WheelMates Car Customization: Change Colors & Base Look

The RC car in WheelMates isn't just a tool for solving puzzles—it's your avatar in Professor Everett Bloom's mysteriously empty home laboratory. Firevolt Studio's two-player co-op adventure, launching September 1, 2026 on Steam (moved up from the original Sept 7 date), gives you a surprisingly deep car customization system that lets you express your personality before you even trigger the first Rope-Swing or Magnet Grab sequence. While the core loop revolves around using Magnetic Wheels to traverse walls and ceilings, the garage screen where you tweak your ride is where many players spend their first ten minutes. This guide breaks down everything we know from the demo build (pulled August 8, 2026) and official developer communications, so you can plan your perfect look ahead of launch.

The Customization Garage: Where It All Happens

The Customization Garage: Where It All Happens Overview

The Customization Garage: Where It All Happens Tips

The customization interface in WheelMates is accessed from the main menu before you start a co-op session, and it's also available between chapters if you're playing solo with the AI partner. Unlike many racing games where cosmetics are buried in submenus, Firevolt Studio designed this to be front-and-center—the garage is the first thing you see after the title screen. The system currently supports three distinct customization categories: base color, wheel parts, antenna parts, and horn sounds. Each category has its own sub-panel, and changes apply instantly to your vehicle's 3D model in the preview stand.

The base color is the most impactful choice because it covers the entire chassis, fenders, and roof of your RC car. The default palette includes 12 factory colors ranging from classic red and blue to more unusual options like lime green and sunset orange. During the demo, players discovered that the color picker actually uses a hex code system under the hood—you can see the RGB values displayed when you hover over each swatch, which suggests custom color entry might be a post-launch feature. For now, you're working with the preset palette, but the visual difference between colors is dramatic, especially in the well-lit laboratory environments where the game's dynamic lighting reflects off the car's glossy paint.

Unlocking Additional Paint Options

The 12 base colors are available from the start, but the demo revealed three additional color tiers that unlock through progression. The first tier (colors 13-18) requires collecting 15 SD Cards scattered across the first two chapters. The second tier (colors 19-24) unlocks after you scan 10 Scannable Objects—these are the glowing blue items that Professor Bloom left behind. The final tier (colors 25-30) is tied to Memory Card audio log collection, specifically finding all 8 in the "Greenhouse" section. This progression system gives completionists a reason to explore every corner of the lab, and it's a smart way to extend replayability beyond the main story.

Wheel Parts: More Than Just Looks Overview

Wheel Parts: More Than Just Looks Tips

ck | Find all 8 Greenhouse Memory Cards | 6 | Carbon Black, Neon Pink, Ice Blue |. Practicing this in the demo build helps prepare for launch. Practicing this in the demo helps prepare for launch. Coordinate with your partner carefully to maximize success in tricky puzzle rooms throughout the lab.

Wheel Parts: More Than Just Looks

The wheel parts category in WheelMates car customization is where things get interesting from a gameplay perspective. While the Magnetic Wheels are a fixed mechanic—they're required for wall-climbing sections—you can change their visual appearance and hubcap design. The demo included five wheel styles: the default "Street" rims, "Off-Road" chunky treads, "Slick" racing tires, "Turbine" multi-spoke, and "Retro" wire wheels. Each style has a slightly different visual footprint on the car's body, but none of them affect actual physics or grip—this is purely cosmetic, which is good news for players who want a specific look without worrying about performance trade-offs.

The antenna parts are a smaller but charming addition. Your RC car has a small antenna on the rear that can be swapped between three lengths and four tip shapes (ball, arrow, flag, and spiral). The antenna doesn't serve any mechanical function in the game, but it's visible during the split-screen co-op mode when both cars are on screen together, making it a fun way to tell your car apart from your partner's at a glance. The horn sounds category includes eight different audio cues—from a classic "beep beep" to a cartoonish "boing" and even a synthesized "laser" sound. These are purely for fun, but they're surprisingly useful for non-verbal communication during chaotic puzzle sections where voice chat might not be available.

How to Change Your Car Color Step-by-Step

If you're wondering how to customize your WheelMates RC car, the process is straightforward once you're in the garage. Here's the exact flow from the demo build:. Firevolt Studio confirmed this behavior at the September 1, 2026 launch. Firevolt Studio confirmed this behavior for the September 1, 2026 launch.

1. From the main menu, select "Garage" (it's the second option under "Play")

2. Use the left analog stick or A/D keys to cycle through the four customization tabs: Color, Wheels, Antenna, and Horn

3. In the Color tab, use the d-pad or arrow keys to highlight a color swatch

4. Press A (or Enter on keyboard) to apply the color—you'll see it update on the preview car immediately

5. Navigate to Wheels and repeat the process; the preview rotates the car so you can see all four wheels

6. For Antenna and Horn, simply select your preferred option and it saves automatically

7. Press "Back" to return to the main menu—your changes are saved permanently to your save file

The demo had a known issue where key rebinding didn't affect the garage menu controls—the game would still show the default keys even if you'd remapped them. Firevolt Studio acknowledged this on their Discord server (which has 3,327+ members as of this writing) and confirmed it's fixed in the launch build. If you're playing on Steam Deck, the garage controls work flawlessly with the official Steam Deck support that Firevolt has implemented—the touchscreen even works for color selection.

