So pissed at #Fantatec - Broken pins on the GT3 McLaren Wheel
- Thread starter MattStone
- Start date
Any complaints I've seen have been hissy fits over normal product failures, that happen, all the time, no matter how hard a company tries to avoid them.
I would agree with Matt that the plastic mount is a piece of crap. From everything I've read so far it works, but even looking at it it wouldn't surprise me if it caused issues for people.
I'd also be pretty miffed to find that they just started selling the GT rim with the metal mount and I would still have to buy the metal one when others get it for free. I don't know if there's a price difference, doesn't look like it.
But I still don't think people need to come on public forums to have a rant, like I said, product failures happen, they're inconvenient for everyone, both customer and company and take time to fix. Especially if you live in Australia and the company is in Europe. So yes, you are expected to wait 2-3 weeks because teleporters haven't been invented yet. The last guy was Australian too. You are days away from Europe, nothing is easy because of the distance.
It would probably be better if Fanatec were prepared to send metal mounts out to anyone who asks for them (although that will cost them a fortune) because they have a fairly loyal user base that will likely come back to buy more stuff.
I've actually been incredibly lucky every time I've gone to order anything off Fanatec. When I ordered the V2 wheelbase it has just gone out of production so I got the V2.5 for the price of the V2.
I was trying to decide whether I'd buy the McLaren rim Vs their own formula rim and the plastic mount on the Mclaren was the only reason I was even considering the other rim, then noticed they were including the metal mount so bought it instantly.
I've had product failures which were sorted really quickly because I live in Europe.
This public shaming on social media really annoys me though, people turn into real prima donnas. I understand being cut off from sim racing is a real pain in the arse but it happens.
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Yup prima donna; guilty as charged but yeah I should have slept on it first instead I posted this in anger after just getting the standard lines from their customer support.
The thing that really frustrated me most is I got my wheel just a couple of days before they took it off their website and replaced it with the CSQR and for the last few weeks I was paranoid and just praying that I would not fall victim to this issue but alas it happened
I was never comfortable with the flex and the screw kept loosing off. And after breaking the bank to afford this package (I got the v2.5 and v3 pedals as well) ; the thought of spending more money so that I could feel assured it wouldn't break again just tipped me over the edge.
But in turn my post got me introduced to DomB who is on the case and I can have it fixed in Australia thank god.
I just wish Fanatec would have sent me an email after they pulled the plastic mount version of the wheel off their website saying something like "there maybe an issue with the plastic mount on your wheel and we have taken it off the market until resolved but since you have just purchased the wheel we would like to offer you the CSQR at 50% so that you can have complete confidence ...bla bla bla" . That would have been easier to swallow instead of waiting for it to break and then offering the discounted CSQR. It went from send out the CSQR do it your self upgrade to a return to base repair
And I must say, besides this glitch; I absolutely love the wheel, base and pedals
The thing that really frustrated me most is I got my wheel just a couple of days before they took it off their website and replaced it with the CSQR and for the last few weeks I was paranoid and just praying that I would not fall victim to this issue but alas it happened
I was never comfortable with the flex and the screw kept loosing off. And after breaking the bank to afford this package (I got the v2.5 and v3 pedals as well) ; the thought of spending more money so that I could feel assured it wouldn't break again just tipped me over the edge.
But in turn my post got me introduced to DomB who is on the case and I can have it fixed in Australia thank god.
I just wish Fanatec would have sent me an email after they pulled the plastic mount version of the wheel off their website saying something like "there maybe an issue with the plastic mount on your wheel and we have taken it off the market until resolved but since you have just purchased the wheel we would like to offer you the CSQR at 50% so that you can have complete confidence ...bla bla bla" . That would have been easier to swallow instead of waiting for it to break and then offering the discounted CSQR. It went from send out the CSQR do it your self upgrade to a return to base repair
And I must say, besides this glitch; I absolutely love the wheel, base and pedals
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D
Deleted member 197115
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Deleted member 197115
Recurring patternIs this the way we do business with companies now? Throw a public hissy fit in the hope of shaming the company into action? Because that's how this thread came across to me
https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/fanatic-customer-service-is-terrible-osw-and-p2-pedal.160341/
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I hate it even more when people change their posts completely before you have had chance to read it so have little idea of what has happened.
