My opinion on Fanatec wheels.

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qwertyuiop123

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I do not understand, buying these wheels to me, are expensive simply because I am not rich. Therefore, if I would spend 300 dollars plus on a set up. I would definitely expect it to work for a long time, perhaps two years at least?

People are still snapping up Fanatec wheels despite reports after reports of them failing after a few months of use.

I do not understand this phenomenon. With that being said, they are great wheels, but until they can match the durability of Logitech wheels, I would not purchase them.

PS: no offence intended to any Fanatec owners, I am just stating my opinion.

Cheers.
 
I'll reserve my opinion until I get to try one. But they look great, and I sure like the looks of the Clubsport equipment.
 
Yeah I´m still not sure wich wheel to buy, those fanatecs look great but I read more reviews with broken parts, the wheel is not working, the brake does not work, etc. than an good review where they say everything is fine...

I´ll still wait till they drop their prices for the GT3RSV2 or the GT2... Let´s see, if not, G27 or T500 is my choice
 
Raitziger
Why did you need to start a thread to say that you do not have the money to for fanatec wheel :)
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I did not say that I can't afford the Fanatec wheels, even if I am not wealthy.

The point I am trying to put across is this, if we, the consumers splash out a good amount of money for a wheel set up, it should last a long time(at least 1 year, or two years?), and be durable.
 
Sometimes I wonder what folks base there opinions on!
I'm also on other forums, and by and large I'd say more folks complain than are happy...in general with any product. Also a lot of manufacturers appear to think that support is a forum based user community, is it little wonder that all you see on these forums is problems!

and to balance this there are many who will pass on the manufacturers view because it gives them something to say or because theres something in it for them.. advertising, review products etc.

Another challenge is you cannot try out most of these devices, you have to rely on another persons opinion or experience!!

So who can you trust??

Over the last 18 years I've had many Wheels (is it that long since f1 by gc?)microsoft, thrustmaster, several logitechs, some brd wheels, and fanatec wheels.. some were good some were down right terrible!!

does that make me someone you can trust.. I don't see why it should!

I've also bought real life cars that were a joke, we don't have lemon laws in the uk, but I did on one occasion have to call into question fords guarantee of satisfaction and make them give me a new car!! (which they did.. eventually)

so cost is no guarantee of quality or fit for purpose!

So why do you think folks are still buying fanatec Wheels, and why would some folks buy another after they have already bought one (I'm in this camp, although I never bought another ford!) I suspect it's because the majority of fanatec wheel owners, like the majority of ford owners are happy with the products.

This doesn't mean that other cars or wheels which are less costly, cant get the job done.

It just means that the features of the other products (fanatec) justify to the purchaser the difference in cost over other products..

each purchaser will have a different selection criteria, each of these criteria will have more importance and together they represent what the purchaser believes is of value.. then it's up to them to determine if the purchase price asked is reasonable and affordable for them in return for a product that delivers that value..

Your opinion looks to be based on the fact that you think the wheel's are not reliable, and are expensive in comparison with other wheels.. and it would appear that durability is a feature that is of value to you, I respect your opinion.

In my experience, both my fanatec turbo s wheel and my fanatec RS GT3 wheel have never skipped a beat, the force feedback implementation is the best I've felt over the last 18 years (I'm sure there are better, but I suspect the difference in cost would be too much for me to justify under my value for money criteria :) )

My selection criteria were..

  • Good consistent Force feedback,
  • not too noisy
  • easy to mount on a rig
  • works on pc and ps3.. later i liked the idea of xbox too
  • adjustable from the wheel (compensates for console games which give you no force feedback adjustment)
  • upgradable
  • Better than I had before!!

I still have a g25 setup connected to one Rig and my fanatec turbo sport clubsport edition on the other rig.. I will replace the G25 when the upgrade board for my gt3 arrives from fanatec (it's a V1).

Having driven them side by side in GT5 I can say in my opinion, the G25 is a great product, but the feedback is not a patch on the fanatec wheel.

and that both of my fanatec wheels have been very reliable..my GT3 was obtained back in Feb, 2009 and is nearly two years old, admittedly it gets less play now I have the Turbo S wheel, this gets at least 2 hours play a day, and sometimes all day on the weekend!!, and I've had that since october 2009 many of my friends have tried it and the feedback from them has been excellent.

Would I buy another fanatec wheel GT2? No, it's not any better than what I have and I dont need another..

Are fanatec perfect.. no like other manufacturers they have supply, logistic and it would appear occasionally quality issues.

Could there support be better.. Yes
that said, given the size of there business I think it does well, I've used it twice and had responces quickly that were helpfull..

