Considering upgrade to a Fanatec V2.5 Base, thoughts?

[Exigeous]

As the title says - I currently have a Thrustmaster TX base, the one that works with PC and Xbox One (as I used to race there). I would go with the Formula V2 wheel as I usually race formula cars (and something for drifting) and would look into some kind of adapter or mod to use my existing Thrustmater wheels (as I have 4).

I don't race a ton these days, as I run a Youtube channel dedicated to the space sim Elite Dangerous but as a long time racer IRL (drove a Lotus Exige TT1 class) I greatly enjoy sim racing. I'm aware of the direct drive wheels but they are just outside of my budget, hell the V2.5 base/wheel is a pretty big stretch as it is.

So the question is, how big of a difference in feel and resolution is there between them? I do have a set of CSL Elite V2 pedals with load cell and the sequential/7-speed Fanatec shifter and handbrake so I'm well aware of their quality levels. This would be mounted on a Obutto Ozone chassis, another reason to not go direct drive (as I don't think the chassis is rigid enough for something so strong).

So thoughts? No brainer? Anyone else here make that switch or use both bases?

Thanks!

~Exigeous

 

[Hiro Abe]

I started with a T150 then went to a CSW v2.5. I found the difference to be quite remarkable. I dare say, it might have been a bigger jump then going from my CSW to my SC2 Sport (at least in some respects). The two biggest areas of improvement we're in strength of ffb and resolution. I remember my first drive and was surprised at how much more detail I was feeling. Then I noticed the strength of the input, say, in a long sweeper where you really feel the load on the wheel. I was grinnng from ear to ear. I quickly came to realize that it was money well spent and really upped my enjoyment of racing due to both the improved immersion factor (felt more realistic) and the improved detail which helped me react quicker to what the car was doing.

 

[Exigeous]

Thanks for sharing - question, have you ever used a Direct Drive wheel before and if so how big of a difference is that? I mean i know it is, I know they are a lot stronger, etc. but I'm curious if it's a 10%, 20% or 100% improvement (my gut says its in the 20% range but as my guts has crap for brains I'm not sure!).

Which wheel did you go with as well?

 

[RasmusP]

I went from g27 to csw 2.5. A friend has a dfgt and I had a ts-pc for 2 weeks before returning it because of coil wine.
The biggest improvement is the smoothness and the headroom in strength.
It's extremely swift. Letting go when initiating a drift, you have to give it 1-2 clicks of the inbuilt artificial friction to not stop the drift instantly due to the wheel hitting opposite lock way too fast.
Amazing to catch slides!

And you can feel aero load in fast, long corners etc due to all corners having a different strength.
With the ts-pc I hit 100% ffb in all "stronger" corners. Now I mostly use 70-90% ffb strength.
Meaning ffb motor strength, not in game gain!

About your wheel rims though :
No adapter will work! You don't have a real control panel software like you have with all other brands.
You only have basic settings for the pedals etc but the real ffb settings, rotation, dampening etc is all controlled via the rim and the little display every fanatec rim has.

Only solution would be the fanatec uni hub sadly...

 

[Exigeous]

About your wheel rims though :
No adapter will work! You don't have a real control panel software like you have with all other brands.
You only have basic settings for the pedals etc but the real ffb settings, rotation, dampening etc is all controlled via the rim and the little display every fanatec rim has.

Only solution would be the fanatec uni hub sadly...

Thanks for sharing as yeah, I knew that just didn't think about it. Do you have to have a hub or can you just run a bare wheel, with everything controlled by other button boxes, etc? Thinking I could at least take my 599XX Evo wheel, remove the electronics and use it for drifting so I could get away with only buying the Formula V2 wheel.

And thanks for all the other detail - now it's just a matter of when not if.

