Fanatec Announces Price Increases Starting March 17th

Fanatec Price Increase 01.jpg
Sim hardware manufacturer Fanatec has shared news that starting on the 17th of March, you can expect to pay more for many of their products.

If you've been on the fence about buying new gear from Fanatec, now may be the time to decide. The sim racing hardware manufacturer has announced that starting on the 17th of March, customers can expect to see price increases on many of their products.

Fanatec shared a blog post stating that they had been trying to absorb the increases in price for shipping and chips without changing their prices, but they are no longer able to maintain this. No details have been shared yet detailing which products are affected or how much of an increase there will be, but they did share that items from the CSL, ClubSport, and Podium lines would be affected.

But the news wasn't all bad for consumers, as the price of Fanatec wheel bases will not be changed for now, and a small number of products have recently been given a small discount.

This news gives potential Fanatec customers a few days to lock in their purchase price before the increases take effect. And if you are in the market for any Fanatec products, be sure to check out our Fanatec page in the RaceDepartment store, with nearly 50 products and bundles on offer.

Has this news, or any other sim related price change affected your decision to buy new gear? Be sure to let us know in the comments below.
About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

D
I still remember 2017 so well.. CSW 2.5 price went from 550 to 450. Then one year later or so they upped it again to 550.

Moral of the story: Fanatec always overprices their products, and can't decide what they want.
 
Because of the price increase, I went ahead and ordered the MacLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel and the Fanatec Shifter. Now I have 4 steering wheels, a DD1, the handbrake and shifter, all looking like new and in perfect working order.
 
Final PS: people including me are paying so much money for software. I don't know a lot about behind the scenes. I don't know where all the money you pay to iRacing goes. Probably they have Excell sheet where they input all the info about a car, for example weight and hp, and voila they sell you a new product for a new price. But I know for sure that developing hardware in comparison takes so much engineering and craftmanship, and even so much costs even after they sell the product..
Wages are one of the biggest expenses of any company these days, materials are generally pretty cheap. Manufacturing tries to make every roll so easy that anyone could do them, through automation and specialised work benches. Software development on the other hand needs skilled labour, so I'd image that majority of their costs go towards staff. The fact they host their own servers means they have ongoing overheads that other sim makers wouldn't.
 
We talk about how elitist and unaccesible to even wealthy people F1 is, but now even simracing is becoming elitist. The graphic cards are as expensive as a second hand car, the CPUs in some cases more expensive than replacing a clutch on a real car, DDR5 ram modules at wild prices, and now Fanatec, the Leica of simracing is increasing their already absurdly overpriced gear prices even more.

Seriously, this hobby it is starting to dangerously getting closer to what an average person can afford. No way you can justify to your wife that spending such a big amount of money in what it is just a fancy toy isn't an absolute frivolity when it is getting more and more difficult to not live from pay to pay and your job can be secure today and lost tomorrow morning.
 
TRASGU..In a way you nailed it..
WE are a chosen few, continuing to do this madness after all..
Sometimes we need to pay the price for the good life we want to have..
including give a wheel to your spouse... hint.. It works... ;)
 
Because of the price increase, I went ahead and ordered the MacLaren GT3 V2 steering wheel and the Fanatec Shifter. Now I have 4 steering wheels, a DD1, the handbrake and shifter, all looking like new and in perfect working order.
The McLaren GT3 wheel is great. I've had mine since December and just love it. Tried my older Clubsport F1 wheel last week and it felt too small; it immediately put back the McLaren one.
 
So, the single wheel bases could keep the current price?
This news sucks... but yes, everything goes up these times...

Pre-Order a wheel base now or wait? Hmm... :roflmao:
 
Premium
Timing is perfect for Thrustmaster and its upcoming DD.
It's their own fault. They should have been working on a direct drive base, when Simucube was still considered to be an open sim wheel option. Hind sight is 20/20, but foresight is better.
 
Last edited:
Wages are one of the biggest expenses of any company these days, materials are generally pretty cheap. Manufacturing tries to make every roll so easy that anyone could do them, through automation and specialised work benches. Software development on the other hand needs skilled labour, so I'd image that majority of their costs go towards staff. The fact they host their own servers means they have ongoing overheads that other sim makers wouldn't.
I hear what you said, thanks for the insight.
 
I was looking for a new pedal set as my t3pa pro failed me recently. I was thibking on getting csl dd later then got that news a gee days ago which makes me pull the trigger on a complete set. Cls dd + McLaren GT3 wheel and clubsport v3 pedals with brake kit. It costs me already a lot so i wonder how much i saved on that move. I ll jave an answer on 17th apparently
 
I ordered all I was thinking of buying, I’m unsure and don’t feel great about what the total came too but final product isn’t available til may so the cancel button will be considered often. It sucks but at least they told us. Doesn’t help I also had to buy a he sprints clutch to go with it all…this hobby is extortionate in sooo many ways. I’m dreading what my next pc will cost! I hope at least the guys on the ground in fanatec have had a pay increase also and not just told it’s putins fault. Worth pointing out simlabs had already also increased their prices for those who don’t know
 
Are fanatec products too expensive? I dont know as I've never owned any. I do know that it wasnt that long ago that DD bases cost 2-3k.
 
can you do another article titled

!!Fanatec finally fix the DD1/2 Jolts with ITM!!

on April first.. because fanatec cannot fix, nor do they ever intend fixing it all these years later..

Fanatec will never see another cent from me until this same old tired rhetoric is actually fixed.

1647494881951.png
 
Last edited:
In marketing:

Case1: Fanatec announces CSL DD for 700 € then reduce price to 500€.

Case2: Fanatec announces CSL DD for 300 € then increase prise to 400 €.

Which hypothetical case makes human beings happier in your opinion?
 

Latest News

Article information

Author
Mike Smith
Article read time
1 min read
Views
15,587
Comments
42
Last update

How long have you been simracing

  • < 1 year

    Votes: 348 15.5%
  • < 2 years

    Votes: 241 10.8%
  • < 3 years

    Votes: 240 10.7%
  • < 4 years

    Votes: 177 7.9%
  • < 5 years

    Votes: 299 13.4%
  • < 10 years

    Votes: 257 11.5%
  • < 15 years

    Votes: 164 7.3%
  • < 20 years

    Votes: 125 5.6%
  • < 25 years

    Votes: 99 4.4%
  • Ok, I am a dinosaur

    Votes: 289 12.9%
Back
Top