Advice Needed: First Build in Sim Racing
TLDR: New to Sim Racing and want very good equipment to start with that won't need an upgrade in the next couple of years.
Hey all! I am new here (and sim-racing) and have always wanted a racing simulator. I just bought an 8020 sim rig (trak racer 80 mk5), have questions about Fanatec equipment.
I've got an excellent computer at home that I want to do sim racing on; however, I also found that GT is insanely popular so that immediately forks the road between the DD1/2 vs. DD Pro (8 NM). Honestly, I am leaning towards investing in a DD1/2 and buying a used DD Pro later. I've read several complaints already with DD Pro (could be keyboard warriors) concerning the compatibility issues with PS5 and the insufficiency of FFB.
I may be asking elementary questions, but I appreciate your input.
- Is it better to buy the DD in a bundle with a wheel? It seems like some money can be saved when bundling a wheel for my first order.
- Being brand new to the scene, will I notice any difference between racing on a DD pro vs. DD1/2?
- Are ClubSport Pedals V3 worth investing in now (vs. CSL) for long-term racing?
I am also going to invest in the shifter and handbrake.
Random questions:
- What is your favorite wheel?
- Which sim do you primarily use?
I am open to your comments and suggestions as well!
Thank you!!!!
Comments
V3 pedals definitely a good investment now. A lot of options to customise to your preference. CSL entry level and so no comparison there. I am using the McLaren GT3 V2. Only on ACC.
Do I wish I had purchased the V3 pedals yes, but now since I have the CSL, with load cell, I will just live with it. 😉
I have the TR80mk5 too. Took me 2 weeks to set it up. Had some missing bolts and plastic end covers and so had to request from TR. I am quite picky about making marks on it and so had tape on the profiles to decide preferred position then undo and re-assemble again. I am using GT Omega monitor standing mount and keyboard tray. I had to make sure my seat slider was sufficient for my teenage boy and girl to get on the rig for their AC time too. 🙄 So quite a lot of consideration there.
I don't mean to be a wet blanket here, but are you SURE you're going to be into sim racing for the long term? I've personally known a few people who were gung-ho at the thought initially, then after a few months the novelty wore off, or other responsibilities arose, and there goes hundreds or thousands of dollars wasted.
This is why I usually recommend to people who are new to sim racing that they start off with something that's not too big of an initial investment. There's nothing wrong with starting off with a less expensive Logitech or Thrustmaster wheel or even something like a CSL elite on the used market. Use that and see how it goes after a few months or a year. If you're still feeling it at that point, then maybe go ahead and look into upgrading to something a bit higher-end.
The flip side of this is that the sim racing experience is very different when using Logitech than it is on a DD1. The other thing to remember is how well Fanatec stuff holds its value on the used market. You will only lose a fraction of your investment if you decide to sell.
Fair point, but also worth considering is the relative complexity of Fanatec equipment (multiple modes, control settings, Fanalab, etc.) that need lots of fine tuning to get the best out of them. As opposed to something a bit more affordable from Thrustmaster for example, that is basically a matter of "set it and forget it". Simplicity, reliability, and ease of use are definitely things that shouldn't be overlooked, especially if one is new to the world of sim racing, as there is so much else to take in and understand as well.
I came straight into sim racing with a Fanatec setup. It's really not rocket science.
Perhaps others aren't blessed with your innate level of knowledge. Or perhaps people just want something that they can turn on and use, and not have to think about.
Anecdotally, I borrowed a friend's Thrustmaster TX this past weekend while waiting for my own CSL DD to get back from its *second* RMA. Played for 10-12 hours total, not a single issue. Not one. When I got my base back from Fanatec on Tuesday, within 10 minutes the wheel locked fully to the right while playing DR2.0, with the throttle pinned wide open. Nothing I could do but power it down and restart the computer. Seven to eight hours of use later, and it did the same thing while playing AC. Issues like this sap my will to use Fanatec products, when it feels like I'm constantly having to troubleshoot things like that, or the infamous issue of the CSL DD base-side shaft / wheel disconnection issue.
Now granted I may just be unlucky and have been the recipient of uncharacteristically poor Fanatec products, or it could be some obscure hardware or driver conflict related to my system itself. But it does makes me wonder why, on the same system, a much cheaper, supposedly inferior product was able to work flawlessly for me, and in the same amount of time playing the same games, Fanatec's products exhibited game session-destroying issues - twice.
Obviously my situation is not representative of what everyone should expect from Fanatec products (at least I would hope not), and I'm sure there are plenty of people who have experienced problems with competing products as well. But I feel that it's worth pointing out and it is worth considering that bigger and more expensive doesn't necessarily mean you're going to have a better experience with it.
Gregg. Thanks for the reality check! I do appreciate it! In other hobbies, I've started with entry-level equipment, and then I found myself immediately upgrading and spending more money than I originally wanted. That's why I want to start fresh and good quality gear, and if I don't like it in the longer-term. Well, someone else will have an excellent opportunity to buy used from me! ;) I have read a lot of complaints about the CSL DD and am honestly surprised by these issues coming from Fanatec.
Where is a good place to find used Fanatec equipment? These forums? eBay?
BTW Gagaryn and Gregg... Please let me know which wheel you guys are using! And sim :) ty
I agree with all of this actually. The issue isn't on the user side, it should be straightforward enough to set up by anybody with a certain level of competence but the software releases from Fanatec is sub par. And there are signs of cost cutting with some of the recent hardware releases. I've been there, chasing issues with unresponsive buttons and freezing ITM. I've also had to deal with two, maybe three RMA's so acknowledge it's not all plain sailing.
So Logitech and Thrustmaster is more problem free? No need for firmware upgrades?
What about Simucube bases? Do they have firmware releases every month or so?
I am thinking of not messing with my firmware anymore since all is good. Got my CSL DD in Oct last year. Updated twice so far. No issue except when there was a windows patch and then i got into ACC and had issues with FFB. Re-booted computer and all was good again.
It's impossible for me to say if Logitech or Thrustmaster wheels are less trouble free overall than Fanatec. All I can tell you is my own personal experience. My very first Fanatec products that I bought (Porsche 911 GT2 wheel and Clubsport v1 pedals) were both extremely solid and reliable for the best part of the last decade.
My CSL DD and McLaren wheel have been a seemingly constant stream of issues since I got them last August.
My friend's Thrustmaster TX worked perfectly fine on my computer all weekend long. Yet when my brand new CSL DD arrived back from Repair this past Tuesday, it took less than 10 minutes for it to start exhibiting problems again.
Regarding firmware, I honestly don't know how often other products receive firmware updates. When first using the TX, all I did was install the driver, click a few buttons to update to the latest firmware (from some time in 2021 I believe)... so not all that dissimilar to Fanatec stuff.
To answer your question, Anthony, I'm using a CSL DD 5Nm with a McLaren GT3 V2 wheel.
DD2 for me with a Porsche wheel with Endurance Button Module, Classic Wheel 2 on a CS hub and a McLaren GT3.