I have been using this setup for over or close to a year now. The biggest thing for me was the quick release, because I am using an Obutto setup as a desk and a cockpit. Being able to remove the wheel so I can see the single TV I am using has been huge. Thanks for the review.
I have owned most wheels on the market, g25, g27, Fanatec Porsche wheel. I just received my clubsport and I have to say the realism is beyond believable and the build quality is amazing.
Wow, I get mentioned. I am the guy who received the DOA wheel. After many emails, 2 RMA's my now new base seems fine. I love the base and the feel. Fanatecs tech man in the USA is an awesome guy and is a credit to FANATEC and easily contacted on the forum at iracing. Great review to simracing tv. I will add. follow the fanatec support on rma and tech support. The video which I still feel is a bogus deal is absolutely needed to help smooth out the rma process. The second RMA went smoother.
Enjoyed this guys. Thanks for doing this review. You said you would come back to the set pin on the quick release, but never did. You also did not score the base or the rims. I'm glad you like the CSW. I still have my 3 year old 911 Turbo S and CSP V1, never had a real issue with them. I hope to upgrade to a CSW on my obutto ozone soon. Keep up the hard work guys!
I tilted the peddles on the BMW Rim and they are much easier to reach than. The packaging and bags are a nice feature IMO, showing the care and attention to detail these Germaneering dudes have. Try to do Grid2 with it. One of the best FFB in a game IMO and with FFB on 100 you will get a free workout at the same time ;). I turned down FOR to 080 for the longer stints. In game at default. Thanks for this review.
I'm currently having overheating problems with my CSR but Fanatec were very helpful and quick in responses. As long as the wheel is in warranty, they ship it free of charge :)
hey guys, just wanted to let you know that you're back reviewing fanatec products. it's nice to see that you're professional enough to make a fair review inspite of your previous quarrels with thomas. :-)
Hi Shaun and Darin. I'm so glad to see another review from your channel. Your channel is, for me, the "go to" channel because you always make an effort to try products for an extended period of time before giving your opinion. The value of any good review stands and falls with the stated argument of WHY a product is good or bad. Not just that *it is good*. I applaud you guys for doing the job you do so well. The internet is a harsh place and you as we are just human :) keep it up guys!
Awesome review guys. On the FFB front, basically every car/track combo you need a different setting. I personally refused to bother with it for a while, but recently have started using the techniques outlined on the iRacing forums for finding the right FFB setting for each car/track combo, and it has been so much more beneficial. When the FFB setting is set right on the CSW, max fidelity with no clipping, the FFB is just wonderful.
That is pretty ironic :) My speeder sensor actually malfunctioned three days ago. Probably due to the same problem you described. The wire going into the sensor wriggles around when the pedal is pressed causing metal fatigue (I suspect) in the joint between the wire and the white plastic thing that is inserted into the sensor. I'll have to strip the wire to the pedal to prevent it in the future. I did get an answer to my inquiry the day after I wrote support though.
Hello Inside Sim Racing. Thank you so much for this review! I have been waiting for your particular opinion for quite a long time. Mainly because they are so in-depth and well thought out. Thanks again!
Barnacules Nerdgasm I tired it at the iRace4Life seminar and I honestly didn't feel much difference between it and the V1. It's a good wheel and you should be happy with it.
Inside Sim Racing Should we get the V2 for 749 euro or go with the old stock V1 version for around 350 euro? I'm kind of in this dilemma especially since Fanatec raised their prices in euro's by like 10-25% (since the currency changes between euro and dollar.. Is there a really big difference between v1 and v2's reliability and such?
Hi Stephen - When I 1 year ago decided to buy Fanatec products (csr elite wheel and clubsport v1 pedals), it was based on the reviews of the products they sold. I read many posts about Fanatec before buying. I heard good things about the wheel and pedals but bad things about firmware and customer support. The firmware was a big let down for me for the first few months but I have found the CS support to be awesome. Johannes Kirsch from Fanatec is a superstar.
Great to finally see your thoughts on the wheel i've been using for 6 months now :) - Regarding Fanatec's customer service, the wheel sensor on mine started to malfunction, emailed Fanatec and they sent a new sensor to me the very same day. 5 mins to open the case, and switch out the sensor... job done :) - i would like to have heard a bit more comparisons to the T500 in the video though like which has higher fidelity FFB, which feels more realistic, and which feels more rugged etc
They give excellent customer service. I got the complete set as soon as it became available. One of the pedals didn't travel well and they immediately offered to replace the set. I solved it myself BTW with some grease. I also like the way they packaged it. And the setup is so easy, you won't need an extensive manual. For the wheel options it is a different matter. A guide explaining what all functions do is missing. I use this wheel for almost a Year now and it rocks. In my own built sim ;)
The "Travel Pin" is to secure the wheel's quick release mechanism during shipping. It's not for daily use. There is a screw which comes with the CSW specifically for the purpose of hard fixing the wheel and the quick release to the base, but it's not necessary at all. I don't use it, I only use the quick release, and I have no issues.