 

[tadopemu]

to get a thrustmaster wheel working on the fanatec you'll want to look into some sort of usb conversion for the thrustmaster wheel. I might be doing the same myself.
Then you'll also need an adapter most likely 3d printed to get it to mount.

everyone is right, the csw2.5 is great. you can find deals on them.
I saw a mint (almost new) csw2.5 base alone on ebay for 440 shipped. (might still be there actually).

 

[Exigeous]

I do see one on eBay for $565 a few days ago (MORE than brand new prices) but now down to $520 - so I just offered $475 which I think is more than fair for a used product.

We'll see.

 

[Exigeous]

Is it just me or do people somehow think that Fanatec gear goes UP in value once used? The one selling for $520 when you add in shipping is selling for $3 less than brand new - why would anyone buy that? I offered $475 which is around 10% less than retail, again as it's used, but somehow he thinks that isn't reasonable.

I've also seen Fanatec gear on eBay for 2.5 TIMES more than retail?!? When I ask the seller about this I just get "make an offer", yeah I'm about to make an offer to a seller who thinks people are so stupid he can get 2.5 TIMES new, retail pricing. What am I missing? Do these somehow appreciate?!?!

 

[RasmusP]

Is it just me or do people somehow think that Fanatec gear goes UP in value once used? The one selling for $520 when you add in shipping is selling for $3 less than brand new - why would anyone buy that? I offered $475 which is around 10% less than retail, again as it's used, but somehow he thinks that isn't reasonable.

I've also seen Fanatec gear on eBay for 2.5 TIMES more than retail?!? When I ask the seller about this I just get "make an offer", yeah I'm about to make an offer to a seller who thinks people are so stupid he can get 2.5 TIMES new, retail pricing. What am I missing? Do these somehow appreciate?!?!

Yep... No idea myself what's going on in these heads...
Especially with fanatec, although warranty apparently is transferable if you get the original invoice, you basically always have some problems.
I had my csl pedal pots replaced and the McLaren rim swapped for a revised one without the failures.
I'm sitting here, waiting for the next thing to fail to call their, at least in Germany, very good customer support...

I would buy used for maybe 40-60% discount over retail but not for basically the same price, lol!

 

[Exigeous]

Yep... No idea myself what's going on in these heads...

I would buy used for maybe 40-60% discount over retail but not for basically the same price, lol!

COMPLETELY agree - I felt I was being VERY generous by offering 85% of retail price as why would I take any additional risk for such a little discount, especially when that discount is literally $3. For less than the price of a Starbucks why would anyone - anyone - do that?

As for the guys that are listing them at 2.5 TIMES the price of retail I guess they think someone is so stupid as to buy a $3800 sim racing setup without doing any research into it?!? I mean I can see who you'd fool someone into buying something at a huge mark up but in our little community? I mean who buys a high end direct drive Fanatec setup for 2.5 TIMES HIGHER than what they can just get it from Fanatec for? Who, who does that?

Anyway yeah, if I see one for sale at a reasonable discount I'll jump on it, for now I'll keep looking and when I've waited long enough I'll just buy retail before I pay basically full price for something used.

~x

 

[tadopemu]

Naahhh. It's just that there are lots of silly ebay sellers that price their products absurdly.
The same thing occurs for thrustmaster products. I see tspc and t-gt, or tsxw on ebay for$7-800 new. Used ones often going for around 500-600.

I got my tspc used for $300 with rim...

Maybe it's because of the weight and shipping or something.

But basically you need to wait around and watch auctions till a good price comes around.

 

[Exigeous]

Naahhh. It's just that there are lots of silly ebay sellers that price their products absurdly.
The same thing occurs for thrustmaster products. I see tspc and t-gt, or tsxw on ebay for$7-800 new. Used ones often going for around 500-600.

I got my tspc used for $300 with rim...

Maybe it's because of the weight and shipping or something.

But basically you need to wait around and watch auctions till a good price comes around.