Finally I'm only responding to this to thank you for sharing your opinion on fanatec and logitech, both fine manufacturers of quality wheels (in my opinion) I Just thought I'd balance the opinions..
 
gslooney
Sometimes I wonder what folks base there opinions on!
I'm also on other forums, and by and large I'd say more folks complain than are happy...in general with any product. Also a lot of manufacturers appear to think that support is a forum based user community, is it little wonder that all you see on these forums is problems!

and to balance this there are many who will pass on the manufacturers view because it gives them something to say or because theres something in it for them.. advertising, review products etc.

Another challenge is you cannot try out most of these devices, you have to rely on another persons opinion or experience!!

So who can you trust??

Over the last 18 years I've had many Wheels (is it that long since f1 by gc?)microsoft, thrustmaster, several logitechs, some brd wheels, and fanatec wheels.. some were good some were down right terrible!!

does that make me someone you can trust.. I don't see why it should!

I've also bought real life cars that were a joke, we don't have lemon laws in the uk, but I did on one occasion have to call into question fords guarantee of satisfaction and make them give me a new car!! (which they did.. eventually)

so cost is no guarantee of quality or fit for purpose!

So why do you think folks are still buying fanatec Wheels, and why would some folks buy another after they have already bought one (I'm in this camp, although I never bought another ford!) I suspect it's because the majority of fanatec wheel owners, like the majority of ford owners are happy with the products.

This doesn't mean that other cars or wheels which are less costly, cant get the job done.

It just means that the features of the other products (fanatec) justify to the purchaser the difference in cost over other products..

each purchaser will have a different selection criteria, each of these criteria will have more importance and together they represent what the purchaser believes is of value.. then it's up to them to determine if the purchase price asked is reasonable and affordable for them in return for a product that delivers that value..

Your opinion looks to be based on the fact that you think the wheel's are not reliable, and are expensive in comparison with other wheels.. and it would appear that durability is a feature that is of value to you, I respect your opinion.

In my experience, both my fanatec turbo s wheel and my fanatec RS GT3 wheel have never skipped a beat, the force feedback implementation is the best I've felt over the last 18 years (I'm sure there are better, but I suspect the difference in cost would be too much for me to justify under my value for money criteria :) )

My selection criteria were..

  • Good consistent Force feedback,
  • not too noisy
  • easy to mount on a rig
  • works on pc and ps3.. later i liked the idea of xbox too
  • adjustable from the wheel (compensates for console games which give you no force feedback adjustment)
  • upgradable
  • Better than I had before!!

I still have a g25 setup connected to one Rig and my fanatec turbo sport clubsport edition on the other rig.. I will replace the G25 when the upgrade board for my gt3 arrives from fanatec (it's a V1).

Having driven them side by side in GT5 I can say in my opinion, the G25 is a great product, but the feedback is not a patch on the fanatec wheel.

and that both of my fanatec wheels have been very reliable..my GT3 was obtained back in Feb, 2009 and is nearly two years old, admittedly it gets less play now I have the Turbo S wheel, this gets at least 2 hours play a day, and sometimes all day on the weekend!!, and I've had that since october 2009 many of my friends have tried it and the feedback from them has been excellent.

Would I buy another fanatec wheel GT2? No, it's not any better than what I have and I dont need another..

Are fanatec perfect.. no like other manufacturers they have supply, logistic and it would appear occasionally quality issues.

Could there support be better.. Yes
that said, given the size of there business I think it does well, I've used it twice and had responces quickly that were helpfull..

Finally I'm only responding to this to thank you for sharing your opinion on fanatec and logitech, both fine manufacturers of quality wheels (in my opinion) I Just thought I'd balance the opinions..
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Well said! Thanks for your opinion too!

I sincerely hope that Fanatec would improve the durability of their products, and I would buy their wheels in an heartbeat!
 
I have a GT3 wheel and its a great set, I also am not wealthy and it took some saving to get, but I'm very very happy with it, and the build is far better than my old DFGT, which I would expect to be of similar quality as the G27. (as far as I can see you pay more only for led's, red buttons, and a shifter, and pedals, ) but as far as the wheel is concerned there cant be much difference? The only disappointment I felt was 2 months after I bought it, they announced the GT2. Which I'm now saving for. Too many people complain, But with my logitech, it was only reaslly useable on GT5: p and F1. I can use the fanatec on every racing game with wheel support, thanks to the on the wheel calibration settings.
 
This thread is stupid.

There are plenty of people that have had problems with Logitech wheels as well. I have had a fully functioning Fanatec PWTS for over a year now.

The only real difference being that a problem with a Logitech wheel often means simply taking it back to the store you purchased it from, while Fanatec is a small mail order business.

No doubt that Fanatec could use some major improvements in customer service communication, but their products are damn good, and this low quality that you suggest just isn't a reality.
 
versapak
This thread is stupid.

There are plenty of people that have had problems with Logitech wheels as well. I have had a fully functioning Fanatec PWTS for over a year now.

