I need a little bit of help.

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EliteDoom

EliteDoom

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EliteDoom
As the title says, I'd like a bit of help with my final choice on a wheel for GT5.
First, I know the stand that I'll need: The Rennsport Wheel Stand V2. I just prefer it to the WheelStand Pro, as Fanatec seems a little more reputable.

Next, I can afford any wheel up and including the T500 RS (maybe). I'd just like to know whether it's really worth paying that much more for a G27 than a GT.
Now, I do have a wheel right now, the Ferrari GT experience, which isn't really very good at all as it isn't compatible,is jerky and has no weight to it, plus is only 180° each way.

One thing I'm confused about is the Fanatec wheels, such as the GT3 RS and the CSR Elite is that I don't know whether they're completely compatible as they don't appear in the game settings,and it would be a bit of a shame if I couldn't use them.

The wheel that I'm most inclined towards is the G27, as it has that nice rev indicator and a gear shifter, which should change me to using manual. I know that I would have to get an adaptor for the Rennsport stand to use the G27 shifter, which might make me rather have a Fanatec wheel. As for the DFGT, I don't really want one if I can afford a wheel that's a bit better and should last longer.

Thanks in advance!
 
I don't think you need to buy an adaptor separately for the Rennsport stand. You just choose which stand you want depending on which wheel you have, and I'm pretty sure they cost the same.
I just got one a few weeks ago, seems pretty stable and handy to store and move
 
First, I've never seen anything bad about Wheelstandpro and them not being reputable. As far as I can tell they are very will respected in the community and from my experience build a quality product and very quick and responsive. Not trying to convince you away from the Rennsport but I don't want that to become a rumor about wheelstandpro.

For the wheel choice I can personally recommend the T500 over the G27 as I own both. G27 is a good wheel but the T500 makes it look like a toy.

I don't know a lot about the Fanatecs and how they are supported in game but I've heard good things about their products. For one, the CSP pedals are much better than the G27 or T500's. If you can afford it look into the CSW wheel or if you want XBox support check out the CSR-E or a step down the CSR.

I know I didn't make it any easier for you. It's a hard question to answer for people, especially without being really biased to a product. My biased recommendation is T500 plus Obutto Ozone (I have a Playseat GT) or wheelstandpro if you can't afford/don't have room for a rig.
 
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mcfizzle, thank you so much! I can afford either wheelstand and the T500 RS, and you're right; it does make the G27 look like a toy.
I'm not looking for anything that isn't absolutely supported so I'll forget about the Fanatecs, even tough that ClubSport wheel looks very nice.
The Obutto Ozone looks just a little too big to fit in my room, but the WheelStand Pro looks just right and doesn't cost quite as much as the RennSport stand. I'll start looking for a good price for the T500 and should hopefully buy one soon.

Thank you mcfizzle!
 
I can confirm wheelstandpro is affordable, very fast delivery, very reliable company and the product quality I have not heard a bad thing about. I now have 4 people I know personally with one and haven't seen a bad report on here about it. Plus there is actually an official GTP review of the wheelstandpro stating it as very good. Never used Rennsport.

The G27 is a great wheel. Very happy with my choice. The rev indicator is not that useful though as people generally run cars into the red so it doesn't actually give you the perfect time to change. The pedals are great, Gearstick is ok, it does it's job. The wheel is a step up from a dfgt but the dfgt is still in my opinion a good wheel. It only really falls down on the pedals which are greatly inferior to better wheels. The button layout on the dfgt is in my opinion the best of all the wheels.
The build quality of tyhe dfgt is also very good. I had a dfpro for 4 years before i gave it away and that is still going strong. The dfgt is now whith someone else and is faultless after 2 hard years.

Fanatecs have a reputation for being good wheels but more prone to faults and wear and tear than the majority of the logitechs. I would put serious money on the dfgt outlasting any fanatech.
 
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Skuh
Fanatecs have a reputation for being good wheels but more prone to faults and wear and tear than the majority of the logitechs. I would put serious money on the dfgt outlasting any fanatech.
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I've had 3 Fanatecs a G25 and a microsoft wheel. The G25 is the only one to ever break. I sold it to a friend and it stopped working 2 weeks later. Logitech was great though. They sold him a G27 for like 100$ after it had only been released for about a month or so. He said they were really great on the phone with him and in a bout a 2 day period had him try all kinds of stuff to fix it. He would call them and they would have him try things, and he said they even called him back a few times with ideas on what might be wrong. After all the trouble shooting was done they offered him the G27 for the price difference of the 2 wheels or a replacement for the G25. I told him to take the G27 deal. The G25 was pretty old too. I think I had it for over 2 years before it broke.

