My first thought was now: Performing better IS more fun.
But seriously. Of course, better lap times are great. But as I said, my first step back then was big in terms of driving experience. I don't expect to automatically get faster. Just evolve. At the moment I'm thinking: Yes to the DD-wheel, but which one? Thrustmaster? Yes, because my other stuff is also from TM. But does that make sense? I always hear that Fanatec has great stuff. I think you can combine all of that, right? It doesn't have to be the cheapest, I'm willing to pay for quality (not exaggerated of course).
Start with a wheelbase and two steering wheels. Could this be right?
That all makes sense!
I'm a bit done with fanatec tbh..
The csl elite pedals needed 2x new pots within the first 6 months. The first time they forgot to actually ship them and I had to ask them about it.
The load cell design was a shame for any engineer (foot position changes brake input by 30% while pressing with the same force due to the load cell measuring the bending of the pedal arm instead of the pressure at the bottom of the push rod).
The v3 pedals start squeaking every few months, the throttle has some initial "clunk" when going back and forth due to play in the spring rod and the brake signal isn't smooth at all and jumps in steps when moving slowly.
They work totally fine though while racing. It's more nitpicking but still... They are the "premium" pedals...
Mclaren V1 rim stopped shifting on day 1. Known issue and I got a different, already repaired rim within 3 days.
It worked completely fine apart from the rattling from all the buttons whenever you rotated the wheel more than 90°.
Sold it and bought the v2 due to the rotarys being infinite +/- buttons and the magnetic shifting mechanism.
It's not the usual magnetic shifting though..
Way too much travel and weird resistance and very loud.
When the shifter stopped shifting within the first month I found a video about putting some felt pads into the shifter bar to reduce the travel and noise.
Took the shifter out and found that a glued on plastic pad wasn't in place anymore.
Glued it back on, put the felt pads in and started to really like that wheel!
I cut out little stripes from the packaging foam and stuffed it around each button. Stopped the rattling!
I then ordered the csl DD to see if I'd get blown away. Returning within Germany is pretty quick and easy so.. Why not!
It was pretty nice but my csw 2.5 is just as good apart from the missing inertia setting for beefier center position feel.
However I noticed some weird "clunk" whenever the ffb kicked in or changed direction.
Found out that the plastic QR of the mclaren v2 had rotational play on the wheelbase shaft.
Known issue of the QR lite...
But the csl dd also has a bit too high tolerances for the shaft and is missing the o-ring to dampen the QR a little.
Sent the csl dd back and now knew what had been feeling a bit weird with the mclaren v2...
It has the same rotational play on the csw 2.5!
However only about 30% and the o-ring helps.
Contacted support but they told me a new QR lite would have the same issue so I could save myself the trouble.
I asked for a reduced price for the metal QR but they replied that the parts of the company have no communication for this so nope.
200€ rim + 100€ QR? No thanks...
Folded paper does the job though
But:
My csw 2.5 is from a group of engineers who know what they're doing!
No issues since 2019 and great ffb with very low noise!
The QR 2 is announced since 2 years and shown at every simracing expo etc on their BMW GT3 and Bentley wheel. The Bentley wheel also isn't available although announced since years.
Oh and did you read about the csl dd shafts coming lose?
Or the first batch of the QR lite being too wobbly so pins of the rims broke off?
Yeah... The csw 2.5 can't make up for everything..
The dd1 & dd2 have a little display on the base that can be used for all kinds of stuff.
But since 2 years it's recommended to keep it off or showing the fanatec logo only because it can cause 100% ffb jolts, randomly.
The new csl elite v2 seem to be pretty well engineered though and the csl dd is a great product if they can update the shafts.
Aaaaaanyway:
Either buy the Thrustmaster DD, although it's lacking the friction, inertia and soft lock setting that normal DD wheels have or buy a simucube and be good for the rest of your life.
Buy some heusinkveld pedals alongside and forget about what to buy ever again
I would forgive fanatec for all their issues if their marketing would be a bit more humble about it all but they are constantly posting about how great and awesome they are and what cool new stuff they are offering.
After multiple years, it reminds me of project cars...
