My first impressions of the Fanatec Clubsport BMW GT3 Wheel, Base, and V2 Pedals.

Still under warranty for July. After that a pair of Bühlers sounds interesting.

 

That's why you need it explained

 

Ok please explain how installing software which had zero effect on the ffb, suddenly turned the wheel from dull and uninspiring and miles worse than your G27, into an amazing wheel.

 

I've had 3 instances of wheel misalignment on 4 CSW and the positioning sensors needed to be changed. The other issue I originally thought it was motor failure but it turned out to be a snapped cable ribbon that connects the quick release plug on base. There is a sharp edge inside the shaft and over times it cuts through the cable.

Also had a CSR Elite wheel give up, was motor related first time and second time the up shift paddle stopped working.

I had 2 911 Turbo S and 1 GT2 give up on me years ago. All 3 motor related.

All fixed under warranty. For those of you that don't have warranty left look here.

http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threa...e-modders-thread-update-february-2014.274631/

You buy a kit that allows you to keep the mechanical parts and swap out the electrical bits that fail for upgraded bits. You can buy the motors Fanatec use on their products for less that $5. The quality of the motor does not seem to be the biggest issue its heat fade and overheating. I have a aquarium pump doing the cooling.

Edit: I always turn SEN to OFF on wheel for racing and click it to 900 for calibration.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the info, I just have 2 questions:

1. For such a high price tag why do they have so low build quality, it makes no sense?
Logitech may not have the same performace, but is much much more fiable and much more cheaper. I would take major fiability increase over small performace increse any day.
2. Are there really no other alternatives for the price range of best Fanatec gear, that give the same performance, but better reliability?
If I pay 500 euros for a wheel base alone, I expect both performance and reliability in that price tag.

 

The entire OP is about my first impressions. Not the technical details but my first impressions, how it came across... to me. I tend to research expensive stuff up before I buy it so I expected it to do certain things. Of those things I expected it to have really nice and smooth FFB and I expected the actual hardware to feel awesome, realistic and look great, have nice effects and some cool lights. A complete package.

On the first runs I didn't get any effects that I noticed, just the "pure" ffb, I didn't get any lights and I didn't get any effects on the pedals. I also had filters on. So in effect my G27 was better as far as the whole experience of the thing goes.

So this gave me an underwhelming experience or first impression as you will. It didn't do what I expected it to do... Underwhelming you see? It's like going to see a blockbuster movie and it is in stereo. You get all the same stuff but it just sucks.

But. I knew that. There was more to come so I continued installing stuff and then once I had it all configured correctly it went from underwhelming to exactly what I expected it to be. All the lights lit up, all the effects motors in the wheel and the pedals kicked in and the show turned from underwhelming stereo movie to full dolby surround.

I wrote it the way I wrote it because it was simply more interesting and it truly was my actual first impression.

 

I have had mine for + 1 ½ year now and no problems so far.

 

1. I suppose their in the business of making money and there is nothing in that price range of €1000 (inc wheel, rim, pedals). They look very very good and when they work they work very well and give great effects. They could have fixed the issue years ago but if the units are still being sold why fix something that will make you more money 1 day as a repair.

2. I cant find anything in the price range that. I read a lot of people are turning to Thrustmaster as an alternative but I don't want plastic. Around €1200 will but you a ECCI 6000 but i cant seem to find anyone talking or reviewing this wheel. The next step up is where i will go next Its called the Simexperiance Accuforce for less than $2000 that is better than a Frex "inside sim" for the same money. Leo Bodnar wheel for £2400 + the bits to go with it and the ECCI 7000 for over $3000.

If anyone else knows of any other add to the list

 

Can't answer the build quality one yet. I know some of these guys have horror stories but I also know some have no problems. When I was researching the Fanatec wheel I was a little concerned by the horror stories so I decided to compare and researched the G27 that I already own and has been flawless for years. Google Logitech g27 problems and it is also a horror show. I mean I would be real worried if I was buying one haha. So at the end of the day I have rolled the dice and I will see what happens and I will post here if I have any problems. So far I have had 24 hours of the most enjoyable sim racing I have ever had.... damn thing will probably explode now

As for the alternative. The next best one I wanted and was a lot less the Thrustmaster T500 setup. Seems really nice. It is not as "realistic" as the Fanatec gear but seemed better value for money. The problem I had was trying to actually get one so that's how I ended up with the Fanatec gear. Google T500 problems as well.... everything has horror stories

 

1. I've thought that one too. Why to use some really bad quality motors? You can imagine how much they have already spent for repairs and shipments...

