You’re tearing across the Mexican desert in a desert-rated buggy, the sun is hitting the dust clouds just right, and suddenly a grey circle pops up on your map. It’s a Barn Find. That hit of dopamine is exactly why Playground Games keeps putting these in the series. But honestly? Finding all the Forza Horizon 5 barn finds is less about luck and more about understanding the weird triggers the game doesn't always explain to you. Some of these cars are legendary. Others, like the GMC Jimmy, are... well, they’re there for the completionists.
If you’ve played previous Horizon games, you know the drill. You drive to the purple circle, hunt for a shack hidden in the trees, and watch a cutscene where your character acts shocked that a multimillion-dollar Ferrari has been sitting under a tarp for thirty years. In Mexico, the scale is bigger. The verticality of the map makes some of these incredibly annoying to spot from the ground.
The Weird Logic of Forza Horizon 5 Barn Finds
Most people think you can just drive to the locations and grab the cars. You can’t. Don’t waste your time driving to a barn location you saw on a YouTube thumbnail if the "Rumor" hasn't popped up in your game yet. The game triggers these rumors based on your "Accolades" progress and specific campaign milestones.
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Take the Jaguar Sport XJR-15. You aren't going to find that by accident. You actually have to start the Jungle Expedition. During that mission, there’s an optional objective to "find the lost barn find notes." If you skip that because you’re rushing to finish the festival site, the barn rumor won't trigger. It’s those little nuances that trip people up.
The Cars You’re Actually Looking For
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO is the big one. It’s the crown jewel. In the real world, these things sell for upwards of $40 million at Sotheby's auctions. In the game, it’s "free," but there's a catch: the restoration time is brutal. If you find it early, don't expect to drive it for a long time unless you’re willing to drop a few million credits to skip the wait.
Then there’s the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS 2.7. It’s tucked away near the Colinas Aridas region. It’s a masterpiece of handling. Most players overlook the 1968 Dodge Dart Hemi Super Stock, too. It’s hidden near Teotihuacán. If you’re into drag racing, that’s your car. It’s a monster once you tune it, though the stock version feels a bit like driving a boat through a swamp.
Why Some Barns Stay Locked
It’s frustrating. You see the barn. You drive your car right up to the door. Nothing happens. This usually happens with the "La Cabaña" barn find. To get that one, you specifically need to complete the Baja Expedition.
There's also the issue of the VIP Membership. If you bought the DLC, you might have a "Barn Find Map." It shows you where they are, but it still won't let you open them until the rumor is "active." It's a weird gatekeeping mechanic. Playground Games wants you to actually play the story, not just hunt for collectibles for three hours and then quit.
- The 1953 Chevrolet Corvette: Found near the swamp. It’s a beautiful car but a nightmare to get to because of the deep water and thick trees.
- The 1993 Toyota T100 Baja Truck: You’ll find this one near the circular fields in the southwest. It’s basically essential for the cross-country races.
- The 1989 Ferrari F40 Competizione: This one is located near the eastern coast. It’s arguably the best-performing car in the entire barn find list once it’s restored.
Using the Drone Camera (The Only Way to Fly)
If you aren’t using the Drone Mode, you’re doing it wrong. Seriously.
The brush in Forza Horizon 5 is dense. Especially in the jungle regions near Cascadas de Agua Azul. Trying to find a weathered wooden shack while driving 100 mph through ferns is a recipe for a headache. Pull over. Open the Creative Hub menu. Pop the drone. You can zip around at high speed, fly over trees, and spot the roof of the barn from above. Once the drone "spots" it, the icon stays on your map permanently. It saves so much time.
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Restoration: The Long Game
Once you find a car, it goes to Alex’s garage. He tells you it’ll be ready "soon." In Forza language, "soon" depends on how rare the car is. A Ford F-100 will be ready in maybe twenty minutes of gameplay. That Ferrari 250 GTO? You might be waiting for days of real-time play.
You can pay to speed it up. Don't. Unless you have more credits than you know what to do with, just be patient. Go finish some PR stunts or enter the Hall of Fame. The game will send you a notification when the "Old Timer" is ready for a test drive.
There’s a common misconception that you have to be in a certain car to trigger rumors. That’s not true. Just keep earning Accolade points. Keep expanding the Festival. The rumors will flow naturally. The only real "hard" locks are the ones tied to the Expeditions (Baja, Jungle, etc.).
Pro-Tip for the 1963 Volkswagen Beetle
The "Vocho" is special. You don't get it from a random rumor. You get it through the "Vocho" Horizon Story. It’s a multi-chapter mission that acts as a love letter to Mexico's car culture. If you’re looking for the Beetle in a random shack in the woods, you’ll never find it. Complete the story missions. It’s worth it for the sentimental value alone, even if it’s not the fastest thing in your garage.
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Actionable Steps for Completionists
If you want to clear these out today, follow this sequence. Stop wandering aimlessly.
- Focus on Expeditions first. Specifically, unlock the Baja and Jungle outposts. These are the "keys" to at least two barns that will stay locked forever otherwise.
- Abuse the Drone. Whenever a purple circle appears, don't hunt in your car. Stop on the nearest road, launch the drone, and look for brown or grey roofs that don't match the surrounding foliage.
- Check your Gifts. Sometimes, other players will "gift" a barn find car to you via the Gift Drop system. It won't count as finding the barn, but it gets you the car early.
- Prioritize the F40 and the 250 GTO. These are the highest value. If you have multiple rumors, go for the Ferraris first because their restoration timers are the longest. Get that clock ticking as soon as possible.
- Don't forget the Map Filter. If your map is cluttered with races and XP boards, turn everything off except "Barn Finds" and "Points of Interest." It makes the purple circles much easier to see against the terrain.
Once you’ve found all fourteen (fifteen if you count the Vocho story), you’re done. There haven't been new barns added in the recent updates, as the developers have shifted focus to the Evolving World and the Expansion maps like Hot Wheels and Rally Adventure. Those expansions have their own secrets, but the core Forza Horizon 5 barn finds remain the definitive treasure hunt of the base game. Grab a fast off-roaders like the Ford Bronco, head into the wild, and start hunting.