I have to say, I messed with mine a lot also. I have found that running 900degrees and all defaults is perfect for force feedback. I have to say after using the frex is feels very much the same - the force feedback is amazing.
Sean, If you prefer a lighter, "twitchier", wheel response, that is what the drift function in the on wheel settings menu is for, it makes the rotation feel lighter when counter steering.
OWww boy.... finally after months of waiting my fanatec gear has all shipped!!!! V2 base, v3 pedals, bmw rim, v2 shifter, and the hand brake. WOOOOT. My G27 wheel even after 5 years of abuse still works like new.. only thing i have had to replace is the springs in the pedals i hope to get more than this kind of use out of the fanatec gear. Looking for more quality feel and realism.... i hope i am not disappointed. The g27 offers a lot of realism in FBB feel, but the actual gear feels like a toy in your hands and feet.
Yes, it does. Drive on a regular base with it. Hard mounted in my custom rig ;) I have it for well over a year now. Only had to tighten some bolts a few times. It has withstand some serious punishment.
for the f1 wheel its not that expensive if you think about it, it has rev lights heaps of buttons made from high quality components looks great feels great lcd for gears speed. you couldn't build one for less at this quality -- having a f1 wheel like this is worth every penny i have one HOORAY!! adding extra stuff to current wheels like lcd and revlight would probably cost you 100.00 so for 179.00 pretty freaking AWESOMO!!!! 10/10
Continued.. My load cell for my club sport pedals needed to be replaced after about a year and I didn't look forward to writing Fanatec. I live in Denmark so I wrote to the branch in Germany fearing the worst. I'm happy to say that the response was immediate (same day -within two hours) and in perfect English and the load cell was in my hands the next day. I have written customer service several times since and in my opinion they really upped the level of quality they might have lacked.
I'm loving the use of RJ45 Comms connectors... That's just asking for the cables to be modded (cut to length), new plugs crimped, in order to ensure your rig is looking it's best.
Dear BrandonWa, Having used Fanatic's products for well over a year I have never experienced "complete failure" or anything that resembles that. Having corresponded with the "guys in Germany" I found that they were very capable of understanding what I needed and that they were in fact extremely capable of dealing with my needs without me having to explain them in any great lenght. As far as delivery time goes I had the load cell I needed delivered to me in under 48 hours. Please do enlighten us.
As much as I know Fanatec have had problems before with firmware but not anymore. I have had a CSR Wheel with Elite pedals, the pedals have broke once but the support is really great they paid for everything including shipping! In my opinion they have the best consumer level gear and the T500 has no match against the clubsport wheel!
The Price is absolutly fair....for same Money u get a DSLR Body like a Canon eos 7D without objektiv...!!!! And i never had Problems with the Fanatec Service, when i called the Service, i reached in 30 Seconds a Mechanic from Fanatec...thats great. Best Wheel on the Market
I had a Fanatec GT3RS V2 up until march this year that I bought last june that I had to get replaced three times. I had a Logitech G25 for seven years that never gave me any trouble.
Sure, I had my GT2/Clubsport pedal setup for about 4 months of light to moderate use. Both the gas and clutch pedals stopped working. This was not a "lemon," they were designed in such a way that they would saw through the sensor wiring. Because the only technical help is in Europe, there is a day delay when interacting with anyone in North America. So it took a full week to get them to understand that I needed new sensors. Shipping was quick, but they have redesigned them to fix the problem.
Had a look at the page where people submit ideas for what rim they would like for the CSW. The top three voted rims are all F1 style. Seems to me it would be more wise to have a style which isn't already available. I personally agree with Shaun in that I think they should be looking to fill that gap between the large BMW wheel and the small formula rim. One of the rims I saw suggested was a classic style one with wood. I don't know how it would be long term but would love to have a go on one.
FF setting acts as a volume button of an sound amplifier, it doesn't affect clamping (if it clamp at 100 it'll still clamp @50 and vice versa). That's why FF max is 100. "For" setting acts like amplifying in a sound editor (hence why it goes over 100), which means you can clamp the signal if it has already peaks @max level in it and you push it more using For setting above 100. That's how I see it.
On the fence about purchasing this one. My T500 is going strong still. May look into it if I can design a way to swap wheels if a problem arises. That way I would have the T500 as a back up and not miss any racing. Will keep watching others reviews and come next tax season I will make my final decision. ;) May build a new rig all together. We shall see what the future holds. Got a great idea for a new rig design. 4 isolated corners that would have tactile a on each.
I have just tried GS-105 seat from Geko Systems, you wanna drive then this is the seat, has been tried in iRacing and works great.Full racing sim owners should not be without.
Their prices wont go down. They hiked up the price of the CSR Elite a few months ago by €50. I wouldn't mind but Thomas promised that the €549 price was temporary for the fisr batch of CSR elite wheels and he said it will be €400 when the first batch of CSR Elite wheels were sold , but he never kept that promise.
