I spent my first three hours in My Winter Car staring at a frozen windshield, wondering why my character kept shaking, and slowly freezing to death in my own apartment because I forgot to turn on the radiators. If that sounds like your experience so far, welcome to the club.
The long-awaited sequel to My Summer Car dropped on December 29, 2025, and it’s already delivering exactly what fans expected: brutal difficulty, zero hand-holding, and the kind of authentic Finnish misery that somehow keeps us coming back for more. After pouring dozens of hours into this Early Access release, I’ve compiled everything you need to know to actually survive and thrive in 1999 Finland.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways:
Your character is an alcoholic with a “Problem” meter you need to manage with actual alcohol consumption. Cold kills faster than hunger, so master the block heater and apartment radiator systems immediately. The Corris Rivett project car costs 500mk and requires over 200 individual parts to complete. Jobs at Futufon pay weekly (2,500mk) while side gigs like advert delivery offer quicker cash. Always plug in your Sorbett’s block heater when parked, or the oil freezes and your car won’t start.
My Winter Car Guide: Understanding the Basics
Before we dive into specifics, let’s address something important: this game actively tries to kill you. The Steam page literally warns that My Winter Car features permanent death, meaning one mistake can wipe hours of progress. The developer recommends playing My Summer Car first, and honestly? I agree. The learning curve here is vertical.
You start the game in a freezing apartment in the fictional town of Peräjärvi, Finland. It’s January 1999, the sun barely shows itself, and you own exactly one functioning vehicle—a Talbot 1510-based hatchback called the Sorbett. Your goal is to purchase and rebuild the Corris Rivett (based on the Ford Taunus TC) while managing survival stats that include some genuinely dark mechanics.
My Winter Car Corris Rivett Guide: How To Build A Car While Losing Your Mind? The game runs on the same engine as My Summer Car but features significantly more content at launch. With almost 200 unique parts for the Corris Rivett, ice roads across the frozen lake, and expanded job opportunities, there’s plenty to keep you busy. Just don’t expect the game to explain any of it. Like hidden matchmaking systems in competitive shooters that developers rarely acknowledge, My Winter Car hides its mechanics behind trial and error.
Survival Stats and the “Problem” Meter
The survival system in My Winter Car expands on what My Summer Car established, but with darker twists. You’re managing Hunger, Thirst, Stress, Urine, Fatigue, Cash, Body Temperature, and Sweat. Most function as expected, but one stat caught me completely off guard.
The “Problem” meter isn’t tracking some vague philosophical concern. Your character has alcohol dependency, and that bar represents withdrawal symptoms. Drinking water barely touches it. You need actual alcoholic beverages to keep it manageable. I discovered this after my character started shaking uncontrollably and I couldn’t figure out why.
Managing the Problem stat requires a careful balance. Drinking beer or other alcoholic beverages temporarily lowers the bar, but you can’t just stay drunk constantly. The recommended approach involves drinking alcohol to lower the Problem meter, waiting about 30-40 minutes, then drinking water to sober up. Repeat this cycle several times for full recovery. Overdrinking at places like Pub Nappo can cause its own issues, so moderation matters.
Body temperature is your biggest enemy. If your apartment gets too cold, you literally cannot sleep regardless of how exhausted you are. I spent ten minutes staring at my bed wondering why the sleep prompt wouldn’t appear before realizing the room temperature was killing me. Crank your radiators to at least 30 degrees if you want rest.
My Winter Car Guide to the Sorbett (Your Daily Driver)
The Sorbett is your lifeline. This Talbot 1510-based hatchback sits outside your apartment and is the only functioning vehicle you own at game start. Learning to operate it in Finnish winter conditions is essential.
Cold starting the Sorbett follows a specific ritual. First, check if it’s plugged in. There’s a block heater cord at the front of the car that keeps the oil from freezing while parked. Unplug this before driving or you’ll rip it out. More importantly, always plug it back in when you return home. If you leave the car unplugged for extended periods, the oil freezes and starting becomes extremely difficult or impossible.
