The General

"The General" Lysander is a veteran of Vietnam War, and owns the local scrap heap in Greenvale.  Despite referring to himself as a general, he wears a sergeant's rank insignia on his uniform.  He also bears more than a passing resemblance to Left 4 Dead's Bill. 
 
York first encounters Lysander at the town hall meeting in the Greenvale community center in Chapter 06.  He admonishes York for doubting the legend of the Raincoat Killer, telling him that it's based on actual events that happened in Greenvale.  He tells York to talk to him at the scrapyard for more information... though he never actually talks about the Raincoat Killer again.  

York can perform side missions for Lysander to upgrade the cars that he drives.  Lysander will also sell York cars identical to the ones driven by the various Greenvale residents.  More are unlocked through story progression.

Lysander's Story

One of the men in Lysander's unit in the Vietnam War was an incompetent sergeant named Timothy, who  the other men in the unit referred to as "Cry-baby Timothy".  Timothy was responsible for slowing down the unit and constantly putting them in danger.  He even once cooked for them using contaminated food, making their entire unit sick.  During this incident, only Lysander safely made it to a toilet because he had "engine boost".   

At one point near the end of the war, Lysander found himself alone and totally lost behind enemy lines. Cut off from food and water, he had fully expected to die, and eventually collapsed from exhaustion and dehydration, and lost consciousness. When he awoke, his thirst was quenched, and he discovered the body of Cry-baby Timothy next to him, shot dead. He realized that Timothy had carried water for him from a nearby river in his cupped hands, only to be shot by the enemy afterwards. Though he survived the war, and was eventually promoted to general, Lysander believes that he died that day. This is why he continues to wear the sergeant's insignia.
 

Lysander's Side Missions

There are three missions for Lysander that involve tracking down parts in the scrapyard so that he can upgrade the cars York drives.  Miraculously, Lyander's upgrades instantly apply to all of the cars York drives, as well as any future cars he obtains.  For the first mission, York must find the Low Gear Parts and Lysander will improve the acceleration and handling of all vehicles.  Next, York must find the Top Gear Parts and give them to Lysander so that he can increase the maximum speed of all vehicles.  For the final upgrade, Lysander will double the fuel capacity of all vehicles, and for this York must find the Fuel Tank in the scrapyard. 
  
If York has completed all three missions and bribed Jack the Raging Bull with $1000 (ten "Benjamins"), York can obtain the car that he wrecked in the game's opening cutscene.  York must pay $5000 to have it repaired and wait one full day.  York's Car is the best vehicle in the game as it is extremely fast, impervious to damage, and handles well on all terrain.