I believed this as well. Until my pedals failed (sensor replacement), and my GT3 motor failed, and then my brand new CSW failed twice (and still currently awaiting replacement - electronic failure). All of which aside from the pedals took an eternity to get fixed. When they work, they are supremely good for the price, but it does happen more frequently than other manufacturers. I currently have gone back to my T500 using the CS v1 pedals, and havent had any issues with over 500 hrs use.
We still have it.. We prefer the upright GT position of the Human Racing chassis for all around sim racing. Kinda hard to Rally or Nascar sitting like that ;-)
There are wires that go from a circuit board on the bottom of the pedals to the sensors that ride on the side of the pedals. The sensors themselves would slowly saw through the wires that they were connected to. They redesigned them for this exact reason. Europe is 12 hours off, so each email can only get a single reply each day since they would email me back early in the morning. Accounting for weekends and the fact that I had to explain everything several times, it took a week each time.
i would love to see them selling the quick release separate so you can add your own wheel. using the f1 wheel to adjust the settings and then just swap over to a basic wooden or leather wheel... lotus f1 momo wheel. add a spanner just incase you flip in game and have to try and get out quickly before the car catches fire... for the f1 history buffs ;)
Considering Ray Alfalla won back to back DWCs in Oval with a wheel more or less the same, it's pretty damn good. I use a G27 and win races, to me, it's more about the pedals.
I love the way you say you could buy a car thats a Lemon but I bought a Fanatec GT3 RS V2 last june and between buying it in may and march this year I had three replacements. I got fedup of getting the wheel replaced so I sold the last replacement wheel. I have CSR Elite pedals which are still solid after 10 months. I lost faith in Fanatec wheels though. Also Fanatecs customer support is after improving a small bit , but dont expect a refund if you ever want one.
I have been sim racing for slightly over a year now, using a Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Italia (not the new TX version). This last winter, I have treated myself to building my first gaming pc which is a freaking beast. No worries about upgrading for at least 2 years. Been doing iRacing since October and other sims around the same time. I have just gotten myself to the point of C class in both Road and Oval series in iRacing and after playing around in the Star Mazda for two hours, I need a new wheel. The 458 will not cut it anymore. I am looking to get a wheel, pedal set, shifter and am looking at getting or building a rig for it all. I was thinking of getting this wheel with the intent of upgrading everything else eventually but I am going to need desk compatibility for at least a month. I cant go all out right now as I have a budget of $850. The clubsport package is still my ultimate goal at the moment but I can wait for many years. Need some ideas on a route to go here. Thanks in advance.
Darin, were you provided a pre-production sample for this test, or a production one ? (I guess Fanatec was smart enough to provide a production one with major flaws from pre-prod fixed). The skew you mention at the beginning of the test, going at the quick release, was used for public exhibitions to prevent someone stealing the wheel easily. But it was also a workaround for pre-prod wheels to fix (not completely) a big play of the wheel fixed on QR (see my video of this in next post) see part2
I also got to say it isn't that slow on countersteer. I run it at 900°, 100% FFB on the wheel - and in iRacing at Force 36.2 ... 10% Damp ... 3.0% minimum Force. With that set it is faster than the G27 in terms of countersteer. I just love it :). Best wheel I ever had or tested. Considering the price I think it is amazing how it matches the qualities of ECCI & Co. and even looks better... Not a Fanatec fanboy though, I absolutely hated the Porsche Wheels no matter which - as a big Porsche fan...
In the UK with the F1 rim, base, best pedals, and the gear stick it'll cost you £1250, I tested this setup at a sim racing shop and I say it doesn't feel better than my T500RS with the Ferrari F1 rim, its not as powerful or as responsive and with the reliability niggles I wouldn't touch it, sure it has better smoother motion and better materials of the outer casing but these qualities are secondary when the true quality is in the reliability.
SRT - Did you guys use these wheels on rFactor with Real Feel? That's when the motors overheat the most in my experience. They've replaced mine 4 times so it wasn't just a one-off bad unit. I ran F1 1988, Historix, Enduracers, iDt IndyCar mods and they all overheated the motors after 30 mins. Never tried iRacing but Game Stock Car and rFactor 2 also overheat the motors.
heya isr, metal here. Quick q, does the abs vibration in the wheel occur at the same time as the vibration in the v2 pedal set (if they are hooked up together)? And does it only occur in 'abs' cars, such as the mazda mx5 in iracing, or (some/or all) cars in gran turismo 5 on ps3? or does it occur in all cars regardless of the sim? cheers, Ian
Please stop mocking about Fanatec's customer support.Lots of my frineds were early adopters (CSR Elite) and some of them had issues with the installed Mabuchi motors. Wheels were replaced within less than a week or new motors were delivered wiithin two days.Changing them was a piece of cake!Maybe it is because I'm from Europe. Please remember,Fanatec is a small company located in Germany,selling their products overseas. Maybe their customer support needs improvement in the US but not in general!
So, my question is........... Do you still recommend the T500RS over this, overall? I'm wondering should I save up for this, or the T500RS when I get the PS4?