Once unplugged, get inside and pull the choke (small knob left of the steering wheel). Hold left mouse button on the ignition while giving it a little gas. Once running, you need to deal with the frozen windshield. The heater controls on the right side of the dashboard include a temperature dial, a blower button (click twice for maximum), and a window heater button that should turn yellow when active.
Here’s what the game doesn’t tell you: the heater takes forever to defrost your windshield. Instead of waiting inside, jump out of the car, look at the windshield, and hold left mouse button while moving your mouse up and down to manually scrape the ice. This saves significant time.
Basic driving controls require entering driving mode first (press Enter). Use G to shift up and B to shift down. The clutch is mapped to X, though auto-clutch is enabled by default. Spacebar handles the handbrake, and pressing J activates push mode for when you inevitably get stuck.
BASIC CAR CONTROLS
Because WASD isn’t enough when you’re driving a manual on ice.
| ACTION | KEY / INPUT |
|---|---|
| Enter Driving Mode | Enter (Do this first!) |
| Gears | G (Shift Up) / B (Shift Down) |
| Clutch | X (Auto-clutch is on by default) |
| Handbrake | Spacebar (Or click it) |
| Push Mode | J (For when you get stuck) |
My Winter Car Phone Guide: All Numbers, Locations & How to Call (2026) Getting to the PSK Gas Station
Navigation in My Winter Car follows the same map as My Summer Car, with the key addition of ice roads across Lake Peräjärvi. From your apartment, turn left and follow the road until you reach a crossroads at Pub Nappo. Take another left, head downhill, and you’ll find the PSK gas station.
Before pumping fuel, interact with the red payment terminal directly next to the pump. Select your amount, then fuel up using the green petrol option (not diesel). Don’t stretch the hose too far or you’ll lose your money with nothing to show for it.
Inside the gas station, check the notice board to the right after entering through the automatic sliding doors. This board contains phone numbers for jobs and, crucially, the advertisement for the Corris Rivett. Take a photo or write down the number 08 609 553. You’ll need this to start your project car journey.
The gas station also sells the Classifieds Magazine for 15mk, which contains advertisements for Corris Rivett parts. This magazine becomes essential for ordering components you can’t find at Fleetari’s shop.
Purchasing the Corris Rivett Project Car
Unlike My Summer Car where the Satsuma was waiting in your garage, the Corris Rivett must be purchased. This Ford Taunus TC-based sedan costs 500mk and comes as a bare shell with only 10-12 random loose parts in varied condition.
To buy the Corris Rivett, return to your apartment and use the phone. This is where many players get stuck. You must use your keyboard’s numpad to dial, not the regular number row. Enter 08 609 553 and wait. The seller is Reijo Livaloinen (the Firewood Guy from My Summer Car). Let his rambling finish completely and wait until he hangs up on his end. If you disconnect early, the script doesn’t trigger and the car won’t appear on your map.
After a successful call, check your apartment map for a new “Car for Sale” pin. Drive to the marked location (map point 9), approach the seller, and pay 500mk after his dialogue. The car is yours, but it’s completely immobile.
Transporting the Corris Rivett requires another vehicle. The Kekmet tractor offers the safest option for towing, while the Gifu truck moves faster. Many players tow it to their parents’ house rather than the apartment because the motor hoist located there makes engine assembly significantly easier.
My Winter Car Guide to Building the Corris Rivett
The Corris Rivett assembly represents a significantly larger challenge than the Satsuma from My Summer Car. With over 200 individual parts required, you’re committing to a serious project.
Parts come from multiple sources. Fleetari’s shop carries engine components and performance parts. The flea market near the inspection shop sells various items including car parts from different model years. The Classifieds Magazine offers the widest selection through mail order.
