New Fanatec wheel for the CSW base released

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Quite a hefty price tag at $350 but then again a real wheel in machined aluminum and real leather won't be cheap either. Edit: link to announcement: https://www.facebook.com/Fanatec/ph...1010229308310/?type=1&relevant_count=1&ref=nf

 

[Leemstradamus]

Thanks for posting the link. I for one am puzzled at why this rim is the first to be released. They have far more problems to address then a rim with no buttons to give you a feel of retro racing wth a shifter light on it . Coming up with a better motor solution should have been the highest priority on their list.

 

[Brian McManus]

No way i am paying for a basic rim like that ,especially with that price.
We really needed a smaller gt style rim or a licenced brand wheel.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

I agree the price is too much, and I wonder how they (Fanatec) feel about it right now, I mean they probably had expected some reactions to the price, but I've just skimmed through the comments on FB and I couldn't find a single one who where positive or even slightly so even, 9/10 said the price was insane.
Must make them feel like they've missed their mark quite badly then

 

[Quas]

Absolutely ridiculous, you can get brand new leather Nardi wheels for less, which is pretty much the best and most expensive steering wheel brand i know of, not some chinese made no-name product.
I don't think they will gain in popularity with that almost insulting offer.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nardi-Classic-360mm-Steering-Wheel-black-leather-grey-spoke-/171320394248

 

[Kevin Watts]

Insulting offer? You must spend much of your life feeling insulted if something as trivial as an add-on steering wheel that nobody is forcing you to buy makes you feel insulted

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

I was very set on a CSW but I'm starting to have doubts, I don't mind paying some extra for that premium feel of the materials used, but I must admit that a T500/TX with a DSD wheel adapter and a regular car wheel is looking like a pretty good option at half the price.

Interestingly, the Nardi wheel linked + the DSD adapter will set you back $240 + shipping, a pretty good option to that Fanatec rim :\

 

[Tim Meuris]

that's a lot for an ugly rim imo
but I'm not one for the classic type
but there are much higher priorities on the list for Fanatec
(-cough-improvingreliability-cough)

 

[Quas]

Insulting offer? You must spend much of your life feeling insulted if something as trivial as an add-on steering wheel that nobody is forcing you to buy makes you feel insulted

Relax, i'm not losing sleep over it, it's a figure of speech.
Do you have an opinion on the wheel, or just on my opinion about it?

I was very set on a CSW but I'm starting to have doubts, I don't mind paying some extra for that premium feel of the materials used, but I must admit that a T500/TX with a DSD wheel adapter and a regular car wheel is looking like a pretty good option at half the price.

Interestingly, the Nardi wheel linked + the DSD adapter will set you back $240 + shipping, a pretty good option to that Fanatec rim :\

The optical encoder on my trusty 6 year old G25 died recently and i needed a new wheel, preferable something that would upgrade my hobby. I've given myself a limit of 1000 Euro but would pay a little bit more for something that meets all of my criteria perfectly.

The T500 was out of the question for me personnally, i had it at home a few months earlier and returned it after 2 days. Yes, the FFB is a step up from the Logitech lineup but the build in belt drag (default wheel resistance) was just enough to not make me feel any understeer in LFS. I race there mainly because i think LFS' FWD-physics are unmatched so far but not feeling understeer in those cars resulted in me feeling lost and significantly slower laptimes.
I might be ham-fisted but it just doesn't work for me.
The new TX wheel has a new belt mechanism with less drag but there are reliability horror stories floating around all over the internet.

Since i've read that the CSW has even more build-in drag, read a lot about reliability issues (in that price range!) and the only person i know in real life that has one also had to return it once or twice (don't remember) - I quickly forgot about it.

So a servo wheel was the way to go. Haven't heard about the Accuforce by then and at well over 2000 Euro the Simsteering was not an option i could justify to myself or my girlfriend.
Maybe i'd at least think about it if it was a complete package with wheel-buttons, paddle shifters and a free massage by the most beautiful girl i have ever seen in my life.

