If you’re diving into Badlands Crew, one of the biggest early-game mistakes is wasting precious Spar Keys and Training Manuals on facility upgrades that won’t actually unlock the benefits you’re chasing, especially crew capacity and car trailer limits.
This guide will help you avoid that pitfall by explaining when and how to use these rare upgrade items properly.
Table of Contents
Spar Keys and Training Manuals
Many players (myself included) initially believe that upgrading the Garage Facilities or Crow Facilities will unlock higher crew or trailer limits. So we dump Spar Keys and Manuals into upgrades, expecting to open up new slots or benefits—only to be disappointed.
- Here’s the truth: Crew and Trailer limits are not unlocked by facility upgrades—they are unlocked after defeating the base boss.
What You Should Do Instead
- Save your Spar Keys and Training Manuals.
- Focus on collecting as many of them as possible.
- Do not spend them until you’ve beaten the boss of the base.
Once the boss is defeated, new limits will become available, and then your upgrade materials can be used to actually expand your team and trailer.
Upgrade Costs Breakdown
Here’s what you’ll need after unlocking the ability to upgrade crew and trailer limits:
Increasing Crew Limit
- To 6 Crew Members
→ Requires 5 Training Manuals - To 7 Crew Members
→ Requires 10 Training Manuals
Increasing Trailer Limit
- To 2 Trailers
→ Requires 4 Spar Keys
Unlocking an Extra Wagon (Switchable Vehicle)
→ Requires 4 Spar Keys
Don’t rush into facility upgrades blindly. Your progression in Badlands Crew is boss-dependent, not just material-dependent. Hold off on major upgrades until you’ve cleared the boss encounter for your base. That’s when your Spar Keys and Training Manuals truly come into play.
