Please help me pick a $1000 wheel

[Jean-Pierre Sarti]

I'm planning to upgrade from my current Logitech G920. My price point is under $1000. I'm considering the Fanatec Clubsport V2.5 with BMW GT2 wheel, the AccuForce Pro V2 bundled with a round wheel and button box, and the Simmagic M10 bundled with wheel and button box. I'm not too interested in fancy F1 or GT3 wheels at the moment, but that could change, so pricing of additional wheel might be a factor in the future.

I'm currently favoring the AccuForce based on various YouTube and other reviews.

I'd appreciate comments from owners of these wheels about their relative merits. I'd also like to know if I've missed any options at my price point (keep in mind the wheelbase and simple wheel have to be under $1000).

Thanks!

 

[blekenbleu]

any options

VRS Direct Force Pro
Sim-plicity

 

[Not_Lifting_off]

Over the years I have owned and raced with all of the following, g25\t500\csr elite\CSL ELite\fanatec v2, not one of them came remotely close to the quality of the Accuforce v1 i am currently using, that is in either build nor FFB quality.
I dont imagine there is a none direct drive wheel that could come close to the quality of it.


I have owned this wheel for over 2 years, bought it used and has only ever failed because of user error.
Can be a bit daunting using Sim Commander for the first few times but once you get your head around it it is fairly simple and can be used to create some very good FFB profiles.
Feedback is very good, fast and more than strong enough for most persons needs.

If you can get a DD wheel or the Accu for a simillar price to the Fanatec system i would say DD or Accuforce all day long, its not even a discussion for me.

1. Fanatec Clubsport V2.5 with BMW GT2 wheel, comfortable system, easy to use straight out of the box and fairly well supported everywhere.
or
2. AccuForce Pro V2 bundled with a round wheel and button box , very, very good system, SC4 can be a bit daunting at first, decent game support and getting better all the time, very very good FFB even if you do have to work on it at times, ACC was dire out of the box for me, SC4 turned it into the best FFB of any game i have raced in recent times.

No contest, Accuforce over Fanatec all day long, in my opinion.

 

[Jean-Pierre Sarti]

No contest, Accuforce over Fanatec all day long, in my opinion.

Thanks for that detailed reply. I'm a little leery of Fanatec based on some users' posts, though I am considering their Clubsport pedals.

 

[Jan Larsen]

Fanatec is either hit or miss. Either you get a quality piece of kit that'll last many years or you get a dud. Which, in the latter case, infamously, puts you in the clutches of their customer support. Lets just say it isnt the best.
For a 1000 bucks, I'd go Simucube. I know its slightly above budget and you'd still need a wheel, but the amount of horror stories are almost 0.

 

[St3fan]

VRS Direct Force Pro
Sim-plicity

I bought VRS DFP second hand and to stay under $1000 for base+wheel is hardly possible if OP needs paddle shifter on the steering wheel. I spent $1330 for the second hand base+mount+hub adpater, a second hand Accuforce Duramold Formula rim, Penguin r/c accuforce button box (one of the cheapest options), and a D1-spec release (I have an round wheel with NRG QR on my car so I can just use that for drifting/rallying/ATS).

Personally for $1000 I would go Simagic M10. I have been researching and planning my budget a LOT in the past 3 months. If I hadn't see the ad that someone is selling a VRS in 20 min drive I would have placed an order on a Simagic. Compared to the AF it is $50 cheaper, no fan, no extra controller box, wireless rim, magnetic shifters, and FFB is the same level. If you want formula wheel in the future Simagic GT4 wheel is fantastic and can have the dual clutch function.

Anyway IMHO either the M10 or the AFv2 will give much better FFB than the Fanatec BMW bundle. The biggest benefit with Fanatec stuff IMHO is selling it - easy to sell and good resale value.

 

[Jean-Pierre Sarti]

Penguin r/c accuforce button box (one of the cheapest options),

Thanks, I had never heard of Penguin.

 

[Alex Townsend]

Been a long supporter of Fanatec in the past but if I were upgrading now my only real option in Malaysia is Simagic. The wheelbases have great reviews and, since I still own a Fanatec rim, I bought a Leo Bodnar converter to use any rim as a USB attached. Just need the Simagic base and the QR.

Fanatec were good to me when I was living in London, but as soon as I came out to Malaysia support was almost non existent.
Obviously, if you live in one of the main territories of the planet, i.e. America, Europe, Australia or Japan then this is of no concern to you. lol

Knowing what I know now, I would have not bothered with Logitech, Fanatec or gear/belt driven systems at all, I would have gone DD as soon as I could.

 

[St3fan]

Thanks, I had never heard of Penguin.

I have many good things to say about Penguin r/c. Brion has been providing great customer support. Build quality is great too. The spring paddle shifters actually feel great, better than any spring-based paddle shifters I have ever used. I don't feel I am missing the tactile feedback I got when I had DIY magnetic shifter mods on my Fanatec Formula rim. The rotary selector changes the function of the +/- buttons so you get 30 functions on this small box. You can check SRG's review on it.

The shortcomings of this box incluedes USB cable a bit too short (Brion says he will have longer cable on new models), and the +/- buttons, while clever, can be a bit tedious to use if you constantly adjust things like black box or brake bias.