Hey guys, I'm new in sim racing, but I'm not sure which wheel to start with. Do you think I should start off with a DFGT, a G27 or should I get the Clubsport Wheel, Shifter and V2 pedals? I am getting into iRacing and pretty confused for which wheel to buy. Or are there other good wheels out there?
this wheel is awesome on race 07 series and rfactor, some codemasters games like dirt 3.. unfortunately you are right codemasters f1 sucky weird sensation and a lot of tweaking to get FFB right. race 07 FFB effects wow!! also the f1 wheel is great switching in game from f1 cars to touring cars just rocks.
Are these the only two wheels that can be used, or is the ClubSport Steering Wheel GT also useable for this wheel base....big fan btw guys love the show
I can afford a Clubsport but for 800€ they don't even bother to include a table clamp or a shifter in that bundle, i doubt anyone would try to justify that deal breaker right there.
+Dean Novelli I believe is cheaper to buy in US and ship to EU. Dont really know about the warranty. I dont really get these fanatec prices here in EU.
So they didn't fit anymore. It took another week to explain this. Then I got another set of sensors, not the mounting equipment. In all it took over a month to get everything I "needed." They never sent the proper mounting brackets and I had to make some myself. Shortly after, one of the rumble packs failed completely and an internal fan got loud and has now failed, causing the wheel to overheat. I don't have to tools needed to open the wheel up and they don't offer to fix anything themselves.
Doing so you are clamping the ffb signal if I'm not mistaken. You may like this setting, of course, but you lose some informations when the game has to send hard forces.
Oh it wasn't the thousand bucks I was baulking at, it was when they showed another wheel and said it was a next step up from that, and I can only imagine what price those are! I think 1000 is enough as it is :) and I'd sure wanna be using the best money can buy but it seems it's nowhere near
I'm not quite sure as to what exactly I should make of your comment. As far as the wheel "breaking" it seems highly improbable to me since it is made from metal. The base, as far as I know, is pretty much the same as the one used for the csr. Please feel free to correct me or share any information you have regarding the wheel/base and the firmware.
Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but has anyone ever tried to mod one of these sim racing wheels for use in a real car. Is it even possible? I'm currently on a student team an electric vehicle for an upcoming Formula SAE event. We're looking into what it would take to fabricate a custom formula style steering wheel, but I thought that this might be a better option.
No. You will find answers to your questions regarding their products by Googleing Fanatec or visiting their website. If you for some reason can not connect to Fanatec's site you should contact your internet provider.
BTW does anybody know if there's a new wheel for it on the horizon?. I've tried searching but couldn't find anything. On a slightly unrelated note, I'm liking the look of the 458 challenge wheel from Thrustmaster. Especially if I were to remove the static paddles. However I would have preferred they use alcantara instead of rubber.
Hihi. I totally get your train of thought. It does sound like a lot but look at it this way: The people who spend that amount are really dedicated and the money spent on the setup lasts for years. They enjoy it every day. A thousand bucks are easily spent by an average person in a year on for example fast food, movies and Itune downloads. The price seems kinda hefty but..it's a long term investment. Just like people who buy an expensive surround system or a D&G purse or..a dog for that purse
I have tried them and have rF2 and Race07. Grid2 has better FFB than those. Even if it is just a pimped up arcade game. The CSW really comes to live there.
I have been using this setup for over or close to a year now. The biggest thing for me was the quick release, because I am using an Obutto setup as a desk and a cockpit. Being able to remove the wheel so I can see the single TV I am using has been huge.
Thanks for the review.
I have owned most wheels on the market, g25, g27, Fanatec Porsche wheel. I just received my clubsport and I have to say the realism is beyond believable and the build quality is amazing.
Wow, I get mentioned. I am the guy who received the DOA wheel. After many emails, 2 RMA's my now new base seems fine. I love the base and the feel. Fanatecs tech man in the USA is an awesome guy and is a credit to FANATEC and easily contacted on the forum at iracing. Great review to simracing tv. I will add. follow the fanatec support on rma and tech support. The video which I still feel is a bogus deal is absolutely needed to help smooth out the rma process. The second RMA went smoother.
Enjoyed this guys. Thanks for doing this review. You said you would come back to the set pin on the quick release, but never did. You also did not score the base or the rims. I'm glad you like the CSW. I still have my 3 year old 911 Turbo S and CSP V1, never had a real issue with them. I hope to upgrade to a CSW on my obutto ozone soon. Keep up the hard work guys!
Its really hard to wait for a review like this, but it was the best review that you have ever done. Well worth the wait.
Gald to see things somewhat settled.
Endorsed and VERY Glad to see you guys again with a wider pallate of products.
I tilted the peddles on the BMW Rim and they are much easier to reach than. The packaging and bags are a nice feature IMO, showing the care and attention to detail these Germaneering dudes have.
Try to do Grid2 with it. One of the best FFB in a game IMO and with FFB on 100 you will get a free workout at the same time ;). I turned down FOR to 080 for the longer stints. In game at default.
