GTA Chop Shop guide: How to get the most out of it

Having a GTA Chop Shop guide will help you understand the Salvage Yard business in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online. It is one of the newest businesses in the multiplayer game added in December 2023 as part of the Grand Theft Auto Online: The Chop Shop DLC update. On paper, the business may sound similar to the Auto Shop business. The Chop Shop operates differently and has unique characteristics; it's also more profitable than the Auto Shop business.

Rockstar Games included a wide range of operations in the business, allowing players to make money in multiple ways. The GTA Chop Shop guide will walk you through every possible money-making method in the popular business.

Note: Some parts of this GTA Chop Shop guide are subjective and only reflect the writer’s opinions.

GTA Chop Shop guide: An introduction to the business

The GTA Chop Shop guide advises every player to own a Salvage Yard business in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

The Chop Shop or the Salvage Yard is a vehicle-related business that works through boosting cars. You must steal and collect various vehicles and either sell them or salvage them inside the property. Rockstar Games also allows you to claim a car as a personal vehicle at times. Nonetheless, salvaging or selling is the main function of this business, and the GTA Chop Shop guide will discuss this aspect only.

The following are the factors we will go through in this guide:

How to get the Chop Shop business
Salvage Yard robberies
Tow Truck Service

Before that, GTA Chop Shop guide readers should note that this business is not for the absolute beginners. The main reason for this is the high cost of acquisition. If you have plenty of money, you can own the business at lower levels as well. Check out our Grand Theft Auto 5 money guide to become a millionaire in Los Santos.

How to buy the Chop Shop business in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online

GTA Chop Shop guide readers should have plenty of money to buy the Salvage Yard business (Image via Rockstar Games)

The Salvage Yard business is listed on the Maze Bank Foreclosures website in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online. GTA Chop Shop guide readers can follow these steps to acquire the property:

Open the eyefind.info homepage on your in-game phone or laptop.
The Maze Bank Foreclosures website should appear on the same screen. If not, click on the Money and Services tab and search for the website on the list.
After entering the website, click on the Salvage Yards tab in the top right corner to filter out all the locations.
Select any location where you want to set up your Chop Shop business.
Go through the customization list and select the options you want to acquire.
Once you're satisfied with everything, click on the Buy button.

Rockstar Games offers five locations to set up your Chop Shop business in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online. Each location also has a different base price. They are as follows:

Paleto Bay Salvage Yard - $1,620,000
Sandy Shores Salvage Yard - $2,030,000
Murrieta Heights Salvage Yard - $2,420,000
Strawberry Salvage Yard - $2,570,000
La Puerta Salvage Yard - $2,690,000

While you have the liberty to select any of the locations, the GTA Chop Shop guide advises you to select the ones based within the City of Los Santos. All of the properties are the same from the inside. Therefore, players should consider the surrounding areas and road connectivity while choosing a location. The Strawberry Salvage Yard is right in the middle of the city. It is a popular choice among many players.

While buying the Salvage Yard business, you will get the following customization options:

Tint: $75,000
Get Trade Rates: $450,000
Tow Truck: $650,000/$1,100,000
Wall Safe: $750,000
Staff: $625,000

Tint is a visual customization that changes wall colors inside the property. Having the Trade Rates imposes a permanent discount on all vehicle claims from Mors Mutual Insurance and repairs from the Los Santos Customs. Acquiring the Tow Truck is important to make extra money from the business. The Wall Safe will increase the amount of cash the business can hold. Getting the Staff upgrade will add another worker and a salvage station.

This GTA Chop Shop guide advises you to at least get the Trade Rates, Tow Truck, and Staff upgrades for the Salvage Yard. Having these three will significantly boost the income and production of the business.

Also read: Grand Theft Auto 5 Online buying guide

Details about the Salvage Yard robberies in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online

The Salvage Yard robberies are among the best earning sources GTA Chop Shop guide readers should try (Image via Rockstar Games)

Rockstar Games included a total of five Salvage Yard robberies in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online. These are mini-heists where you have to steal certain vehicles from different owners. While there are five missions, GTA Chop Shop guide readers should note that only three of them are available at a time. The studio gives you three missions and cars and changes them every Thursday with the Grand Theft Auto 5 Online weekly update.

Here is a list of all the Salvage Yard robbery missions in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online:

The Duggan Robbery
The Gangbanger Robbery
The Cargo Ship Robbery
The Podium Robbery
The McTony Robbery

Here are the objectives of each of the Salvage Yard robbery missions in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online:

The Duggan Robbery: Steal a car from a live show inside the Maze Bank Arena controlled by the Duggan Crime Family.
The Gangbanger Robbery: Extract King Tiny, a high-level gang member, from the prison to get details of a prized car.
The Cargo Ship Robbery: Steal a container holding a valuable car from a cargo ship.
The Podium Robbery: Steal a podium car from The Diamond Casino & Resort kept under the ground.
The McTony Robbery: Steal Tony McTony’s valuable car from his Kosatka submarine hidden under the ocean.

Readers of this GTA Chop Shop guide should note that The Duggan Robbery is a little difficult as you have to take down a moving car inside the Maze Bank Arena using a tiny drone. The controls of the drone are very choppy.

