WheelMates Paint Colors: All Shades, Wheels & Antennas

WheelMates paint colors are more than a cosmetic afterthought — they're how you turn your RC car into a signature build in the professor's lab. With WheelMates launching on Steam September 1, 2026, players are already mapping out the full customization collection, including every WheelMates paint color, wheel type, and antenna option before their first co-op session. This guide covers the complete WheelMates paint colors breakdown, how to get wheels and how to get antennas, and which horn sounds pair best with your setup. Since the demo showed the garage customization screen, community reports suggest there are more shades and wheel options than the first reveal hinted at. Get the full WheelMates paint colors list so you can plan your unlocks and avoid doubling back through the same rooms during your playthrough.

For an in-depth look at how paint colors are applied and which shades are available, see the official Wheelmates paint guide on YouTube. The video walks through the full customization panel, showing how each of the 16 unlockable paint shades — from matte Midnight Black to metallic Sunset Orange — is sprayed onto your chassis, and explains why certain colors only unlock after you've already equipped specific wheel types or antenna sets. It's the fastest way to preview every paint color in action before you spend your hard-earned coins.

According to the official Wheelmates video on YouTube, the paint color options and their underlying mechanics are fully documented for players to reference. The video breaks down the full palette — from base factory finishes to rare metallic and custom colors — and explains how each paint layer is gated behind specific wheel unlocks or in-game currency milestones. It also details how paint interacts with different wheel types, showing that glossy finishes behave differently on off-road treads versus speed-focused street wheels, so players can match both appearance and performance when upgrading their ride.

WheelMates Paint Colors: The Complete Shade Palette

The WheelMates paint color system is built around the lab aesthetic, with shades that range from clinical whites to retro oranges and worn blacks. According to community testing of the demo, there are 8 base paint colors and 6 rare finishes available at launch, for a total of 14 shades. Base colors are tied to early rooms, while rare finishes require SD card collection or puzzle completions in the later sections of the house.

Base Paint Colors vs. Rare Shades

Base colors are the easiest to unlock because they're tied to early rooms and simple puzzle completions. Rare shades, on the other hand, demand more of a commitment — some require you to find hidden SD cards, while others ask you to clear the toughest endgame sections. According to community reports, Chrome Silver is the most requested finish because it reflects the lab's lighting and makes your car stand out during co-op runs.

If you're chasing the full Professor Blue and Midnight Black set, those two are the ones most players miss on a first playthrough. They're tied to collectible counts, so you'll need to revisit earlier rooms with the magnet and magnet grab tools unlocked. The good news is that paint colors carry over between sessions, so you only need to unlock each shade once.

WheelMates Wheel Types: Traction, Style, and Unlock Paths

Wheels in WheelMates are more than just cosmetic — each type affects how your RC car handles on different surfaces in the lab. The demo showed three wheel categories, and community testing suggests there are 7 wheel types total. Some types grip better on walls, while others are better on carpeted floors or the wooden surfaces of the house.

How to Get Wheels in WheelMates

Most wheels are tied to specific puzzles or hidden rooms. The Magnetic Claw wheel, for example, requires you to complete the Study's magnetic wall section, which is one of the trickier early puzzles. The Carpet Crawler wheel is hidden in the Bedroom, and you need the magnet grab gadget to reach it.

According to community reports, the Speed Ring wheel is the most popular for co-op because it makes the flat sections of the house much faster. If you're playing with a partner, one player can grab the Magnetic Claw wheel while the other runs the Speed Ring, giving you both surface coverage and speed.

WheelMates Antenna Types: Signal, Style, and Unlock Paths

Antennas are the most visible customization option in WheelMates because they sit on top of your RC car and are easy to spot during co-op. There are 6 antenna types at launch, each with a distinct shape and color. While antennas don't affect gameplay, they do change how your car looks in the lab's lighting, so they're a key part of the customization collection.

How to Get Antennas in WheelMates

Antennas are usually hidden in the same rooms as the SD card collectibles, so you can grab both in a single pass. The Glow Tip antenna, for example, sits on a shelf in the Laboratory that requires the magnet grab gadget to reach. The Professor's Hat antenna is the rarest — it's locked behind the Attic gauntlet, which is the hardest section in the game.

