Vehicular mayhem is back and better than ever in Borderlands 3! Beyond the guns and loot, customizing your ride is a core part of the chaotic fun. Forget simply catching a ride; in Borderlands 3, you’re catching parts to build your ultimate war machine. This guide will give you the lowdown on All Car Parts Bl3 has to offer, ensuring you dominate the planets in style and firepower.
From Zero to Hero: Borderlands 3 Vehicle Customization
Gearbox Software listened to player feedback and completely revamped the vehicle experience for Borderlands 3. Moving to Unreal Engine 4 allowed for a ground-up rebuild, and they even brought in experts from racing game development to refine the handling and combat. The result? Vehicles that are not just a means of transport, but a crucial element of your arsenal.
One of the biggest innovations is the vehicle customization system. By hijacking enemy vehicles and claiming their parts, you can personalize your own rides at any Catch-A-Ride station. This means you can mix and match components to create vehicles perfectly suited to your playstyle and the challenges ahead. No more cookie-cutter cars – Borderlands 3 empowers you to become a true automotive artist of destruction.
During the gameplay reveal, the improved vehicle handling was immediately apparent. Whether speeding through open landscapes or navigating tight city streets, the controls felt responsive and intuitive. The increased number of Catch-A-Ride stations also makes accessing and customizing vehicles more convenient than ever. Fast travel to your vehicle is another welcome addition, ensuring you’re always ready to roll out in your custom creation.
Your Garage Awaits: Exploring Vehicle Types and Parts
Borderlands 3 offers three distinct vehicle chassis at the Catch-a-Ride stations, each with its own strengths and customization options: the Outrunner, the Technical, and the Cyclone. Let’s dive into the all car parts BL3 offers for each:
Outrunner: Speed and Agility
The Outrunner is your go-to for speed and maneuverability. Designed for outrunning (as the name suggests) and outmaneuvering enemies, this vehicle excels at fast-paced combat and quick getaways.
“Developed by one of the big five corporations is the fasted land vehicle available and can “outrun” anything else. It cannot outrun other Outrunners, however, since they go the same speed.”
- Catch-A-Ride Station
Statistics:
- Speed: 14
- Armor: 4
Outrunner Parts Breakdown:
Driver Weapons: Unleash Frontal Firepower
- Machine Gun: The standard, reliable choice. A high-fire-rate machine gun for consistent damage. (Default)
- Tesla Coil: Electrify your enemies! This weapon emits a beam of shock damage that jumps to multiple targets. (Found on: Maliwan Outrunners, Locations: Promethea, Meridian Metroplex & Pandora, Ascension Bluff)
- Flame Thrower: Set the world ablaze! A close-range weapon ideal for quickly eliminating enemy drivers and setting vehicles alight. (Found on: Outrunners, Location: Pandora, Ascension Bluff)
Turret Weapons: Rear-Mounted Mayhem
- Heavy Missile: Deliver explosive devastation. These missiles pack a punch, with a 50% damage bonus on direct hits. Gunners can zoom for precision targeting. (Default)
- Shotgun Missile: Spread the destruction. Fires a volley of missiles in a wide pattern, great for crowd control. Gunners can adjust the firing pattern. (Found on: COV Outrunners, Location: Pandora, Devil’s Razor)
- Swarmer Missile: Guide your missiles to victory! Launches a swarm of missiles that can be laser-guided by the gunner. (Found on: Outrunner, Maliwan Outrunners, Locations: Pandora, Ascension Bluff & Nekrotafeyo, Desolation’s Edge)
Wheels: Traction and Special Abilities
- Dune Buggy Wheels: Balanced all-around wheels offering a good mix of speed and handling. (Default)
- Zip Wheels: Flaming boost activated! Using the e-brake charges energy and releases it as a powerful, fiery boost. (Found on: Hijack Target Zippy Outrunner, Location: Pandora, Devil’s Razor)
- Omni Wheels: Hover and evade! Replaces the e-brake with a hover mode, allowing for unique maneuverability. (Found on: Maliwan Hover Outrunners, Locations: Promethea, Meridian Metroplex & Nekrotafeyo, Desolation’s Edge)
- Twitchy Wheels: Enhanced agility. Steerable back wheels provide exceptional maneuverability for tight turns and evasive action. (Found on: Twitchy Outrunner, Locations: Promethea, Meridian Metroplex/Outskirts & Pandora, Droughts/Ascension Bluff/Devil’s Razor)
Armors: Protection Levels
- Stripped Armor: Lightweight but offers no defensive advantage. (Default)
- Heavy Armor: Increased durability at the cost of some speed. Provides significantly better protection against damage. (Found on: Hijack Target Heavy Outrunner, Location: Pandora, Ascension Bluff)
Mods: Boost and Utility
- Booster Canisters: Standard boost, optimized for a balance of speed and duration. (Default)
- Energy Cells: Shocking boost! Provides three charges of a smaller boost that also emits a pulse of shock damage. (Found on: Pulsing Outrunner, Location: Nekrotafeyo, Desolation’s Edge)
- Blaze Booster: Quick bursts of speed. A fast-burning booster best used for short, powerful bursts of acceleration. (Found on: COV Outrunners, Locations: Promethea, Meridian Metroplex & Pandora, Ascension Bluff)
- Laser Wings: Offensive boost! Redirects boost energy to create laser blades around the vehicle, damaging nearby enemies during boost. (Found on: Hijack Target Razor Outrunner, Location: Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin)
Technical: Rugged and Versatile
The Technical is the workhorse of Borderlands 3 vehicles. Built by the Children of the Vault (COV), it’s surprisingly durable and packs a serious punch, making it excellent for aggressive, close-quarters combat.
