...
I had a USB for backup and that did not return my cars.
...
The REAL game save is stored on Sony / PDI servers.
I believe this was done to prevent possible Game Save Edits.
So a Separate Progress that ONLY SONY / PDI save is made on their server.
Your Local Progress data, the one you can save on PS Plus or USB, is ONLY for OFF LINE play.
But when you Connect On Line, you get a Copy of your Progress that is saved on the SONY / PDI server.
When you Start GTS and it Connects, you Get the Circle Progress Screen that goes to 100%
That's your Game Getting the ON-LINE progress from the PDI Server, NOT from the PS Plus save.
If that Copy gets corrupted, it Doesn't Matter what your LOCAL, or PS Plus, or USB progress is...
When you Connect on-LINE, you GET the COPY from the SONY / PDI server, and there is NO WAY, to Sync that Back with your Local Copy.
You can Only Make your Local Copy MATCH what the Server has.
you can't make the Server match What your Local Copy has.
I have a 2nd PS4 with a 2nd PSN account.
I lost All of my Purchased Cars on that Account...
Only Cars from Daily mileage are in my Garage when I'm ON-LINE.
If I Keep my Network cable Unplugged,
Load my Last saved GTS Progress from my USB to System Storage.
Start GTS..
Then I have My FULL Garage of Cars again, but Only because I'm Off Line..
GTS is Using my OFF LINE progress file.
Quit GTS..
Plug in my Network Cable
Upload my GTS Progress to PS Plus ( so Now my PS Plus copy is the Same as what is in System Storage and as I had on my USB drive. )
now when I Start GTS
It Gets the On-Line Progress from the Server
and Now All my cars are Gone..
The System Storage Progress files was Over written by the Copy From Sony / PDI
The Local Progress file in System Storage , is no Longer the same as the One on PS PLUS, and same as on my USB drive
There are TWO different Progress files...
One that YOU can Save to USB, and to PS Plus...
and ONE that ONLY SONY / PDI keep.
You Can't UpLoad your Local Progress to change what Sony/PDI has.
But SONY/PDI can change what is in your Local System Storage copy.
Simple way to show this issue...
While On-Line go Buy 4 copies of a Cheap car...
In your Garage, sorted by Purchase date, you will see all 4 cars in a row...
Quit GTS
Save a copy of your Progress file to a USB stick..
It is the Current Garage with All 4 cars you Just Bought...
Start GTS
Sell 3 of the cars you just bought.
Your Garage Now Only has 1 of the cars left in it,
Quit GTS
Load the Progress file from USB to System Storage
Copy System Storage progress to PS PLUS
So the Saved Progress from your USB with all 4 cars
Is now in System Storage and in PS PLUS
UnPlug you Network Cable
Start GTS, you will be in Off Line Mode..
Check your Garage..
All 4 cars are in the Garage...
Quit GTS
Plug in your Network Cable
Start GTS
go Check your Garage.
Only 1 car is left..
Even though you Loaded the Saved Progress fro the USB stick, and Made the PS Plus copy the same...
When you re-Connect to the Sony / PDI server
You get the Copy they have. Not the Copy you restored.
Hope this makes clear what the Issue is...
Once the Copy that Sony / PDI has gets Corrupted..
you have no way to Recover it..
you Can't roll back to a Previous Save you have on USB.. ( Only for Off Line )
There is NO DIRECT PDI Support. no One to Contact for help.
No way to Recover from an accidental loss.