How much would you spend?

jimortality · Aug 31, 2014

On your sim racing hobby? I've just started back a couple of weeks ago and so far, I've spent a fair bit but I'm now looking to invest in a GT Omega ART cockpit (After I've just bought a wheelstand ffs lol) I've been buying things but I may as well have spent my money on the cockpit straight off but there we go, we live and learn. Basically though I'm trying to convince myself it's a worthwhile investment £259. Can I class this as a serious hobby or am I just another normal gamer? I know people on here have probably spent thousands on their set ups. Do you have to justify it to yourselves or your wives etc? From what we spend, people say "you could've bought a real car" blah de blah so I'm just looking for you all to justify me to purchase the cockpit hahahaha! it will skint me no doubt but I work hard and pay all my normal bills (rent, electric, loans etc) so do I stay with what I have or should I invest? is it a proper hobby or just gaming? I've attached a photo of what I have now but I'm 50/50 as to which way to go next plus I'm at work all day and bored lololol. Cheers for reading

Pucky Loucks · Sep 3, 2014

for the record, motion (stage 1) + GS-4 Seat + oculus dk2 + simvibe is completely amazing. (i did say I was addicted right?)

Alfredo Boluda · Sep 3, 2014

Umm, let´s see:

Monitor 27": 280
Monitor 22": 250
Triple monitor: 780
Speakers 5.1: 65
Speakers 2.1: 40
Club Sport Pedals + tuning kit: 270
HE Pro Pedals: 742
Headset 7.1: 150
1st PC: 600
2nd PC: 1500
Cockpit: 300
Cockpit accessories: 200
g25: 170
Steering wheel adapter: 30
Sparco r333: 180
SLI Pro: 147
Box SLI Pro Derek: 50
Button box Derek: 90
Thrustmaster TH8: 119
DSD Sequential Derek: 180
Baquet OMP TRS + guide: 216
Sabelt harnesses: 40
ARC Handbrake: 149
Driving Force Pro 1: 70
Driving Force Pro 2: 90
Others: 200
Bases OMP: 26
Derek paddleshifts: 22
Mouses/keyboards: 150
Tilton Style from Derek fora CSP: 27
Paddle adapter Zalem: 25
Gloves (1 pair/year): 200
Boots Sparco: 41
Vinil carbon fiber: 80
GTR2+GTL: 27
LFS: 28
RBR: 9
NKP: 20
CARS: 10
KRP: 22
FVA: 20
Assetto: 20
SLI Max Manager: 5
SRW: 8
rf2: 35
rf1: 30
GSC: 32
GREvo: 30
Iracing: 650
Internet: 2500
Simracing web admin: 400

And others...

Yes Jim, I think this justifies your idea

... or maybe you´re regretting now!

All this money is during 7 years of hobby. Yes probably I could buy a good car or kart for track (next step maybe), but ratio €/hours of fun is impossible to beat

You can see my cockpit in the next link:
Show Your Cockpit

Regards

Calum McLure · Sep 3, 2014

I've spent around £1600 on mine(not including the sims themselves)

that includes my PC as sim racing was the reason I wanted to build one in the first place.

Use the PC for other games and college work etc so a dedicated rig isn't really practical. Saved myself some money though and built my own chair with the passenger seat from a Mazda 6 at a srapyard and some CLS timber

it cost £25 all in, plus the worktop from Ikea which was £15.

I blame Race Department, if I hadn't stumbled across it looking for F1 2010 set ups I would never have joined an Xbox league, then I wouldn't have ventured out into the different parts of the forum and seen all the great PC sims.

SimRaceDriver · Sep 3, 2014

Back when I got into sim racing at the 'console' level (GT4 some 7+ years ago), I spent well over $1,000 on a BRD VR2 sim racing cockpit...I did have aspirations of upping my game and getting into PC Racing (ala iracing), but a few things got in my way (Damn you life/divorce/new business)...still a short time still until I can fully get back into sim racing at the PC level, but I do plan on spending a pretty good chunk of change on everything (cockpit, pedals, wheel, pc, monitors, shifter, etc.,)...I'll easily hit the $4K-$5K mark...but once the bug bites..it bites hard!

Pucky Loucks · Sep 4, 2014

WARNING: sim racing can lead to buying and building a race car and spending money outside sim racing.

SimRaceDriver · Sep 5, 2014

pucky said:
WARNING: sim racing can lead to buying and building a race car and spending money outside sim racing.

