10 Best Upgrades To Get First In Pacific Drive

Choosing the right upgrades early in Pacific Drive can make progression that much easier. There are a total of 143 blueprints or improvements and a select few can make all the difference when first starting. You can outfit your car with an assortment of helpful upgrades and even create crucial workbenches. Players will drive through the Olympic Exclusion Zone, which is filled with strange anomalies that will latch on and damage your vehicle. Pacific Drive is a game with an extensive crafting system, and you will want to research the right upgrades.

Once you finish your first drive, the Fabrication Station becomes available. This is used to print out every upgrade in the game and is split into 12 categories. These include Garage Upgrades, Light Blueprints, Expansion Rack Upgrades, Battery Blueprints, Refine Blueprints, Car Body Blueprints, Car Storage Blueprints, Utility Blueprints, Survival Tools, Wheel Blueprints, Fuel Blueprints, and Engine Blueprints. Selecting the right improvement can be an overwhelming process. Luckily, the options are limited at the start of the game, due to a lack of resources and areas to explore. For help with these decisions, 10 of the best early upgrades can be found below.

10
Large Fuel Can

Gives 20 Capacity

Extra gas for your vehicle is not mandatory early on. However, once you have unlocked the Large Fuel Can, this opens the door to longer drives. Additionally, this reduces the need to search out abandoned or wrecked cars for siphoning fuel in Pacific Drive. The Large Fuel Can has a capacity of 20 and allows for the gathering of extra materials. Players should get this upgrade after more impactful upgrades are obtained.

Creating A Large Fuel Can

Two prerequisites must be met to craft this item. The Basic Workbench needs to be built, and the Scanning Antenna will need to be installed. Next, the blueprint can be unlocked with 1x Fabric and crafted with 6x Plastic and 2x Rubber. While there are better options, having more fuel can ease a player’s mind. Not having to worry about running out of gas as frequently is quite a benefit.

9
Matter Regenerator

Repairs Damaged Parts For Free

The Matter Regenerator blueprint is found under the Garage Upgrade section in the Fabrication Station. This will allow you to repair a damaged car part without spending other resources. The downside is that this process takes an entire run into the Olympic Exclusion Zone. Players should have backup car parts to use in the meantime. Fortunately, early-game recipes do not cost that many resources. The Matter Regenerator is a repair station that only gains value over time as areas get more hazardous.

Creating The Matter Regenerator

The Matter Regenerator blueprint costs 30x Plastic, 10x Rubber, and 6x Chemicals to craft. Once made, you can place a damaged car part inside, and it will be repaired while out on a drive. This may take a while to obtain, but it is one of the most valuable stations in the game.

8
Relightable Flare

Reliable Light Source

The Relightable Flare is an essential item in Pacific Drive video game that can be found under the Light Blueprints category in the Fabrication Station. It is a reliable light source that can be used to explore dark areas. The best thing about this flare is that it can be lit multiple times, making it much better than a normal Flare. Players should prioritize unlocking this blueprint early on to ensure their safety while exploring the Olympic Exclusion Zone.

Creating A Relightable Flare

The Relightable Flare blueprint can be crafted with 2x Scrap Metal, 1x 9v Battery, 1x Copper Wire, and 2x Road Flare. The Olympic Exclusion Zone can get dark and having an excellent light source is great for finding the extra resources needed for more blueprints. The recipe is also rather cheap and players can construct multiple flares at once.

7
Matter Deconstructor

Deconstructs Car Components

The Matter Deconstructor is a workstation in Pacific Drive that allows players to deconstruct car components. This upgrade can be found in the Fabrication Station under the Garage Blueprints category. It is useful for players who want to recycle old or unused car components and regain materials. Additionally, you can deconstruct Dumpster Pearls by placing them inside the Matter Deconstructor. These peculiar items are actually a condensed clump of resources.

The Matter Deconstructor is useful for gaining extra materials without wasting tool durability. Dumpster Pearls, for example, are so dense that it takes multiple tools just to break one. This workstation makes quick work of whatever is put inside. Make sure to search through crates, dumpsters, and wrecked cars for any items that can be deconstructed.

6
Offroad Tires

Upgrades Offroad Rating To AA

Offroad Tires are a crucial upgrade under the Wheel Blueprints category in the Fabrication Station. As the name suggests, they grant a higher rating when leaving the main road. Quite often, some resources will never be seen unless you go offroad. Players will want to swap out for these Tires at their earliest convenience. They are a major upgrade to the original car part.

