How to Scan a Car in Borderlands 3: Your Guide to Vehicle Customization

Borderlands 3 isn’t just about loot and shooting; it’s also about looking good while doing it, and that extends to your rides! If you’re ready to ditch the default vehicle look and dive into the world of customization, you’re in the right place. This guide will show you exactly How To Scan A Car In Bl3 and unlock a wealth of options to personalize your vehicles. Get ready to make Ellie proud and build the ultimate wasteland ride!

Understanding Vehicle Customization in Borderlands 3

Vehicle combat and traversal are integral parts of the Borderlands 3 experience. Moving away from the sometimes clunky vehicle handling of previous titles, Gearbox Software tapped into expert racing game developers to refine the driving mechanics in Borderlands 3. The result? Vehicles that are fun to drive and, crucially, deeply customizable.

During your adventures across the diverse planets of Borderlands 3, you’ll encounter numerous enemy vehicles. These aren’t just obstacles; they’re mobile customization shops waiting to be raided! By hijacking enemy vehicles, you can acquire new parts and skins to enhance your own rides. The key to unlocking this customization potential lies in scanning these stolen parts at Catch-a-Ride stations.

But why go to all this trouble? Customization in Borderlands 3 isn’t just cosmetic. It allows you to fine-tune your vehicles to match your playstyle and tackle different combat scenarios. Want a speed demon for quick getaways? Or a heavily armored beast to plow through enemy ranks? Scanning and customizing is your path to vehicular mastery.

Step-by-Step: How to Scan a Car in BL3

The process of scanning a car in Borderlands 3 is straightforward once you know the steps. Here’s your guide to unlocking those sweet vehicle parts:

1. Hijack an Enemy Vehicle: First things first, you need a vehicle to scan parts from! When you encounter enemy vehicles in the game, get close and look for the prompt to hijack. Usually, this involves a quick melee attack or action button press when you are near the driver’s side. Successfully hijacking a vehicle means you’ve claimed it as your own – temporarily, at least!
2. Drive to a Catch-a-Ride Station: Catch-a-Ride stations are your one-stop shop for vehicle needs in Borderlands 3. These stations, run by the ever-helpful Ellie, are scattered throughout the game world. You can easily identify them on your map by their vehicle icon. Drive the hijacked vehicle to the nearest Catch-a-Ride station.
3. Position Your Vehicle on the Digi-Struct Pad: Once you reach a Catch-a-Ride station, you’ll see designated glowing pads. These are the digi-struct spots. Carefully drive the hijacked vehicle onto one of these highlighted pads. Ensure the entire vehicle is within the glowing area for the scan to initiate properly.
4. Exit the Vehicle: With the vehicle correctly positioned on the digi-struct pad, simply exit the vehicle. As you step out, Ellie’s Catch-a-Ride system will automatically begin to deconstruct and scan the vehicle.
5. Parts Unlocked! In a few moments, the scanning process will complete. You’ll receive a notification that new vehicle parts have been unlocked. These newly acquired parts are now available for you to use when customizing your own vehicles at any Catch-a-Ride station.

Alt Text: Hijacked COV Technical vehicle, ready to be scanned at a Catch-a-Ride station in Borderlands 3.

Exploring Vehicle Types and Customization Options

Borderlands 3 offers three distinct vehicle types at the Catch-a-Ride stations, each with its own strengths and customization possibilities: the Outrunner, the Technical, and the Cyclone. Let’s dive into each of these and explore the range of modifications available.

The Outrunner

The Outrunner is your go-to for speed and agility. Marketed as the fastest land vehicle by its fictional manufacturer, it lives up to its name. While it may lack in armor, its speed allows you to outmaneuver enemies and traverse the map quickly.

Outrunner Statistics:

• Speed: 14
• Armor: 4

Outrunner Customization Parts:

• Driver Weapons:

  • Machine Gun: The default, reliable, high-fire-rate option.
  • Tesla Coil: Found on Maliwan Outrunners, this weapon unleashes a beam of shock damage that can chain to multiple targets.
  • Flame Thrower: A close-range option perfect for clearing out vehicle occupants quickly. Found on regular Outrunners.

• Turret Weapons:

  • Heavy Missile: The standard turret, dealing significant damage, especially with direct hits. Gunners can zoom for precision.
  • Shotgun Missile: Fires a spread of missiles, great for area denial. Gunners can adjust the firing pattern. Dropped by COV Outrunners.
  • Swarmer Missile: Launches a volley of missiles that can be laser-guided by the gunner for pinpoint accuracy. Found on both regular and Maliwan Outrunners.

• Wheels:

  • Dune Buggy Wheels: Balanced wheels offering a mix of speed and handling, the default choice.
  • Zip Wheels: Activate a flaming boost by using the e-brake, providing bursts of speed. Hijack Zippy Outrunners to find these.
  • Omni Wheels: Trade the e-brake for a hovering mode, allowing for unique traversal. Found on Maliwan Hover Outrunners.
  • Twitchy Wheels: Steerable back wheels for enhanced maneuverability. Obtained from Twitchy Outrunners.

