Fanatec shopping list feedback

Hey guys just getting into sim racing and been on a g29 way to long so been saving up and decided to go with fanatec.

Id like a review of what you would do in my shoes if you could look back and change something when buying your first setup.

Please also give feedback and etc! :D
CHEERS!


Edit : Added usb adapter to shoppin cart as I read thats only thing stopping me from using the handbrake?.
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  • Deleted member 197115

I am sure you have done your homework, just wondering why you set your mind on Fanatec. There are arguably better options available for entry level DD setup, cheaper too.
 
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I would change ever dealing with fanatec lol. I bought the clubsport pedals and had to warranty them in the first week. Sold them off and bought simagic and heusinkveld. I would buy moza if I had to do it again they seem to be gathering quite the catalogue for a nice price.
 
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I am sure you have done your homework, just wondering why you set your mind on Fanatec. There are arguably better options available for entry level DD setup, cheaper too.
Hi and thanks.
the only reason is because of they have alot of options, wheels addons etc.
Been looking at the moza r5 bundle too.
Do you think I should go for r9 directly if I go moza?
Not sure myself, hence I'm playing curently on a g29 so everything will be as day and night.

But I dont want to be "dumb cheap".
Cheers!
 
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I would change ever dealing with fanatec lol. I bought the clubsport pedals and had to warranty them in the first week. Sold them off and bought simagic and heusinkveld. I would buy moza if I had to do it again they seem to be gathering quite the catalogue for a nice price.
Huh that bad? =/ Please share abit why and etc so I know what to dodge in the future.
Yea the r5 moza bundle is sounding better and better.
Thanks =)
 
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So I own a DD2 and some silly amount of wheels.. just silly amounts. I had the clubsport pedals years ago (now simtrecs) , their CS shifter (which is a great unit), handbrake (which is a terrible unit).. and before DD2 the clubsport base which I liked a lot..

So I have to say if I was in the market now.. no way I go fanatec. I have had two failures (and you see I've had a lot of equipment) - and both were taken care of easily and no issues with customer service. I know people talk about how dreadful that can be - but I did NOT find that to be the case personally. They fixed a wheel that had developed a short, and my DD2 would power off and not come back on for a bit - and they replaced it with a new unit...

But man they havent been doing ANYTHING for years now. The quick release V2 is literally 2 years overdue at this point. The Bentley wheel was kinda interesting - when they first show it several years ago and it's likely a 1500 dollar wheel. The pedals - well basically they fully dropped the ball. There is WAY too much competition at this point and so many better options than their tech from 5 years ago. Pedals (particularly brake) is the one place where money can make you faster. Learning to properly trail brake with a decent brake is vital to fast times, more so than anything else in my opinion.

Moza keeps adding to their system and everything they've been making simply looks better, has more functionality and the pricing. The Asetek bundle which is more clubsport costs just looks to be the best thing out there for the money right now. I do not love their wheel design choices but that almost doesnt matter with them releasing a quick release attach system.

I've had good luck with fanatec - but if I was starting over - man I would consider some other options.. and the one thing for sure I would alter course on is the pedals.. dont get fanatec..

Nathan



PXL_20230825_200717220~2.jpg
 
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I saved up for a while like you and had my whole new rig set up. The second weekend my clubsport $400 pedals broke. Fanatec had no hotline to call just email. It took 3 days for them to get back to me about the issue and every subsequent email was days for a response as well. They finally agreed to warranty them. I sent them back packed pretty well. I got them back looking like my 4 year old boxed them up in my fever dream. Long story short I had new heusinkveld pedals set up on my rig before I even had an rma ticket from fanatec. I have never been so disappointed in a company and their lack of desire to help a customer. To most of us this stuff is quite expensive and to me it was unacceptable for a company as big as them to act like customer support is an after thought. On top of all that the pedals weren't good. The second day of using them I told the wife I was disappointed they were squeaky and felt like toys
 
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As a loyal Fanatec Forza CSR/CSW V. 2.5 owner poised to move on to another brand (VRS, Asetek, or Simucube), I would advise you to pass on Fanatec.

This is unless you have compelling reasons to buy Fanatec--among those reasons:

1) live in Germany or elsewhere in Central Europe - potentially better after the sale service response and shipping times
2) console compatibility - see below
3) local costs relative to the Euro (Simagic and Moza seem less affordable in some markets)

To my mind Fanatec once led the industry with an extensive wheel ecosystem with attractive offerings, but it has become lazy in its product offerings. The last wheel that really appealed to me was the McLaren GT3 (I own a V.1), but even V.2 has some issues with feel in hand and durability.