The Visual Impact of Customization in Co-op

One of the most compelling reasons to invest in WheelMates car customization is how it enhances the two-player cooperative experience. Whether you're playing split-screen, online, or via Remote Play Together, each player's car retains their individual customization. This means you and your partner can coordinate color schemes (matching red and blue, for example) or deliberately contrast (neon green vs. hot pink) to make tracking each other easier during high-speed chase sequences. The game's Friend's Pass feature—which lets a friend join for free without owning the game—also carries over their customization if they've played before, but new Friend's Pass players get the default red car until they customize it themselves.

The camera handling in the demo had some quirks when both cars had drastically different colors—the auto-follow camera sometimes struggled to keep both vehicles in frame during wall-climbing sections. This isn't a customization issue per se, but it's worth noting that high-contrast color combinations (like white and black) can actually make the camera tracking easier to follow visually. The fatal error crashes reported in the demo were also more common when players rapidly switched between customization tabs, so take your time and let the preview render fully before moving to the next category.

Base Color vs. Car Colors: Understanding the Terminology

Firevolt Studio uses "base color" in their official documentation to refer to the primary paint job on the car's body panels. The "car colors" term in community discussions typically refers to the full palette including the accent color that appears on the side mirrors and spoiler (if equipped). In the demo, the accent color was locked to white for all cars, but dataminers found references to an accent color picker in the game's files—suggesting it might be a post-launch addition or a reward for 100% completion. The wheelmates change car color mechanic is straightforward: you're only changing the base color, not the accent or the glass windows (which remain transparent throughout).

Community Customization Trends and Showcases

The WheelMates community on Discord and YouTube has already started showcasing customization showcases even before the full launch. The most popular base color choices from the demo period were lime green (for its visibility against the lab's white and beige interiors) and carbon black (for the "stealth" aesthetic that stands out on the Magnetic Wheels wall-climbing sections). The retro wire wheels combined with the spiral antenna tip and "boing" horn became a meme combination that multiple content creators adopted for comedic effect during puzzle fails.

If you're looking for inspiration, several YouTube creators have posted "best customization combos" videos based on the demo build. One particularly useful video from the channel "RC Adventures" breaks down how different car colors interact with the game's dynamic lighting—the laboratory has large windows with shifting sunlight, and some colors (like the copper from the Explorer Pack) look dramatically different at different times of day. This is a subtle but important consideration if you're planning to record or stream your playthrough, as your car's appearance will shift throughout the session.

Known Customization Limitations and Workarounds

The demo build had a few known issues related to customization that are worth mentioning. First, the key rebinding problem we mentioned earlier—the garage menu didn't respect custom keybindings, so if you remapped your movement keys, you'd still need to use the defaults in the garage. Firevolt confirmed this is fixed for launch. Second, there was a fatal error crash that occurred when you opened the garage while a Friend's Pass player was joining simultaneously—the workaround was to wait for the join to complete before entering the garage. Third, the camera handling in the garage preview was slightly janky when you had the Off-Road wheels equipped, as the larger tire model would clip through the rotating platform.

For players who want to change car color mid-session (not just in the main menu), there's currently no in-game shortcut—you'll need to pause and return to the main menu to access the garage. This is a minor inconvenience during co-op sessions, but it's worth planning your customization before starting a long play session. The Steam version supports cloud saves, so your customization choices sync across devices if you play on both a desktop and a Steam Deck.

Preparing for Launch: What to Expect on September 1

As the September 1, 2026 release date approaches, Firevolt Studio has confirmed that the launch build will include two additional wheel styles and four extra horn sounds that weren't in the demo. They've also teased that "special edition" colors might be tied to launch-week community challenges on their Discord server—specifically, if the server reaches 5,000 members before launch, all players will unlock a "Founder's Gold" paint option. The Steam store page currently lists the game at a $19.99 price point with a 10% launch discount for the first week, and the Friend's Pass is confirmed to be free forever—your friend doesn't need to purchase the game to play with you, though they won't be able to host sessions or access the garage unless they own the base game.

The demo removal on August 8, 2026 was a standard pre-launch move to focus on final polish, but it means the community is now relying on recorded gameplay and official screenshots for customization previews. If you're eager to plan your WheelMates car customization ahead of launch, the best resources are the official Steam community screenshots and the #customization-showcase channel on Discord, where players have posted their favorite combinations from the demo. Remember that all customization is cosmetic only—there's no competitive advantage to any color or part choice, so pick what makes you smile.

Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my car's base color during a co-op session?

No, the garage is only accessible from the main menu. You'll need to pause and return to the main menu to access customization, which will disconnect your current co-op session. Plan your colors before starting a playthrough. Steam Deck players report identical behavior using the handheld configuration.

Does the Friend's Pass player get access to car customization?

Yes, Friend's Pass players can access the garage and customize their car, but their changes are saved locally on their machine and won't carry over to a different host's game unless they have their own save file. Coordinate with your partner before each attempt to maximize success.

Are there any hidden colors beyond the 30 shown in the demo?

Dataminers found references to a "Rainbow" color and a "Chrome" color in the game files, but Firevolt hasn't confirmed these for launch. They might be tied to 100% completion rewards or community events. This also works when one partner uses Steam Remote Play Together.

Will customization affect the Magnetic Wheels mechanic?

No, the Magnetic Wheels are a fixed gameplay mechanic. Wheel style changes are purely visual—you'll still be able to climb walls and ceilings identically regardless of your chosen rims. Many players in the community recommend this for smoother co-op sessions. Many players in the community recommend this strategy for smoother co-op sessions across all modes.

How do I unlock the Explorer Pack colors?

Collect 15 SD Cards across the first two chapters. SD Cards are the blue memory chips found in hidden corners and behind puzzle sections. Use the Scannable Objects mechanic to highlight them from a distance.e. This applies to both split-screen and online co-op via Friend's Pass.