Finally i decided to wait for the next gen of high-end wheels since the market does not offer a product up to 1000 Euro that is more functional for me than a 230 Euro Logitech wheel, i went for a G27 and spent some of the money spared for some rig goodies.

First thing i've done is this and it is simply brilliant, you get a quieter even more responsive wheel with less deadzone (puts it a bit closer in feel to the belt wheels):
G27 reducing noise and improving feedback fix
Then i've searched the internet for a aftermarket wheel that is bigger and lighter than the G27 stock rim (since i first wanted a wheel with stronger FFB i didn't want to weaken the G27 by adding weight) > pretty much impossible.
Bought an only slightly bigger but 726g light MOMO Mod.11 (G27 rim: more than 800g), chillicoke style adapter and a DSD miniplate and i have to say i'm very happy with my decision, i got my much wanted upgrade without any downsides.

If you don't want a Logitech go with the T500RS, apart of that understeer issue i personally have with it (many others say it's fine) it's a really good wheel, but i'd go with that Ferrari addon wheel since the static paddles are not my thing also.

That Nardi + T500RS sounds like a tasty option also, i'd go with Nardi over MOMO too but regular Nardis are imo too heavy for a G27 and Nardi-Personal will cost you twice as much.


Edit: Bit offtopic but what's more to say about that overpriced chinese rim.

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Thanks for sharing Jarek (even if it was a bit off topic )!
The G27 just ain't an option for me, I've got a GT3 RS already and reasonably happy with that, I don't drive FWD cars and I tend to prefer cars with massive oversteer ^^
I'm really on the fence, I want that premium feel of the Fanatec stuff so bad...

 

[Quas]

Thanks for sharing Jarek (even if it was a bit off topic )!
The G27 just ain't an option for me, I've got a GT3 RS already and reasonably happy with that, I don't drive FWD cars and I tend to prefer cars with massive oversteer ^^
I'm really on the fence, I want that premium feel of the Fanatec stuff so bad...

You're welcome, i should maybe add that i never tried any of the Fanatec stuff and the guy i know that had to return it still loves it. There have to be upsides at that price range, obviously.
It's just that damn drag that disqualifies the belt wheels for me and i race almost every day, so having to ship my wheel back and forth with the producer is also not an option.

 

[Blkout]

Its a beautiful rim for someone that desires a classic rim, but the pricetag is absolutely ridiculous for what you're getting.

 

[Blkout]

I agree the price is too much, and I wonder how they (Fanatec) feel about it right now, I mean they probably had expected some reactions to the price, but I've just skimmed through the comments on FB and I couldn't find a single one who where positive or even slightly so even, 9/10 said the price was insane.
Must make them feel like they've missed their mark quite badly then

There's a long thread on the iRacing hardare forum also that isn't favorable either.

 

[Kevin Watts]

Relax, i'm not losing sleep over it, it's a figure of speech.
Do you have an opinion on the wheel, or just on my opinion about it?

Edit: Bit offtopic but what's more to say about that overpriced chinese rim.

I was surprised by what I saw as a massive overreaction to this news. I'm putting some money aside myself for a new wheel now my PC upgrade is done. My current Fanatec PWTS is great but I'd like to take another step forward in terms of feel and tech. As you said a servo wheel would be nice but I just don't spend that much time racing to warrant the hefty price tag. That leaves me around the range of the T500 RS or Clubsport Wheel. My original Clubsport Pedals just had a cheap sensor change done to them and they are good as new so should last me another five years, aside from the v2 pedals or something into the realms of fantasy like DSD pedals then nothing else comes close, it would be the achilles heel of the T500 package for me.