Thanks for this review.
I'm currently having overheating problems with my CSR but Fanatec were very helpful and quick in responses. As long as the wheel is in warranty, they ship it free of charge :)
hey guys, just wanted to let you know that you're back reviewing fanatec products. it's nice to see that you're professional enough to make a fair review inspite of your previous quarrels with thomas. :-)
I had one for seven years and its a fantastic wheel. I gave it to my brother last june and its still going strong for him.
Hola te paso alguna vez que el volante te quedó torcido ??
Hi Shaun and Darin. I'm so glad to see another review from your channel. Your channel is, for me, the "go to" channel because you always make an effort to try products for an extended period of time before giving your opinion. The value of any good review stands and falls with the stated argument of WHY a product is good or bad. Not just that *it is good*. I applaud you guys for doing the job you do so well. The internet is a harsh place and you as we are just human :) keep it up guys!
Awesome review guys.
On the FFB front, basically every car/track combo you need a different setting. I personally refused to bother with it for a while, but recently have started using the techniques outlined on the iRacing forums for finding the right FFB setting for each car/track combo, and it has been so much more beneficial. When the FFB setting is set right on the CSW, max fidelity with no clipping, the FFB is just wonderful.
That is pretty ironic :) My speeder sensor actually malfunctioned three days ago. Probably due to the same problem you described. The wire going into the sensor wriggles around when the pedal is pressed causing metal fatigue (I suspect) in the joint between the wire and the white plastic thing that is inserted into the sensor. I'll have to strip the wire to the pedal to prevent it in the future. I did get an answer to my inquiry the day after I wrote support though.
Hello Inside Sim Racing. Thank you so much for this review! I have been waiting for your particular opinion for quite a long time. Mainly because they are so in-depth and well thought out. Thanks again!
Good review!
I have a CSR Elite and am extremely satisfied after over 1 year hard sim racing!
I had problems with my GT3RS2 and with my Club sport base, but everytime the fanatec support was there for me. EVERY TIME!
I would love your opinion the V2 base since it looks like they made a 'TON' of changes.
Barnacules Nerdgasm I tired it at the iRace4Life seminar and I honestly didn't feel much difference between it and the V1. It's a good wheel and you should be happy with it.
Inside Sim Racing Should we get the V2 for 749 euro or go with the old stock V1 version for around 350 euro?
I'm kind of in this dilemma especially since Fanatec raised their prices in euro's by like 10-25% (since the currency changes between euro and dollar..
Is there a really big difference between v1 and v2's reliability and such?
Hi Stephen - When I 1 year ago decided to buy Fanatec products (csr elite wheel and clubsport v1 pedals), it was based on the reviews of the products they sold. I read many posts about Fanatec before buying. I heard good things about the wheel and pedals but bad things about firmware and customer support. The firmware was a big let down for me for the first few months but I have found the CS support to be awesome. Johannes Kirsch from Fanatec is a superstar.
Great to finally see your thoughts on the wheel i've been using for 6 months now :) - Regarding Fanatec's customer service, the wheel sensor on mine started to malfunction, emailed Fanatec and they sent a new sensor to me the very same day. 5 mins to open the case, and switch out the sensor... job done :) - i would like to have heard a bit more comparisons to the T500 in the video though like which has higher fidelity FFB, which feels more realistic, and which feels more rugged etc
They give excellent customer service. I got the complete set as soon as it became available. One of the pedals didn't travel well and they immediately offered to replace the set. I solved it myself BTW with some grease. I also like the way they packaged it. And the setup is so easy, you won't need an extensive manual. For the wheel options it is a different matter. A guide explaining what all functions do is missing. I use this wheel for almost a Year now and it rocks. In my own built sim ;)
you guys need to get your hands on a leo bodnar wheel
The "Travel Pin" is to secure the wheel's quick release mechanism during shipping. It's not for daily use.
There is a screw which comes with the CSW specifically for the purpose of hard fixing the wheel and the quick release to the base, but it's not necessary at all. I don't use it, I only use the quick release, and I have no issues.
I have to say, I messed with mine a lot also. I have found that running 900degrees and all defaults is perfect for force feedback. I have to say after using the frex is feels very much the same - the force feedback is amazing.
Sean,
If you prefer a lighter, "twitchier", wheel response, that is what the drift function in the on wheel settings menu is for, it makes the rotation feel lighter when counter steering.
OWww boy.... finally after months of waiting my fanatec gear has all shipped!!!! V2 base, v3 pedals, bmw rim, v2 shifter, and the hand brake. WOOOOT. My G27 wheel even after 5 years of abuse still works like new.. only thing i have had to replace is the springs in the pedals i hope to get more than this kind of use out of the fanatec gear. Looking for more quality feel and realism.... i hope i am not disappointed. The g27 offers a lot of realism in FBB feel, but the actual gear feels like a toy in your hands and feet.
Mads Max and how is it? :)
seriously i wanna know if it broke lol
Beautiful rigs and that wheel is the real deal. Looking forward to hearing what you guys thought about E3.
