy which is just as fast while offering better handling and storage space. If you do decide to stick with the Golf though, make sure you get the gas engine.

VW Caddy

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Overview

The station wagons have some competition. The VW Caddy is a pickup truck that was produced by West German manufacturer Volkswagen starting in 1979. It is based on the VW Golf and shares several parts with it such as the hood, gauges, front facia and front bumper. It also uses the same diesel engine and radiator found in the VW Golf and this is the only engine that it can be found with. The fuel cap is located on the left hand side just in front of the rear wheel:


A unique feature of the Caddy is that it does not have a tow hitch so no trailers can be pulled with it.

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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Diesel

Size - 1.6 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 56

Torque - 106 NM

Oil Capacity - 4 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 5 litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 60

Fuel Consumption - 5.4 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 21.1 Seconds

Rating - 7/10

Essentially the same as the diesel Golf. The top speed on flat terrain remains an impressive 160 km/h with good acceleration. Once again hills can be problematic, but not impossible.

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Handling

Rating - 8/10

The Caddy remains very stable and controllable even when traveling near its top speed and is not particularly prone to rollovers or spinouts, though they can happen. Due to being front wheel drive, it does sometimes suffer from understeer. Cargo in the trucks bed doesn't seem to have a large effect on the handling, though it can be noticeable with heavier objects such as barrels.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Caddy can hold up to 40 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity

Rating - 6/10

The Caddy's bed isn't massive but it offers storage space which is comparable to the station wagon variant of the Lada. And since the truck is so stable, you don't have to worry too much about loose items flying out the back though it can still happen if you go over bumps too quickly.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 8/10

The Caddy is my pick for best vehicle in the game. It offers a great mix of speed and storage capacity while being a pleasure to drive (and it helps that I really like pickup trucks). Though the stock diesel engine works well enough, I would strongly suggest swapping in the VW gas engine for a performance upgrade that the truck can easily handle.

VW Beetle

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Overview

Seems we're showing the commies how it's done once again. The VW Beetle stands out as one of the most unique vehicles in the Long Drive. It is the third vehicle from outside the Eastern Bloc to be featured in the game and can be found in two variants - Either a hardtop coupe or a cabriolet with a retractable roof, a first for any vehicle in the game. The hardtop variant is based on the Volkswagen Beetle Type 1 which was produced by West German manufacturer Volkswagen starting in 1938. The cabriolet variant meanwhile is based on the Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet which began production in 1949.

There are several unique features on the Beetle. It is only the third vehicle in the game to have an air cooled engine so there is no radiator though unlike with the other two air cooled vehicles, it has a four stroke engine so the oil does not need to be mixed with the fuel. It is also the second vehicle after the Skoda 100 to have a rear engine layout. Like with the Skoda, this means that the trunk is moved to the front of the vehicle. The fuel filler is also located on the front right hand side:



As mentioned before, the cabriolet can have its top retracted so you can cruise through the desert in style:


Both variants of the Beetle have a small hidden storage compartment that can be revealed by lowering the rear seat:


By default, neither variant of the Beetle comes equipped with a radio but one can be installed by removing this panel in the center of the dashboard:


The Beetle is the first vehicle in the game to feature two different speedometers depending on which variant you get. The hardtop has a speedometer that reads km/h while the cabriolet has a speedometer that reads mph:

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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 1.2 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 42

Torque - 87 NM

Oil Capacity - 5 Litres

Cooling System - Air Cooled

Radiator Capacity - N/A

Radiator Cooling Ability - N/A

Fuel Consumption (Hardtop) - 10 L/100 km

Fuel Consumption (Cabriolet) - 8.3 L/100 km

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Speed (Hardtop)

0 - 100 km/h time - 18.3 seconds

Rating - 5/10

The hardtop Beetle's not gonna be challenging the Fury in a drag race, On flat terrain, it can reach 135 km/h with somewhat sluggish acceleration. Expect to have some difficulty on hills as well.

