Choose Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Choose Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 if you want a Racing experience. On Steam, it carries the stronger Steam consensus at 90.3% positive across 21,588 reviews.
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 vs Junkyard Simulator
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Junkyard Simulator both land in Simulation 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 are Simulation games on Steam. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) is 4 years older than Junkyard Simulator (2021). Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 scores higher on Steam reviews (90.3% positive) than Junkyard Simulator (62.5% positive). 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 Junkyard Simulator
Choose Junkyard Simulator if you want a Strategy, Indie, and Early Access experience. On Steam, it's the newer release (2021) and ships with the modern feature baseline. 1,033 Steam reviews back the pick.
Both Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 and Junkyard Simulator sit in Simulation 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 |  Junkyard Simulator | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2017 | 2021 |
| Genres | Simulation, Racing | Strategy, Indie, Simulation, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Playable | Deck Unsupported |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 19.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 90.3% positive (21,588 reviews) | 62.5% positive (1,033 reviews) |
| Multiplayer | Single-player only | Single-player only |
| Developers | Red Dot Games | Rebelia Games |
Side by side
- Both are Simulation games on Steam.
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) is 4 years older than Junkyard Simulator (2021).
- Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 scores higher on Steam reviews (90.3% positive) than Junkyard Simulator (62.5% positive).
- Junkyard Simulator is currently ~0% cheaper on Steam than Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (19.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Steam Deck: Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is Deck Playable, Junkyard Simulator is Deck Unsupported.
Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 vs Junkyard Simulator — FAQ
- Which is better, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 or Junkyard Simulator?
- On Steam reviews Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 scores higher (90.3% positive) than Junkyard Simulator (62.5% positive). Both have enough reviews to trust the signal, so for players using reviews alone, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is the safer pick. Genre fit still matters — check the side-by-side table for the categories each game lands in.
- Should I play Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 or Junkyard Simulator first?
- If you want chronology, Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 (2017) came out before Junkyard Simulator (2021). 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 Junkyard Simulator similar?
- They overlap on Simulation 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.