One reason I think you hear more about Fanatec problems is because a fanatec user is more likely to be heavy into sim racing and more likely to be involved in forums. Someone doesn't buy a Fanatec wheel unless they have read about it on racing forums. I could be wrong though, and they just do break way more often.

For the OP, I think the G27 would be a really good wheel for GT5. I loved my G25, and it actually took me a while to get use to the fanatec wheel after I switched. I still think the G25 might have been my favorite wheel for force feedback. I did though only use it for GT5 and never tried it out on PC games so it's hard to say for sure which I would have liked better. I do know I liked it alot more then my Fanatec wheel on GT5.
 
Well, I'm stuck again. I'm not sure between the T500 RS or the G27, now. Should I save some money and get the G27 or go straight for the T500?
 
bevo
I've had 3 Fanatecs a G25 and a microsoft wheel. The G25 is the only one to ever break. I sold it to a friend and it stopped working 2 weeks later. Logitech was great though. They sold him a G27 for like 100$ after it had only been released for about a month or so. He said they were really great on the phone with him and in a bout a 2 day period had him try all kinds of stuff to fix it. He would call them and they would have him try things, and he said they even called him back a few times with ideas on what might be wrong. After all the trouble shooting was done they offered him the G27 for the price difference of the 2 wheels or a replacement for the G25. I told him to take the G27 deal. The G25 was pretty old too. I think I had it for over 2 years before it broke.

One reason I think you hear more about Fanatec problems is because a fanatec user is more likely to be heavy into sim racing and more likely to be involved in forums. Someone doesn't buy a Fanatec wheel unless they have read about it on racing forums. I could be wrong though, and they just do break way more often.

For the OP, I think the G27 would be a really good wheel for GT5. I loved my G25, and it actually took me a while to get use to the fanatec wheel after I switched. I still think the G25 might have been my favorite wheel for force feedback. I did though only use it for GT5 and never tried it out on PC games so it's hard to say for sure which I would have liked better. I do know I liked it alot more then my Fanatec wheel on GT5.
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You can get faults on any wheel, and anyone can give an example. If you look around this forum though you will se reference to the parts used in the pedals of fanatech, to the extent that people buy spares when they buy the wheel new. They go on about the alacantra peeling off, and motors that stop working. I am in no way saying they are inferior, they just don't seem to last s long. I have only ever used the basic porsche one they do, the carrera? and it was fine. I liked it, but didn't own it. I disagree about the fanatechs and forums too. You may be right but my experience on this forum is I come across far more logitech users than fanatech.

EliteDoom
Well, I'm stuck again. I'm not sure between the T500 RS or the G27, now. Should I save some money and get the G27 or go straight for the T500?
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That I can't help you with. I thought if money was no object I would go for the T500, the only thing that puts me off is the lifespan. Not heard how good or bad it is, but the fact you need to keepit plugged in for the fan to cool it for upto 45 mins after use worries me.
I want that gearstick sooo bad though.
 
Skuh
That I can't help you with. I thought if money was no object I would go for the T500, the only thing that puts me off is the lifespan. Not heard how good or bad it is, but the fact you need to keepit plugged in for the fan to cool it for upto 45 mins after use worries me.
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Well, I didn't know that. I've just read someone else's review of the two wheels and they said the T500 was better, but so was the G27. I'm just not sure.
 
i wouldn't doubt the t500 is the 'best' of the logitechs, its the cost and that fan issue that put me off, and whether it is 'over £200 better' than a g27.
 
I see. You're right about whether it is worth an extra £200. The G27 does seem to be a little old, 2009, but that shouldn't matter, I think Logitech should probably still support it. Is it very big? I saw a picture of it compared to the T500 and it looks quite small.
 
I've had a DFPro: great wheel for the money, the pedals are not great (brake is too weak for good modulation in my opinion).

I have a G27: by far the best FFB, paddles are good, pedals are now great with a GTEye spring, shifter is OK.

Friend has a CSR-E with CSR-E pedals: rim is poor, buttons and wheel features are AMAZING, FFB is excellent UNTIL the back end steps out and then you have zero control, pedals are great (just don't stomp on the brake as this will break the load cell).

Would love to try a T500RS: I'm looking around for a used one to try it, pedals seem the weak point as far as feel, the shifter looks really good but is a separate item.

Definitely go for the WheelStandPro, only good things to say about it and them :)

Your choice is going to come down to what you really like, but for me the CSR-E was a let down as I expected so much from it. Plus it takes MUCH bigger arms to muscle a car around. I've only heard a lot of good about the T500RS, but until I try it I can't comment as I felt the same about the CSR-E before.
 