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Speed (Cabriolet)

0 - 100 km/h time - 20.4 seconds

Rating - 5/10

Since it shares the larger tires of the Plymouth Fury, the cabriolet can top out its speedometer which reads up to 144 km/h but this higher top speed is offset by the acceleration being even more sluggish. Once again, expect hills to be somewhat difficult.

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Handling

Rating - 6/10

The Beetle surprised me with how well it handles especially considering it has a rear engine rear wheel drive layout. While it is somewhat prone to oversteer and spinouts, it's much more manageable than with the Skoda. It is also very stable and controllable even at top speed.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

The Beetle can hold up to 40 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity (Hardtop)

Rating - 4/10

The hardtop variant is a bit lacking when it comes to storage. The trunk is large enough for most of the essentials, but it's still smaller than what you get from most other cars. The back seat can also be a bit hard to access as well.

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Storage Capacity (Cabriolet)

Rating - 5/10

While the cabriolet doesn't have any more space than the hardtop, it gets a higher rating because the retractable roof makes accessing the back seat much easier.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 6/10

It may not be the fastest, the fanciest, or the most spacious car. But the Beetle with its quirks and unique features has so much personality that it's very easy to look past it's flaws because it's such a joy to drive. Yeah you can't carry as many supplies as you might prefer to, but you'll be enjoying yourself so much in this car that I doubt you'll care all that much.

Barkas

Overview

Now the Caddy has some serious competition. The Barkas is based on the Barkas B 1000 panel van which was produced by East German manufacturer VEB Barkas-Werke starting in 1961. Uniquely, it can spawn as 3 different types of vehicles - a van, a flatbed truck or a car trasnsporter. The Barkas shares the same engine and radiator with the Wartburg and the engine is a two stroke so the oil will need to be mixed with the fuel. The ideal mix is 97% gas to 3% oil.

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Van Variant

The van variant has a gernerous amount of storage space in the back and can have several small variations:

-The rear portion can spawn with or without windows and can sometimes have wood paneling on the interior
-The side door can either be a standard door that opens outwards or a sliding door
-The rear portion can spawn with removable seats
-The removable partition behind the seats can spawn with or without a window


The fuel filler is located on the rear right hand side of the vehicle:


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Flatbed Truck Variant

As the name suggests, this variant is fitted with a large flatbed that is similar to the IFA W50. The fuel tank is located on the right hand side and is removable, allowing you to replace it with another fuel tank or container:


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Car Transporter Variant

A large car transporter which is also the first 6 wheeled vehicle in the game. In order to load a car on the back, you first want to lower the loading ramps by interacting with them. Don't lower them all the way however. Just lower them to the point that they're touching the ground and then you can load the car on. Make sure you have physlock enabled and set the cars handbrake so it will stay in place:


The fuel tank is located on the right hand side and just like with the flatbed, it is removable and replaceable:


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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas/Oil Mix

Size - 1 Litre

Cylinders - 3

Horsepower - 50

Torque - 98 NM

Oil Capacity - N/A

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 7.5 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 37

Fuel Consumption - 9 L/100 km

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Speed

0-100 km/h Time - 20 seconds

Rating - 5/10

Since it's the same engine as the Wartburg, the performance is essentially identical. You still have very good acceleration and decent power even on hills.

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Handling

Van And Flatbed Rating - 7/10

Car Carrier Rating - 6/10

All variants of Barkas have very good handling. The steering is sharp and the vehicle feels planted and controllable even at high speeds. The extra length of the car transporter does hurt it somewhat, but it's still manageable.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 5/10

All variants of the Barkas hold up to 42 litres of fuel with the stock fuel tank.