2. No there isn't any competitors with same functions and with the same performance CSW has.

I'm still glad I bought it but I have somekind of love and hate relationship to the product.

 

Well, based on your info and what I already knew, seems that there really is no alternative for ~1.000 euro price range. You can only go cheaper or much more expensive...

Also about horror stories, yeah of course every company has them, but based on my own experience with Logitech I have very very high regards for them.
I currently have Logitech wheel, mouse, keyboard, gamepad, joystick and webcam. Except for the joystick which is more than 10 years old and has some minor issues, but it's still working, all the other products work great, as being new. For example the mouse and keyboard are more than 2 years old.

Now if I would have bought Fanatec gear and in 2 years time it would have broken 3-4 times, I could care less for their warranty, because I would be very pissed and ditched/sold/refunded them for something better from another firm.

There's nothing I hate more than bad reliability and having to send the products back to service and all that process and hassle and waiting. And doing that multiple times, a big NO. But those are just my principles, so it's my point of view I guess.

I will admit that I'm having a hard time deciding on what to upgrade from my DFGT, that's why I'm interested in stories and info like these.

 

so agree with this post!
I'm lookin for an upgrade from my g25
I think I'm just gonna wait for the accuforce wheel
If fanatec had been more reliable I wouldn't have been waiting for the accuforce

 

Also I forgot to say, another important reason why I'm still waiting on buying a new wheel: it's because of the little official info about compatibility with PS4 and XboxOne, but especially PS4 of the current gen wheels.
I'm considering giving GT7 a chance so I'd like a wheel that works on PS4. I'm not sure current get if and how good they will be supported or if maybe I need to buy the next gen wheels that will come soon with official support for next gen consoles.

Preferably I would like one that works on all platforms, but my priority is PC & PS4.

 

I'm guessing that the FanaLEDs rumble options for braking, gear upshifts, engine, etc. was turned on. So when he tried AC after installing FanaLEDs it was quite a different experience than before the addon software.

 

I am still on my first base and V2 pedals (touches wood for luck!). I bought them at the initial release in August 2012.

 

I'm guessing that the FanaLEDs rumble options for braking, gear upshifts, engine, etc. was turned on. So when he tried AC after installing FanaLEDs it was quite a different experience than before the addon software.

 

I think the only wheel near the Fanatec CSW and CSPV2s would be the Thrustmaster T500RS. I have only used a thrustmaster on a few occasions. The wheel is really nice! the pedals are excellent, except that the brake pedal uses a pot compared to the superior loadcell design found in the CSPV2s.
http://www.thrustmaster.com/en_US/products/t500rs

I have had my CSW and CSPV2s since day 1 release. Not a single problem with the CSW or wheels (touch wood for luck!). The CSPV2s seem a bit delicate. I have to make sure they stay clean. I have had to replace the throttle sensor about 6 months ago.

 

Oh, the pedals are "delicate" you say? I always thought that the wheel bases are the issue and have more chances to fail than the pedals, hm, interesting. They seem so sturdy in pictures and videos.

And yes, the Thrustmaster T500RS is the most expensive option I would consider from the price/durability/performance point of view. I'm not planning to spend more than 500 euros with shipment included for an entire package = wheel + base + pedals (I'm not interested in H shifter unless it comes standard).

 

In my experience at other race forums (iRacing, simhq motorsports, race department, radiator springs) I see more people having issues with cspv2's than the csw.
ymmv!

I had a G27 before the fanatec gear and that equipment was bulletproof! I used it for over 3 years and not one single problem from the wheel, shifter, or pedals. It seems with my CSPV2s that if I don't keep them clean they always start giving me problems. After using my fanatec gear I sold my G27. The G27 is a fantastic set of gear, but I knew I could never go back to logitech wheels and pedals after racing with the CSW and CSPV2s.

 

What I'm more interested in is how much of a faster driver (not better driver) these different gears make you?
I would like to know like the top 10 people form WR times what racing gear they use and if someone has "alien" skills in driving lets say, can he be almost as good with a G27 as with an T500RS as with a 1.000 euro Fanatec set...

Since I'm not looking to break WR if the difference between a G27 set and a 1.000 euro set is below 1 second in performance in game, then I'm 99% sure I'm not interested in such expensive gear, just for their great feeling that they give you.