Yes, it does. Drive on a regular base with it. Hard mounted in my custom rig ;) I have it for well over a year now. Only had to tighten some bolts a few times. It has withstand some serious punishment.
I own a csr and cs v2 rennsport stand,I have had issues with my wheel and support has been very helpfull and quick to respond to my enquires
for the f1 wheel its not that expensive if you think about it, it has rev lights heaps of buttons made from high quality components looks great feels great lcd for gears speed. you couldn't build one for less at this quality -- having a f1 wheel like this is worth every penny i have one HOORAY!! adding extra stuff to current wheels like lcd and revlight would probably cost you 100.00 so for 179.00 pretty freaking AWESOMO!!!! 10/10
Continued.. My load cell for my club sport pedals needed to be replaced after about a year and I didn't look forward to writing Fanatec. I live in Denmark so I wrote to the branch in Germany fearing the worst. I'm happy to say that the response was immediate (same day -within two hours) and in perfect English and the load cell was in my hands the next day. I have written customer service several times since and in my opinion they really upped the level of quality they might have lacked.
Yes.. I was there and got some great footage of GT6, FM5, Driver Club and The Crew. Reports coming soon.
Darin
I'm loving the use of RJ45 Comms connectors... That's just asking for the cables to be modded (cut to length), new plugs crimped, in order to ensure your rig is looking it's best.
Dear BrandonWa, Having used Fanatic's products for well over a year I have never experienced "complete failure" or anything that resembles that. Having corresponded with the "guys in Germany" I found that they were very capable of understanding what I needed and that they were in fact extremely capable of dealing with my needs without me having to explain them in any great lenght. As far as delivery time goes I had the load cell I needed delivered to me in under 48 hours. Please do enlighten us.
Thanks guys - a v useful review. Will be getting the CSW, the new carbon formula rim and another of the new rims.
As much as I know Fanatec have had problems before with firmware but not anymore. I have had a CSR Wheel with Elite pedals, the pedals have broke once but the support is really great they paid for everything including shipping! In my opinion they have the best consumer level gear and the T500 has no match against the clubsport wheel!
The Price is absolutly fair....for same Money u get a DSLR Body like a Canon eos 7D without objektiv...!!!!
And i never had Problems with the Fanatec Service, when i called the Service, i reached in 30 Seconds a Mechanic from Fanatec...thats great.
Best Wheel on the Market
I had a Fanatec GT3RS V2 up until march this year that I bought last june that I had to get replaced three times. I had a Logitech G25 for seven years that never gave me any trouble.
I've had my clubsport wheel and pedals wheel have had no problems load cell went out on pedals but that happens good review
Sure, I had my GT2/Clubsport pedal setup for about 4 months of light to moderate use. Both the gas and clutch pedals stopped working. This was not a "lemon," they were designed in such a way that they would saw through the sensor wiring. Because the only technical help is in Europe, there is a day delay when interacting with anyone in North America. So it took a full week to get them to understand that I needed new sensors. Shipping was quick, but they have redesigned them to fix the problem.
Had a look at the page where people submit ideas for what rim they would like for the CSW. The top three voted rims are all F1 style. Seems to me it would be more wise to have a style which isn't already available.
I personally agree with Shaun in that I think they should be looking to fill that gap between the large BMW wheel and the small formula rim.
One of the rims I saw suggested was a classic style one with wood. I don't know how it would be long term but would love to have a go on one.
FF setting acts as a volume button of an sound amplifier, it doesn't affect clamping (if it clamp at 100 it'll still clamp @50 and vice versa). That's why FF max is 100.
"For" setting acts like amplifying in a sound editor (hence why it goes over 100), which means you can clamp the signal if it has already peaks @max level in it and you push it more using For setting above 100.
That's how I see it.
On the fence about purchasing this one. My T500 is going strong still. May look into it if I can design a way to swap wheels if a problem arises. That way I would have the T500 as a back up and not miss any racing. Will keep watching others reviews and come next tax season I will make my final decision. ;) May build a new rig all together. We shall see what the future holds. Got a great idea for a new rig design. 4 isolated corners that would have tactile a on each.
I have just tried GS-105 seat from Geko Systems, you wanna drive then this is the seat, has been tried in iRacing and works great.Full racing sim owners should not be without.
Their prices wont go down. They hiked up the price of the CSR Elite a few months ago by €50. I wouldn't mind but Thomas promised that the €549 price was temporary for the fisr batch of CSR elite wheels and he said it will be €400 when the first batch of CSR Elite wheels were sold , but he never kept that promise.
I believed this as well. Until my pedals failed (sensor replacement), and my GT3 motor failed, and then my brand new CSW failed twice (and still currently awaiting replacement - electronic failure). All of which aside from the pedals took an eternity to get fixed. When they work, they are supremely good for the price, but it does happen more frequently than other manufacturers. I currently have gone back to my T500 using the CS v1 pedals, and havent had any issues with over 500 hrs use.