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Storage Capacity

Van And Flatbed Rating - 8/10

Car Transporter Rating - 3/10

The van and flatbed variants have a very generous amount of storage space. Multiple barrels, containers and even engines can be carried so you shouldn't need to worry about running out of supplies. The car transporter meanwhile has very little space on it's own and you'll have to rely either on the car you're carrying with you or attached baskets for storage.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Van And Flatbed Overall Rating - 8/10

Car Transporter Rating - 4/10

The van and flatbed variants of the Barkas may well be the new kings of the Long Drive. They give you tons of storage, excellent handling and a surprisingly good stock engine that can easily be upgraded. The car transporter on the other hand I really don't see much use for. While the idea of carrying another car with you is cool, I think it would work much better if it were a trailer.

Plymouth Fury

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Overview

Good old American muscle. The Plymouth Fury is the first American car featured in the game and can be found in two variants - One with chrome bumpers, rear view mirrors and trim or one with black bumpers, rear view mirrors and gold trim. The Fury was produced by American manufacturer Plymouth from 1959 to 1978 and comes with a unique set of hubcaps. The whitewall tires are now shared with the cabriolet variant of the VW Beetle:












Occasionally, both variants of the Fury can be found with tinted windows which is a reference to the 1983 film "Christine":


















The fuel cap is located on the rear left hand side of the car, next to the rear fin. The Fury also has a unique speedometer which displays mph rather than km/h as well as an adjustable clock on the dash:












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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas

Size - 5.7 Litres

Cylinders - 8

Horsepower - 288

Torque - 444 NM

Oil Capacity - 5 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 20 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 120

Fuel Consumption - 28.6 L/100 km

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Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 9.8 Seconds

Rating - 10/10

The massive V8 engine allows the Fury to easily dominate this category. On flat terrain it can reach 193 km/h and has monstrous acceleration. In fact it's not uncommon to do unintentional burnouts due to the torque. Hills will not be a challenge at all for this car.

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Handling

Rating - 6/10

The Fury handles very well for a muscle car with good stability and responsive steering. However being rear wheel drive with such massive power does make it prone to oversteer and spinouts. It is also one of the vehicles in the game that can suffer from collision detection issues which, combined with it's soft suspension can occasionally lead to it being launched into the air.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 7/10

The Fury can hold up to 76 litres of fuel.

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Storage Capacity

Rating - 5/10

Though the back seat isn't the easiest to use, the Fury makes up for it with it's massive trunk which can hold a barrel with room to spare for more stuff. You should be able to find space in this car for everything you need.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 7/10

In spite of it's issues, it can be very hard to resist swapping into a Fury any time you come across one. It has style, plenty of speed and the cool factor is off the scale. If you do decide to use the Fury, try to keep your items in the trunk organized and store as much as you can in baskets in order to minimize the risk of collision detection problems.

Ikarus 260/280 (Bus)

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Overview

Yep, you can turn a bus into your very own mobile apocalyptic survival base. The Bus is easily the largest vehicle in the game and comes in two variants - A two axle bus based on the Ikarus 260 or a three axle articulated (bendy) bus based on the Ikarus 280. Both models were produced by Hungarian manufacturer Ikarus with the 260 beginning production in 1971 and the 280 beginning production in 1973. The bus has several unique features, one of which is the double wheels which are on the rear axle on the 260 and the middle axle on the 280. The primary fuel cap is located on the right hand side of the bus near the front:












The bus has a moderately sized luggage compartment located on the right hand side for extra storage:


The engine and radiator can be accessed from a large hatch on the left hand side, Alternatively, three removable panels in the bus' floor will grant direct access to the radiator, oil tank and a second fuel filler allowing you to do most of the maintenance without having to leave the bus:











To enter to the bus, look for a button under the front bumper on the right hand side which will open the front doors. Once you're inside, a panel next to the drivers' seat will allow you to operate the interior lights and open/close all the doors:












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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Diesel

Size - 10.3 Litres

Cylinders - 6

Horsepower - 208

Torque - 697 NM

Oil Capacity - 10 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 10 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 88

Fuel Consumption - 71.4 L/100 km

====================================

Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - N/A

Rating - 2/10

While the engine is powerful, the bus is still a very heavy vehicle that is not geared for high speeds. In other words, don't expect to get anywhere quickly. On flat terrain, the bus can reach about 80 km/h and has very sluggish acceleration (honestly, how did Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock keep their bus from exploding?). Climbing up hills will also be a real struggle and can be almost impossible in the 280 thanks to the extra weight.

