GTA V Franklin and Lamar Gold Medal Walkthrough

Franklin and Lamar is the 2nd main story mission in GTA V (Grand Theft Auto 5). This walkthrough shows how to get all Gold Medals in Franklin and Lamar for 100% completion.

Gold Medal Requirements:

Not a Scratch: Deliver the repo car with minimal damage
Focused Driver: Use Franklin’s special ability for 7 seconds
Winner: Win the race against Lamar
We Come in Peace: Avoid hitting any aliens in the movie studio

Walkthrough Video

Starting Location: Franklin and Lamar

Location: Automatically begins after completing the Prologue
Quest Giver: N/A
Requirement: Completing the Prologue
Can Be Started By: Franklin

Choose a Car

In the opening mission, Franklin and Lamar are tasked to repo two cars for their boss, Simeon. Franklin has his choice to drive either a red Dewbachee Rapid GT or a white Obey 9F Cabrio. The Rapid GT has better acceleration while the 9F has a higher top speed, but neither car gives you a significant advantage in the race against Lamar.

Follow Lamar

Peeling out onto the freeway, Lamar challenges you to a race back to Simeon’s dealership. Immediately you should be aware of two Gold Medal Requirements:

Not a Scratch: Deliver the repo car with minimal damage
Winner: Win the race against Lamar

Lamar drives recklessly, weaving in and out of traffic and will carelessly crash into Franklin if you are too close to him. During the race, the game will also “rubber band” Lamar to give him a boost of speed if you are in the lead, usually causing him to ram Franklin from behind. Luckily the same is also true in reverse, slowing him down slightly if you are too far behind. At the beginning of the race you should concentrate on avoiding damage and staying close to Lamar, but don’t try to pass him yet. You will get an opportunity to pull into the lead right at the end of the race.

While going up the Bay City Incline, you’ll get a notification about using Franklin’s special ability by pressing + / + to activate it. Your special ability meter is represented by the yellow bar below the minimap, next to your health (green) and armor (blue) meters. Now that you have access to his ability, you can activate it to slow down time and give your car added maneuverability. This will help immensely with avoiding collisions, and taking corners without having to brake so that you can maintain control and speed at the same time. After completing your maneuver, you can also deactivate the ability by pressing + / + to conserve your energy.

Lamar will eventually make a hard right turn then cut through the Richards Majestic studio lot. Make sure to go through the same gate that Lamar smashes through to avoid damage.

We Come in Peace: Avoid hitting any aliens in the movie studio

There will be two sets of actors dressed as aliens to avoid. The first set will both run to the left to avoid Lamar and can be easily avoided by following his path.

The second set of aliens will wait for Lamar to pass on their left, then do something stupid. One will push the other to the right, before running to the left themselves. Hit the brakes to let the left alien get out of the way, then drive between them.

Leaving the lot, a Logger Light truck will be blocking the street. Avoid it by activating your special ability to make a hard left turn into the alley. Make sure not to run into Lamar!

Focused Driver: Use Franklin’s special ability for 7 seconds

Once you’re in the alley, keep the special ability going for seven seconds to fulfill this gold requirement. The time is cumulative all activations of your special ability, but this is a convenient place to get that requirement out of the way. Continue to follow Lamar through several twists and turns, until you reach Prosperity St. which has several tall hills in quick succession. Slow down before you go over these hills, not only to avoid damage when you come down, but also to prevent you from accidentally hitting Lamar during your landing. If you get significant air time, make sure to maneuver your car while in the air to land on all four wheels.

In the next section be ready to use Franklin’s special ability frequently to avoid impact, starting with the left turn onto Palomino Ave. where a car in front of you will cut left across your path.

Lamar will cross back and forth across the median into both lanes in this section, so stay back to avoid being sideswiped. Another frequent crash happens at the intersection with South Rockford Dr. where a car will screech to a halt in the middle of the intersection to avoid Lamar, blocking your path.

Keep following Lamar until he calls out a left through a parking structure. Use Franklin’s special ability to make the sharp turn and avoid Lamar as slides through the entrance across both lanes. Then watch for a van on the left that starts backing out across your path.

Leaving the parking structure, get ready to make your move and win the race. Lamar will cross the street straight ahead and go through the Daily Globe International entrance. Instead, use Franklin’s special ability to turn right and go down the street.

Avoiding this maneuver allows you to keep your speed, then using your special ability again cut left into the entrance to underground parking ahead of Lamar. Careful how fast you’re going as you exit though, as you can easily get enough air to smash into the ceiling of the entrance across from you.

Use Franklin’s special ability again as you land and enter the next underground parking lot to keep your speed, and make the slight left turn that happens immediately after the entrance. All you’ll have to do is reach the exit and you will get a cutscene showing your victory over Lamar, hopefully with zero damage!

Lose the Cops

Now normally losing the cops is not a problem, but while trying for Without a Scratch time is your enemy. The longer the cops are looking for you, the more chances they’ll have to ram into your car, or force you to make risky maneuvers during your escape that results in damage to the car. So even though there is no time limit on this mission, you will want to lose the cops fast. One trick that often works is to quickly leave the parking lot turning left onto Power St., then left again onto Integrity Way.

From there, look for an entrance to a parking area on the left with a sawhorse and a garbage bin next to it. Go through that entrance, down the ramp, and turn right into a covered loading area.

The door won’t open, but the area is deep enough to hide your car from the street if you pull all the way in and against the wall. While this hiding place isn’t foolproof, about 90% of the time the cops will call off the search without even finding the lot.

Take the Car to the Dealership

Once you lose your wanted level, back out of the dock carefully and head back out to the street. Take your time to reach Simeon’s dealership, and when you pull into the alley behind Premium Deluxe Motorsport you will trigger a cutscene and deliver the vehicle.