If you have ever rolled into Los Santos Customs and found the engine, brakes, or turbo you wanted greyed out, this guide covers how to unlock car upgrades in GTA Online. Most performance parts are locked behind your character rank by default, which is why a new player cannot buy a level 3 engine tune on day one. There are three ways past that wall: keep ranking up, win races with the vehicle class you want to upgrade, or buy a property that hands you every modification at once. This guide walks through all of them, plus the two separate upgrade tracks (Imani Tech and Hao’s Special Works) that most players confuse with normal mods.
Key Takeaways
- Why they are locked: most performance upgrades at Los Santos Customs are gated behind your character rank.
- The shortcut: winning races with a specific vehicle class unlocks that class’s upgrades faster than grinding rank.
- Unlock everything at once: owning an Auto Shop gives access to every modification for every vehicle regardless of rank.
- Imani Tech: the Agency Vehicle Workshop adds anti-missile and remote-control upgrades to a set list of vehicles.
- Hao’s Special Works: available on the GTA V Enhanced edition (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC since March 2025), it pushes a car’s top speed past the normal maximum.
- Why Your Car Upgrades Are Locked
- Unlock Upgrades by Rank: The Requirements
- The Shortcut: Win Races With That Vehicle Class
- Unlock Everything at Once: The Auto Shop
- Imani Tech: Anti-Griefer Upgrades at the Agency
- Hao’s Special Works: Speed Beyond the Max
- Which Method Should You Use?
- Gear for Long GTA Sessions
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Summary
Why Your Car Upgrades Are Locked
Car upgrades in GTA Online unlock as you raise your character rank. At Los Santos Customs, the cosmetic mods (paint, wheels, body kits, spoilers) are available to almost everyone right away. The performance parts that actually make a car faster are the ones gated behind rank: engine tunes, brakes, transmission, turbo, armor, and suspension.
That is the whole reason a low-rank player sees a wall of greyed-out options. The game wants you to earn the strongest parts over time. The good news is the rank requirement is only the default path. Three routes get you the same upgrades sooner, and the rest of this guide breaks down each one.
Unlock Upgrades by Rank: The Requirements
Ranking up is the path the game nudges you toward. Each performance upgrade tier has a rank attached, and the better the part, the higher the rank. Here are the key thresholds for the upgrades that matter most.
| Upgrade | Rank Required | What It Improves |
|---|---|---|
| Armor (20%) | Rank 10 | Damage resistance |
| EMS Engine Upgrade, Level 1 | Rank 15 | Acceleration and top speed |
| Xenon Lights | Rank 21 | Cosmetic headlights |
| Street Brakes | Rank 25 | Braking |
| EMS Engine Upgrade, Level 2 | Rank 30 | Acceleration and top speed |
| Sports Transmission | Rank 40 | Gear shifts and acceleration |
| Sport Brakes | Rank 50 | Braking |
| EMS Engine Upgrade, Level 3 | Rank 60 | Acceleration and top speed |
| Race Brakes | Rank 80 | Braking |
| Turbo Tuning | Rank 100 | Acceleration and top speed |
Turbo Tuning at Rank 100 is the part that frustrates new players the most, since it gives one of the biggest performance jumps and sits behind the highest wall. If you do not want to grind to triple digits, the next two methods skip the rank requirement entirely.
The Shortcut: Win Races With That Vehicle Class
Every rank-locked performance upgrade has a second unlock condition: win a set number of races using a car from the same vehicle class. Hit that number and the upgrade unlocks for that class no matter what rank you are. This is the fastest route for a specific car, and most guides skip past it.
The exact win count is shown in the mod menu next to each locked upgrade, and the figures vary a little by source and game version, so treat these as a guide. The first engine tune unlocks after just a few class wins, the brakes and transmission tiers land somewhere in the 20s, and Turbo Tuning takes fewer than 20 wins, far below its Rank 100 alternative.
| Upgrade | Approx Class Wins | Or Reach Rank |
|---|---|---|
| EMS Engine Upgrade, Level 1 | ~3 to 4 wins | Rank 15 |
| Sports Transmission | ~20 wins | Rank 40 |
| Sport Brakes | ~25 wins | Rank 50 |
| Turbo Tuning | under 20 wins | Rank 100 |
The key detail is that wins count per vehicle class. Winning races in a Sports car unlocks upgrades for the Sports class, not for Muscle or Super. So pick the class of the car you care about and race that, not whatever you have on hand.
⚡ Quick tip: Turbo Tuning takes under 20 class race wins, far quicker than grinding to Rank 100. Queue into short, low-traffic races in the right class and you can unlock turbo for that class in an afternoon.
Unlock Everything at Once: The Auto Shop
The cleanest fix is to buy an Auto Shop. Owning one unlocks every modification for every vehicle regardless of your rank, including all the engine, brake, transmission, and turbo tiers that would otherwise be locked. You drive in, open the mod menu, and everything is available.
The cheapest location is the Mission Row Auto Shop at GTA$1,670,000 from Maze Bank Foreclosures. You need to visit the Los Santos Car Meet area at least once before the purchase menu opens. Beyond unlocking upgrades, the Auto Shop also earns money through repair and robbery contracts, which is why our GTA Online business tier list ranks it in the A tier. If you can afford one property as a new player, this is the most quality-of-life-friendly pick.
Imani Tech: Anti-Griefer Upgrades at the Agency
Imani Tech is a separate upgrade track, not part of Los Santos Customs. It adds defensive and utility gear to a fixed list of vehicles, and it is the upgrade most veterans tell new players to prioritize for public lobbies.