I have just bought a used Fanatec Handbrake and V3 pedal set and and still to buy a base and wheel (to replace my G27), so was thinking of the V2.5 and Mclaren wheel direct from Fantatec but now worried that I am going to run into issues with it and suffer poor service if I do.
Then there is the ‘behind closed doors’ answer by Fanatec which is helping a little, but being all in the open and knowing what was happening would be more reassuring.
I have just bought a used Fanatec Handbrake and V3 pedal set and and still to buy a base and wheel (to replace my G27), so was thinking of the V2.5 and Mclaren wheel direct from Fantatec but now worried that I am going to run into issues with it and suffer poor service if I do.
Then there is the ‘behind closed doors’ answer by Fanatec which is helping a little, but being all in the open and knowing what was happening would be more reassuring.
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The current version of the wheel supplied with the steal quick release system is a fantastic wheel and matched with the v2.5 base; you’ll love it.
Read my post above (#8) for some details but in short mine came with the plastic quick release system that I feel had too much flex causing the pins to break. Fanatec have now removed these from sale and now only sell it with the metal QR.
I was unhappy with the solution fanatec customer service offered me hence my angry post. I feel they should repair my wheel and have it fitted with the steel QR for free as I have zero faith in the plastc ones.
So if you get the McLaren wheel just make sure it has the steel quick release system.
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I just found this post by DomB in another thread in this forum. I wish I would have known about this weeks ago.
https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/fanatec-mclaren-gt3-rim-problems.151970/page-5#post-2832490
I guess this sums up my frustration in that Fanatec should have emailed this advice to all customers who purchased a wheel with the simplified plastic quick release system. Just a simple check would allow their customers the opportunity to be proactive instead of finding this post by chance or finding out when it’s too late after breaking pins.
If you own a wheel with the plastic simplified quick release system please read this post by DomB so that you can avoid getting broken pins.
https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/fanatec-mclaren-gt3-rim-problems.151970/page-5#post-2832490
I guess this sums up my frustration in that Fanatec should have emailed this advice to all customers who purchased a wheel with the simplified plastic quick release system. Just a simple check would allow their customers the opportunity to be proactive instead of finding this post by chance or finding out when it’s too late after breaking pins.
If you own a wheel with the plastic simplified quick release system please read this post by DomB so that you can avoid getting broken pins.
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DomB_Fanatec
Fanatec Community Manager
If the solution is straightforward, and applies as general advice, then I will not take it private (my post that MattStone linked to is an example). But in this case, MattStone had already reached out to support, and I wanted to avoid any chance of mixing private information with public information, particularly after the recent changes to data protection regulations.
I can appreciate that a sim racing forum is a great resource for information and solutions to hardware problems, but here, the 'solution' was already in progress (contacting support for a replacement part or repair).
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Andy_J
I hate Race cheats ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
No one can deny that some companies won't budge on customer support until it is highlighted in a forum or blog. And then , magically, they fix things with the customer. It is the way it works now. It works like this in any form of customer purchasing, from broadband to TV's. It probably works well too as can be seen here.
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Paul Glover
I talk lots
I cannot comment on your post being edited.
But I did want to comment on customer service, as someone who works in that world. What Dom has done by taking it offline is the best solution, as he mentioned GDPR comes into the play here and that gives me a few headaches.
Fanatec have acknowledge an issue and I'm sure would do things differently if they could and will hopefully learn, the best way is to be proactive and not reactive and unfortunately for them it's the latter.
I must add, with all the criticism about their hardware of late I have spoken to many who have not had any issues. Though those who do shout loudest, that is the way we are. When your TV turns on 364 of days of year do you let the manufacturer know? Course you don't. But as soon as there in an issue.....
Personally I do not own any of Fanatec hardware, so cannot comment any further on the problems experienced. I'm just trying to add a different perspective, I also know it can be heated topic when someone experiences a failure on something they have spent their hard earned cash on.
Anyway, just thought I'd add my thoughts here.
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