Sunshine Autos isn't just a car dealership. It's a gold mine. If you’ve spent any real time cruising the neon-soaked streets of Tommy Vercetti’s world, you know that buying this asset is basically a rite of passage. It costs $50,000. That’s a lot of money when you're just starting out, but it’s the pivot point where you stop being a low-level thug and start owning the city.
Honestly, it’s about the lists. The four chalkboards in the basement garage are the heartbeat of the game’s progression system. You aren't just stealing cars; you’re curated a collection of 1980s automotive history. Most players remember the frustration of hunting down a specific Stretch limo or a rare Caddy, but few realize how deeply this mechanic influenced later entries like GTA V’s vehicle exports.
The Grind for the GTA Vice City Sunshine Autos Lists
So, you bought the place. Now what? You go downstairs. There, you’ll find the first list of "Street Cars and SUVs." This is where the real work begins. You’ll be looking for things like the Landstalker, the Idaho, and the Blista Compact.
The Landstalker is easy. You can usually find one parked near the Dirt Ring in Vice Point or just driving around the North Point Mall. But the Blista Compact? That thing can be a ghost. It's small, front-wheel drive, and looks like a CRX, but when you need one, the game's spawning engine seems to hide them. This is a classic Rockstar Games quirk. The game loads certain vehicle "families" into memory. If you’re driving a sports car, you’ll see sports cars. If you’re looking for a boxy sedan, you better be driving something similar to force the game to spawn what you need for GTA Vice City Sunshine Autos.
Completion rewards are tiered. For every list you finish, the dealership generates more daily revenue, topping out at $9,000 per day. Plus, you get a special car delivered to the showroom. Finish List 1, and you get the Deluxo. It’s a clear homage to the DeLorean from Back to the Future, and while it doesn't fly in this game—save that for the sequels—it is incredibly fast and handles like a dream.
Hunting the Rare Rides: From Sabres to Sandkings
The second list gets harder. This is the "Expensive Cars" list. You’re looking for the Sabre, the Virgo, the Sentinel, and the Stretch. Most people get stuck on the Stretch. Pro tip: don't look for it on the road. Just go to Vercetti Estate at Starfish Island. There’s almost always one parked to the right of the main entrance.
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Then comes the third list: "Sports and Racing Cars." This is where things get fast. You need a Cheetah, an Infernus, and a Banshee. The Infernus is another easy grab if you own the mansion, as it parks right out front. The reward for this list is the Sandking. It’s a massive off-road beast that sits on the second floor of the showroom. It is, without a doubt, the best vehicle for causing absolute chaos on the beach or climbing over police barricades.
The fourth and final list is a weird mix. It’s the "Crap and Specialty" list. You need a Baggage Handler from the airport, a Pizza Boy scooter, and a Caddy from the golf course. It’s a strange feeling, going from stealing high-end Italian supercars to hijacking a luggage cart, but that’s the charm of GTA Vice City Sunshine Autos.
Once you finish all four lists, the Hotring Racer appears. It’s loud, it’s fragile, and it’s the fastest thing on four wheels in the game. It makes the $50,000 investment look like pocket change.
Winning the Street Races
Buying the dealership also unlocks the map on the wall next to the garages. This isn't just decoration. It’s the hub for the six street races.
- Terminal Gallop: A quick sprint through the docks.
- Ocean Drive: A scenic but dangerous run along the beach.
- Border Run: A dash through the outskirts.
- Capital Cruise: A long trek through the heart of the city.
- Tour!: The longest race that hits almost every major landmark.
- Vice City Drive: The ultimate test of your driving skills.
You have to pay an entry fee for these, but the payout is 4x the entry. If you’re short on cash for other properties like the Malibu Club or the Print Works, grinding the "Vice City Drive" race is the fastest way to pad your wallet. Just use the Deluxo you won from the first list. It’s got the traction to handle the tight corners in Downtown that usually send the AI-controlled cars flying into the water.
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Why Sunshine Autos Matters for 100% Completion
You can't get the "100% Completion" stat without finishing all four vehicle lists and winning all six races. It’s non-negotiable.
Beyond the stats, there’s a sense of ownership. When you walk into the showroom and see the Deluxo, the Sabre Turbo, the Sandking, and the Hotring Racer all parked there, it feels like you've actually built an empire. The garage space is also incredibly useful. You get four large garages that can hold multiple vehicles each. This is the only place in the game where you can effectively hoard rare vehicles like the "black" variants of cars or the bulletproof Admiral from the early mission "Guardian Angels."
Real Strategies for the Frustrated Collector
If you're struggling to find a specific car, stop circling the same block. The game's RNG (Random Number Generation) is tied to your location and current vehicle.
- Change your neighborhood. If you're looking for a Caddy, stay near the Leaf Links Golf Club. If you're looking for a Cuban Hermes, head to Little Havana.
- The "Despawn" trick. If the roads feel empty or full of the same three cars, pull into a garage, let the door close, and come back out. This often resets the local traffic pool.
- Check the parking lots. Rockstar hand-placed specific cars in set locations. The PCJ-600 is almost always at the West Haven healthcare center. The Stallion is often in the multi-story parking garage next to the mall.
There’s a common misconception that you need to wait until the end of the game to start these lists. That’s wrong. You can start as soon as you have the cash to buy the property. In fact, doing it early is better because the rewards—like the $9,000 daily payout—help fund the rest of your takeover of Vice City.
Technical Details and Asset Management
In the original 2002 release and the later Definitive Edition, the mechanics remain largely the same. However, the Definitive Edition made some of the physics a bit wonky. If you're playing the newer version, be careful with the Sandking; its higher center of gravity makes it prone to flipping on curbs that weren't as "bumpy" in the original code.
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The revenue at GTA Vice City Sunshine Autos doesn't collect itself. You have to physically drive to the dealership and walk into the floating dollar sign icon to pick up your cash. It caps at the maximum daily amount, so if you don't visit for a week, you're leaving money on the table. Make it a habit to stop by whenever you're heading to the airport or the docks.
Moving Forward with Your Empire
Once you've cleared the lists and dominated the races, the dealership serves as your primary base of operations for the southern part of the map. It's strategically located near the spray shop and the hardware store.
To maximize your efficiency now:
- Prioritize List 1 immediately. The Deluxo is the best all-around vehicle for most of the middle-game missions.
- Use the garages to store "mission-only" vehicles. If you find a car with a unique color during a story beat, drive it to Sunshine Autos before finishing the mission.
- Don't ignore the races. They are the highest-paying repeatable activities in the game, far better than taxi or fire truck missions.
Success in Vice City isn't just about who has the biggest gun; it’s about who has the fastest car and the most territory. Sunshine Autos gives you both. Grab a Cheetah, hit the streets, and start checking off those boards.