The T500 RS also looks a bit too 'plasticy' for me and I'm not keen on the rims released to date where as the Fanatec rims - as expensive as they are are all metal and alcantara and give the sense of a more premium wheel just as my MOMO Force wheel did so many years ago with its metal and leather finish compared to the rubber coated Thrustmaster I had before that. Belt driven I suppose is the next best thing to gears and more affordable than a servo and I hear the Fanatec gives the better feel overall and I like the look of the formula and BMW rims, the classic is something I'd buy later perhaps. The price is a little more than I expected but it is all quality grade aluminium and leather so even if it is assembled in China its still not cheap to make. There was a poll on a Fanatec fan site and if you look at the numbers who voted for some sort of button less/basic rim and added those types together its easy to see where perhaps Fanatec saw some potential for this rim.

I'm still wondering if there is something we're not being told about this wheel just yet (perhaps Thomas is still taking cover in his bunker after the initial announcement and reaction ) but there doesn't appear to be any buttons to adjust the wheel as their other wheels have so maybe there is further news to come for this?

 

[Quas]

Well the reactions i saw so far are in my opinion appropriate. I agree with you about the material used, the CSW definitely appears to be the most premium of the non servo options but what's the use if the reliability is not up to par. That kind of negotiates the premium "good quality" impression.

Something i came across on VR:

http://de.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2w4dz0j&s=8#.U2jT1Si6NZA

the price of the "original":

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Momo-Sportle...r-Leder-35cm-Steering-Wheel-Neu-/351022982326

 

[Rupe Wilson]

I don't even think its hight grade alloy and its holes look punched in the spokes. You can see a slight bevel at the hole, its not got that clean cut that a flow jet (water) has.

It does look like a low budget mass produced wheel from china.
Momo rip-off
its not even got a registered brand stamp on it that you can see, maybe im wrong but at least the fanatec BMW rim looks the part, this is just poor imo

 

[Kjell Eilertsen]

Sadly, I have to agree Rupe. I wouldn't mind those bits if it was €150, but asking €350 for something like that is just insane!

 

[Kevin Watts]

Well the reactions i saw so far are in my opinion appropriate. I agree with you about the material used, the CSW definitely appears to be the most premium of the non servo options but what's the use if the reliability is not up to par. That kind of negotiates the premium "good quality" impression.

Something i came across on VR:

http://de.tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2w4dz0j&s=8#.U2jT1Si6NZA

the price of the "original":

http://www.ebay.de/itm/Momo-Sportle...r-Leder-35cm-Steering-Wheel-Neu-/351022982326

Its hard to get a clear picture from internet comments as you never really can be sure what you are reading. I may regret making the choice (unless Logitech suddenly announce an amazing new wheel) but from my own experience owning Fanatec gear has been positive. I did have a wheel fail after a few days but tech support responded twice within an hour of my original email and within 3 days I had a replacement wheel turn up at my door, that was back when Fanatec's customer support was supposed to be awful. The only doubt I have is the CSW is two years old, I hope they are not on the verge of releasing a CSW v2 or find a way to provide a reasonably priced servo wheel, I'm suddenly then another tech out of date and wishing I'd held on but then its the same with computer hardware - if you keep waiting for the next 'big thing' you'll never buy a PC.

As far as the price on the MOMO goes, it depends on how long that wheel has been out, is it an old wheel they have slowly reduced in price or discounted over the years so now its ultra cheap because they've already made their money on it?

 

[James Robertson]

I love my clubsport wheel and rims but sadly I don't love that.. It seems too basic to justify the massive price tag. I would have been delighted had they released a branded replica f1 wheel.

I think modders would love if fanatec were to release some kind or kit that allows you to attach your own wheel.

I was thinking of buying an additional formula rim, ripping it apart and attempting to convert it an f1 wheel. It would be great if they made the quick release hub available for purchase on its own.

p.s. Not the most flattering picture for a press release, could have surely done better than that

 

[Rupe Wilson]

When you think this is what you get with a padding round it and a leather trim,
how and why any wheels cost so much is beyond me,
We know we pay for a brand name.