So, you’ve decided to tackle the Satsuma AMP. Honestly, I’m not sure whether to congratulate you or stage an intervention. Building the car is the peak of the My Summer Car experience, but it’s also a masterclass in frustration. You start with a hollowed-out frame in a dusty garage in 1990s rural Finland and somehow, through sheer force of will and a lot of beer, you’re supposed to turn that into a functioning vehicle. It’s hard. It’s meant to be hard.
The first thing you need to understand is that this game doesn't hold your hand. There is no quest marker pointing to the 10mm wrench. There is no "auto-assemble" button. If you forget to tighten a single nut on the oil pan, your engine will eventually seize on the highway, and you’ll be left hitchhiking in the dark. That’s just the reality of the Peräjärvi lifestyle.
Getting the basic skeleton together
Before you even touch the engine, you need to get the rolling chassis sorted. It’s tempting to jump straight into the piston assembly, but trust me, having a car that can actually sit on its own four wheels makes everything feel more real. You start with the subframe. This is the foundation. If you don't bolt this in correctly (it takes four 10mm bolts, by the way), nothing else matters.
Once that subframe is on, you’re looking at the wishbones, the struts, and the steering rack. The steering rack is one of those annoying parts where people often forget to tighten the two 9mm bolts that hold it to the subframe. If you miss those, your steering wheel will just spin uselessly while you plow into a ditch at 80km/h. It’s a classic mistake.
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Then come the brakes. You’ve got the master cylinder, the brake lines, and the individual cylinders at each wheel. Pro tip: do not forget to tighten the line nuts. Use the 7mm wrench. If you don't, you'll pour brake fluid into the reservoir only to watch it leak all over the garage floor. It’s a mess, and it’s a waste of money you could have spent on sausage gravy.
The engine: A lesson in patience
This is where most players break. The engine in My Summer Car is a literal 1:1 simulation of a small four-cylinder internal combustion engine. You have to install the crankshaft, the main bearings, the pistons, and the cylinder head. It’s a lot. If you put the pistons in without tightening the connecting rod bolts (7mm), they’ll go flying through the block the first time you redline it.
One of the trickiest parts is the timing chain. This is a non-negotiable step. You have to align the marks on the camshaft sprocket and the crankshaft sprocket. If they aren't aligned, the timing will be off. In the best-case scenario, the car won't start. In the worst case? You’re buying a new engine block from Fleetari’s repair shop because you’ve bent your valves.
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The alternator is another headache. You have to adjust the tension. If it's too loose, the battery won't charge. If it's too tight, the belt will screech and eventually snap. You want it just at that sweet spot where the screeching stops. Just flick it with the screwdriver until it’s right. It’s fiddly, but that’s the game.
Wiring and the dreaded electrics
Basically, once the mechanical stuff is done, you have to wire the thing. The wiring mess is a literal item in your garage. You pick it up and start connecting points. Battery to starter, ignition switch to fuse box, headlights to the main harness. It’s a spiderweb of frustration.
A lot of people forget the ground wire. If you don't ground the battery to the starter motor bolt, the car will have zero power. You’ll turn the key and hear... nothing. Just the sound of your own heartbeat and the buzzing of Finnish mosquitoes. Check your connections twice. No, check them three times.
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Fluids and the first start
So the car is built. It looks like a car. Now you need to make it live. You need motor oil, coolant, brake fluid, and gasoline. Do not—under any circumstances—start the car without oil. You’ll hear a horrific metal-on-metal grinding noise, and then your engine will die forever.
When you finally turn that key, pray. If it cranks but doesn't start, check your fuel strainers. Check the spark plugs. Did you tighten them with the spark plug wrench? Are they even in there? Sometimes it’s the simplest thing that kills the dream. If it fires up and idles, you’re a god. You’ve done what thousands of others couldn't.
Common pitfalls that ruin everything
- The half-shafts: People forget to tighten the 9mm bolts on the drive gear side. Your engine will rev, but the wheels won't move.
- The radiator hoses: If you don't tighten the clamps with a screwdriver, your coolant will spray everywhere, the engine will overheat, and you'll be walking home.
- The rocker cover: If this isn't bolted down, oil will spray out of the top of the engine.
- The fuel tank: Don't forget the fuel strainer and the fuel line nut (7mm) at the back of the car.
Actionable next steps for your build
- Get the tools organized. Don't just throw them on the floor. Keep the 7mm, 10mm, and 13mm wrenches close by, as they are the ones you'll use for 80% of the build.
- Buy the essentials early. Go to Teimo’s shop and buy all the fluids, a couple of boxes of sausages, and the ratchet set. The stock wrenches suck; the ratchet set will save you actual hours of real-life time.
- Check the alignment. Once the car is running, your wheels will likely be pointing in different directions. Use the 14mm wrench on the steering rods to align them so you can actually drive straight.
- Save often. The game is buggy and the physics can be unpredictable. If the car starts shaking violently, save the game and reload before it explodes into a million pieces.
Building the Satsuma isn't just a mechanic simulator; it's a test of character. It takes hours. You will fail. You will probably have to restart at least once because you lost a crucial nut in the grass. But when you finally drive that piece of junk down the dirt road toward town, listening to the radio and sipping a beer, it’s all worth it. Just keep an eye on the temperature gauge.