Information about customizing vehicles in Saints Row, including how to unlock vehicles customization, and where and how to customize vehicles.

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You’ll unlock vehicle customization by completing the mission “A Piece of the Action”.

How to Unlock Vehicle Customization¶

There’s no way around it, you’re going to end up driving an awful lot over the course of Saints Row, so you might as well drive something that looks and handles the way you like. In the early parts of the game you’ve got no recourse but to drive whatever you can find rolling around the streets, but once you complete the mission A Piece of the Action you’ll unlock the ability to customize vehicles at JimRob’s.

Go fetch yourself a noble steed and if you want to keep it forevermore, just drive into the open garage at the JimRob’s and it’ll automatically be stored and saved. You can then check out the door in the garage to go to the customization menu (you’ll be sent here automatically if you’re delivering a new car to JimRob’s), or you can access the garage function at Saints HQ (“The Church”).

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(1 of 4) Bring vehicles you want to keep to JimRob’s.

How to Customize Vehicles¶

However you access the garage feature, once you do you’ll be able to choose the option to customize your stable of steeds. There are numerous cosmetic options that have little to no bearing on the vehicle’s performance, including textures, paint, dirt, decals, rims, underglow, tires… even the sounds the engine, horn and transmission makes!

As fun as it is to customize your vehicles, there are also numerous options with gameplay ramifications:

• Equipment: Allows you to purchase various attachments and kits for your vehicle, including the ever-useful Off-Road Kit which boosts the vehicle’s Off-Road stat (makes you far less likely to fishtail while driving in the desert), Nitrous (allows you to boost) and Towing Cables.

• Upgrade Kits: Pay a lump sum of cash and you’ll increase the stats of a vehicle, including its max speed, performance and durability. Different vehicles have different base stats, and will make variable gains from these upgrades - vehicles that start out fast won’t gain much more speed, while low durability vehicles may never become as durable as ones which are naturally sturdy. Each vehicle can be upgraded three times, the first upgrade costs $5,000, the second costs $25,000 and the third costs $100,000.

• Signature Abilities: Just like weapons, cars have their own Signature Abilities, although there are relatively few different types. Each vehicle has its own set Signature Ability you can unlock via various means, often by using a full bar of nitrous when you boost, sideswipping other vehicles, performing barrel rolls, etc. Selecting the Signature Ability option during customization allows you to activate or deactivate the vehicle’s Signature Ability as you see fit.

All in all, upgrading your vehicles makes them much more useful, and it’s worth spending some money on your favorite rides.