In Project Zomboid, mechanics is a crafting skill that enables the ability to repair, uninstall, and modify parts of the vehicles.
A high level of mechanical skill allows you to take care of your vehicles more effectively.
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In this guide, let’s learn how to level up mechanics in Project Zomboid.
The main ways to level up mechanics in Project Zomboid are by choosing the Mechanic occupation and interacting with vehicles, including installing, uninstalling, repairing, and replacing vehicle parts.
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How to Level Up Mechanics in Project Zomboid
Vehicles, in general, and cars, in particular, play a vital role in transporting players between destinations in Project Zomboid, and they’ll be broken or run out of fuel over time. So, being a master of mechanics will sort these problems out.
Now, let’s see the 3 main ways to level up mechanics in Project Zomboid!
1. Choose The Mechanic Occupation
The fastest way to raise your mechanics without doing anything is to choose Mechanic as your occupation in the early game, as you’ll grant 3 levels of Mechanics skill subsequently.
Besides, you’ll also possess the Amateur Mechanics trait, which provides detailed knowledge of vehicles.
Prerequisite Items And Preparation For 2 and 3
Before trying the below methods to level up mechanics, you need to acquire the following tools and materials:
- Jack: A jack is used to hold up the vehicle so other tools, such as a lug wrench and wrench, can remove or replace the vehicle parts.
- Lug Wrench: A lug wrench is used to remove tires, allowing access to brakes and suspension.
- Tire Pump: You can use a tire pump to inflate tires.
- Wrench: A wrench is needed to repair or remove large parts such as hoods, trunk lids, and doors.
- Screwdriver: A screwdriver is used to remove small parts: batteries, windows, and radios.
- Propane Torches: Can be used along with metal or small metal sheets to repair the vehicle parts.
- Screws, Metal Sheets, and Small Metal Sheets: Required materials for repairing vehicles.
Keep in mind that if you don’t choose Mechanic occupation or Amateur Mechanics traits, then you have to look for Laines Auto Manual items (Standard/Commercial/Performance models) to be able to modify the cars.
In addition, it’s worth reading mechanics skill books, which can be found in post offices, mailboxes, or schools, to multiply your XP gain.
Basically, you can repair and replace everything related to vehicles through the vehicle mechanic menu. To enable this, you need to press “E” while standing in front of the vehicle or right-click on it and select “Vehicle Mechanics”.
Some components require a car key to uninstall, but it’s still OK if you don’t have one, as you can try to hotwire in advance.
Finally, you need lots of vehicles to level up your skills, so the junkyard is the best place to look for wrecks and cars.
2. Install and Uninstall Vehicle Parts
To install or uninstall vehicle parts, right-click on them in the vehicle mechanic menu, then select “Install/Uninstall” => “Vehicle Part Name”.
You can install or uninstall the tires, brakes, suspension, gas tank, trunk, windshield, slide windows, doors, hood, trunk lid, seats, and muffler in a vehicle.
The XP you receive varies depending on your current level, XP multiplier, and vehicle parts. Suppose you’re at level 4 of Mechanics skill, have a 125% XP multiplier, and are installing/uninstalling the tires. Then the XP you get is 1.66.
Some vehicle parts can only be uninstalled once you uninstall the related components, which are displayed in a pop-up window after selecting the uninstall option. For example, the brakes can only be uninstalled after uninstalling the tires.
Here are the things: For each component, installing and uninstalling will provide XP once, meaning that nothing happens if you keep installing/uninstalling one part multiple times.
However, you still receive XP if you uninstall and change the position from part to part (for example, switching the front left tire to the front right tire) or from the current car to a different one.
Some specific parts in the vehicle have “Chance To Success” and “Chance To Failure” values (for example, the suspension or the muffler).
These values differ from part to part, and the “Chance To Failure” reduces as your mechanics skill increases.
Keep in mind that the part can be completely broken if you attempt to fail many times. Therefore, consider uninstalling the cars or vehicles that are not your primary.
In this situation, you will earn XP both when you successfully install a part and even when you encounter failures.
However, you’ll get XP once if you’re successful, but you will still receive XP regardless of how many times you fail.
That said, the best way to gain XP via installing/uninstalling vehicle parts is to try to install/uninstall the part with a high “Chance To Failure” as many times as possible.
Additionally, it is beneficial to switch parts between vehicles and interchange similar parts among vehicles of the same class.
3. Repair or Replace Vehicle Parts
As you use the vehicles over time, some parts will be damaged. Therefore, you can repair a part and earn XP multiple times.
To repair the car parts, you need specific metalworking tools (propane torch, screws, etc.) along with prerequisite items.
Next, ensure you have the required materials (metal sheets or replacements) in your inventory. Then right-click on the brown/orange parts, select “Repair”, and pick the available options.
Remember that the repair option isn’t available for all vehicle parts. So, driving carefully is advisable, as crashing a car can also damage your character.
Each repair option has a different “Potentially Repaired” and “Chance To Success” value.
Hence, the XP you get for each option also varies. Choosing the option with a higher “Potentially Repaired” value does not guarantee that you will earn more XP in all cases.
Compared to installing/uninstalling vehicle parts, you may need higher mechanics and metal working skill levels to actually repair and replace vehicle parts.
For example, you need Mechanics skill level 4 to repair the door or level 5 to fix the windshield. Still, you’ll get a higher XP in return.
To replace the new part, you must uninstall it, right-click on the missing part slot, and select the replacements.
In general, repairing or replacing vehicle parts offers a higher amount of XP than installing/uninstalling, and this is also the best approach to maximize your Mechanics skill once you reach level 5 or higher.
That’s how to level up mechanics in Project Zomboid.
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