Ordering from the magazine follows a specific process. Buy the magazine from PSK, then go to any phone. Open the magazine with F while holding the phone receiver and dial the number listed under your desired part using the numpad. Wait for the call to complete naturally. If the number under the advertisement changes to 0, your order went through. Parts arrive after two in-game days via postal notice to your apartment mailbox, and you pick them up at the PSK counter after paying.
Building the car has no strictly correct order, but focusing on chassis components first prevents issues with part installation hierarchy. The game now requires installing the engine block before the gearbox, for example. Each part must be sourced individually, making this a long-term project requiring serious financial investment.
One critical warning: the Corris Rivett has no electronic rev limiter. Over-revving causes catastrophic engine damage, especially dangerous with tuned engines. Watch your tachometer carefully and avoid money-shifting (accidentally downshifting at high RPM). Also, never rev a cold engine—oil needs to circulate first or you’ll cause damage.
If you complete the Corris Rivett to factory-original specifications matching its VIN plate, you can register it as a historical vehicle with extended inspection intervals. Check the VIN plate in the engine bay and decode it at the official Amistech website to learn your car’s original configuration.
My Winter Car Firewood Cutter Guide: How To Attach And Use It? Jobs and Making Money in My Winter Car
Money problems will dominate your early game. Bills need paying, parts cost thousands, and your starting cash disappears quickly. Fortunately, several job options exist.
The main job at Futufon (the factory near the highway bridge that was abandoned in My Summer Car) pays 2,500mk weekly. Call 08-231206 from the PSK job board to apply. Work hours are flexible—sliding schedule on weekdays—and you clock in and out using a punch clock. The job involves various tasks on-site, though many players find the long days tedious. Spend downtime in the smoking room or cafeteria.
Advert delivery offers faster income using just the Sorbett. Check the gas station bulletin board for the delivery flyer and call the listed number. Stacks of advertisements appear at your apartment or the shop. Drive around stuffing flyers into the approximately 28 mailboxes scattered across the map. Payment deposits to your bank account every Friday as “Jakopalkkio.”
Taxi driving becomes available after finding a Taxi Driver Wanted poster and calling the number. Meet the owner at PSK parking around noon the next day. This job requires a well-maintained vehicle and knowledge of local addresses. A map exists in the taxi’s sun visor to help navigate. It’s similar to tracking down rare collectibles with specific location requirements—you need to know where you’re going.
Firewood delivery requires the Kekmet tractor and hydraulic splitter at the woodshed. Connect the PTO shaft, engage it with the lever left of the steering wheel, and max the hand throttle. Feed logs through the chipper, fill the trailer, and deliver to customers needing heat.
The sewage pumping job using the Gifu pays well (around 1,300mk per tank) but requires the truck. Gambling with the pigman at the retirement building across from the flea market offers another income option—he appears around midnight. I’ve seen players turn 300mk into 3,500mk this way, though losses are equally possible.
Renting a flea market table lets you sell unwanted items and car parts. Payment comes at the end of each week. It’s slow money but useful for clearing inventory while earning something back.
My Winter Car Map and Key Locations
The map matches My Summer Car’s layout with winter modifications and the addition of ice roads across Lake Peräjärvi. Your apartment sits near Pub Nappo, the flea market, and the PSK gas station—all essential locations clustered conveniently.
Important locations to know include Fleetari’s Garage on the western half of the map for purchasing engine parts and repairs. The Firewood Guy’s location (map point 9) is where you buy the Corris Rivett. The parents’ house offers alternative housing with the motor hoist in the garage. The inspection shop handles vehicle registration when your build is complete.
Ice roads provide shortcuts across the frozen lake but are extremely slippery. Use studded winter tires when possible and approach these routes carefully. The Kekmet appears at various locations and serves as your primary towing vehicle early game.
Interactive community maps at resources like mywintercardatabase.com provide detailed POI information including NPC spawn times and item locations. These fan resources prove invaluable for navigating the game’s unexplained systems.
