9 Tips to Build a Dream Garage in Forza Horizon 5 Without Spending Real Money

I remember the first time I loaded into Forza Horizon 5, staring at my starter car—a humble Volkswagen Beetle—and dreaming of a garage filled with Ferraris, Porsches, and rare rally legends. But here's the thing: you don't need to buy PS5 games just to splurge on microtransactions. With the right strategy, patience, and a little hustle, you can build an insane car collection without dropping a single real-world dollar. I've flipped auction house steals, ground events for rare rewards, and made costly mistakes along the way. Here's how to do it right.

1. Master the Auction House (Without Going Broke)

The Auction House is where fortunes are made and lost in Forza Horizon 5. Early on, I blew half my credits on a Lamborghini Huracán, only to realize I could've snagged one for half the price if I'd waited. The key is timing and patience. Rare cars often flood the market after seasonal events, causing prices to crash.

How to win:

• Track event rewards—If a car is a seasonal prize, wait a week—sellers panic-sell, and prices bottom out. I grabbed a Jaguar XJR-15 for 2 million credits (down from 20 million) this way.
• Sniping deals—Filter by "ending soon" and bid in the last 10 seconds. I've stolen rare Porsches for pennies because someone wasn't paying attention.
• Avoid hype cars—The new Forza Edition might look tempting, but prices always drop. Wait.

2. Grind These High-Value Cars First

Not all cars in Forza Horizon 5 are worth the grind, but some unlock entire playstyles. My first big win was the Hoonigan RS200—a rally monster that dominates dirt, cross-country, and even street races with the right tune. It's a 20-million-credit car, but I got mine free by completing a seasonal championship.

Worth the grind:

• Koenigsegg Jesko (Horizon Story: "The Gift")—A 300+ MPH hypercar that's usually 3 million credits. Free if you complete the V10 story.
• Ferrari 250 GTO (Wheelspins)—One of the rarest classics. I landed mine after 50+ spins, but it trades for 20 million in the Auction House.
• Lamborghini Sesto FE (Forzathon Shop)—The best all-around car in the game. Save up Forzathon Points and grab it when it rotates in.

3. Exploit Wheelspins (The Smart Way)

Early on, I wasted skill points on cosmetic horns—a big mistake. The real power move? Unlocking car mastery perks that give free Wheelspins. The 1977 Pontiac Firebird, for example, costs just 25,000 credits but has a Wheelspin perk for 14 skill points. Buy five, spend 70 skill points, and boom—free spins.

Best Wheelspin farms:

• 2013 Cadillac XTS Limo (Wheelspin + Super Wheelspin perks)
• 1982 VW Golf GTI (Cheap, multiple spins)
• 1969 Ford Mustang Boss 302 (Easy early-game spins)

I once pulled a Bugatti Chiron from a Super Wheelspin this way—pure euphoria.

4. Complete the Festival Playlist (Free Rare Cars)

I used to ignore seasonal events until I missed out on the Toyota Trueno AE86 that I loved from Forza Horizon 4. Never again. The Festival Playlist is the easiest way to get exclusive, auction-proof cars like the Ford GT OPI Edition or Ferrari 599XX Evoluzione.

Pro tips:

• Focus on "Exclusive" rewards—These cars can't be bought in the Autoshow.
• Do the bare minimum—Some weeks, just 50% completion gets you a multi-million-credit car.
• Stack rewards—Complete daily challenges while doing seasonal races.

5. Flip Cars for Profit (Auction House Hustle)

I turned 200,000 credits into 12 million in a week by flipping cars. Here's how:

• Buy low—Look for cars priced below Autoshow value (e.g., a Porsche 911 GT3 RS for 150K instead of 550K).
• Sell high—Check the "max buyout" before listing. A tuned Honda NSX-R GT can sell for double its base price.
• Rare paints/liveries—Some designs increase value. I sold a Lotus Elise with a custom livery for 1.2 million.

6. Farm Skill Points (Then Convert to Credits)

Skill points are currency. The BMW M6 Forza Edition prints money—its perk tree gives 300,000 credits for 19 skill points. Buy one, farm skills in the dunes, and repeat.

Best skill point grinders:

• 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor (Drifts + destruction points)
• Hoonigan Ford Escort RS1800 (Easy 500K skill chains)

7. Never Buy These Cars (Waste of Credits)

Some cars are trap purchases. The Bugatti Veyron costs 2.5 million but handles like a boat. The Ferrari F40 Competizione is great, but the regular F40 is half the price and 90% as good.

Skip these:

• Most hypercars (Overpriced, hard to drive)
• Common Autoshow cars (Always cheaper in the Auction House)

8. Use Free Cars Wisely (Gifts, Barn Finds, Stories)

Barn Finds seem random, but some are gems. The Ford Mustang GT Barn Find becomes a 700HP beast when restored. Gifts from other players can also be gold—I once got a Lexus LFA for free.

Best free cars in Forza Horizon 5:

• Porsche 911 Turbo 3.3 (Barn Find)
• Ferrari F40 (Horizon Story reward)

9. Play the Long Game (Patience Pays)

I used to rage when I lost an auction bid. Now? I wait. Prices always drop. The McLaren F1 GT was 15 million—now it's 5 million. The game floods the market over time.

Final tip:

If you buy Forza Horizon 5, know this—the best garage isn't built in a day. It's a mix of grinding, smart deals, and seizing the right moments that fits perfectly the genre—fun racing. And when you finally park that Jesko next to your RS200, it'll feel earned.