It is the version that speedrunners still often use as a benchmark. It is the version where Let’s Players peaked in terms of genuine frustration turning into genuine triumph. Fixing the Satsuma’s rocker valve clearance with a feeler gauge, then hearing it idle smoothly for the first time? That dopamine hit was unmatched. My Summer Car v30.07.2019 is not a game for everyone. It requires a second monitor for the wiring diagram, a tolerance for monotony (driving the same dirt road 200 times), and a dark sense of humor about your own incompetence. But for the niche audience of gearhead-masochists, this build represents the ultimate expression of simulated rural survival.

This article reflects the state of My Summer Car as of the July 30, 2019 build. The game has since evolved, but the summer of 2019 remains the franchise's golden age of sufferable simulation.

9/10 – Satsuma pistons Best played with: A beer in hand and a curse on your lips. Warning: Do not leave the stove on. Do not forget to close the chicken coop. And for the love of God, tighten the negative battery terminal.