It's INSANE - here is a listing for a V2.5 and BMW rim for $1050 - that's $200 ABOVE new price! The listing has also been up since September of 2018 - meaning it can no longer have a warranty, or at least 18 months of it has been burned away

Fanatec Clubsport BMW Racing Wheel And V2.5 Wheel Base | eBay

Exact replica from a BMW M3 GT2: ClubSport Steering Wheel BMW GT2. The servo wheel your skills deserve: ClubSport Wheel Base v2.5. The ClubSport Wheel Base V2.5 is a masterpiece of Germaneering and sets new standards for performance and reliability.

www.ebay.com

Again I see how you could scam someone over a smaller or mass market item, but a niche item like this? Who buys a $1000-$5000 sim racing wheel and doesn't know exactly what it costs? It's not like they are rare or in high demand, I just don't get it. I offered him $650 which is 75% of new price which, for something 18 months old buying online is more than fair IMHO.

Like the guy who thinks used only takes $3 off the price these guys are nuts and I'll just buy new at that price, as who wouldn't??? UGH.

 

[tadopemu]

Honestly, I have a feeling that it is some big company with surplus electronics, and the guy trying to unload them has no idea what their market price is.

 

[Exigeous]

Honestly, I have a feeling that it is some big company with surplus electronics, and the guy trying to unload them has no idea what their market price is.

You know I'm not sure, if you look at some of the listings they aren't from huge eBayers with thousands of sales, they are from seemingly individuals with say 100 or so. Regardless to come up with a price you'd look online somewhere to determine value, right? I mean I suppose they could just say "hey, this looks expensive, how about $4000 for it!"

 

[tadopemu]

While you have the energy, why don't you research some "sold" or "completed" listings.
that's much more accurate as to what things are actually going for.

 

[Exigeous]

Sure, not a bad idea - that said at the same time I'm only willing to spend so much on something used or not brand new from Fanatec with full warranty. Used I'm around 70% and new with some warranty left I'm around 85% - if I can't get something at that price I'll just go new as the difference is worth it to me.

 

[tadopemu]

yep.
you could also get an acuforce v2. they're pretty cheap. about 1000k with wheel/paddles and shipping and taxes to your door.

 

[Exigeous]

yep.
you could also get an acuforce v2. they're pretty cheap. about 1000k with wheel/paddles and shipping and taxes to your door.

That is very tempting but honestly I don't think my rig could take the strength of any direct drive wheel - I have an Obutto Ozone which, while stiff doesn't have the support of many higher end rigs. It's served me very well as 80% of my gaming is flight (mainly Elite Dangerous as I run a Youtube channel dedicated to the game).

And would 1000k really be $1,000,000 - as I think you mean 1k

If you're curious https://www.youtube.com/cmdrexigeous

 

[dud]

Is it just me or do people somehow think that Fanatec gear goes UP in value once used? The one selling for $520 when you add in shipping is selling for $3 less than brand new - why would anyone buy that? I offered $475 which is around 10% less than retail, again as it's used, but somehow he thinks that isn't reasonable.

I've also seen Fanatec gear on eBay for 2.5 TIMES more than retail?!? When I ask the seller about this I just get "make an offer", yeah I'm about to make an offer to a seller who thinks people are so stupid he can get 2.5 TIMES new, retail pricing. What am I missing? Do these somehow appreciate?!?!

International sales are responsible for many high priced ebay items. If the seller ships internationally and you cannot buy from the original vendor in the seller's country the used one might still be cheaper.

 

[Exigeous]

International sales are responsible for many high priced ebay items. If the seller ships internationally and you cannot buy from the original vendor in the seller's country the used one might still be cheaper.

I think you're saying if you're buying the product, in this case Fanatec gear and having it shipped to a country where Fanatec doesn't ship then you'd expect to pay more - and this I agree with, but that isn't the case here. Sellers are literally charging as much as 2.5 TIMES over retail price for shipping to the US and UK, where Fanatec ships to both with used gear listing at the exact same or slightly higher than new.

At least I think that's what you meant.