We still have it.. We prefer the upright GT position of the Human Racing chassis for all around sim racing. Kinda hard to Rally or Nascar sitting like that ;-)
I had to get a GT3 RS V2 replaced last august and it took 10 days for them to get back to me.
Incorrect.. I ran some long races with it and I never had one issue and had some great drives. It's a great piece of hardware.
Darin
I played for hours with this Wheel GSC. My wheel never overheated. Same with rFactor.
There are wires that go from a circuit board on the bottom of the pedals to the sensors that ride on the side of the pedals. The sensors themselves would slowly saw through the wires that they were connected to. They redesigned them for this exact reason. Europe is 12 hours off, so each email can only get a single reply each day since they would email me back early in the morning. Accounting for weekends and the fact that I had to explain everything several times, it took a week each time.
i would love to see them selling the quick release separate so you can add your own wheel. using the f1 wheel to adjust the settings and then just swap over to a basic wooden or leather wheel... lotus f1 momo wheel. add a spanner just incase you flip in game and have to try and get out quickly before the car catches fire... for the f1 history buffs ;)
Considering Ray Alfalla won back to back DWCs in Oval with a wheel more or less the same, it's pretty damn good. I use a G27 and win races, to me, it's more about the pedals.
thinking of buy one for my self but i want to keep costs down so i was wondering are my G27 pedals and shifter compatible?
I love the way you say you could buy a car thats a Lemon but I bought a Fanatec GT3 RS V2 last june and between buying it in may and march this year I had three replacements. I got fedup of getting the wheel replaced so I sold the last replacement wheel. I have CSR Elite pedals which are still solid after 10 months. I lost faith in Fanatec wheels though. Also Fanatecs customer support is after improving a small bit , but dont expect a refund if you ever want one.
No score?
Also it would have been nice to hear more on feeling of the force feedback. How fast it is. How you feel the rumble strips.
I have been sim racing for slightly over a year now, using a Thrustmaster Ferrari 458 Italia (not the new TX version). This last winter, I have treated myself to building my first gaming pc which is a freaking beast. No worries about upgrading for at least 2 years. Been doing iRacing since October and other sims around the same time. I have just gotten myself to the point of C class in both Road and Oval series in iRacing and after playing around in the Star Mazda for two hours, I need a new wheel. The 458 will not cut it anymore. I am looking to get a wheel, pedal set, shifter and am looking at getting or building a rig for it all. I was thinking of getting this wheel with the intent of upgrading everything else eventually but I am going to need desk compatibility for at least a month. I cant go all out right now as I have a budget of $850. The clubsport package is still my ultimate goal at the moment but I can wait for many years. Need some ideas on a route to go here. Thanks in advance.
If you can't afford the Fanatec then the Thrustmaster T500RS should be your next best option.
What did you buy? :)
Darin, were you provided a pre-production sample for this test, or a production one ? (I guess Fanatec was smart enough to provide a production one with major flaws from pre-prod fixed).
The skew you mention at the beginning of the test, going at the quick release, was used for public exhibitions to prevent someone stealing the wheel easily. But it was also a workaround for pre-prod wheels to fix (not completely) a big play of the wheel fixed on QR (see my video of this in next post)
see part2
Great force feedback is great force feedback.
I also got to say it isn't that slow on countersteer. I run it at 900°, 100% FFB on the wheel - and in iRacing at Force 36.2 ... 10% Damp ... 3.0% minimum Force. With that set it is faster than the G27 in terms of countersteer. I just love it :). Best wheel I ever had or tested. Considering the price I think it is amazing how it matches the qualities of ECCI & Co. and even looks better... Not a Fanatec fanboy though, I absolutely hated the Porsche Wheels no matter which - as a big Porsche fan...
In the UK with the F1 rim, base, best pedals, and the gear stick it'll cost you £1250, I tested this setup at a sim racing shop and I say it doesn't feel better than my T500RS with the Ferrari F1 rim, its not as powerful or as responsive and with the reliability niggles I wouldn't touch it, sure it has better smoother motion and better materials of the outer casing but these qualities are secondary when the true quality is in the reliability.
When are winners for the seat thing announced?
I'm going through the support process now. I'll let you know =)
finaly... but what about rev scale?
awesome guys now i'm going to go buy it
SRT - Did you guys use these wheels on rFactor with Real Feel? That's when the motors overheat the most in my experience. They've replaced mine 4 times so it wasn't just a one-off bad unit.
I ran F1 1988, Historix, Enduracers, iDt IndyCar mods and they all overheated the motors after 30 mins. Never tried iRacing but Game Stock Car and rFactor 2 also overheat the motors.
would really like the CSR back in stock, would really like it for my league races on F1 2012 :(
have you guys done or intend on doing a clubsport shifter review?
i cant find a review of it on your channel
heya isr, metal here.