Hmmm.... The G27 does seem to be good enough, though. Has it got a loud, whirry fan like the T500?
 
EliteDoom
I've read some more reviews on the T500 vs the G27 and it comes out with the T500 on top: http://insidesimracing.tv/forums/viewtopic.php?f=160&t=7291 . However, does the T500 come with a shifter?
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T500 comes with paddles only, and they are attached to the wheel base, not the wheel itself (I never understood this...). The shifter is a separate purchase.

That "review" is just a bunch of opinions. You will need to form your own. Here is some of my experience:

At work, for iRacing, we have G27 wheel with CSR-E pedals. It's also a triple screen set-up:

It will have DBox actuators attached when we get some time to fabricate the mounting plate, the actuators are in my office).

At home I use the G27 pedals with the GTEye pedals on a TV screen:

For a comparison between the DFPro, G27, CSR-E:
The DFPro has a comfy wheel. It is rubber, so you may need to wear gloves if you have sweaty hands (I don't but have friends that do). The FFB is good with some nice detail in GT5. The curbs and bumps are over-exaggerated but oversteer is somewhat predictable. The pedals are OK on the ergonomics side, but quite soft. They work great in GT5 with ABS on as you can just stomp the brake and let the ABS do its thing. The paddles are OK, and the sequencial is a bit of a toy add on (in my opinion).

The G27 has a much more "power steering" feel, in that everything feels much softer. But the small details and subtleties are really its big plus. I don't run the FFB setting too high (4 in GT5) and I really like how the car feels. The pedals are a big step up from the DFPro, the throttle feels like it has a higher resolution (although I think it is the same) and the brake pedal is much firmer. The stock brake spring is linear and not better than a stomp pedal like the DFPro, but put a progressive spring on it and the feel of the pedal is very good even in iRacing without ABS. The rim is good, if not a touch small, and it is leather. The paddles are top notch! The wheel buttons are small and not great for "blind" selecting.

The CSR-E has a nice initial feel with the belt drive. The rim is not great, very plastic with only alcantara pads for your hands. Ergonomically it is OK though. The two big let downs are the heavy feel from the wheel, even with everything (including) the game set to min, and the total lack of rear end feel. Tiff Needel commented on Top Gear that he couldn't feel the back of the car in Forza, but I think this is more the wheel than the game! The turn-in feel and front end feedback is really good, better than the G27, you will be able to drive deeper into the corner as the limit is much better defined. But the millisecond that the back steps out, you watch the car spin on the screen. After bashing at it for 2 weeks, my friend spent 5 minutes with my G27 and was instantly quicker on a rear sensitive car as he could feel the back end. The paddles are really good and wheel buttons and info is superb.
The CSR-E pedals are great too. The throttle is similar to the G27, the clutch is a step up (maybe just because it is a bit shorter) and the load cell is very good. If the GTEye spring is a 9/10, the load cell is a 9.5/10. Again, no included gated/sequential shifter.

I wish I could help on the T500, but I'm still looking for one :)
 
Wow. That is amazing. Thank you. Now, I don't have the money for a cockpit or three displays, and don't know how to interchange pedals and don't really understand all that. For now, I'll look at the G27 + WheelStand Pro, but if anyone can give a quick review of the T500 here, I'll bge able to make a final decision. I'd love the CSR Elite, but if it isn't really compatible with GT5, it might be as functional as my £30 Ferrari Experience wheel. Could anyone just give me a quick summary of the T500 against the G27? Thanks! The Fanatec Clubsport wheel Looks like the highest-end wheel I can get, but I don't understand rims, and it also isn't especially compatible, so that might not be too good.
 
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Personally I think it's apples and oranges, if they were close in price then fair enough but as it is you're kind of comparing a toy (I have a G27, by the way!) with a proper piece of kit, kind of like the difference between a PS3 and a £1,000 PC, in my opinion. The G27 is the best wheel at the price, but it's also the only wheel at the price... It's all down to how much you want to spend but I'd rather have a wheel which is good enough and have money left over for other hardware than spend loads on just the wheel. The T500 also has a separate shifter, the G27's is included (and not as good, of course). If you're just playing GT5 on a single monitor I'd say get the G27, the T500 is the sort of thing you'd buy if you had Left888's rig! That's just how I see it.
 
