Help me decide - which is easier?

[swiftwilly]

Don't know which is easier to reach my ideal sim racing gear. Please give me your two cents!

Currently own GT3v2 and CSP v1. Ideally i would love to own a nice set of high tech pedals whether its HPP/DSD/Arc with a T500 base and Sam Maxwell custom wheel. However whichever way I go it appears to me I will have some "waste" which might be difficult to sell. I also don't want to buy all of them together but would rather purchase it over time ie. one big purchase per year.

Been throwing around a few ideas...

A. Buy a HPP/DSD/Arc pedal system. Use my GT3v2 wheel (which can still be used). Sell CSP though not sure how easy this is (Australia is a small market). Over the year, attempt to find a T500 base for sale (is this hard?) or take the plunge and get a T500 set and sell pedals (not sure how hard this is?). The rim will also be a waste when I replace this with a custom wheel from Sam...

B. Purchase a T500 set. Buy a custom wheel from Sam. Stick with T500 pedals and buy HPP/DSD/Arc next year

Hopefully you can see I have a few issues here.

1. Is the wheel or pedals more important? From my personal experience both is quite important. I am leaning towards pedals being more. The accuracy of braking points, acceleration etc is quite important. Most wheels (from my view) differs in the FFB. Which doesn't do that much in terms of improving driving but helps in realism. Also I have reliability concerns around CSP. I have been through about 2 load cells now. To the big sim racers here - what is more important to you? I am happy to keep CSP and tweaking load cells if people feel wheel is more important.

2. Going through this upgrade path seems really painful. Unfortunately Thrustmaster doesn't sell their things separately. God I wish how they would sell the base, rim and pedals like Fanatec. I am a bit frustrated how much "waste" there is. I know I can always resell but that means a straight discount to something which would be brand new. Also I personally hate dealing with reselling - not an experience I like. Niche market in a small country with small population it is difficult.

My objective is:
1. Find the best way to reduce wasteful purchases when I go through this upgrade path
2. try to decide whether the wheel or pedals are more important

Please let me know your thoughts...pulling my hair out on this one!

 

[fatkrakr]

I think the pedals are the most important. Have you considered the Thrustmaster TX wheel? I don't know a lot about it, but its a bit cheaper price than the T500. I think John Bodin is getting ready to produce an adapter to make the TX pedals work with the DFGT, so their is the potential for an easy sell their. I don't think youd have much issue selling the T500 pedals either though, as a lot of people prefer them to the CSP.

 

[Gunstar]

You have a pretty good level of gear right now, I think starting with the new wheel MIGHT suit you better as you can either sell the T500 pedals now (easy sale thanks to the TX users wanting them) and use the CSP's until you're ready to upgrade, or use the T500 pedals with a Basher Mod if you want to sell the CSP's now.

 

[Hwangm]

what HE ^ Said, sell the Fanatec pedals, and get $11 basher mod or Bodin Load cell, can't go wrong. the T500 pedal is much more comfortable for me to race with for hours. and yes the more comfortable you are the faster you become. changing from CSP to T500 stock pedals with Bodin load cell an /or Basher brake mod is the best decision I made.
so step 1 get t500 set. try the pedal with Basher mod, ( without it it will be a fail)
once you know it feels nice you'll sell the fanatec gear. if not. sell the T500 pedal and keep the CSP at least you have a back up.

GT3RS is a good wheel too. but if you're looking to upgrade by 1 step , Id recommend a t500. plenty of mods to do in future if you choose too.

 

[Hwangm]

one last post from me Will, if you want to know my experience it. Rig ergonomic is the most important factor. '

If you notice a lot of people built their own rig i.e. from 8020 or from ricmotech, is because they are simulating real race car seating pedal and steering wheel position. THAT to me is the basis of all things sim racing. I'm not saying aliens that sitting in desk and office chair is incorrect. I'm saying if you want to fix something fix the Basis first. because once you set the basis correctly, everything else will follow from there. regardless which wheel base and pedal or shifter you're getting. if you sitting position is not ergonomically correct, everything will follow from there.

I've had a gtXtreme for a while, and with it's raised up seat and low pedal with low hanging steering wheel to me (only my 0.02c opinion here) is not the most ergonomically correct racing position, I wouldn't want to train my body/muscle memory to be in it for a very long time.