====================================

Handling (Ikarus 260)

Rating - 6/10

The 260 handles a lot better than you'd expect a large vehicle to. Even at higher speeds, it's very stable and not prone to rolling or spinning. None the less, the large size does give it a big turning circle and the large overhangs and low ground clearance mean that it can get stuck on certain terrain if you're not careful.

====================================

Handling (Ikarus 280)

Rating - 4/10

All the problems with the 260 are amplified with the 280. The turning circle is even larger and it's even more likely to get stuck on the terrain.

====================================

Fuel Capacity

Rating - 10/10

The bus can hold up to 280 litres of fuel.

====================================

Storage Capacity

Rating - 10/10

There really isn't anything that can carry as much as the bus. You can stuff plenty of barrels, containers and almost anything else in the interior (even spare engines). There's also the luggage compartment on the right hand side that can hold a few smaller items. And the roof offers you plenty of room to attach a huge number of baskets.

====================================

Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 6/10

I admit, I have a soft spot for the bus and I was tempted to give it a 7/10. But, I wanna be as objective as possible so I think 6/10 is fair. With that said, if you want to carry enough stuff to supply a small army and you're not concerned about getting to your destination quickly, then the bus isn't a terrible option. And if you install the engine from the Plymouth Fury, some of the speed problems can be mitigated. If you do decide to go for a bus, my suggestion would be to get the two axle variant and install a Plymouth engine as soon as you find one.

IFA W50

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Overview

The rabbits will definitely think twice about messing with you in this. The IFA W50 is a large truck that was produced by East German manufacturer IFA starting in 1965. The truck can be found in three variants - A box truck, a tanker or a flatbed. The fuel cap is located on the left hand side of the truck on top of the fuel tank. The fuel tank is also removable:


The box truck variant features a tank like hatch above the passenger seat. This can be used as an alternate means of entering and exiting the cab:












The tanker can hold up to 3000 litres of any liquid and can be filled via a large access hatch on the top. The contents can then be emptied via two taps on the rear and left hand side.












The rear end of the flatbed variant can be raised up using a lever located to the left of the driver's seat (make sure that you keep the engine running or it won't work):












All variants of the IFA have several racks on the sides that can be used for storage. Any items you place here will have their physics disabled and will remain there until you remove them:












A unique feature of the IFA is that it has two exhaust pipe variations. The first is a vertical pipe located directly behind the cab on the right hand side. The other is a horizontal pipe that exits out the right hand side. Unfortunately, the side exit exhaust goes right through one of the storage racks making it less useful:












Like the Fury, the IFA also features an adjustable clock which is located in the middle of the speedometer. This eliminates the need to bring a separate clock with you:


The front grill and bumper can be removed to allow easy access to both the engine and the radiator. Alternatively, the center console in the cab can be raised to allow direct access to the oil tank:












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Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Diesel

Size - 6.6 Litres

Cylinders - 4

Horsepower - 126

Torque - 430 NM

Oil Capacity - 10 Litres

Cooling System - Water Cooled

Radiator Capacity - 10 Litres

Radiator Cooling Ability - 83

Fuel Consumption - 25 L/100 km

====================================

Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - 34.2 Seconds

Rating - 3/10

While the speed isn't very impressive compared to most cars, it's not bad for a big truck. On flat terrain, the IFA can top out the speedometer which reads up 115 km/h though it will need some space to reach it with the sluggish acceleration. It will have some trouble on steeper hills but I've never encountered a situation where it got completely stuck thanks to the four wheel drive.

