My Summer Car is unapologetically brutal for new players. Think of it as the Dark Souls of life simulators — there’s no tutorial, the UI is barebones, and even the most basic actions require effort and experimentation. But once it clicks, the game opens up into a deeply rewarding and oddly relaxing sandbox. This guide breaks down everything you need to do in your first two in-game days to set yourself up for success, including recommended mods, mechanics mastery, and prepping for long-term survival.

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Step 0: Install These Essential Mods

Before even launching the game, install the following mods:

• MSC Editor: Lets you teleport glitched items back into play.
• Mod Loader: Required to run other mods.
• Carry More/Backpack Mod: Allows up to 11 items at once (10 in backpack, one in hand).
• Firewood Job Cooldown Mod: Speeds up firewood delivery cooldown from 8 real-time hours to 1–3 hours.

These mods protect you from bugs and add quality-of-life tweaks that help make the game smoother and far less punishing.

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Day 1: Learn the Controls, Stock Up, and Trigger Key Events

Learn to Ride the Moped

When you wake up, take some time to get comfortable with the controls. Remap your keys and mouse buttons to suit your setup — especially for gear shifting and accessing the backpack.

Then put on your helmet, hop on the moped, and start practicing. Learn how to kickstart the engine, shift gears, and cruise without flipping. Spend a few minutes on this and restart the game afterward to reset your character with this new muscle memory intact.

Get the Diesel Jerry Can

Behind your house is your uncle’s place. Head past it to his woodshed and grab the diesel Jerry can — you’ll need this filled soon.

Take the Boat to Town

Now head to the dock and get in your boat. Start the engine by pulling the handle and pressing the button. Right-click to shift between neutral and reverse. Set course for town. This is slower than the moped, but it’s safer and allows more carrying capacity.

What to Buy in Town

Once you arrive, fill up your diesel Jerry can, pay for it, then grab your shopping cart. Buy the following:

• 1 Yeast
• 2 Milk
• 3 Coffee
• 2 Two-Stroke Fuel
• 2 Charcoal Bags
• 4 Cases of Beer

Pay for your items — food will be bagged, other items will be loose on the floor. Load everything up and return home. The juice concentrates should be drunk immediately — save the empty jugs for kilju production.

Prepping for Kilju

Back at home:

• Leave the diesel Jerry can outside.
• Store your food wherever you like.
• Place 6 sugar packets and 1 yeast in the sauna, along with the empty juice jugs.

Begin Satsuma Assembly

Head out to the garage and install the two trailing arms on the Satsuma. This silently starts a hidden countdown for your uncle to appear, which is crucial — he gives you van keys.

Save and Sleep

Take care of your basic needs: eat, drink, shower, urinate. Then head to the bathroom to save and exit the game.

Re-enter and turn on the hallway light. You may be awakened during the night by a phone call in the dark. If the phone rings, answer it. Then turn on the TV and stare at the screen to build fatigue. Once your fatigue bar is halfway full, you can go back to bed. If there’s no call, continue into Day 2.

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Day 2: Island Trip, Kilju Brewing, and Firewood Prep

Prep the Boat Again

Grab a bottle of two-stroke fuel and refill the boat’s engine to avoid getting stranded mid-trip.

Go to the Island

Head out to the island via boat. Once there, collect the bucket, bucket lid, and fish trap. Just being on the island helps lower your stress — something to remember if you ever need a peaceful break.

Return home, and leave the fish trap near the dock. While placing it near the cabin catches more fish, it’s fine to start off locally.

Start Brewing Kilju

In the shower room, fill the bucket with water. Then add:

• 1 Yeast
• 6 Sugar packets

Seal it with the lid and leave it to ferment. This will eventually become kilju, a valuable (and profitable) item.

Chop Firewood at Uncle’s Shed

Make your way back to the woodshed and grab the axe. Face a log and press your action key to raise the axe. Then hold right-click and release to chop. It may take a few tries per log.

When you have a pile, use the wood collector to gather it, and load it into the tractor trailer. A full load stops growing in height once no more logs can be added.

Do not attempt the firewood delivery yet unless you’re already comfortable driving the tractor — it’s slow and fatigue builds fast.

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What Happens Next

Every few days, you’ll:

• Receive firewood delivery jobs depending on your cooldown mod setting.
• Complete batches of kilju, which must be delivered (and empty jugs reclaimed from the landfill).
• Get calls to deliver groceries to Grandma.

This two-day start sets you up for all of that. You’ve got transport, income sources, food and drink, and the groundwork for your Satsuma.