Buying advice please - Next Level v3 Motion Platform

[MarkR]

I'm looking for some advice and thoughts of other owners or people with good knowledge of the product, please.

I always said I'd buy myself a motion simulator if I could afford one and had the room available. Well, that day may have arrived. I'm impressed by what I've seen of the Next Level v3 Motion Platform

This seems to meet all my criteria:

+ Limited space requirements, I don't have room for a huge sim rig but this seems compact enough to work.
+ Works with Oculus Rift VR, that fixed head position setting solution is impressive
+ Great support and regular updates from the developers
+ Available in the UK
+ Works with my current Thrustmaster wheel and accessories.
+ Sub £3k for the full setup, I'm not a pro racer I'm not looking for a practice simulator this is just for fun so the cost/fun balance has to be right.

So help me do the man maths! Is it worth it?

Is there another similar product I should also look at? It would need to be reasonably compact, work with VR, available in the UK without too much hassle and in the same £3-5K price range.

Is there anywhere I can try one or even better several of the systems in the UK?

 

[leeroy605]

Looks like they dropped it on something hard taking it off or putting it on their rig and it slide down it.

Assuming there isn’t box damage and a hole where that ding is?

No box damage on the outer or inner retail packaging (well, apart from the lid being ripped off as they couldn't be bothered to use the flaps to open the retail packaging lid!).

 

[Furnace Inferno]

So yeh looking at all the pictures it must have just been some Jeremy Clarkson level Neanderthal clobbering it about trying to mount it.

 

[Mascot]

Right, pictures as requested. Would you say this looks like an grade B unwanted customer return?
View attachment 265643 View attachment 265644 View attachment 265645 View attachment 265646 View attachment 265647 View attachment 265648

Pic 2 and 6 show the scuffs on top, seems like they had a right ordeal trying to get a seat on this thing. Picture 3 is a scuff on the underside of the unit but pictures 4 and 5 are what I am most worried about. 4 shows a large scuff/ding at the end, which seems to have made a crease in the side panel halfway up where the mounting bolts go (pic 5). What do you think?

Jesus, whoever had it before must have been a fricking idiot. How can you cause that much damage to a shiny new expensive toy? Some of the scuffs look a little like long-term wear. I don't want to worry you unduly but you don't think somebody's done the old classic of buying a new unit then returning a much older worn (or broken) one for a refund, hoping the vendor doesn't check the serial numbers?

I'd test the fock out of that thing on max settings during the warranty period if I were you, really give it a pasting and listen out for any unusual noises.

 

[leeroy605]

Jesus, whoever had it before must have been a fricking idiot. How can you cause that much damage to a shiny new expensive toy? Some of the scuffs look a little like long-term wear. I don't want to worry you unduly but you don't think somebody's done the old classic of buying a new unit then returning a much older worn (or broken) one for a refund, hoping the vendor doesn't check the serial numbers?

I'd test the fock out of that thing on max settings during the warranty period if I were you, really give it a pasting and listen out for any unusual noises.

Yeah its unbelievable really isn't it. Guess some people just do not know how to take care of things...

Not sure that is the case regarding a swap but I'll look into it tonight, the serial label did not look tampered with at all so guessing not.

Just got off the phone ocuk and had a moan, after sending them pictures a manager suggested getting another 10% off. I pushed for 15% and got it in the end, making it £1520 for the unit. That's a significant saving off the RRP so I'm just going to keep it and test it thoroughly within these 90 days. Fingers crossed...

 

[Mascot]

Yeah its unbelievable really isn't it. Guess some people just do not know how to take care of things...

Not sure that is the case regarding a swap but I'll look into it tonight, the serial label did not look tampered with at all so guessing not.

Just got off the phone ocuk and had a moan, after sending them pictures a manager suggested getting another 10% off. I pushed for 15% and got it in the end, making it £1520 for the unit. That's a significant saving off the RRP so I'm just going to keep it and test it thoroughly within these 90 days. Fingers crossed...

That's a great result (assuming it's all mechanically sound). Well done!
The way mine is mounted you'd never see any of that cosmetic damage anyway.

 

[leeroy605]

That's a great result (assuming it's all mechanically sound). Well done!
The way mine is mounted you'd never see any of that cosmetic damage anyway.

Yeah pretty pleased, thanks for the suggestion to go back to the retailer for more money off. Has put my mind at ease a bit, now to mount it to my temp rig somehow and test the stuffing out of it!

On a side note, Simlab TR1 has been ordered for delivery in a few weeks time. can't wait. Mentioned it to them that I have also ordered a NLR v3 and asked how to mount it to this rig, they had a solution ready within the hour and included all materials and brackets free of charge. Outstanding.

 

[Mascot]

Yeah pretty pleased, thanks for the suggestion to go back to the retailer for more money off. Has put my mind at ease a bit, now to mount it to my temp rig somehow and test the stuffing out of it!

On a side note, Simlab TR1 has been ordered for delivery in a few weeks time. can't wait. Mentioned it to them that I have also ordered a NLR v3 and asked how to mount it to this rig, they had a solution ready within the hour and included all materials and brackets free of charge. Outstanding.

Excellent! Glad to be of help. I look forward to hearing your impressions once it's all up and running.