====================================

Handling

Rating - 5/10

While the IFA has responsive steering and is overall pretty easy to drive, the suspension is very soft which, combined with the high center of mass can lead to some spinouts and rollovers. The brakes are shockingly bad as well and can take a very long distance to bring the truck to a stop. This can even render the IFA almost uncontrollable on steep downhill sections if you don't keep the speed in check.

====================================

Fuel Capacity

Rating - 9/10

The IFA can hold up to 150 litres of fuel with the stock fuel tank.

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Storage Capacity (Tanker)

Rating - 6/10

The tanker doesn't really offer much more storage than most cars do so i was tempted to say 5/10. But considering it can hold such a massive amount of fuel (which can be dispensed directly into the fuel tank) I decided to bump it up to 6.

====================================

Storage Capacity (Flatbed)

Rating - 8/10

All things considered, the flatbed variant offers a large amount of storage space though you really do need to ensure your items are secured in baskets in case of a rollover.

====================================

Storage Capacity (Box Truck)

Rating - 9/10

The box truck doesn't really offer much more storage space than the flatbed but I'm giving it a higher rating simply because you don't need to be as worried about losing your items since the back is completely enclosed.

====================================

Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 7/10

Many people consider the IFA the best vehicle in the game and it's pretty easy to see why. It gives you more than enough storage space with good speed (plus trucks are just cool). My only problem is that you really do have to be careful not to lose control of it or you can get in some nasty crashes. If you do decide to go for an IFA, my suggestion would be to get the tanker variant with your choice of either a box or flatbed trailer. Also, swap in a bus engine or the Plymouth Fury engine for a nice performance upgrade (if you can handle it).

Ebatta (Moped)

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Overview

Because real men ride scooters, right? The Ebatta is the only bike that appears in the game. It is based on the Babetta (also known as the Jawa) which was produced in Czechoslovakia starting in 1970. It has a removable basket on the back which will disable the physics of any items that are placed in it so they won't move until you remove them. Like the Trabant, the Ebatta has a two stroke engine so you will need to mix the oil in with the fuel. Once again, the ideal mix is 97% gas to 3% oil. The engine is also air cooled so there is no radiator. The fuel cap is located directly underneath the speedometer:


There is a unique method needed to start the Ebatta's engine:

• Start by pressing the handbrake (spacebar) to raise the kickstand
  
• Next start pedaling by holding down the accelerator key (W)
  
• Once you've built up some speed, press the ignition key (I) to engage the starter. The engine should then fire up

====================================

Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas/Oil mix

Size - 0.05 Litres

Cylinders - 1

Horsepower - 2.7

Torque - 3.88 NM

Oil Capacity - N/A

Cooling System - Air Cooled

Radiator Capacity - N/A

Radiator Cooling Ability - N/A

Fuel Consumption - 4.9 L/100 km

====================================

Speed

0 - 100 km/h Time - N/A

Rating - 1/10

With it's puny 2.7 horsepower engine, the Ebatta can only reach about 55 km/h on flat terrain though it does get there reasonably fast. If you run out of fuel, then the bike can still be manually pedaled though this will reduce the top speed down to about 20 km/h. Forget about trying to tackle hills on this thing.

====================================

Handling

Rating - 4/10

The bike's only strong point is that it's not horrible to drive. Steering is a bit snappy but since it's slow, you'll almost always have plenty of time to recover from mistakes before hitting anything.

====================================

Fuel Capacity

Rating 1/10

The Ebatta can hold up to 4.2 litres of fuel.

====================================

Storage Capacity

Rating - 1/10

Well, you can fit a few things in the basket and that's about it. Hopefully you don't mind traveling light.

====================================

Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 2/10

I mean what more can I say here? The only nice thing I can say about the Ebatta is that it beats walking and not much else. Yes I know some people like to carry the Ebatta around as a last resort backup or scouting vehicle but that's not what I'm judging here.