The only real difference being that a problem with a Logitech wheel often means simply taking it back to the store you purchased it from, while Fanatec is a small mail order business.

No doubt that Fanatec could use some major improvements in customer service communication, but their products are damn good, and this low quality that you suggest just isn't a reality.
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I never had any Fanatec wheel but I own the Logitech DFP for 3 or 4 years now. It works like on day 1 and I only paid 45€ for it!

So I buy an Fanatec for 500€ and what I want is that the wheel lasts at least as long as my DFP...

Just a couple of minutes ago I just read again in an german forum that an user get his GT2 today but the shifter was missing... I´ve read such things so often about Fanatec... Ok maybe Fanatec will sent you the shifter if you say them it is missing but anyway it is bothering...

If the wheel set would cost 100-200€ and will brake after 1 year than it would not hurt but when I read that it does not work anymore after 3 days, then Fanatec is not my first choice at the moment... I´m still sceptical but I think I will give Fanatec a try because of the clubsport pedals...
 
There are threads full of issues with Logitech products too (some of which I have experienced). I think the big difference is that Logitech products are readily available & they have a very straightforward warranty process (although, annoyingly they do not provide replacements, not even PAID - for individual components).

Fanatec has a terrible record with supplying the products in the first place, let alone fixing problems that occur. That is the major issue with Fanatec at this point. This issue doesn't seem to be improving with time.
 
'tard thread ALERT! Who else wants to hear his opinion based in the blissful ignorance of never even owning the product? I was among the first 100 people in the world to get the Turbo S retail, I had it even before FM3 came out and I'm playing GT5 with it now.

Where's my Logitech G25? SOLD that's where!
 
Sele1981
Just a couple of minutes ago I just read again in an german forum that an user get his GT2 today but the shifter was missing... I´ve read such things so often about Fanatec... Ok maybe Fanatec will sent you the shifter if you say them it is missing but anyway it.
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Yes and there is a reason that the shifters didn't ship. They are on backorder till January which it clearly states on their website. I have a set on backorder and I ordered them knowing that they wouldn't ship till January. Link: http://www.fanatec.de/webshop/new_u...id=55&osCsid=7ae0296bfae26b76500294b64ce2fce9

Some people need to use some common sense. Fanatec has the best products on the market IMO. The Wheels and ClubSports are unmatched in performance. No, you can't return them to a local store, but that is the reality of a boutique high performance smaller company. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I have had nothing but exceptional service from Fanatec since I bought my products and that includes a service issue which they are taking care of immediately with prompt service.

I personally love to find those high performance smaller box companies. You get more out of your products. They are also more responsive to the needs in the marketplace. Just look at the upcoming ClubSport Shifter and Handbrakes! Also, with new products there will always be some quirks. I have experience that well as I have always been an early adopter with DVD, HDTV, Launch 360, Launch PS3,Blu Ray, 3D, and wheels. All electronics are that way including Logitech's new products.
 
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Wait, so you don't own and never have owned a FANATEC product?
I think I'm gonna make a thread about the ferrari 458 and how it shouldn't be catching fire due to how much it costs.
Sounds a bit pointless, doesn't it?
 
I could also add that my very old Fanatec Forceshock Speedster 3 that I used to play Forza 1 on the original Xbox still works to this day!
 
I received my full order from them sooner than expected for my gt2 and it still works. Does that count or do we only take into consideration the people that had problems?

Here is the deal for those that base their decisions on what they read online. People that are happy with products are too busy using them to go online and say "I am happy." so you get mostly complaints online... So you read 5 complaints on a product and that makes it bad? How many were sold? How many happy customers didn't go online to say they are happy?

I'm not saying fanatec is good or bad quality. Its too soon for me to know but I am not going to base it all on what is written in a forum.

Sele1981
I never had any Fanatec wheel but I own the Logitech DFP for 3 or 4 years now. It works like on day 1 and I only paid 45€ for it!

So I buy an Fanatec for 500€ and what I want is that the wheel lasts at least as long as my DFP...

Just a couple of minutes ago I just read again in an german forum that an user get his GT2 today but the shifter was missing... I´ve read such things so often about Fanatec... Ok maybe Fanatec will sent you the shifter if you say them it is missing but anyway it is bothering...

If the wheel set would cost 100-200€ and will brake after 1 year than it would not hurt but when I read that it does not work anymore after 3 days, then Fanatec is not my first choice at the moment... I´m still sceptical but I think I will give Fanatec a try because of the clubsport pedals...
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From what I see people love them and are very nice quality. Nothing is bound to have no defects or failures of course.
 
No, you can't return them to a local store, but that is the reality of a boutique high performance smaller company. I wouldn't have it any other way.
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Really?!