“There’s nothing technical about the way that the CoV built this. But it’s surprisingly sturdy, packs quite a punch and is a blast to drive!”
- Catch-A-Ride Station
Statistics:
- Speed: 12
- Armor: 7
Technical Parts Breakdown:
Driver Weapons: Frontal Assault Options
- Machine Gun: Classic and effective. A reliable machine gun for consistent damage output. (Default)
- Flak Cannon: Close-range devastation. A powerful shotgun that fires scrap projectiles, incredibly deadly at close range. (Found on: COV Technical, Locations: Promethea, Neon Arterial & Pandora, Splinterlands)
Turret Weapons: Rear-Mounted Explosives
- Barrel Launcher: Explosive barrels on demand! Launches barrels that explode on impact. Gunners can detonate barrels mid-air for cluster bomb effect. (Default)
- Sticky Bombs: Adhesive explosives. Launches bombs that stick to surfaces (and enemies!). Detonation is timed or can be triggered by the gunner. (Found on: Hijack Target, Location: Promethea, Meridian Outskirt)
- Tire Bombs: Remote-controlled explosive tires. Launches tire-shaped bombs that the gunner can steer remotely. (Found on: Hijack Target Spare Tire Technical, Location: Pandora, Splinterlands)
Wheels: Terrain and Ramming Prowess
- All-Terrain Wheels: Technical’s fastest wheel option, providing good all-around performance. (Default)
- Monster Wheels: Improved handling and durability thanks to large size and robust construction. (Found on: Angels and Speed Demons quest, Location: Pandora)
- Barbed Wheels: Ignore terrain penalties and inflict significant ramming damage (+50% against flesh). (Found on: Hijack Target Spiked Technical, Location: Pandora, Devil’s Razor)
- Hover Wheels: Hover mode replaces the e-brake, offering unique movement options. (Found on: Hover Technical, Location: Promethea, Meridian Outskirt)
Armors: Durability and Ramming Power
- Stripped Armor: Lightweight with no added protection. (Default)
- Heavy Armor: Significantly increased durability, sacrificing some speed. (Found on: COV Technical, Locations: Promethea, Meridian Outskirts, Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin. Guaranteed spawn during “Beneath the Meridian” mission)
- Meat Grinder: Extreme ramming power! +100% ramming damage, +200% against flesh.
Mods: Utility and Boost Options
- Passenger Seats: Bring your friends along for the ride! Includes passenger seating and a standard boost module. (Default)
- Fuel Barrels: Unlimited boost! Provides continuous boost, though not as powerful as other boost types. (Found on: COV Technical, Location: Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin)
- Toxic Booster: Corrosive clouds in your wake! A weaker boost that leaves behind damaging corrosive clouds. (Found on: COV Technical, Locations: Promethea, Neon Arterial & Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin)
- Jet Booster: High-powered burst boost. A jet engine strapped to the back provides a powerful boost after a short charge-up time. (Found on: Carnivora Technicals, Location: Pandora, Carnivora – found during the chase for Carnivora and only during the chase)
The Technical in Borderlands 3 is a highly customizable and rugged vehicle, perfect for aggressive playstyles and close-quarters combat.Cyclone: Nimble and Fast Attacker
The Cyclone is the fastest and most agile vehicle in Borderlands 3, trading defense for speed and maneuverability. Its weapons can be aimed 360 degrees, making it a deadly hit-and-run vehicle.
“The Cyclone makes up for its lack of defenses by allowing its driver to outmaneuver other vehicles. It’s armed with an array of fast weapons that can be aimed at 360 degrees.”
