Chop shop
Solo or crewThe mechanic at the scrapyard in south Los Santos buys the stolen cars you bring him. He strips them in front of you and pays cash. Orders and jobs pay a whole lot better.
The plan#
- Find a rideStolen, carjacked, whatever, as long as it doesn't belong to a player. The mechanic is on the map.
- Pull into the zoneBehind the wheel, on the drop-off zone: you get a quote before anything is cut, damage and bonuses included. [E] opens the strip sheet.
- Lose the cops firstThe mechanic pulls the shutter down while the police are after you.
- The chopQuick by the mechanic's crew, or by hand to earn more. You get paid at the end, with an itemized receipt.
What pays#
Free car2% of its value
- Almost any car or bike off the street.
- Between $2,500 and $25,000.
Order8% of its value
- 3 wanted models at a time, refreshed every 30 min.
- First delivered, first paid: the order drops off the list for everyone.
- The best ones need a level. Below it, it's paid as a free car.
Job×1.5 – ×2.5
- The mechanic (or the Contracts app) gives you a target, its plate and 15 min.
- Parked, it's locked: you force the door in 6 s.
The mechanic turns down bicycles, boats, aircraft, emergency and military vehicles. Player cars are traced: he won't touch them.
Strip it yourself#
On the lift, the mechanic hands you a strip sheet: condition of each part, performance mods spotted, the quote line by line. Two ways to finish:
Quick chopquoted price
- His crew handles it in 16 s, you watch.
- The price on the sheet, no surprises.
Strip by hand-40% to +30%
- You walk to each part yourself: the wheels, the engine, the electronics, the catalytic converter.
- One skill bar per part. Clean: its share of the price +30%. Botched: −40%.
- You can stop halfway: the crew finishes the rest at the quick price.
A tuned ride is worth more: engine, brakes, transmission, suspension, armor, turbo and brand rims add up to +25%.
Garage heat#
Every ride chopped raises the garage heat, for the whole server: +4° for a free car, +8° for an order, +10° for a job. It drops by itself by 12° an hour.
| Heat | What happens |
|---|---|
| 60° | Heating up: the mechanic pays a +10% risk premium. |
| 85° | Last warning: no more free cars, only orders and jobs. |
| 100° | Police raid: ★★★ for everyone on site, and the mechanic moves to another address. |
The burned address stays closed for 30 min. The mechanic reopens elsewhere after 2 min, and regulars get a text. At the counter, a $15,000 envelope for the sergeant drops the heat by 20°, once every 30 min for everyone.
Jobs#
| Job | Level | Pay | What's waiting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple theft | 2 | ×1.5 | A car parked somewhere, locked. |
| Street theft | 2 | ×1.8 | The owner is driving it. He bolts as soon as he sees you coming: stop him, pull him out. |
| Guarded theft | 3 | ×2 | 3 armed guys around it. Come strapped. |
| Alarmed theft | 4 | ×2.5 | The moment you force the door, the alarm goes off: ★★★. |
The target is on your map and its plate comes by text. By phone, the mechanic only hands out jobs once you've delivered him a car. Between two jobs, he makes you wait 2 min.
Anyone can force and chop a job target: if someone else delivers it first, your job is off. Car destroyed, gone, or time's up: job cancelled.
Levels#
| Level | Reputation | Bonus | What it unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mark | 0 | – | Free cars, basic orders |
| Thief | 100 | +5% | Simple theft, street theft |
| Wrecker | 300 | +10% | Luxury orders, guarded theft |
| Pro | 700 | +15% | Supercars, alarmed theft |
| Legend | 1,500 | +25% | The top bonus on every delivery |
Every delivery earns chop shop reputation: 5 for a free car, 25 for an order, 40 to 80 for a job. It stays tied to your account.
With your crew#
Crewmates within 40 m at delivery split the price evenly with you (3 at most). You get the full reputation; they get half. The car is worth the same alone or as a crew.
Every delivery also adds to your bounty.
Drive like a cabbie. Every dent is money gone.
Delivering the same model twice within 20 min (jobs excepted). In the menu, Scout orders nearby , once every . /chopshop opens the counter from anywhere: .