Quick q, does the abs vibration in the wheel occur at the same time as the vibration in the v2 pedal set (if they are hooked up together)? And does it only occur in 'abs' cars, such as the mazda mx5 in iracing, or (some/or all) cars in gran turismo 5 on ps3? or does it occur in all cars regardless of the sim?
cheers,
Ian
One question I have is will the t500 and fanatec wheels work on the next gen consoles.
how would you compare the force feedback on this wheel compared to the t500rs
Please stop mocking about Fanatec's customer support.Lots of my frineds were early adopters (CSR Elite) and some of them had issues with the installed Mabuchi motors. Wheels were replaced within less than a week or new motors were delivered wiithin two days.Changing them was a piece of cake!Maybe it is because I'm from Europe. Please remember,Fanatec is a small company located in Germany,selling their products overseas. Maybe their customer support needs improvement in the US but not in general!
So, my question is........... Do you still recommend the T500RS over this, overall?
I'm wondering should I save up for this, or the T500RS when I get the PS4?
hey,should i insert the metal pin when the wheel is attatched?
thanks
Hey guys,
I'm new in sim racing, but I'm not sure which wheel to start with. Do you think I should start off with a DFGT, a G27 or should I get the Clubsport Wheel, Shifter and V2 pedals? I am getting into iRacing and pretty confused for which wheel to buy. Or are there other good wheels out there?
this wheel is awesome on race 07 series and rfactor, some codemasters games like dirt 3.. unfortunately you are right codemasters f1 sucky weird sensation and a lot of tweaking to get FFB right. race 07 FFB effects wow!! also the f1 wheel is great switching in game from f1 cars to touring cars just rocks.
When are you going to review the clubsport shifters?
Are these the only two wheels that can be used, or is the ClubSport Steering Wheel GT also useable for this wheel base....big fan btw guys love the show
Why has it taken so long xD
Good things takes time !
I can afford a Clubsport but for 800€ they don't even bother to include a table clamp or a shifter in that bundle, i doubt anyone would try to justify that deal breaker right there.
+Dean Novelli I believe is cheaper to buy in US and ship to EU. Dont really know about the warranty. I dont really get these fanatec prices here in EU.
What happened to the rseat formula rig why do u not use it anymore
Can u have an extra shifter for a e brake or does it have to be modded ?
So I filled out a support ticket over two weeks ago and no response yet. Ironically, my complaint has always been bad communication, not lack thereof.
SimRacing Art. I love mine, and yes, I think of it as ART too!
So they didn't fit anymore. It took another week to explain this. Then I got another set of sensors, not the mounting equipment. In all it took over a month to get everything I "needed." They never sent the proper mounting brackets and I had to make some myself. Shortly after, one of the rumble packs failed completely and an internal fan got loud and has now failed, causing the wheel to overheat. I don't have to tools needed to open the wheel up and they don't offer to fix anything themselves.
Doing so you are clamping the ffb signal if I'm not mistaken. You may like this setting, of course, but you lose some informations when the game has to send hard forces.
should i get this and the csr elite pedals or the t500 and the csr elite pedals?
what brand/details is the triple monitor stand in the back (silver)?
Oh it wasn't the thousand bucks I was baulking at, it was when they showed another wheel and said it was a next step up from that, and I can only imagine what price those are! I think 1000 is enough as it is :) and I'd sure wanna be using the best money can buy but it seems it's nowhere near
I'm not quite sure as to what exactly I should make of your comment. As far as the wheel "breaking" it seems highly improbable to me since it is made from metal. The base, as far as I know, is pretty much the same as the one used for the csr. Please feel free to correct me or share any information you have regarding the wheel/base and the firmware.
Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but has anyone ever tried to mod one of these sim racing wheels for use in a real car. Is it even possible? I'm currently on a student team an electric vehicle for an upcoming Formula SAE event. We're looking into what it would take to fabricate a custom formula style steering wheel, but I thought that this might be a better option.
how is it vs the t500? cause i need a new wheel and i don't which one is better
No. You will find answers to your questions regarding their products by Googleing Fanatec or visiting their website. If you for some reason can not connect to Fanatec's site you should contact your internet provider.
do you recommend getting the BASE in 2nd hand ?
BTW does anybody know if there's a new wheel for it on the horizon?. I've tried searching but couldn't find anything.
On a slightly unrelated note, I'm liking the look of the 458 challenge wheel from Thrustmaster. Especially if I were to remove the static paddles. However I would have preferred they use alcantara instead of rubber.
Hihi. I totally get your train of thought. It does sound like a lot but look at it this way: The people who spend that amount are really dedicated and the money spent on the setup lasts for years. They enjoy it every day. A thousand bucks are easily spent by an average person in a year on for example fast food, movies and Itune downloads. The price seems kinda hefty but..it's a long term investment. Just like people who buy an expensive surround system or a D&G purse or..a dog for that purse
this is v1 right? is it worth getting coming from a csr wheel?
great job guys, This wheel will work with Xbox One?
Is there any news on fantec will be comparable with xbox one?
I have tried them and have rF2 and Race07. Grid2 has better FFB than those. Even if it is just a pimped up arcade game. The CSW really comes to live there.