My Winter Car Jobs Guide: How To Fund Your Project Without Starving To Death
If you want to survive the Finnish winter without resorting to eating snow, you are going to need a lot more marks than you currently have in your pocket.
I have spent more hours than I care to admit staring at a dead battery in the freezing cold because I couldn't afford a replacement. Poverty is the real boss fight in this game. If you want to build something worth driving, you need to stop wandering around the gas station and actually put in some work. Whether you want to package junk in a factory or risk your life driving a taxi on icy roads, you have to know who to call and where to show up.
The Futufon Factory Grind
Working at Futufon is basically the standard 9 to 5 corporate nightmare, but it provides a steady paycheck that keeps the lights on. The job is located at the red factory building near the intersection leading to the parents' home. Look for the sign that says Teffelgren.
Getting the Contract
Drive to the factory and make sure you plug your car in because the cold does not care about your career goals. Head inside and turn left to find the receptionist. She will tell you to meet the boss when he is in his office. When you finally meet the man, prepare for a lot of rambling. I recommend spamming the K key during the conversation because he will stop talking until you acknowledge his boring tour. Once he is done, sign the contract on the table.
Shift Mechanics
You are obligated to work at least 8 hours a day. The standard shift runs from 07:00 to 17:00, but the hours are sliding. If you show up an hour late, you stay an hour late to make up the time. You basically just package items like a cut-rate version of Amazon. It is mundane and repetitive, but it is reliable money. Just do not miss the staff meeting every Tuesday.
Driving the Mercedes W124 Taxi
If you prefer being on the road to standing in a factory, the taxi job is the way to go. It pays well, but the setup is specific and easy to screw up if you don't pay attention.
Unlocking the Mercedes
Find the taxi poster on the job board at the PSK station and dial 08-712112 on your home phone. You have to wait a few in-game days for the driver to actually show up. Eventually, he will appear at the PSK parking lot at exactly 12:00. Sit in the passenger seat and listen to his entire briefing. Until this dialogue is finished, the job is locked. Once you have the car, flip the sun visor down to find the map with all the customer addresses.
Operating the Taximeter
Calls come in via telephone while you are on duty. You need to set the taximeter correctly to receive them. Set the selector to the minus symbol and press the red button until it lights up. When you pick up a customer, turn the red button off to start the fare. Use Mode 1 for day shifts (06:00 to 18:00) and Mode 2 for nights and weekends. When you drop them off, print the receipt and make sure the terminal payment matches the meter exactly.
Junk Mail and Firewood
For the players who want to avoid people entirely, there are plenty of ways to earn marks through manual labor and side hustles.
Advert Delivery
Check the job board at PSK and call 08-231206. A massive stack of flyers will be delivered to your house. You just have to drive around the region and stuff them into every mailbox you see. It is a perfect side hustle while you are out doing other errands. The money is deposited into your bank account every Friday, which feels like a nice little gift for your hard work.
Woodcutting Operations
This job requires the Kekmet 502 tractor and the hydraulic splitter at the woodshed. Back the Kekmet up to the splitter and connect the PTO shaft manually. Engage the PTO using the lever to the left of the steering wheel and pull the hand throttle to the max. This speeds up the splitter so you aren't standing in the snow all day. Feed the logs into the chipper, fill the trailer, and find a customer who needs to heat their home.
The Finnish Dream is Just a Paycheck Away
At the end of it all, you are just another cog in the machine until your project car is roadworthy. I have spent enough time in the Futufon office to know that boredom is a choice, but being broke is a death sentence in this weather. Whether you are hauling wood with the Kekmet or driving a sketchy Mercedes through the night, every mark earned is one step closer to finishing your build.
It is a fucking depressing cycle, but seeing that engine finally turn over makes every frozen hour at the woodsplitter worth the effort. I have wasted too many days waiting for the phone to ring for a taxi fare just so I could afford the next set of tires. But in Peräjärvi, you either work the grind or you watch your car rust in the driveway while you starve. Pick your poison, stay on schedule, and try not to blow your entire paycheck on beer before the car is actually finished.