DIY vs. Pre-Built Cockpit: Which Is Better for Sim Racing?

  • Thread starter SimLover
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Greece
Greece
Hey GTPlanet,

I’ve been racing in Gran Turismo and a few other sims for a while now, and I’m thinking about upgrading my setup. I’m currently using a basic desk and chair with a decent rig (Ryzen 7 5800X, RTX 3070, 32GB RAM), but it’s time to take things up a notch with a proper cockpit.

I’m trying to decide between building a DIY cockpit or going for a pre-built option. I want something solid that’ll last, but I’m also open to saving time and going pre-built if it’s worth it. Has anyone here gone through the same decision? What would you recommend for a better sim-racing experience?

Appreciate any thoughts!
 
Get a first cheap sim rig (used or new) and see if you really like it (and have the space, I'm short on this :D).
If you really like it get the best 80/20 aluminum rig you can afford and have place for, don't do intermediately updates as this will get expensive very fast.

A few more tips:
 
The DIY option hinges on how good you are at DIY. I attempted to build one during lockdown along the lines of the Ricmotech wooden cockpits.

I probably spent about £150 in materials. The end result was far from perfect. The geometry was wrong, the finish was rough and it wasn’t very adjustable.

I made do but I kept an eye on eBay and a couple of months ago I saw a Simetik K2 rig. I put in a bid for £50 and won it! The difference is night and day in terms of quality and adjustability

There’s no reason why a DIY can’t be a good rig but maybe be honest about your abilities if you are building it yourself.
 
You make a solid point about being honest with your DIY skills. I had been considering building something myself, but hearing about issues like wrong geometry and lack of adjustability really makes me think twice. I had looked at a few wooden cockpit plans too, but now I’m starting to see why the pre-built options might save me a lot of frustration in the long run.

That deal you got on the Simetik K2 is amazing—I’ve been keeping an eye on similar rigs. I hadn’t checked out the Simetik specifically, but I’ve been weighing the idea of grabbing something pre-built to avoid DIY challenges. I’ve also seen some suggestions for DOF Reality rigs—do you think something like that could be a good option, or should I stick to simpler setups for now?
 
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