Skipping the grueling hours of wiring the Satsuma, blowing head gaskets, and pushing your car home in My Summer Car is tempting. If you want to jump straight into a fully built car, race-ready stats, or an unlocked map, installing a pre-made MSC full save game gets you there in minutes. This guide covers locating your directories, safely downloading community saves, and preventing common errors that wipe your progress.
Finding and installing these files doesn't require complex modding tools unless you want custom utility scripts. You just need access to your local Windows application data directories and a basic archive extractor like 7-Zip or WinRAR.
Where to Find MSC Save Files
Before downloading anything, you need to understand what you're grabbing. Community saves come in various states, ranging from stock factory builds with all parts purchased to fully tuned rally beasts with every aftermarket part installed. Trusted community hubs like Nexus Mods or RaceDepartment host the safest and most stable save files created by active players.
Avoid random file-sharing links posted in unmoderated YouTube comments or Discord servers, as they occasionally package corrupted config files or outdated game versions that crash on startup. Always check the version notes on the download page to ensure the save matches your current game update on Steam.
Locating Your Save Directory
My Summer Car stores its persistent world files and player data in a hidden Windows folder rather than the main Steam installation directory. Knowing how to reach this path is essential for both installation and backups.
- Press the Windows Key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box.
- Type
%appdata%into the input field and press Enter. - In the file explorer window that opens, click on the AppData folder in the path bar at the top, then open the LocalLow folder.
- Locate and open the folder named
Amistech, followed byMy Summer Car.
This directory contains crucial text files like default.txt, gameplayer.txt, and carspec.txt. Every piece of data about your car's wear, your money, and your location lives right here.
Step-by-Step Installation Guide
Once you download your chosen save archive, replacing your existing game state takes only a few straightforward steps.
- Extract the downloaded ZIP or RAR archive using your preferred extraction tool into a temporary folder on your desktop.
- Open the extracted folder and select all the individual text files (such as
control.txt,gear.txt, anditems.txt). Do not copy the parent folder itself; the game requires the raw text files directly inside theMy Summer Cardirectory. - Copy the files to your clipboard.
- Navigate back to your
C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\LocalLow\Amistech\My Summer Carfolder. - Paste the files. When Windows asks if you want to replace or overwrite existing files with the same names, click yes.
Launch the game through Steam, click continue, and your new save state will load instantly.
Backing Up Your Current Progress
Overwriting files permanently deletes whatever progress you had in that slot. If you ever want to return to your own build, always create a backup before pasting new files.
Create a brand new folder on your desktop named "MSC Backup" and copy your current Amistech\My Summer Car contents straight into it. If a downloaded save turns out to be broken or you simply miss building your own engine, you can restore your original files in seconds by reversing the process.
Common Installation Mistakes
Even with a simple process, a few recurring issues trip players up.
If your game loads up a completely blank or default new game after pasting the files, you likely dragged the parent folder into the directory instead of the raw text files. The game reads individual text documents; if they're buried an extra folder deep, it won't recognize them.
Another frequent problem involves Steam Cloud sync overriding your manual changes. If Steam automatically reverts your save files back to the cloud version upon launch, disable Steam Cloud for My Summer Car by right-clicking the game in your library, selecting properties, and toggling off cloud synchronization under the general tab.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will installing a save game disable Steam achievements?
No, importing custom save files into your LocalLow directory does not block achievements in My Summer Car. You can still earn achievements normally as you play on the downloaded save.
What should I do if the game crashes immediately after loading?
Crashes usually happen when the save file was created on an older or newer game version than the one you currently have installed. Check the release date of the save file and update your game or look for a version-matched alternative.
Do I need MSCLoader to use a save game?
No, standard save files consist entirely of text parameters that the vanilla game reads automatically. You only need MSCLoader if you are installing gameplay mods alongside your save.
Where is my player money stored in the save files?
Player finances and bank balances are stored within the player.txt file inside your save directory. Advanced players often edit this specific file directly using text editors if they only want extra cash rather than an entirely new save.