That is OH SO TRUE...!

jimortality · Sep 5, 2014

Alfredo Boluda said:
Umm, let´s see:

Monitor 27": 280
Monitor 22": 250
Triple monitor: 780
Speakers 5.1: 65
Speakers 2.1: 40
Club Sport Pedals + tuning kit: 270
HE Pro Pedals: 742
Headset 7.1: 150
1st PC: 600
2nd PC: 1500
Cockpit: 300
Cockpit accessories: 200
g25: 170
Steering wheel adapter: 30
Sparco r333: 180
SLI Pro: 147
Box SLI Pro Derek: 50
Button box Derek: 90
Thrustmaster TH8: 119
DSD Sequential Derek: 180
Baquet OMP TRS + guide: 216
Sabelt harnesses: 40
ARC Handbrake: 149
Driving Force Pro 1: 70
Driving Force Pro 2: 90
Others: 200
Bases OMP: 26
Derek paddleshifts: 22
Mouses/keyboards: 150
Tilton Style from Derek fora CSP: 27
Paddle adapter Zalem: 25
Gloves (1 pair/year): 200
Boots Sparco: 41
Vinil carbon fiber: 80
GTR2+GTL: 27
LFS: 28
RBR: 9
NKP: 20
CARS: 10
KRP: 22
FVA: 20
Assetto: 20
SLI Max Manager: 5
SRW: 8
rf2: 35
rf1: 30
GSC: 32
GREvo: 30
Iracing: 650
Internet: 2500
Simracing web admin: 400

And others...

Yes Jim, I think this justifies your idea ... or maybe you´re regretting now!

All this money is during 7 years of hobby. Yes probably I could buy a good car or kart for track (next step maybe), but ratio €/hours of fun is impossible to beat

You can see my cockpit in the next link:
Show Your Cockpit

Regards

All I can say is wow!! My new GTOmega Art cockpit arrived yesterday and it is amazing. That is some outlay from you guys and I'm feeling better about my spend already lol.

Christian Casey · Sep 5, 2014

I don't want to add it up, almost (man I think it's more...lol) nine grand in a bit over 12months.
Next is a CSWBv2, I can't justify it, but I realised there in no fighting it, I'm a slave to the machine....

Christian Casey · Sep 5, 2014

pucky said:
WARNING: sim racing can lead to buying and building a race car and spending money outside sim racing.

Wow, I was just thinking today it's only logical, or a dedicated track bike.

jimortality · Sep 10, 2014

Please make it stop lol! New monitor £285 and GTOmega monitor stand for my rig £80 but it's not all bad. Sold 27" monitor £140 and Xbox one console £280 so it's all good ...............isn't it? Lol

Jason Palmer · Oct 10, 2014

I have spent more than I thought I would of after getting back into PC sim racing a couple of years ago but this my only hobby or passion and I do get a lot of enjoyment from the items I brought.

I can't add it up and say here what I have roughly spent just in case the wife ever checks my ipad history as I may not of been entirely truthful about the costs and rounded things down by the odd pound or two !

Jason.

RaceNut · Oct 10, 2014

Being that our home is already overstuffed, a dedicated race-rig is not an option but, a wheel upgrade, more robust graphics card and Oculus Rift CV1 are definitely on the short-list.

Space limitations can be a good thing.

Pucky Loucks · Oct 11, 2014

Just purchased the front upgrade to the stage 1 from SimXperiemce! Preparing for AccuForce. Woot!

David O'Reilly · Oct 11, 2014

I started with an Xbox 360 and a £40.00 wheel 4 years ago which was great fun. I had an ironing board as my wheel base.
Once I tried Race Pro and got interested in setups I figured that a better wheel was going to be nice so bought a Fanatec CSR. £250.00
Small office desk £40.00
Then for RF2 a PC £600
Then a faster monitor £180.00
So far I am at the lower end of the spend scale.
I plan to buy a Fanatec V2/F1 rim shortly. It was that or triple screen.
I got a code nice and early through a thoughtful friend here but was still working on the diplomatic angle at home when it expired (the way they wrote the exp date US style threw me a bit).

Now to costs and mental arithmetic.
Realistically you need to allocate about 30% of your capital investment as depreciation as most items will (at least in my experience) get replaced over a 3 year period due to a nice shiny new option, wear or just desire for change/improvement).
So my £1,070 represents £321.00 per year.
or £6.17 per week.
As a hobby/past time that I am passionate about and spend 15 hours a week doing its about .40p per hour.
The benchmarks I like to use is the hourly rate to go and have a coffee. appr £5.00 or a beer say £6.00.

Conclusion.
There is not much I can think of that is cheaper. Plus so much fun and so rewarding. So race on with a clear conscience my son.

One word of advice once given by an old carpenter to a young apprentice when
the young apprentice asked "should I but the cheaper or more expensive set of tools"?
Old carpenter "well son, will you eventually own the good set of tools?"
young apprentice "Yes of course"
Old Carpenter "then the only variable between now and that point in time is how much money you blow on ****"

In sim racing world I translate that to mean; buy with a 3 year time horizon at least and ensure what you have is upgradeable or expandable to meet your long term needs or (as you showed ) at least has a used value.

David O'Reilly · Oct 11, 2014

Calum McLure said:
I've spent around £1600 on mine(not including the sims themselves) that includes my PC as sim racing was the reason I wanted to build one in the first place.

Use the PC for other games and college work etc so a dedicated rig isn't really practical. Saved myself some money though and built my own chair with the passenger seat from a Mazda 6 at a srapyard and some CLS timber it cost £25 all in, plus the worktop from Ikea which was £15.

I blame Race Department, if I hadn't stumbled across it looking for F1 2010 set ups I would never have joined an Xbox league, then I wouldn't have ventured out into the different parts of the forum and seen all the great PC sims.

Calum,
any chance of a picture of your rig? or is that a closely guarded TXL competitive advantage.