Jawa

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Overview

Born to be wild. The Jawa is the first motorcycle to be featured in the Long Drive and is based on the Jawa 350 which was produced by Czech manufacturer Jawa Moto starting in the 1930s. It can spawn with or without removable side saddlebags on the rear and with either a 13.5 litre or 16.5 litre fuel tank which is also removable and can be replaced with other fuel tanks. The rear view mirrors from the Ebatta can also be mounted on it.

====================================

Engine Specifications

Fuel Type - Gas/Oil Mix

Size - 0.25 Litres

Cylinders - 1

Horsepower - 10

Torque - 21 NM

Oil Capacity - N/A

Cooling System - Air Cooled

Radiator Capacity - N/A

Radiator Cooling Ability - N/A

Fuel Consumption - 3.8 L/100 km

====================================

Speed

0-100 km/h Time - 23 seconds

Rating - 3/10

Much better than the Ebatte. On flat terrain, the Jawa can reach 110 km/h with good acceleration. Still, it's not a very powerful engine so hills could be troublesome.

====================================

Handling

Rating - 2/10

Honestly, I swear this bike is actually trying to kill you sometimes. Even with perfect condition wheels and tires, the Jawa can be terrifying when near top speed. The steering is very janky and even small inputs can cause the bike to veer sharply off course and even spin completely out of control. The only reason this isn't a 1/10 is because it is fairly controllable if you stay below about 70 km/h.

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Fuel Capacity

Rating - 2/10

The Jawa can hold either 13.5 or 16.5 litres of fuel depending on which fuel tank you have.

====================================

Storage Capacity

Rating - 1/10

The two saddlebags don't offer much space and that's assuming you get them when the bike spawns. Once again, hopefully you don't mind traveling light.

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Overall Rating And My Thoughts

Overall Rating - 3/10

While it is cool to have a motorcycle in the game. the fact that it's almost impossible to control makes it hard me to recommend. If you don;t mind driving it a bit slower though, then you might be able to make it work.

Trailers

If you feel you need some more storage space, then there are a few trailers that you can come across to tow behind your vehicle. All trailers have an additional hitch on the back so you can attach several of them together to create a roadtrain:












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Small Trailer

As the name suggests, it's a small trailer that can be towed behind most vehicles. The trailer will reduce a car's speed and can change the handling characteristics by making it more prone to fishtailing. When loading the trailer, try to keep the load spread evenly and store all items in attached baskets so you don't risk losing them in the event of a crash.

====================================

Large Trailers

A trio of large trailers based on the three variants of the IFA W50. As such, there is a box trailer, a tanker trailer and a flatbed trailer. These trailers are obviously intended to be towed by the IFA but can also be towed easily by the bus (though the large wheels will have to swapped for car wheels in order to do so). Cars can also tow them but it is generally not advisable as it can make the cars almost undriveable at higher speeds. The trailers all feature a handbrake which is manually operated by a switch on the front. When the switch displays red, the handbrake is on and when it displays green, the handbrake is off:

Where To Find Vehicles

Throughout your journey, you'll come across several points of interest that can provide new vehicles for you to try out. In this section, we'll be going over them and what vehicles you can expect find at each one.

When a vehicle spawns all of its parts will be in a random state of disrepair and it may have random fluids in the fuel tank, oil tank and radiator, so be ready to do some work on the vehicle to get it running. It is also possible for vehicles to spawn completely stripped of parts. None the less, these may still have something useful in the fuel tank so they can be worth checking.

Note that in the next sections where I list which vehicles can spawn, when I say Cars I mean:

• Trabant 601
  
• Lada 2101
  
• Skoda 100
  
• Dacia 1300
  
• VAZ 2105
  
• VW Golf
  
• VW Caddy
  
• VW Beetle
  
• Plymouth Fury

When I say Large Vehicles I mean:

• Bus
  
• IFA W50

Moped, Small Trailer and Large Trailers should be self explanatory.