The GTA Chop Shop guide advises you to play the Salvage Yard robberies every week in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

Each mission offers a certain vehicle to steal. These are hard to predict as there are over 500 cars in the game and Rockstar assigns new cars every week. GTA Chop Shop guide readers should also note that the missions are divided into three tiers: Top, Standard, and Low. As the names suggest, each tier pays different amounts of money, with the top tier being the highest-paying job.

At the time of writing this article, the following are the Salvage Yard robbery missions available in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online:

The Gangbanger Robbery - Pegassi Torero XO - $396,000/$316,800
The Duggan Robbery - Declasse Vigero ZX - $337,000/$269,600
The McTony Robbery - Canis Kamacho - $252,000/$201,600

Each mission comes with a few prep missions that you must do before going on the main steal mission. The GTA Chop Shop guide will explain the The Gangbanger Robbery and its various objectives.

The Gangbanger Robbery includes the following steps:

Scope Out - Identify various weak points of the Mission Row Police Station
Planning Work: Police Maverick - Steal a Police Maverick helicopter from a high-security area.
Planning Work: Tactical Gear - Steal police tactical gear containing body armor, gas masks, and tear gas from some IAA agents.
Planning Work: Disrupt Equipment - Infiltrate a police warehouse and destroy the equipment to make the cops weak during the mission (Optional but important).
Robbery Tasks: Getaway Vehicle - Find and keep a getaway vehicle ready near the Mission Row Police Station to use after extracting King Tiny.
Robbery Tasks: Stun Guns - Steal Stun Guns from near the Diamond Casino & Resort to use during the extraction process.
Robbery Tasks: Weapon Stash - Acquire a weapon-loaded bag from Ammu-Nation and hide it near the Mission Row Police Station to use during extraction.
Robbery Tasks: Masks - Buy some new masks to hide your face during the extraction process (optional and not necessary).
Finale.

During the finale, first, take the stolen Police Maverick and land on top of the Mission Row Police Station. Then, gas-bomb it to eliminate the cops inside. However, there will still be some cops inside wearing gas masks. Eliminate them using the stolen Stun Gun on your way to King Tiny’s location. Use the police computer near his cell to open the gates. After that, escort him out of the station and take him to the Los Santos International Airport.

King Tiny will give you the location of the car you have to steal for the Salvage Yard robbery. Get the car and deliver it to the Chop Shop. You don't need to worry about the damage during the delivery (except for destroying the vehicle) as it won't affect the final payout.

Selling a stolen car is better than salvaging it (Image via Rockstar Games)

The next and final step is to decide whether to sell the car or salvage it. The GTA Chop Shop guide advises players to always sell the cars to Yusuf Amir as he pays the most money. This week’s Pegassi Torero XO will give you $396,000 for selling and $316,800 for salvaging. The selling process will require you to deliver the car to the Docks undamaged.

Note that Rockstar Games gives you additional bonuses if you do The Gangbanger Robbery while completing the following challenges:

No Cop Lives Lost – $10,000
Jailbreak in three Minutes – $10,000
King Tiny Has 75% Health – $10,000
All Challenges Complete – $20,000

The other robberies are also similar in nature with slightly different objectives. GTA Chop Shop guide readers should be able to do them by following the instructions given by Jamal.

Also read: Grand Theft Auto Online beginner’s guide

Understanding the Tow Truck Service in Grand Theft Auto 5 Online

GTA Chop Shop guide readers should do the Tow Truck missions at regular intervals (Image via Rockstar Games)

The Tow Truck Service is the second-most important errand in the Salvage Yard. It is very similar to Tonya Wiggins’ tow truck missions for Franklin Clinton. However, to unlock it, you must acquire one of the Tow Truck upgrades while buying the property.

Following are the steps how GTA Chop Shop guide readers can start the Tow Truck missions:

Go inside the Salvage Yard.
Enter the Tow Truck stationed inside.
Select the Launch Tow Truck Service option in the Interaction Menu that appears.
Jamal will inform you about a certain vehicle that needs to be towed.
Go to the location and hook the marked car.
Bring it back to the Salvage Yard while being attached behind the Tow Truck.

Sometimes, the cops may appear after towing the marked vehicle. In that case, the GTA Chop Shop guide advises you to abandon both vehicles and lose the wanted level as soon as possible. Keep in mind that it is very hard to get rid of the cops while in the Tow Truck.

The towed vehicle directly goes to the salvage station and it usually takes around 96 minutes to get paid, However, if you've opted for the Staff upgrade during the buying process, the time reduces to 48 real-life minutes. On top of that, you will be able to tow another vehicle, thanks to the additional salvage station.

The Tow Truck missions are fun to do in GTA Online (Image via Rockstar Games)

However, GTA Chop Shop guide readers must wait for two real-life minutes before starting the Tow Truck Service mission again. The salvaged vehicles give different amounts between $40,000 and $60,000.

Another important thing to note is that the Wall Safe inside the Salvage Yard is directly linked with the Tow Truck Service. The business will store the money generated from salvaging the vehicles inside the Wall Safe. Its default storage capacity is $100,000. However, if you opt for the Wall Safe upgrade, the storage capacity increases to $250,000.

Also read: Grand Theft Auto 5 business guide