I think that's overstating the case. It would definitely be better if Fanatec products WERE available at your local store - although I imagine they would be more expensive because of the retail mark-up. You have to remember that at least you have a distribution center in the US that you can deal with if you have problems. There are other people who have to ship out of country if they encounter problems - THAT is an added major hassle & expense.
 
My point is I like dealing with smaller more responsive companies like Fanatec. They provide high performance, personalized service and a a price which is really quite good for what you get. That most likely wouldn't be the case if it was a product I was buying af the local Best Buy, not to mention the price would most likely go up along with having to pay taxes on the goods. Right now we get a product at a low price IMO and I don't have to deal with a big box markup or taxes. That's my point with "wouldn't have it any other way".
 
qwertyuiop123
I do not understand, buying these wheels to me, are expensive simply because I am not rich. Therefore, if I would spend 300 dollars plus on a set up. I would definitely expect it to work for a long time, perhaps two years at least?

People are still snapping up Fanatec wheels despite reports after reports of them failing after a few months of use.

I do not understand this phenomenon. With that being said, they are great wheels, but until they can match the durability of Logitech wheels, I would not purchase them.

PS: no offence intended to any Fanatec owners, I am just stating my opinion.

Cheers.
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You see thats the thing with opinions held by people that have NO PERSONAL experience on the subject they hold said opinion on, they are worthless and without merit.

All manufacturers occaisionally make faulty products. Look around and you will find PLENTY threads and complaints about faulty g25s, g27s and even dfgts. The thing im happy about actually, Is if something DOES go wrong with my fanatec, Thomas is quite a good honerable bloke, He is a man of his word and stands by his product, He will personally see to it that your wheel is fixed for you. Unlike the huge faceless corperation that is logitech, who will not even try to sound polite when telling you to $&%# off.

That said, I have had my fanatec 911 turbo s for over a year now and used it for hours a day every day without a single problem. Its up to you, Wether you want to believe that logitech have never had a faulty product slip past quality control :drool: Or wether you want to expand your rather limited, one sided and unrealistic "opinion" and recognize that all companies occasionally let a dud slip through, and its how they DEAL with them that shows the companys worth.

This ofcourse is my opinion. But who am I? just another name on the internet, so accept my opinion or take it with a grain of salt. I dont really care, im not about to start a thread and push my opinion on others.
 
-=DV=-
You see thats the thing with opinions held by people that have NO PERSONAL experience on the subject they hold said opinion on, they are worthless and without merit.

All manufacturers occaisionally make faulty products. Look around and you will find PLENTY threads and complaints about faulty g25s, g27s and even dfgts. The thing im happy about actually, Is if something DOES go wrong with my fanatec, Thomas is quite a good honerable bloke, He is a man of his word and stands by his product, He will personally see to it that your wheel is fixed for you. Unlike the huge faceless corperation that is logitech, who will not even try to sound polite when telling you to $&%# off.

That said, I have had my fanatec 911 turbo s for over a year now and used it for hours a day every day without a single problem. Its up to you, Wether you want to believe that logitech have never had a faulty product slip past quality control :drool: Or wether you want to expand your rather limited, one sided and unrealistic "opinion" and recognize that all companies occasionally let a dud slip through, and its how they DEAL with them that shows the companys worth.

This ofcourse is my opinion. But who am I? just another name on the internet, so accept my opinion or take it with a grain of salt. I dont really care, im not about to start a thread and push my opinion on others.
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I respect your point of view.
 
qwertyuiop123
I do not understand, buying these wheels to me, are expensive simply because I am not rich. Therefore, if I would spend 300 dollars plus on a set up. I would definitely expect it to work for a long time, perhaps two years at least?

People are still snapping up Fanatec wheels despite reports after reports of them failing after a few months of use.

I do not understand this phenomenon. With that being said, they are great wheels, but until they can match the durability of Logitech wheels, I would not purchase them.

PS: no offence intended to any Fanatec owners, I am just stating my opinion.

Cheers.
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object, your honor, the witness is describing testimonials at best and talking hyperbole at worst since he also said he is talking opinions. Unless he can show us some hard data on failure rates of Fanatec wheels I move to have his testimony stricken from the record!:sly:

Yes, the defendant is remanded to jail until he can provide facts backing up his opinion. Until then his testimony is not accepted.:sly:

haha, yeah, some numbers on failure rates would be some good info (but probably not available or have to be extrapolated from scraps of hard data? I do not see Fanatec telling us the (verifiable) answer to failure rates of their wheels but I may be wrong?
:)
 
I would also like to see these reports. As I always said before, the reason you see more 'faulty wheel' threads/posts is because people post when they have and issue and is looking for info or a resolution. Happy and content owners are off enjoying their product and rarely stop to make a thread/post stating 'Just to let everyone know, my wheel works great.'

I'm a proud owner of one of the original PWTS, and has worked wonders since its purchase.
 

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