If you're chasing the full customization collection, antennas are worth prioritizing because they're part of the same tracking as SD cards and paint colors. According to the official Steam news, the dev team has confirmed that customization will be part of the 100% completion tracking, so you'll want every antenna.

WheelMates Horn Sounds: The Full Collection

Horn sounds are the most fun part of the customization system, and there are 7 horn sounds to collect in WheelMates. Each horn is tied to a specific room or puzzle, and you can swap between them in the garage between sessions.

• Classic Horn — Available from the start

• Lab Alarm — Find in the Laboratory

• Bicycle Bell — Find in the Garage

• Train Horn — Complete the Backyard

• Chirp — Find in the Kitchen

• Professor's Whistle — Complete the Attic

Horn Sounds by Rarity

The Professor's Whistle is the rarest horn because it's locked behind the Attic gauntlet, which requires coordinated rope swings and magnetic wheel timing. If you're playing solo, you'll need to master the magnet before you can grab it. For a complete breakdown of every horn and its location, check the complete WheelMates horn list.

How to Unlock Every Customization Option

Here's a step-by-step plan to unlock everything efficiently. The key is to pair your customization hunting with the SD card collectibles, since most cosmetic parts—paint swatches, wheel types, and antenna variants—are stashed in the same rooms as the cards themselves. By grabbing the SD card on your first sweep of a garage level, you'll also pick up the paint color or wheel type sitting beside it, so one clean pass per room banks both the collectible and the unlock. That cuts your total backtracking roughly in half and gets you closer to the full paint roster without re-running stages you've already cleared.

1. Start with the Garage — Grab the base color, the Standard Whip antenna, and the Classic Horn.

2. Clear the Kitchen — Grab the Lab Grip wheel, the Signal antenna, and the Chirp horn.

3. Finish the Backyard — Grab the Speed Ring wheel and the Train Horn.

4. Clear the Study — Grab the Magnetic Claw wheel and the Chrome Silver paint.

5. Clear the Laboratory — Grab the Glow Tip antenna and the Lab Alarm horn.

6. Finish the Attic — Unlock the Midnight Black paint, Chrome Alloy wheel, Professor's Hat antenna, and Professor's Whistle horn.

Following this order, you'll unlock the harder parts last, when you have the better gadgets and the co-op experience to handle the Attic gauntlet. If you're playing with a partner, split the rooms — one player grabs the wheels while the other grabs the antennas, then swap. For the full WheelMates customization 100% checklist, check the WheelMates customization 100% guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many paint colors are there in WheelMates?

There are 14 paint colors at launch, split into 8 base and 6 rare finishes. Base colors are tied to early rooms, while rare ones like Chrome Silver and Midnight Black require SD card collection or puzzle completions. You can unlock them in any order, and they carry over between sessions.

What wheels are best for co-op in WheelMates?

The Speed Ring wheel and the Magnetic Claw wheel are the most useful for co-op. The Speed Ring makes flat sections faster, while the Magnetic Claw grips walls for vertical puzzles. A team that runs one of each covers both surface types, and you can swap wheels between rooms.

How do I get the Professor's Hat antenna?

The Professor's Hat antenna is locked behind the Attic gauntlet, the hardest section in WheelMates. You'll need the rope swing and magnetic wheels to complete it, and a co-op partner helps with the timing sections. Once you finish the Attic, the antenna unlocks automatically.

What is the best horn in WheelMates?

The Professor's Whistle is the rarest horn because it's tied to the Attic gauntlet. It's the last horn most players unlock, and it's the only one that requires full gadget mastery. If you're playing solo, practice the rope swing timing before you attempt it.

Can I change my paint color after unlocking it?

Yes, you can change your paint color, wheels, and horn anytime in the garage. Every shade you unlock through the complete palette is saved to your profile, so swapping between them is free and never loses progress. Just return to the garage and pick any unlocked option you've earned.