How To Get A Car In Project Zomboid

In Project Zomboid, having a car is essential if you plan on surviving past the game's first few days. Aside from letting you get from place to place quickly, cars can store a decent amount of gear or even draw zombies away in a pinch. Getting a car isn't easy though, unless you create a character with that goal in mind.

Built to drive

Before even loading into Project Zomboid's world, you can greatly increase your chance of quickly getting a car by creating a mechanic character. The preset is one of the game's many career choices and gives you three skill points in mechanics. These points let you repair pretty much any car in the game, but besides that, mechanics are effectively a short step away from driving every car you find.

After starting as a mechanic, you only have to gain one level in the electrical skill and you'll be able to hotwire cars. Provided they aren't damaged, their batteries are charged, and there's gas in the tank, you can take pretty much any vehicle on the road and drive off without the key.

Where to find car keys in Project Zomboid

If you don't start as a mechanic, getting a car is going to be a much more time-consuming task. You'll either have to grind two levels in mechanics and one level in electrical to hotwire cars or get lucky enough to find a car key.

Car keys give you access to a single, specific vehicle, just like car keys in real life. While difficult to find, they can usually be found on the ground in parking lots near the car, inside nearby houses, or even on zombies that happen to be wandering nearby. Of course, you'll only be able to drive away in a car if it has gas and working components.

Where to find gas in Project Zomboid

Gasoline is one of the most precious resources in Project Zomboid, one that you will need plenty of as you progress through the game. The easiest way to transport gasoline is with gas canisters, which can be found at gas stations or in garages next to homes. They're not always full though and may require that you head over to a gas pump and retrieve some fuel yourself.

With a gas can, you can also siphon gasoline from nearby cars. If there's one that's damaged or one that you just know you aren't going to use, feel free to get as much gas as you can out of it to store away for later. In Project Zomboid, it's never a bad idea to have a ton of gasoline sitting around.

If you're just getting started in Project Zomboid and aren't ready to get a car yet, check out our guide on how to survive the game's first day.