The Fanatec quick release is overpriced and does not compare well with Moza, Simagic, or Asetek for robustness. Fanatec wheel connection pins are fragile and require careful clocking when swapping wheels. Fanatec QRs have a less solid feel and ease of use than Simagic and Moza which use real automotive D-Spec type QRs. The latter QRs are available in a range from quite affordable knockoff copies (under $40) with slightly questionable fit and longevity to still affordable genuine Moza/Simagic/NRG (under $100) and ultra-reliable with a positive, solid connection.

Additonally, one must have a full functioned Fanatec wheel or use a USD $200 Podium Hub or a more expensive Universal Hub to maintain force feedback function when using wheels of your choice.

Based on your shopping cart, I will assume you are racing on a PC. If you also wish to race on Xbox or PS5, your wheel/wheelbase options are limited by some manufacturers. Fanatec and Thrustmaster (which I also own but do not consider have specific products licensed for their respective consoles. The forthcoming Moza R3 entry level direct drive bundle has announced Xbox compatibilty which might be a good starter set for you if you can wait for it.

To make a fully informed purchase, ask yourself more questions about your sim racing hobby,

What kinds of cars do you like to drive? Open wheel, drift, rally, or street cars? Vntage or modern open wheel and GT?

What types of racing/driving do you enjoy? Oval, road racing, rally, drifting, open world free roam cruising?

How often do you see yourself switching steering wheels? Are you a fan of buttons and paddles, or do you prefer a traditional round/D--shape wheel and rowing gears in conjunction with a clutch pedal?

You included a shifter in your order--do you enjoy sequential shifting or H-pattern shifting or both? Ditto on the handbrake--do you intend to drive rally primarily? (A Thrusmaster TH8A or TH8RS shifter can function as a cheap, if rudimentary, handbrake.)

I have not had experience with the Fanatec shifter, but I have been happy with the performance of the TH8A in H-pattern mode, and now have one of the 6-speed "Amazon" shifters commonly available for under USD $100 which I like even better than the TH8A but which is H-pattern only.

If I were starting out in the hobby, I would pick the standalone Moza R5 wheelbase USD ($300), the ES wheel ($129) [or a 70mm QR with a nice inexpensive urethane wheel or even a used well cared for MOMO, OMP, Motamec, or Sparco wheel] and USB shifter ($70) along with the best pedals you can afford.

Simagic, Asetek, and Moza have some nice pedals which surpass Fanatec offerings. If you can stretch your budget to purchase a "forever" pedal set (buy once if possible!)--buy Heuskinveld Sprints (being my own choice and highly recommended over my Fanatec V.2s which I splurged on way back in 2012.) You might also consider Simtag on lower end and Simtrecs at the higher end.

Good luck with your search!
 
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  • Deleted member 197115

I have not had experience with the Fanatec shifter, but I have been happy with the performance of the TH8A in H-pattern mode, and now have one of the 6-speed "Amazon" shifters commonly available for under USD $100 which I like even better than the TH8A but which is H-pattern only.
Fanatec shifter is okay, better than TH8A which I also owned, but I had to replace spring for sequential when it failed (common issue), and Fanatec supplies the replacement part (not free).
CSP v3 (pedals) felt like cheap overpriced toys comparing to Heusinkvield and especially Simtrecs (different level altogether).
 
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Wow guys thanks, I read everything no1- mentioned no1- forgotten.
I do intend on drifting/rally 50/50 hence the handbrake and I will prob switch to seq gearbox.

I will ONLY play on PC so im looking more and more into moza.
I live in sweden and we have resellers here of Moza.

Hm regarding mixing pedals and wheels, I guess I can just look at their webbsites too see which ones are going to work together.

Thanks 90% moza convinced :D
 
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  • Deleted member 197115

Hm regarding mixing pedals and wheels, I guess I can just look at their webbsites too see which ones are going to work together.
On PC you can mix and match to full extent, they all are independent USB devices.
For handbrake, HE makes good ones. Seems like they have new model matching Sprint pedals in design, I have older one, still going strong just like on day one.
 
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On PC you can mix and match to full extent, they all are independent USB devices.
For handbrake, HE makes good ones. Seems like they have new model matching Sprint pedals in design, I have older one, still going strong just like on day one.
Oh thats fking awesome, I didnt know that. That is also one of the reason I looked most at fanatec due to the big selection of different things. (I kinda thought it had to be the same company)

Thanks for the advice, I dont think i'll spend 350 on my first handbrake, But then I will look over my moza shoppin cart and see if there is something thats worth going for.
Its my first real setup so everything will work but some things are worth going for even for your first time because of quality and feeling.

Thanks =D
 
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