Add-on and replace vehicles

Learn the difference between add-on and replace vehicles, what each costs you, and how to tell which one a download is.

Applies to
  • V
  • Multiplayer
Last checked

A vehicle mod reaches the game in one of two ways. A replace vehicle takes the place of a car the game already has. An add-on vehicle is a new car with its own name, added beside the game's own.

How they compare

Replace Add-on
What it does Overwrites a game vehicle, such as police Adds a new vehicle with a new model name
Shows up in traffic and on callouts Yes, wherever the original did Only if a mod or script is told to spawn it
Number you can install One per game vehicle Many, up to the game's limits
Installing Swap files inside an archive Add a pack folder and one line in dlclist.xml
Removing Put the original files back Delete the folder and the line
Risk of clashing with other mods High, two mods can want the same slot Low

Replace vehicles

The download holds model and texture files named after a game vehicle: police.yft, police_hi.yft and police.ytd. You put them over the files of the same name in your mods folder with OpenIV in edit mode.

The game keeps more than one copy of many vehicles. Later updates override earlier ones, so the copy that counts is the one in the newest patchday pack that has it. In OpenIV, search for the file name and replace the copy with the highest patchday number, under a path like:

mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\patchday3ng\dlc.rpf\x64\levels\gta5\vehicles.rpf\

A replace vehicle keeps the original's handling, sirens and seats unless the mod also changes the data files. A model built for a different car can sit wrong on its wheels or flash lights in the wrong places. Good replace mods ship matching vehicles.meta, carvariations.meta and carcols.meta entries, and the readme says where they go.

Add-on vehicles

The download holds a folder with a dlc.rpf inside it. The folder goes in mods\update\x64\dlcpacks\, and you add one line to dlclist.xml so the game loads it. See dlclist.xml and dlcpacks for the steps.

The game never spawns an add-on vehicle by itself. You spawn it with a trainer by its model name, or set LSPDFR or another mod to use it.

Add many add-ons and you will need a larger gameconfig.xml, which the same article covers.

Telling which a download is

  • A dlc.rpf inside a named folder, or a readme that mentions dlclist.xml: add-on.
  • Loose .yft and .ytd files named after a game vehicle, such as police2 or sheriff: replace.
  • An .oiv file can be either. Read the description or the readme.
  • A folder with fxmanifest.lua and a stream folder: a FiveM resource. See Installing a FiveM resource.

Which to pick

Pick replace if you want your new patrol car to turn up everywhere the game uses the old one, with no other setup. Pick add-on if you want several departments' cars side by side, or want to remove a mod later without restoring files.

Many LSPDFR players use both: replace the main police slots, then add extras as add-ons.