 

[Soulstoner]

A loud buzzing noise has recently started on my NLR v3... anyone else have experience with this?

I've sent an e-mail to support, but wanted to also check here.

https://imgur.com/a/3Q01Pax

 

[BrainsBush]

A loud buzzing noise has recently started on my NLR v3... anyone else have experience with this?

I've sent an e-mail to support, but wanted to also check here.

https://imgur.com/a/3Q01Pax

Nope no experience with that continous buzz. It sounds like the bearing(s) of the fan.

 

[leeroy605]

Managed to get this attached to my rig at the weekend and have a first proper go at it both with and without VR.

Man is it good. The range of different forces you feel are all utterly convincing (once dialing it down from the stock roller coaster settings). It's good without VR, but when combined with it it takes on a whole different level. The immersion is off the scale and I dread to think what it would be like to go back to racing without the motion platform. Love the jolt you get from going over curbs!

Played some PCars 2, Assetto Corsa, RR3 and Dirt Rally and surprised how well it works in all off the bat. The software is a breeze to use which I am all for, I don't usually have much time to race so anything that basically sets itself up and lets me get into the game quicker is a massive plus in my book.

The unit itself seems fine and works great, no strange noises or issues etc. Further down the line I might record a video of the unit in action for you guys to check over and see if it sounds/looks normal but yeah seems okay. Fingers crossed. Think Dirt Rally will be used for the majorly of my testing as it gives it a good workout

In the Sim pit review I saw a really cool looking lock up effect that I can't seem to get on mine, is this sim dependent or a setting I am missing? Only tried locking up in PCars 2 so might just not work with that.

All in all so pleased I took a chance on this and hope nothing goes wrong with it, absolutely loving it. Just need my new Sim Labs rig to come now!

 

[sjb266]

Not sure if you play iRacing but for me the V3 and VR combo is unparalleled in the GT3 or GTE cars... better than any other sim..

 

[Mascot]

Managed to get this attached to my rig at the weekend and have a first proper go at it both with and without VR.

Man is it good. The range of different forces you feel are all utterly convincing (once dialing it down from the stock roller coaster settings). It's good without VR, but when combined with it it takes on a whole different level. The immersion is off the scale and I dread to think what it would be like to go back to racing without the motion platform. Love the jolt you get from going over curbs!

Played some PCars 2, Assetto Corsa, RR3 and Dirt Rally and surprised how well it works in all off the bat. The software is a breeze to use which I am all for, I don't usually have much time to race so anything that basically sets itself up and lets me get into the game quicker is a massive plus in my book.

The unit itself seems fine and works great, no strange noises or issues etc. Further down the line I might record a video of the unit in action for you guys to check over and see if it sounds/looks normal but yeah seems okay. Fingers crossed. Think Dirt Rally will be used for the majorly of my testing as it gives it a good workout

In the Sim pit review I saw a really cool looking lock up effect that I can't seem to get on mine, is this sim dependent or a setting I am missing? Only tried locking up in PCars 2 so might just not work with that.

All in all so pleased I took a chance on this and hope nothing goes wrong with it, absolutely loving it. Just need my new Sim Labs rig to come now!

Glad it's all working as intended - you got a fantastic deal there. None of the cosmetic damage will be noticeable once you get it sunk into your P1.

 

[anton_Chez]

The lock up slider is only for certain sims. I think I tried it out and I couldn't feel it when I did. But it was working at one stage. I didn't care for it at the time and left it off. Shaun's review made me want to try it again but I forgot about it after I found it to not be active when I tested it.

 

[HoiHman]

So have any of you guys ever had an error notification that fan 3 is running at too low rpm ?

It pops up and immediately goes away again, multiple times. The operation of the unit is not effected by it and all the temps are fine.

 

[Mascot]

Nope, nothing like that @HoiHman. Thankfully! Hope it's not the start of something nasty.

Found a fantastic car/track combo for the NLv3: The Rollovers mod version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Trofeo at Bikernieki's High Speed Ring ribbon. There are some fantastic opportunities for weight transfer on the limit of grip in this spiffy little beastie, and the AI put up a darn good fight.
It's also got nice big mirrors to appreciate the new stereoscopic mirror mod in VR at it's best..!

 

[BrainsBush]

So have any of you guys ever had an error notification that fan 3 is running at too low rpm ?

It pops up and immediately goes away again, multiple times. The operation of the unit is not effected by it and all the temps are fine.

Me neither Henk. I will pay extra attention during boot procedure of the NLRv3.

 

[HoiHman]

Nope, nothing like that @HoiHman. Thankfully! Hope it's not the start of something nasty.

It already is

2018:08:31_07:44:50:529 E: "Platform: Module issue: 3 code: 9 system temp: 28, 29, 32, 33, uptime: 231"
2018:08:31_07:44:51:524 A: ACR: Cooling system malfunction. Please inspect all fans.
2018:08:31_07:44:51:524 A: ACR: Speed of fan no. 3 is too low. Please check if fan works correctly.

 

[Mascot]

It already is

Oof. Sorry to hear that. Hopefully it's a simple fix. Please keep us updated with how it goes.

 

[anton_Chez]

Mascot what title is that for? AC?

 

[Mascot]

Mascot what title is that for? AC?

Sorry, yes - Assetto. It's all I play. The new shader mod is incredible.