• Armor:

  • Stripped Armor: Lightweight but offers no extra protection, the default armor.
  • Heavy Armor: Significantly increases durability at the cost of some speed. Found on Heavy Outrunners.

• Mods:

  • Booster Canisters: A well-rounded boost, balancing speed and duration, the default mod.
  • Energy Cells: Provides three charges of a smaller boost accompanied by a shock damage pulse. Dropped by Pulsing Outrunners.
  • Blaze Booster: A fast-burning booster with a powerful initial kick, best used in short bursts. Found on COV Outrunners.
  • Laser Wings: Converts boost energy into laser blades that spin around the vehicle, damaging nearby enemies. Obtained from Razor Outrunners.

The Technical

The Technical is the workhorse, a sturdy and versatile vehicle favored by the Children of the Vault (COV). While not the fastest, it boasts a good balance of speed and armor, making it a reliable choice for various combat situations.

Technical Statistics:

• Speed: 12
• Armor: 7

Technical Customization Parts:

• Driver Weapons:

  • Machine Gun: A classic and dependable weapon, the default for the Technical.
  • Flak Cannon: A powerful shotgun that fires scrap projectiles, devastating at close range. Found on COV Technicals.

• Turret Weapons:

  • Barrel Launcher: Launches explosive barrels that can be detonated mid-air to create cluster bombs. The default turret weapon.
  • Sticky Bombs: Fires bombs that adhere to surfaces and enemies, detonating after a timer or when triggered by the gunner. Hijack Targets drop these.
  • Tire Bombs: Launches tire-shaped bombs that can be remotely steered by the gunner. Found on Spare Tire Technicals.

• Wheels:

  • All-Terrain Wheels: The fastest wheels available for the Technical, the default option.
  • Monster Wheels: Large wheels that improve handling and durability. Reward from the “Angels and Speed Demons” quest.
  • Barbed Wheels: Ignore terrain penalties and inflict bonus ramming damage against flesh. Found on Spiked Technicals.
  • Hover Wheels: Replaces the e-brake with a hover mode for unique movement. Found on Hover Technicals.

• Armor:

  • Stripped Armor: Lightweight, standard armor with no durability bonus.
  • Heavy Armor: Increases durability, sacrificing some speed. Found on COV Technicals.
  • Meat Grinder: Significantly boosts ramming damage, especially against flesh.

• Mods:

  • Passenger Seats: Equips passenger seats and a standard boost module, perfect for squad play. The default mod.
  • Fuel Barrels: Provides unlimited boost, though less powerful than other options. Found on COV Technicals.
  • Toxic Booster: A weaker boost that leaves behind corrosive clouds, damaging enemies. Obtained from COV Technicals.
  • Jet Booster: A powerful jet engine boost with a charge-up time. Found on Carnivora Technicals during the Carnivora chase sequence.

The Cyclone

The Cyclone is built for pure speed and maneuverability, sacrificing armor for unparalleled agility. This nimble bike excels at dodging attacks and weaving through tight spaces.

Cyclone Statistics:

• Speed: 17
• Armor: 2

Cyclone Customization Parts:

• Driver Weapons:

  • Machine Gun: The standard, reliable machine gun.
  • Explosive Needle Launcher: Fires explosive needles that detonate after a short delay. Found on Maliwan Cyclones.
  • Sawblade Launcher: Launches powerful, explosive sawblades. Dropped by COV Cyclones.

• Wheels:

  • Monowheel: The fastest wheel option for the Cyclone, the default choice.
  • Blade Wheel: Improves traction and adds significant ramming damage against flesh. Found on Blade Cyclones.
  • Wide Wheel: Enhances handling and durability. Obtained from Fat Cyclones.
  • Hover Wheel: Enables hover mode when activating the e-brake. Found on Maliwan Hover Cyclones.

• Armor:

  • Stripped Armor: Lightweight and standard, offering no armor bonus.
  • Heavy Armor: Increases durability, reducing speed slightly. Found on Heavy Cyclones.

• Mods:

  • Heavy Booster: An extremely powerful boost for maximum speed. The default mod.

Personalize Your Ride with Skin Customizations

Beyond performance parts, Borderlands 3 lets you express your style with vehicle skins. These themes alter the paint job of your vehicle and can be found as loot drops throughout the game, just like weapons and gear.

Once you’ve unlocked a skin theme, you can further personalize it by adjusting the three base colors to create a truly unique look. From corporate sponsorships to wild and wacky designs, there’s a skin to match every Vault Hunter’s personality.

Alt Text: Ellie’s Catch-a-Ride station in Borderlands 3, offering vehicle customization and spawning options.

Conclusion: Customize and Conquer!

Vehicle customization in Borderlands 3 adds another layer of depth and fun to the game. By understanding how to scan a car in BL3 and utilizing the Catch-a-Ride system, you can unlock a vast array of performance parts and cosmetic skins. Experiment with different combinations, find your perfect ride, and dominate the Borderlands in style! So get out there, hijack some vehicles, and start building your ultimate wasteland machine!