Heating and Temperature Management
Cold management deserves its own section because it kills more new players than anything else. Your apartment has radiators in every room with independent temperature controls on the left side of each unit. Turn them on and set temperatures appropriately—30 degrees minimum for sleeping.
Apartment heating costs money through electricity bills. If you’re primarily staying at one location (apartment or parents’ house), cut electricity to the other to save on bills. Just remember to restore power before returning.
Vehicle heating involves multiple systems. The Sorbett’s block heater must stay plugged in when parked at home. The in-car heater requires setting the blower to hot (mouse scroll while hovering), clicking the blower button twice for maximum output, and enabling the window heater. Direct the heating toward the windshield using the directional toggle below the temperature control.
Wearing the winter jacket from your apartment floor is essential. Equip it with F immediately upon starting. Extended outdoor exposure without proper clothing drains body temperature rapidly.
The sauna at your parents’ house provides another warming option and helps with certain stat management. Plan routes and activities around temperature considerations—getting stranded in a broken-down car at night can be fatal.
My Winter Car Price and Platform Information
My Winter Car launched on Steam Early Access on December 29, 2025, priced at $14.99 USD (€15). The price matches My Summer Car’s, and players owning the original receive a 10% discount. Both games are available as a bundle with additional savings.
The Early Access version is more complete than My Summer Car was at launch, featuring playable content from start to at least one intended ending. The developer plans additional endings, audiovisual polish, and community-requested features throughout the Early Access period.
Current Steam reviews sit at 97% overwhelmingly positive with over 4,000 reviews. The game hit 21,000 concurrent players on launch day, demonstrating the community’s enthusiasm for this sequel.
My Winter Car Mods and Customization
Mod support for My Winter Car exists but remains in early stages. The MSCLoader (mod loader from My Summer Car) requires workarounds to function, with version 1.4 featuring official MWC support currently in development.
The game differs significantly “under the hood” from its predecessor, meaning existing My Summer Car mods won’t automatically work. Modders need to update their creations specifically for MWC compatibility.
Current unofficial mod solutions involve renaming executables and modifying game files—use these at your own risk with backup saves. The MSCEditor save file tool reportedly works to some extent but may cause issues with certain features.
Mods will be distributed through Nexus Mods, RaceDopartment, and GitHub rather than Steam Workshop, following the same pattern as My Summer Car. Quality-of-life mods like mouse steering are already being developed by the community. Keeping track of game systems can be as complex as managing extensive lists of possibilities in strategy games—documentation helps.
For those preferring vanilla gameplay, the base game offers plenty of content without modifications. The developer actively incorporates community feedback through Steam forums, often adding requested features officially rather than requiring mods.
Essential Tips for New Players
After extensive time with My Winter Car, here are the tips I wish someone had given me from the start.
Always check that your Sorbett is plugged in before going inside. The block heater prevents oil from freezing, and a dead starter in negative temperatures can effectively end your run.
Turn on apartment radiators immediately. Set them to 30 degrees in rooms where you’ll sleep. Cold prevents rest regardless of fatigue level.
The Problem meter requires alcohol, not water. Visit neighbors for free drinks when broke, or buy beer from shops. Manage this stat carefully—both extremes cause issues.
Save the Classifieds Magazine phone numbers before the magazine resets weekly. Parts ordering through this system represents your primary method of acquiring Corris Rivett components.
When calling the Corris Rivett seller or ordering parts, wait until they hang up on their end. Disconnecting early breaks the script and your order won’t process.
The parents’ house motor hoist makes engine assembly significantly easier. Consider towing the Corris Rivett there instead of your apartment.
Jobs pay on different schedules. Futufon pays weekly while advert delivery deposits on Fridays. Plan your finances around these cycles.
Ice roads are shortcuts but extremely dangerous. Master regular road driving before attempting frozen lake crossings.
Parts in the Classifieds Magazine arrive in varied condition. Some require repair or replacement before use. Budget extra money for inevitable surprises.