I'm not going to do a full review but the T500 is in a whole other league from the G27. Everything about it is better than the G27 other than the G27 coming with a shifter and having to buy the Th8RS seperately. The Th8RS shifter is almost 100% metal and light years beyond the G27's though, which feel cheap and plasticy. The T500's rim is 1 inch bigger than the G27 and that makes it feel much better in your hands. The FFB is stronger, smoother, and more accurate than the G27. The T500 pedals can be flipped from rally to formula position which is a nice touch. The buttons are on the T500 wheel compared to some on the shifter of the G27, which can quickly become an annoyance. Again, I own both wheels. If you an afford the T500 it really is a no brainer. I've never seen someone recommend the G27 over the T500 in a money isn't an issue situation and if they do I question if they've used a T500. The G27 is a very good wheel for it's price, it's just not in the same class as the T500.
 
But wait: I have the money, but is it absolutely worth the £379? Absolute final verdict, please! I could get a DFGT and a stand and have so much left over, and what happens if I get bored of racing? Oh, I'm just thinking about it and don't know what to do! I'm sorry to suddenly think of what could happen, but I've just looked at a thread that talks about a non-centered wheel on the T500 and that's got me worried about Thrustmaster, which at this price should never happen. Is everyone sure that is worth so much?
 
If you are trying to decide between all the range, the g27 would seem logical. It isn't small.

The dfpro is 10"
The DFGT is 11"
The G27 is 11"
The T500 is 12"

G27 isn't loud and logitech will support it for a long time.
 
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according to my information, DFGT and G27 are the same size (28cm / 11 inch).

T500 is 30cm / 12 inch.

DFP is 25cm / 10 inch.
 
Mahnegold
according to my information, DFGT and G27 are the same size (28cm / 11 inch).

T500 is 30cm / 12 inch.

DFP is 25cm / 10 inch.
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Yup, and that one inch is a big difference.

Listen, all wheels have a chane of issues no matter how much you spend, none are completely fault proof. Is it worth the money? I think it is. The T500 reliability has improved from version 1 to where it is now, I think version 5. I can't help you if you get out of sim racing but know this, a quality wheel will improve your enjoyment of racing games and IMO, the better the wheel the higher the enjoyment.
 
mcfizzle
Listen, all wheels have a chane of issues no matter how much you spend, none are completely fault proof. Is it worth the money? I think it is. The T500 reliability has improved from version 1 to where it is now, I think version 5. I can't help you if you get out of sim racing but know this, a quality wheel will improve your enjoyment of racing games and IMO, the better the wheel the higher the enjoyment.
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👍

I'll add to this: if you want a real SIMULATION, you need to approach a car as much as possible. This usually goes up with equipment cost. So, I compare sims to real cars for price. And my "simple" rig is still WAY cheaper than even the most entry level race car :D Remember, I work in racing, and these costs are very low!

But if you're just a "gamer", then all this stuff is overkill and expensive. You choose where you want to go with it :)
 
I haven't tried a G27 or Fanatec, but have owned a DFGT and currently own a T500RS plus TH8RS shifter. The DFGT was very good and brought GT5 to life. As well as being infintely more enjoyable to play, friends and family enjoy using a wheel.

The T500 is more realistic and if you go back and try a DFGT it does feel weak and toylike.

I have bought two wheelstandpros and the delivery, service and quality could simply not be bettered in my opinion. I beleive that the Rennsport stand does not fature as much adjustabulity of angles etc. I am able to set the wheelstandpro exactly how I like it and when fully tightened it never comes loose.

If you decide you don't want to keep racing you can sell your gear on ebay - the wheelstandpro, DFGT, G27 and T500 hold their value well when sold second - I don't think the Fanatec wheels do because they are less well known and have had a reputation for poor customer service (which does seem to have improved).

If you haven't had a wheel before and aren't sure about sim racing, my advice would be to get a DFGT and wheelstandpro - it might be all you need. If after a year you are still loving it then think about upgrading.

I enjoy using a shifter, but you might not use it for racing as your times will be slower. Even if you are exceptionally gifted at heel and toe technique you will still lap slower using a clutch and shifter. I am struggling to learn the technique but enjoy using the shifter for greater immersion when driving road cars / classic racers etc.

Regarding the fan - yes, it is a bit noisy on the T500, but it has a necessarily powerful motor to give strong force feedback which obviously needs to be kept cool. Needing to leave the PS3 on after playing is not a problem for me and the fan staying on prevents premature wear / damage to the wheel.
 
Do yourself a favour and go for the T500... think about it as a long term enjoyment. The G27 is effectively an older design with less precise components, so your not really better off owning that for the future of racing games. Having used the G25 for 4 years, the shift to the T500 was DRAMATIC! Although I think the G25's motors were starting to suffer badly anyway... I highly respect the tremendous amount of hours of fun that thing provided.
 
The T500 is a solid choice, if you only play PS3 racers then for sure that's the wheel. I had and sold the Fanatec Elite wheel, it's good but the T500 IMO is better.
 

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