To use it, add the Vehicle Workshop upgrade to your Agency for GTA$800,000, or use the Vinewood Club Garage if you have GTA+. Then drive a compatible vehicle in and pick the Imani Tech option. Two upgrades stand out:
- Missile Lock-On Jammer (GTA$400,000): fully disables lock-on from the Homing Launcher and missile vehicles like the Oppressor Mk II, Buzzard, and Deluxo. This is the single best anti-griefer upgrade in the game.
- Remote Control Unit: lets you drive the vehicle remotely, useful for setups and for pulling a car to you without walking to it.
As of June 2026, around 20 vehicles support the full Imani Tech package, and a later update extended Missile Lock-On Jammer eligibility to roughly 50 more vehicles. Check the in-shop list, since not every car qualifies.
Hao’s Special Works: Speed Beyond the Max
Hao’s Special Works, or HSW, is the highest performance tier in the game, and it comes with one requirement. It is part of the GTA V Enhanced edition, which means PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC since the Enhanced upgrade landed there in March 2025. The older Legacy version of the game does not have it.
To unlock it, head to Hao’s shop in the northeast corner of the Los Santos Car Meet, then beat his introductory time trial, which gives you about eight minutes to finish and rewards one free HSW Performance Upgrade. After that first free conversion, upgrading more vehicles costs between GTA$375,000 and GTA$1,995,000 each depending on the car.
HSW upgrades go past the normal upgrade ceiling, raising a car’s top speed beyond what standard parts allow through extra engine, turbo, transmission, and drive-force tuning. A growing list of vehicles is eligible. If you play the Enhanced edition and want the fastest possible builds, HSW is the endgame.
Which Method Should You Use?
If You Are Low Rank:
- Win races with the class of the car you care about
- Target 17 wins to unlock Turbo Tuning early
- Save toward a Mission Row Auto Shop
- Add Imani Tech once you own an Agency
If You Want Everything Now:
- Buy an Auto Shop to unlock all mods regardless of rank
- Add the Missile Lock-On Jammer for public lobbies
- Convert a car at Hao’s on the GTA V Enhanced edition
- Use race wins to top up any class the shop misses
For most players the order is simple: race-win the upgrades you need now, buy an Auto Shop the moment you can afford one, then layer Imani Tech and HSW on top. GTA 6 is on the horizon, but GTA Online still gets new content, and these systems are not going anywhere soon. If you are weighing which property to buy first, our look at the most anticipated games of 2026, from GTA 6 to Resident Evil 9, puts the wait in context.
Gear for Long GTA Sessions
Grinding race wins and tuning cars means a lot of laps and a lot of menu time. Comfortable input gear and a screen with room to read the upgrade stats make the long sessions easier. Here is a driving-focused setup most /SKILL readers land on, with prices as of June 2026.
PlayStation DualSense Controller
The default way most players drive in GTA Online, with adaptive triggers that add feel to acceleration and braking.
Logitech G29 Driving Force
Force-feedback wheel and pedals that make a fully tuned car feel like it earned those upgrades.
LG UltraGear 27″ Curved
A curved 1440p screen with the room to read upgrade stat bars and spot griefers on the minimap.
The DualSense controller is the pick for most players, while the Logitech G29 is worth it if you spend real time racing. Pair either with the LG UltraGear for the extra screen space.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you unlock all car upgrades in GTA Online?
Buy an Auto Shop. Owning one unlocks every modification for every vehicle regardless of your character rank, including all engine, brake, transmission, and turbo tiers. The cheapest is the Mission Row Auto Shop at GTA$1,670,000, and you must visit the Los Santos Car Meet once before you can buy it.
Why are my car upgrades locked in GTA Online?
Most performance upgrades at Los Santos Customs are gated behind your character rank by default. Better parts require higher ranks, so low-rank players see many options greyed out. You can bypass the rank requirement by winning races with a vehicle class or by owning an Auto Shop.
How do you unlock car upgrades without ranking up?
Win races using a car from the class you want to upgrade. Each upgrade has a race-win requirement as an alternative to its rank, with the first engine tune taking only a few class wins and Turbo Tuning taking under 20, far below its Rank 100 alternative. The mod menu shows the exact number next to each locked part, and the wins count per vehicle class.
What does Imani Tech do in GTA Online?
Imani Tech adds defensive upgrades to a set list of vehicles through the Agency Vehicle Workshop. The Missile Lock-On Jammer (GTA$400,000) disables homing-missile lock from weapons like the Oppressor Mk II, and the Remote Control Unit lets you drive the car remotely. You need an Agency with the Vehicle Workshop, or GTA+ and the Vinewood Club Garage.
Can you get Hao’s Special Works on PC?
Yes, since the GTA V Enhanced edition came to PC on March 4, 2025. HSW is part of the Enhanced edition, so it works on PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC, but not on the older Legacy version. You unlock it by beating Hao’s time trial at the Los Santos Car Meet.
How much is the cheapest Auto Shop in GTA Online?
The Mission Row Auto Shop is the cheapest at GTA$1,670,000 from Maze Bank Foreclosures. You must visit the Los Santos Car Meet area at least once before the purchase option appears. It unlocks all vehicle modifications regardless of rank and also earns money through contracts.
Summary
The short answer to how to unlock car upgrades in GTA Online: most performance parts are rank-gated at Los Santos Customs, but you can unlock them early by winning races with the right vehicle class, or skip the rank wall entirely by buying an Auto Shop. The Auto Shop is the cleanest fix at GTA$1,670,000 for the Mission Row location.
Beyond the standard mods, Imani Tech adds anti-missile protection through the Agency, and Hao’s Special Works pushes top speed past the normal max on the GTA V Enhanced edition. Pick the method that fits your rank and platform, and your greyed-out upgrade menu becomes a fully unlocked one. For more on where these properties sit, see our GTA Online business tier list.