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Starting House

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars (Guaranteed)

The starting house will always have a single car spawned for you in the garage when you start a new game. Which car you get is tied to your system clock and changes every 10 minutes. Unfortunately you can never get the Plymouth Fury as your starting car.

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Bus Stop

What Can Spawn Here

• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers

The bus stop doesn't usually offer much in the way of supplies but it can be a good place to look if you want a bus or IFA. Even if you aren't looking for these, if they do spawn it can make bus stops a surprisingly good source of large amounts of fuel. There is a bus stop located next to the starting house but its vehicle spawn point is permanently disabled so don't bother hoping you can get a bus or IFA from it right at the beginning of the game.

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Gas Station (Outdoors)

What Can Spawn Here

• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers
  
• Moped

This gas station also doesn't often have many supplies but the prospect of a trailer or large vehicle loaded with fuel can certainly be nice. However it seems somewhat rare for vehicles other than the moped to spawn here so don't get your hopes up too much.

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Gas Station (Small)

What Can Spawn Here

• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers

Yet another location that really doesn't have much to offer. While it is possible for the bus, IFA and large trailers to spawn here, it's rare in my experience. Typically, this place only has some small amounts fuel and oil as well as some spare parts.

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Gas Station

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Small Trailer
  
• Moped

A good place to look if you want a small trailer for your car to tow. Similar to the small gas station, cars spawning here can be rare but at least this place often has some supplies for you and it can also be a good source of spare car parts.

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Old House

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Small Trailer
  
• Moped

Another good place to look for a small trailer and for cars in general since up to 3 of them can spawn at once here. If a car spawns inside the house, you can get it out with some careful maneuvering. The house can also provide you supplies and spare car parts.

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Watchtower

What Can Spawn Here

• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers

Yes, it is possible for the bus, IFA and large trailers to spawn next to these but it is exceptionally rare and I've only seen it happen a handful of times. Most of the time, these only serve as a semi reliable source of revolvers or binoculars.

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Bunker

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Small Trailer
  
• Moped

This tends to be a better place to look for weapons rather than cars but they can still be found here. Cars may spawn on the roof and getting them down can be difficult, but it is possible. You can also find a small amount of supplies here.

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Workshop

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Moped

While the workshop mostly serves as an excellent source of spare car parts and other supplies, it does have a chance of spawning a car (even on the roof). If a car spawns inside the workshop, then it will always be completely stripped of parts.

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Overpass (Bridge Building)

What Can Spawn Here

• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers

One of the most reliable places to look if you need a large trailer or want a bus or IFA. It is possible for them to spawn on top of the bridge portion (good luck getting it down if that happens). This building is also a decent source of supplies.

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Haunted Mansion

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Small Trailer
  
• Moped

A decent place to look for a new car since a few can spawn here though you're much better off looking here for supplies since there's often a large amount of them.

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Gus' Gas

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers
  
• Moped

Definitely one of the best locations to check for a new vehicle. If you're really lucky, you can get up to 3 cars and one large vehicle or trailer spawning here. It isn't always the best place for supplies though so make sure you have enough with you in case the vehicle you want needs some work to get running.

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Diner

What Can Spawn Here

• Cars
  
• Large Vehicles
  
• Large Trailers
  
• Moped

Without a doubt, the best place you can come across during your journey. Not only does the diner have a possibility to spawn multiple cars at once as well as a single large vehicle or trailer, it often has plenty of supplies too so you can get your new ride up and running. It is possible for cars to spawn on the roof of the diner itself or the nearby shed but fortunately, you can easily get the cars down if they do spawn up there.

