Career mode progression is based on jobs, and the jobs are unlocked based on wheelman level and having completed previous jobs. After completing certain jobs, you get a free car, one tier 4 car, two tier 3 cars, and two tier 2 cars (the second tier 2 car is awarded too late in the game to be useful). You have to pay for a tier 1 car. The car and performance shops are unlocked based on completion of jobs and reaching some wheelman level. Wheelman level is based on rep points, but the game doesn't provide a means to display the rep points (just zone points). Money is an issue, but it's not apparent until you unlock the tier 1 car shop. To save money, use the pink slip cars you win instead of buying cars until you buy a tier 1 car. In career mode, the pro parts get unlocked about 6 races before you win a tier 2 car, so buying pro parts for a tier 3 car costs money and doesn't accomplish much. Pursuits in free roam and the pursuit events increase rep points, but don't pay any money. I don't know if a low level pursuit becomes more difficult if you don't run it until your rep is much higher. I don't know if skipping pursuit events until nearly done or out of races is a good idea. When installing performance upgrades, you don't need to install the lower upgrades, for example, if pro parts are available, you don't need to buy street or race parts first. Although your level can go up to 18, there are no races higher than level 14. There are 34 jobs, and 152 events, plus the prologue event for a total of 187 jobs and events. A list of all 187 jobs and events: http://rcgldr.net/nfsuc/nucevent.txt Note that "current" races on the GPS map don't include races more than a few levels old, and unless you switch the mode to "available" you'll end up skipping some races because the GPS map won't show them in "current" mode. During career, dominating events increases driver skills. So does increasing wheelman level. The driver skills boost performance, zone point rate and reduces parts costs. Note, only 5 jobs can be dominated: Palm Harbor Rally - sprint Road Rage - highway battle Rush Hour - highway battle The Game - outrun Tri City Tournament - circuit The zone points don't mean much by themselves, but during an event, there is a zone multiplier that doubles or triples the time that nitrous and speedbreaker last (it goes up to 5 times, but that would be rare). The zone multiplier is decreased if you hit a trackside wall.. List of pink slip cars: Tier 4 (after Palm Harbor Rally) Pontiac Solstice GXP Volkswagen R32 Lotus Elise Nissan Silvia (S15) Chevrolet Camaro SS Plymouth HEMI Cuda Ford Escort Cosworth RS Tier 3 (after Versus) Audi TT Dodge Charger SRT-8 SuperBee Tier 3 (after Tri City Tournament) Chevrolet Camaro Concept Dodge Challenger Ford Mustang GT Mazda RX-7 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR-Edition Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Toyota Supra Tier 2 (after the 4 GMAC car jobs) Aston Martin DB9 Lamborghini Gallardo LP560/4 Porsche 911 GT2 Shelby GT500KR Tier 2 (after Meet Carmen) BMW M6 Use nitrous in turns and over bumps. In Undercover the nitrous also increases downforce, allowing a car to turn faster and to avoid jumping over bumps. Speedbreaker also has a similar effect, plus if you collide with another car it will affect the other car more. Recommended cars: When choosing cars for career mode, the better handling cars are usually better. The driver skills boosts power more than handling, and it's less likely to crash into a track side wall (which resets the zone multiplier) in a better handling car. Tier 3+4 pink slip cars (street and race parts): If you follow my suggestions, you'll be driving a tier 3 or 4 car with street or race parts until wheelman rep level 12, about 60 of the possible 152 events, and only about 110 to 120 of these events are needed to complete career. The Audi TT, Dodge Challenger, Lotus Elise, Mazda RX7 are about the same if you know the tracks, but the Elise and TT are better handling. Driving the Elise for all 60 events would get boring, so I recommend Elise with street parts, and TT with race parts (or the Challenger with race parts if you just like the car and sound). Setup: I had suspension +10, tire +10, and nitrous -10 for all cars. (maybe nitrous at 0 if only street part). Engine and drivetrain set as follows: Challenger: eng -10, dvt 0 Elise: eng -5, dvt +10 RX7: eng -10, dvt 0 TT: eng -10, dvt -5 Tier 2 pink slip car (pro part):: Lamborhini Gallardo or Porshce GT2. The Gallardo corners a bit better, but may be too sensitive when using nitrous in turns. Setup: Gallardo eng -10, dvt +5 GT2 - eng -10, dvt +5 Tier 1 purchased car (ultimate part): Zonda had best handling. Z06 is fast but doesn't corner as well. McLaren F1 is in between and easies to drive. Setup: Zonda: eng -10, dvt 0 Z06: eng -10, dvt +10, suspension 0 or -5 F1: eng -10, dvt 0 Unlock sequence, assuming jobs are done as soon as they are unlocked based on wheelman level: level 2.0 - After "Palm Harbor Rally", you win a tier 4 car. I recommend the Lotus Elise (best cornering). level 2.0 - Street performance parts are unlocked soon after Palm Harbor Rally. level 5.3 - Tier 3 car shop is unlocked after doing some level 5.0 jobs, but buying a tier 3 car will delay when you can buy a tier 1 car later on. level 6.5 - After "Versus", you win a tier 3 car. I recommend selecting the Audi TT, but don't use it until race performance parts are unlocked. You may also want to continue with the Elise or use one of the next tier 3 cars you win. level 7.5 - Race performance parts are unlocked after doing level 7.0 jobs. Upgrade one of your existing cars, or wait until the next tier 3 car you win. The game handicaps, so the difficulty shouldn't be excessive by waiting for the next tier 3 car. level 8.5 - After "tri-city tournament", you win a tier 3 car. The Challenger has a lot of power, but it's difficult to keep off the walls on unknown tracks because it doesn't handle well. The RX7 is OK, but I find the sound annoying. level 9.5 - after a 9.0 job, a tier 2 car shop opens up. After a level 12 job, you'll win a tier 2 car,. Buying a tier 2 car now will delay when you get a tier 1 car later on. level 11.5 - after 2 level 11.3 jobs, the pro parts shop is opened. However there are only about 6 races until you win a tier 2 car, so I don't recommend buying pro parts for a tier 3 car. level 12.0 - after 4 jobs, you win a tier 2 car, I recommend the Gallardo or GT2. You won't be driving it for long, because the tier 1 car shop unlocks at around level 13.5, with the main issue being money. level 13.5 - after a level 13.0 job, the tier 1 car shop with ultimate parts is opened (there is no separate ultimate parts shop in the game). I recommend not using the tier 1 car until you buy ultimate performance parts for it. level 14.5 - starts the final sequence of jobs, starting with "meet Carmen". You only need to do about 110 to 120 events, plus all the previous jobs to unlock this job. You may want to complete all races before doing this job if you want 100% completion at the time you finish the last job. Alternate strategy. Some players have stated that career mode can be completed using tier 2 car with pro parts. Even if you do buy a tier 1 car, you can continue to use a tier 2 car with pro parts well after the tier 1 car shop is unlocked. This would allow you to buy a tier 3 and/or tier 2 car as soon as the car shops are unlocked. If you buy a tier 3 car, the tier 3 Nissan Skyline GTR is a good choice. If you buy a tier 2 car, the Gallardo and GT2 are still the best 2 cars. You might want to buy pro parts for a tier 3 car, but note that there are only about 6 races between unlocking pro parts and winning a tier 2 car.