On top of their great ratings, Off-road tires have 250 Health. This is 75 more than the basic Tires, meaning you will need to repair them less often. A higher rating means that you will have more control when off-road. This is great because the vehicle tends to travel much faster than on the road.

5
Anchor Radar

Scans For Anchor Locations

The Anchor Radar is a hand tool that can be found under the Survival Tool Blueprints in the Fabrication Station. This is used to locate Anchors, which are used to collect energy from the anomalies. They are used both for returning from the Olympic Exclusion Zone and for upgrading your vehicle. Normally, players will stumble upon Anchors while exploring, but the Anchor Radar will locate these valuable items.

Creating An Anchor Radar

Before crafting the Anchor Radar blueprint, the Basic Workbench must be made and the Scanning Antenna needs to be installed. The tool can then be crafted with 2x Plastic, 2x 9v Battery, 1x Copper, and 1x Electronics. The Anchor Radar is incredibly convenient and allows players to find the Anchors within a reasonable amount of time. You will want to craft this tool and keep it on your character during each drive.

4
Hand-Vac

Vacuums Up Materials

The Hand-Vac is a helpful tool found in the Pacific Drive video game that can be used to suck up loose items on the ground. This upgrade can be obtained from the Fabrication Station under the Survival Tool Blueprints category. With the Hand-Vac, players can quickly collect small items like Metal Scraps, Chemicals, and Rubber without having to manually pick them up. This can significantly speed up the scavenging process, allowing players to collect more resources in less time.

Creating A Hand-Vac

Like the Anchor Radar,the Basic Workbench must be made, and the Scanning Antenna needs to be installed. The Hand-Vac requires 4x Plastic, 2x Pressurized Cartridges, and 1x Electronics. This tool makes it worth the investment and makes the materials back easily. It is recommended to unlock this blueprint early in the game to take advantage of its benefits as soon as possible.

3
Side Rack

Stores Extra Equipment On Car

The Side Rack is an important upgrade in Pacific Drive that can be found under the Expansion Rack Upgrades category in the Fabrication Station. This allows for the mounting of an additional piece of equipment on the side of the car. It is recommended that a Side Storage be put here to store extra materials during an expedition. This will reduce the number of times you will need to return to drop off materials.

Creating A Side Rack

The Side Rack is a relatively easy upgrade to obtain, and players should prioritize it early on in the game. It only requires 2x Steel Sheet to craft. However, before it can be made, the Scanning Antenna must be installed and the Steel Sheet needs to be researched. The Side Rack is an important part as many other upgrades will need to be attached to a Side Rack.

2
Repair Putty

Repairs Damage Car Parts

Repair Putty is a valuable crafting material in Pacific Drive that can be used to repair damaged car parts. It is a must-have item for players who want to keep their vehicle in top condition. Repair Putty can be made before a Matter Regenerator and is therefore the first source of repairs. To craft Repair Putty, players will need to unlock its blueprint, which can be found under the Survival Tool Blueprints category in the Fabrication Station.

Creating Repair Putty

The recipe requires 2x Scrap Metal, 2x Plastic, and 2x Glass Shards and 2x Chemicals in Pacific Drive. Once the player has gathered the necessary materials, they can use the Fabrication Station to craft the Repair Putty. To use Repair Putty, hold down the button and it will cover the damaged car part.

For a severely damaged area, more will need to be applied. Repair Putty has a quick drying time, which allows for fast repairs in the field. It’s important to note that Repair Putty can only be used to fix small to medium-sized damage. For larger damage, players will need to use other repair stations, such as the Matter Regenerator.

1
Medium Backpack

Increases Inventory

The Medium Backpack is an essential item in Pacific Drive that allows players to carry more resources and items. It can be created from an Outfitting Station and is a must-have for players who want to gather more resources when exploring the Olympic Exclusion Zone. The Medium Backpack increases the maximum inventory space to 66 and also adds two more quick slots.

Creating A Medium Backpack

The Outfitting Station must first be crafted from the blueprint under the Garage Upgrades section in the Fabrication Station. The Medium Backpack is unlocked by default and only costs 20 Fabric. Having the extra inventory is amazing, but the additional two quick slots might be even better. This reduces the number of times you need to swap out your items while on an expedition.