Wheel recommendations

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The1WingAngel

The1WingAngel

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The1WingAngel
I currently and always have played with a controller. I consider myself between casual and hardcore gamer. Is a wheel worth the $$ and if so what would you recommend. Preferable one with a stand atleast, the seat i can always improvise. I mostly online race, drag and drift when bored.
 
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I find that this is a simple question to answer for yourself. Look at the top online times for all the races, most of them use the very same wheel. Yes, there are odd ones here and there, especially the d-pad times (wow), but generally they all use the same wheel.
 
I would recommend the G27 ive had it for 2 years only problem was the optical sensor broke but you can buy a replacement and fix it yourself like I did. If you want something a little less expensive get the G25. As far as stands no wheel comes with you you can make one yourself or buy one its your choice.
 
Bsholmes1993
I would recommend the G27 ive had it for 2 years only problem was the optical sensor broke but you can buy a replacement and fix it yourself like I did. If you want something a little less expensive get the G25. As far as stands no wheel comes with you you can make one yourself or buy one its your choice.
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Thanks, been researching some wheels but always like to 'ask the audience'. Lol
 
yeah no problem it all amounts to how much you are willing to spend if you have over $500 to spend i would sugest a thrustmasters wheel
 
Using an secondhand DFGT and a wooden rig I've build myself in 30 minutes from old wood found in my attic.

Although today I'd bought an Playseat challenge to sit more comfortable and can easily fold it and store it somewhere.
Can report results tomorrow after delivery.
 
I'd say any wheel greatly improves the experience. It can take a while to get used to it and you may find it frustrating to begin with but it's worth the effort. Drifting with a 900 degree wheel is a real challenge however so you might want to consider getting one on which you can change the rotation angle if you want to continue drifting for fun. I've tried drifting with a DFGT and fun it is not. G27 is a good choice if your budget is limited, Thrustmaster if you're minted.
 
Thanks all for the advice. Most likely to go with G27 if i can find a good one with rig on ebay. If not, its a shiny new one and a trip to the Homo Depot.
 
I use a DFGT and it works well for me. Had it for over two years and it's still in fine shape, although I use it with socks or bare feet so I can compensate for its pedal units' weak springs (and to reduce wear on the unit from shoo-ed feet). A very good investment imo.

But... More generally, what you get is in large part dictated by the money you're willing to spend (and have to spend), and what you expect its ergonomics to provide. If you want a full sized wheel (literally), then a higher end unit is what you're looking for (for instance, there are after-market adapters for G25/27 series that allows attaching a full sized wheel instead of the stock wheel, similar option *probably exist for the Thrustmaster/etc units). If you require hydraulically damped pedals, neither the DFGT or G27 is gonna cut it... etc etc.

The DFGT costs about ~$130 (US) retail, give or take a lucky sale price. G27 around $250 (same sale luck involved if you want a lower price. $250 is retail). Thrustmaster and others range from prices similar to the DFGT upward well beyond the G27.

The stand is something you can purchase separately (and probably should) or build/adapt/repurpose yourself. My stand is an old Tektronix Oscilloscope stand, repurposed by removing the caster wheels and adding a piece of wood to the base for mounting the foot pedal unit and a shelf for mounting the wheel, but there are a ton of ideas for stands floating around out there (and in this forum) and a plethora or commercial units too (ebay, online stores, etc)
As far as cost... that can go for as little as a piece of your coffee table on up to the thousands. All depends on you and your wallet and DIY ability.
 
Check EBay for some good deals on wheels.....I bought mine second hand and it works great.....
 
@BrandonW77
Not with shipping. Since the OP lives in the same state as I am, it'll bump the price to ~$300. Still a good deal

A wheel and pedals will definitely make driving a much funner and more rewarding experience. Obviously it'll take a while to get good at it but that's the rewarding part of it. I recommend starting with the DFGT. I begun there and was absolutely a blast to use, in spite of its quirks. I had it for 2 years and still ran pretty well with occasional use. Right now I have a G27. Of course you can take the likes of Thrustmaster or Fanatec but they go for a bit of money. As for a wheel stand, look in the Sim Racing subforum here in GTP. But any normal desk or table should suffice. I run mines on a computer cart with lockable swivels and works fine.
 
It just so happens that I'm selling a DFGT with ~25hrs of use on it...just saying.
 
If you can afford to avoid it, don't buy used. Buy it new and you'll be assured of no hidden surprises and a valid warranty. Just saying.
 
Can you use the G25/27 without the pedals?

On my 'old' wheel (currently in use) I use the paddles for gas & brake which means I can recline my recliner and still drive. (home build wheel stand)
 
xiando
If you can afford to avoid it, don't buy used. Buy it new and you'll be assured of no hidden surprises and a valid warranty. Just saying.
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I've bought my DFGT secondhand at gamemania (local game shop in Holland).
Guaranteed of a proper working wheel with waranty to bring it back if it woud not.

So, don't avoid buying a secondhand, avoid buying from a (potential) unreliable seller.
 