- Catch-A-Ride Station
Statistics:
- Speed: 17
- Armor: 2
Cyclone Parts Breakdown:
Driver Weapons: Agile and Explosive
- Machine Gun: Reliable and versatile. The standard machine gun for consistent damage. (Default)
- Explosive Needle Launcher: Explosive projectile barrage. Fires needles that explode after a short delay. (Found on: Maliwan Cyclones, Locations: Nekrotafeyo, Desolation’s Edge & Promethea, Meridian Metroplex (True Vault Hunter Mode))
- Sawblade Launcher: Powerful spinning blades of destruction. Launches explosive sawblades for high damage. (Found on: COV Cyclones, Locations: Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin & Pandora, Devil’s Razor)
Wheels: Speed, Traction, and Hover
- Monowheel: Cyclone’s fastest wheel option, maximizing speed. (Default)
- Blade Wheel: Enhanced traction and ramming damage (+ significant boost against flesh). (Found on: Blade Cyclone, Locations: Promethea, Neon Arterial & Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin & Pandora, Devil’s Razor)
- Wide Wheel: Improved handling and durability, offering a more balanced performance. (Found on: Hijack Target Fat Cyclone, Location: Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin)
- Hover Wheel: Enables hover mode with the e-brake, adding a unique dimension to Cyclone’s agility. (Found on: Maliwan Hover Cyclone, Location: Promethea, Meridian Metroplex)
Armors: Light and Heavy Options
- Stripped Armor: Minimal weight, no defensive benefit. (Default)
- Heavy Armor: Improved durability, sacrificing some speed. (Found on: Heavy cyclone, Locations: Promethea, Meridian Metroplex & Eden-6, Floodmoor Basin)
Mods: Pure Speed Boost
- Heavy Booster: Maximum speed boost. An extremely powerful booster designed for pure, unadulterated speed. (Default)
Beyond Parts: Cosmetic Customization with Skins
Customization in Borderlands 3 isn’t just about performance; it’s also about style! You can personalize the look of your vehicles with a variety of paint job themes and color palettes. Themes are found as loot drops throughout the game, adding another layer to the Borderlands 3 loot hunt.
Skin Themes List:
| Skin Name | Skin Description |
|---|---|
| Default | Classic Look |
| Atlas | You are now sponsored by the Atlas Corporation! |
| Magic Number | “Illusion, Michael” |
| Blue Angels | Who’s the star? You’re the star! |
| Bubblegum | Let’s face it, this paint job would exist even if we didn’t put it here. Chew on this! |
| Children of Vault | The Calypsos probably wouldn’t like us rocking their color, but who cares? |
| Dahl | You are now sponsored by the Dahl Corporation! |
| Ellie | Ain’t that a beauty? Feel free to change it even though it would break my heart. |
| Follow-Me | Fancy a game of checkers? |
| Forest Camo | Forest Camo? Anyone happen to remember we’re invading a desert planet? |
| Golden Ticket | Big Donny gave his life so you could have this … well you took it from him. |
| Gearbox | Now where have I seen this before …? |
| Halftone | Want this one? Sign here on the dotted line. |
| Hyperion | You are now sponsored by the Hyperion Corporation! |
| Jakobs | You are now sponsored by the Jakobs Corporation! |
| I like dinosaurs | Life huh … finds a way. |
| Leather | A though leather finish. |
| Maliwan | You are now sponsored by the Maliwan Corporation … wait what? |
| Plaid | So warm and fuzzy |
| Roadkill | Look at this beauty, just like new! Wait, is that blood? |
| Skag | We love Skags. Don’t you? |
| Stealth | For stealthy night operations. Not sure how it works with all these explosives. |
| Thunderbird | Instead of soaring through the sky, you will ram through skags. |
| Torgue | You are now sponsored by the Torgue Corporation! |
| Vaughn’s | Vaughn is serious with this Sunsmasher business. |
| Vladof | You are now sponsored by the Vladof Corporation! |
| Woodland Camo | Ideal for chasing those pesky CoVs on Pandora. |
Scanning for Success: Unlocking New Parts
Want to add those hijacked car parts BL3 enemies are sporting to your own Catch-a-Ride menu? It’s simple! Drive the vehicle with the desired part to a Catch-a-Ride station. Park on the designated digi-struct spot, exit the vehicle, and watch as Ellie’s tech works its magic. The vehicle is deconstructed, and any new parts are added to your customization options for future vehicle spawns.
Hit the Road, Vault Hunter!
Vehicle customization in Borderlands 3 is a deep and rewarding system. Experiment with all car parts BL3 offers, find your perfect ride, and dominate the wasteland in style. Whether you prefer the speed of the Outrunner, the ruggedness of the Technical, or the agility of the Cyclone, there’s a custom vehicle build waiting for you. Now get out there and start collecting those parts!