The game features permanent death. Save frequently and play carefully. One mistake can erase dozens of hours of progress. For additional gaming strategies and optimization approaches, community resources like automation-focused guides demonstrate how complex systems reward methodical learning.
Final Thoughts on My Winter Car
My Winter Car delivers exactly what longtime fans expected: more of the punishing, detailed simulation that made My Summer Car a cult classic, now with added hypothermia risk. The Early Access launch is remarkably polished compared to its predecessor’s beginning, though bugs and missing features remain as expected for this development phase.
The game isn’t for everyone. If you bounced off My Summer Car or need games that respect your time, look elsewhere. But for those of us who find genuine satisfaction in figuring out opaque systems, mastering complex mechanics, and eventually triumphing over a game that actively wants us dead? This is exactly what we’ve been waiting for.
The community is already thriving with guides, databases, and discussions filling in the gaps the game refuses to explain. Resources like the interactive maps and parts databases emerging online prove invaluable for anyone serious about completing the Corris Rivett build.
I’ll be updating this My Winter Car guide as the Early Access develops and more mechanics are discovered or added. For now, remember to plug in your block heater, turn on those radiators, and maybe keep some beer in the fridge. Welcome to Finnish winter.
Now get out there and try not to freeze. And remember, if the car doesn’t start, check the block heater. It’s always the block heater.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you do in My Winter Car?
In My Winter Car, you survive harsh Finnish winter conditions while purchasing and rebuilding the Corris Rivett project car from scratch. The game is set in January 1999 in rural Finland, where you manage survival stats including hunger, body temperature, fatigue, and a unique “Problem” meter representing alcohol dependency. You work various jobs to earn Finnish marks, source over 200 individual parts for your project car, and navigate snowy forest roads and frozen lake ice roads. The experience combines first-person survival mechanics with detailed automotive simulation, featuring engine assembly, vehicle maintenance, and realistic driving physics. Everything from managing apartment heating bills to manually scraping ice off your windshield adds to the immersive challenge.
Is My Winter Car difficult?
Yes, My Winter Car is significantly more challenging than its predecessor My Summer Car. The developer explicitly recommends mastering the original game first before attempting the sequel. Several factors compound the difficulty: permanent death wipes your entire save file upon dying, constant temperature management is required to prevent freezing, your character’s alcohol dependency adds another survival stat to juggle, limited Finnish winter daylight makes navigation and work schedules harder, the project car requires sourcing and purchasing every part individually unlike My Summer Car where parts were readily available, and the game provides virtually no tutorials or explanations for its systems. Everything must be learned through experimentation, community resources, or painful failure.
Will My Winter Car be a separate game?
Yes, My Winter Car is a completely separate standalone game that launched on Steam Early Access on December 29, 2025. It is priced at $14.99 USD (€15), identical to My Summer Car’s price. Players who already own My Summer Car receive a 10% discount on My Winter Car, and both games can be purchased together as a bundle for additional savings. While the games share the same fictional Finnish setting and protagonist, they require separate purchases and run as independent installations. Your My Summer Car save file can optionally be imported to My Winter Car for some story effects, though money and most items don’t transfer between games.
Is My Summer Car getting a sequel?
My Winter Car is the official sequel to My Summer Car. Both games are developed by Johannes Rojola (known as Toplessgun) and published by Amistech Games. The sequel takes place in the same region of rural Finland but during January 1999 instead of summer, featuring the same protagonist now dealing with brutal winter conditions. The sequel features a different project car (the Ford Taunus TC-based Corris Rivett instead of the Datsun-based Satsuma), new survival mechanics centered on cold weather, the same returning NPCs with winter-appropriate changes, and significantly expanded content including new vehicles, jobs, and locations. My Summer Car’s development continued alongside My Winter Car, with the original game finally leaving Early Access in late 2024 after almost a decade of updates. For those interested in comprehensive gaming databases and references, detailed item catalogs demonstrate how deep game systems can become.
