Choose Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Choose Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 if it matches what drew you to this matchup. 21,588 Steam reviews back the pick.
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 vs Car Mechanic Workshop
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Car Mechanic Workshop both land in Simulation, Racing on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Simulation, Racing on Steam. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) is 8 years older than Car Mechanic Workshop (2025). Car Mechanic Workshop is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Car Mechanic Workshop
Choose Car Mechanic Workshop if you want an Indie and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's currently about 75% cheaper on the Steam Store. Car Mechanic Workshop launched in 2025.
Both Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Car Mechanic Workshop sit in Simulation and Racing on Steam, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 |  Car Mechanic Workshop | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2025 |
| Genres | Simulation, Racing | Indie, Simulation, Early Access, Racing |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 4.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.3% positive (21,588 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Red Dot Games | Hard Shark Games |
Side by side
- Both share Simulation, Racing on Steam.
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) is 8 years older than Car Mechanic Workshop (2025).
- Car Mechanic Workshop is currently ~75% cheaper on Steam than Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (4.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is Deck Playable on Steam Deck; Car Mechanic Workshop has no Deck rating yet.
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 vs Car Mechanic Workshop — FAQ
- Should I play Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 or Car Mechanic Workshop first?
- If you want chronology, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) came out before Car Mechanic Workshop (2025). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Car Mechanic Workshop similar?
- They overlap on Simulation, Racing on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is rated Deck Playable by Valve. Car Mechanic Workshop doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.