Replacing vanilla cars or adding new ones
You can put a new car into FiveM in two ways: overwrite an existing GTA vehicle, or add a new one alongside the originals. Each has consequences for traffic, police, garages and how much players download.
Short answer: A replacement streams files with a vanilla model name (for example police.yft), so every instance of that car — including traffic and scripts that spawn it — becomes the new model. An add-on uses a new model name with its own meta files and exists only where you spawn it. Replace for world-wide changes (police fleets, traffic polish); add-on for player-owned and dealership cars.
#Side by side
| Replace | Add-on | |
|---|---|---|
| Model name | Vanilla (police, sultan) | New (mycar) |
| Appears in traffic | Yes, automatically | No (unless scripted) |
| Meta files | Optional (to change handling/colours) | Required |
| Framework entries | Usually none | Needed for shops/garages |
| Both versions available | No | Yes |
#When replacing makes sense
- Emergency fleets: every AI and player police car uses your model.
- Traffic polish: realistic models for common cars.
- Scripts that spawn vanilla names (jobs, missions) automatically get your car.
#When add-ons make sense
- Player-owned cars sold in a dealership.
- Unique vehicles you do not want in traffic.
- Keeping the vanilla car available too.
Installation steps: adding add-on cars.
#Download size and performance
Replacing common traffic cars with heavy models costs frames everywhere, because they appear constantly. Keep replacements close to vanilla detail and texture sizes; see texture optimisation and client FPS.
Questions
What is a replace vehicle in FiveM?
Do add-on cars appear in traffic?
Should police cars be replace or add-on?
Do replacement cars need meta files?
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