Siphoning Liquids/Draining Fuel Tanks

As I discussed before, many of the vehicles you come across may have random amounts of any liquids in their radiators, oil tanks and fuel tanks. Getting this stuff out of radiators and oil tanks is easy enough, but fuel tanks can be a bit trickier. In this section I'll show you how to use the siphon hose to both drain fuel tanks and siphon the liquids into other containers so you can use them.

Where To Find A Siphon Hose

Obviously, you're gonna need a siphon hose for this. The best place to find one is in the starting house. One can always be found in the rafters above where your car spawns:


If you miss this one, don't worry. The siphon hose can spawn at many other buildings so just keep your eyes open:


The hose can be stored in your inventory and unless you have a basket to keep it in, this is the best place to keep it so you always have it handy.

Siphoning Liquids

So let's say you find a vehicle with some liquid that you really need in the fuel tank. In this case, oil:


Since we don't want it to go to waste, we're gonna need a container to empty it into. The best one to use would be a jerry can since it's a convenient size and can hold up to 20 litres. If you don't have one available though, you can also use oil cans instead. If you're desperate, then buckets and beer bottles will also work, but they're not very practical:


You can also use the big oil drums but for reasons we'll discuss later on, these often don't work very well:


Now, place your container close to the vehicles fuel tank. Make sure it is lower down than the fuel filler is or the siphon won't work properly:


Open the fuel tank and pull out your siphon hose, then press F to stick one end of the hose into the tank:


Now open up your container and grab the other end of the hose. Press F to stick this end into the container:


Once both ends are connected, the hose will siphon automatically until either the tank is empty or your container is full. After you're done, grab hold of the hose and put it back in your inventory. Don't forget to close your container as well so you don't spill anything:

Draining The Fuel Tank

I'm sure at least a few people have been in this situation. After many, many hours of searching, you've finally found your dream car:


However, you then check the fuel tank to see something like this:


Yeah, the car's not gonna run on that mess. While it is true that you could use a large amount of pure fuel to dilute this enough to make the car run, I think it's much better to just get that garbage out of the tank. Yes. you could just open up the fuel tank and tilt the car over enough to dump it out, but this is very finicky to do and there is a much easier way. Once again, the siphon hose is the answer here. Open up the fuel tank, get your hose out and stick it in:


Now, when you grab the other end of the hose, you can drain the tank by holding down the left mouse button, Just keep draining until it's completely empty:


And there you go. The tank is cleaned out and ready to be filled with some actual fuel:

Conclusion

Hopefully this guide was helpful for you. A big thank you to The Long Drive Wiki[the-long-drive.fandom.com] for providing the specifications for all the vehicle's engines as well as some other information.

If you have suggestions to improve the guide or if you think I got any of these ratings wrong, please let me know.

[selcius]

Up to you, but it would be interesting to see another stat added: Customizability/Swappability. How performance changes when engines, wheels, pallets for roof racks, and other modifications are added. This category would mainly go over good mods for each car and how these mods will change performance. For example, the Trabant becomes MUCH faster and nicer to drive with a beetle engine swap and whitewalls, but the increased ride height makes it somewhat more prone to rolling.

[Star1337_online]

Well done

[DarkFalz]

@LaPizza Fr The Golf can come with either a gas or diesel engine.

[LaPizza Fr]

can you change the GOLF plz, its gas, not diesel

[flyingman.b747]

Thx bro, for real very informative, thx

[PatchesIX]

you should add this to the VW Beetle section: Adding bike tires to the front DRAMATICALLY increases handling at high speeds

[Topper1324]

very helpful, glad you spent time on something thats probably so tedious

[LavaDergyMcDergface]

The bunker and tanker truck are also GAZ-66 trucks iirc, just very sized up

[MeyoNi]

My only real disagreement is the Car Transporter Rating - 4/10
You can attach 6 pallets to the car transporter bed, with them pretty much flush if you look at the correct attachment point underneath. You basically get the flat bed with a Bigger bed area.

[jgulledge34]

yea same