Vehicles

From bicycle to gyrocopter — costs, storage, and when to build which

Overview

Five vehicles exist, roughly in progression order: Bicycle → Minibike → Motorcycle → 4x4 Truck → Gyrocopter. All motorized vehicles run on gas; the bicycle needs no fuel at all.

The lineup

Vehicle	Crafting needs	Storage	Best for
Bicycle	2 Wheels, Bicycle Chassis, Handlebars, Mechanical Parts	Minimal	Free, fast early upgrade over walking — no fuel needed
Minibike	2 Wheels, Minibike Chassis, Handlebars, Engine, Lead Car Battery	27 slots	First real vehicle — big quality-of-life jump, single-seat
Motorcycle	2 Wheels, Motorcycle Chassis, Handlebars, Engine, Lead Car Battery	More than Minibike	Faster than the Minibike; needs steel production for the handlebars recipe
4x4 Truck	4 Wheels, Truck Chassis, Truck Accessories, Engine, Lead Car Battery	81 slots — largest in the game	Multi-POI loot runs, group travel, base relocation. Guzzles fuel, weak to collisions
Gyrocopter	3 Wheels, Gyrocopter Chassis, Accessories, Engine, Lead Car Battery — requires maxing the Vehicle skill (100 Vehicle Adventures magazines)	Modest	The only flying vehicle — fastest overall, best for very long trips

Fuel

Dismantle wrecked cars with a wrench — the best source, and also yields the Engines and Lead Car Batteries you need to build vehicles in the first place.
Oil barrels found in garages, gas stations, and construction sites.
Mine Oil Shale in the Desert and refine it into gas at a Chemistry Station once you're set up for it (see Crafting & Tools).

Tip: Keep a small fuel reserve in the vehicle itself, not just in your inventory — it's easy to park a loot-stuffed vehicle and forget to refuel it before your next trip.

Choosing what to build

Early vehicles (Bicycle, Minibike) are usually worth crafting yourself — parts are easy to find. The Motorcycle and 4x4 are often pricier to buy from a trader than to gather materials for yourself. The Gyrocopter is almost always self-built since traders rarely stock it.