Dutchyfutch
G27 to get it out the way , t500rs if you want to be set basically for life
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got 2 friends with t500rs...both less than 12 months old and both been in pieces already..1 of the friends shelved his and went back to the DFGT because he said he got more feel through the wheel..myself, i started on a DFGT and moved onto the G27..couldn't be happier..and having used all these wheels myself even happier i got the G27.
:gtpflag:
 
Outeke
I've bought my DFGT secondhand at gamemania (local game shop in Holland).
Guaranteed of a proper working wheel with waranty to bring it back if it woud not.

So, don't avoid buying a secondhand, avoid buying from a (potential) unreliable seller.
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Fair enough. When it's a refurb or similar guarantee, that's one thing. It's the blind purchase of a used wheel from an individual. There's no history of use (or abuse), mods, or repair. Been there done that learned hard way on similar items.
 
I was in a similar situation as you. I've been playing Gran Turismo for years with a dualshock and finally decided to take the plunge and invest in a proper setup.

I didn't want to spend a ton of money, so high-end wheels and rigs were out of the question.

I already had a Logitech Driving Force Pro, but I wanted to upgrade to something better. I ended up getting a Logitech G27 because I felt it was a good middle ground between a DFP/DFGT and the higher end Fanatec's and T500. The G27 is a really durable wheel, there are a lot of modification options, and I accidentally stumbled upon a deal through Amazon when I bought it and it was only $220 shipped. Plus I was able to use $50 of rewards points from my Discover card towards it.

As for the rig, I already had a brand new car seat sitting in the basement that I wanted to use. I ended up getting a Bob Earl Racing VRC MK2 with the shifter addon. That was only $200 shipped, and it was easy to attach my seat to the frame.
 
Back in the 90's it was ThrustMaster. Today I have a Logitech G25 that I've used for 5 years with no troubles. The DS3 (alternate brand) I bought for relaxing on the couch with and being a little easier for my 10 thumbs to operate wore out in 1 year. So it's in the box with all the other goodies I don't use.

With the force feedback in GT6 it really does help to immerse yourself in the game and develop that finer feel for what the car is doing. You can develop a fine feel with a DSL, but it won't translate to driving a real car the way a wheel will.

I have a very hard time using a DS3 to drive. My thumbs have been twitchy ever since that time I augered in my RC plane back in the 80's :D
 
I am too interested in a wheel. I want one with an H-shifter and a clutch, which leaves me with the G27. It's quite expensive but then I think it's worth it.

But here comes the problem: I've pre-ordered PS4, and I'm not sure it's compatible with the PS4. It'll be waste of money to buy it now, considering I might get the PS4 in the upcoming months.

You guys got any thoughts?

-Sonny
 
SonnyCrockett
I am too interested in a wheel. I want one with an H-shifter and a clutch, which leaves me with the G27. It's quite expensive but then I think it's worth it.

But here comes the problem: I've pre-ordered PS4, and I'm not sure it's compatible with the PS4. It'll be waste of money to buy it now, considering I might get the PS4 in the upcoming months.

You guys got any thoughts?

-Sonny
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Logitech is supposed to be working on PS4 support for the G27, but afaik, it's not here quite yet.
http://www.virtualr.net/logitech-working-on-playstation-4-drivers

I don't own either a G27 or PS4, so this isn't the horse's mouth, just a reference to something I read.
 
Glenalz81
got 2 friends with t500rs...both less than 12 months old and both been in pieces already..1 of the friends shelved his and went back to the DFGT because he said he got more feel through the wheel..myself, i started on a DFGT and moved onto the G27..couldn't be happier..and having used all these wheels myself even happier i got the G27.
:gtpflag:
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Wtf that's strange , these things should be more robust
 
Dutchyfutch
Wtf that's strange , these things should be more robust
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I had to tighten the bolts up, round the centre of wheel, it had developed "top to bottom play" that was after about a month of use , 12 months later no other problems though, just taught me a valuable lesson to periodically check all nuts and bolts on my rig.

On subject, if you've got cash to spare, the T500 will put a grin on your face for ages, I up-graded from the DFGT and its like having an arcade machine in your room by comparison, but any wheel is fun..
 
<-------------Just upgraded from a DFGT to the Fanatec ClubSport Formula Rim and Clubsport wheel base (ClubSport V2 Pedals) and I have to say that I am happy as a bug in a rug!!! What an upgrade!! Built quality abound here and it is so smooth and robust in-game that I am just blown away.
 
Really depends how much you want to spend.

DFGT is a great budget wheel, but the pedals are a weak point.

G27 is a great wheel - worth the extra money over the DFGT for the pedals and paddles. They also tend to e very reliable - mine is 3 years old now, had had a pile of abuse, and it's just reached the end of it's life.

I tried a Fanatec and thought it felt a bit dead after the G27, but I haven't tried the TM. I know people who have had both of these wheels and the majority have gone back to G series wheels for various reasons, mostly reliability related.

Point to note... There's no speed advantage to spending more cash - I know super fast drivers who compete at the very highest level using very old DFGT's.

Oh, and you'll be wanting a wheel stand pro too... fantastic piece of kit.
 

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