Why are wheelstands and cockpits so $$$

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Vaxxtx

Vaxxtx

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Vaxxtx
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Vaxxtx
I was looking around a few months back, before I made a homemade cockpit, at some commerical ones and was taken back at the cost.

I was surpirsed to see such a simple design, and not expensive materials on some of these and wondered why the high price tag? Well maybe high for me, but I am not loaded and have a family, so my gaming budget isnt big.

I build a good wooden cockpit and the most expensive part was the seat (junkyard, $35 '91 Prelude seat). Its more sturdy than a Wheelstand Pro that I sat in at a shop, and there is room to "add" things if I decide to.

So, is it because the demand is high that they are able to charge alot? Is it because the demand is low so the high cost is needed to recoup some costs? I am by NO means handy with tools, but I can still together something for under 50 bucks, that also looks decent.

So can anyone shed light on this?
 
It is because it's a business. You are correct and what you say applies for many things -- If you grew your own vegetables it would be more forgiving on your pockets, same as if you put together your computer component by component. Cockpits aren't any different.

Companies are meant to make a profit out of their operations. They also have people on their payrolls, and suppliers waiting for payment, this goes on and on.
 
1/2 inch PVC pipe to extend the couch legs to raise the wheel, cut to whatever length you want. It fits right in perfectly. :) Or buy the "Big Boy" version for $10 more, it adjusts.
 
Well demand for cockpits isn't that high, and so if there aren't massive companies involved in manufacturing their stuff in China and selling high quantities to WalMart, well guess what, you end up with a higher price tag.

You did the right thing by using your own ingenuity to put something together that works.
 
Coxis
It is because it's a business. You are correct and what you say applies for many things -- If you grew your own vegetables it would be more forgiving on your pockets, same as if you put together your computer component by component. Cockpits aren't any different.

Companies are meant to make a profit out of their operations. They also have people on their payrolls, and suppliers waiting for payment, this goes on and on.
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I know how a business works, I was asking why the end product was so high. For instance, if there is a storm that wiped out Idaho, potato's would obviously go up in price. Or, beanie babies, that used to auction for 100's even 1000's because it was such a hot item. Now they are not...

So I was wondering why some cockpits and wheelstands were so out there on price compared to materials.

occasionalracer
Well demand for cockpits isn't that high, and so if there aren't massive companies involved in manufacturing their stuff in China and selling high quantities to WalMart, well guess what, you end up with a higher price tag.

You did the right thing by using your own ingenuity to put something together that works.
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Thanks, that was the thought I got as well. Was just wondering if I was correct in my assumptions.

And thanks again for answering the question w/o posting a cheap cockpit or telling me to go back to school.👍
 
I've been wondering about the same thing. You can purchase items like gym equipment with more metals, materials, weight, size, and complex design cheaper than a simple cockpit.

I just think it is so ridiculous how over priced ALL these setups are. Come on, the cheapest goes for almost half a thousand already out the door! Stupid. If you have the time and tools the best thing is to build your own. Which I don't, that makes me stupid for paying half a grand on a few tubes of metal. LOL
 
They sell millions of pieces of gym equipment a year. I doubt they sell more than 200,000 racing rigs a year. Its more of a speacialty item as I see it so you pay more.
 
Vaxxtx
I doubt you did.
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So that's one more thing you can put on the list of things you don't know.lol

Your hunch in the OP was correct though, supply and demand nothing less, nothing more.👍 Scrutiny and complaints such as yours are often leveled at products one can't afford and not at the ones one can. It soothes the simple mind.:nervous:...(present company excluded, of course)

p.s. Psych 101 :)

Scotty
 
scoddee
So that's one more thing you can put on the list of things you don't know.lol

Your hunch in the OP was correct though, supply and demand nothing less, nothing more.👍 Scrutiny and complaints such as yours are often leveled at products one can't afford and not at the ones one can. It soothes the simple mind.:nervous:...(present company excluded, of course)

p.s. Psych 101 :)

Scotty
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Trying to soud clever and then totally missing the question is pretty simple minded, as well as making you sound like a jerk. I never complained about the price, did I? Before you try to go all college on someone learn to read to avoid looking like a dolt.
 
the advantage of being a welder :)

I first built mine out of wood, but I will be welding a frame together some time soon.
 
Vaxxtx
Trying to soud clever and then totally missing the question is pretty simple minded, as well as making you sound like a jerk. I never complained about the price, did I? Before you try to go all college on someone learn to read to avoid looking like a dolt.
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The 2nd sentence of my post answers your question. You must have missed that. "jerk" "dolt"... tsk tsk....now who's simpleminded ?? ;)

Scotty
 
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OLDSKOOLACURA
the advantage of being a welder :)

I first built mine out of wood...
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I hope you don't mind, but I found this innocent contradiction amusing. I've edited out the rest of your post, so you can understand how it played out in my mind ;)
 
Carlos Fandango
I hope you don't mind, but I found this innocent contradiction amusing. I've edited out the rest of your post, so you can understand how it played out in my mind ;)
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hahahahahahahaahhaha. I meant to say I have a welder and some knowledge (going to school now for it) of welding to make my own frame.

Vaxxtx
That helps with homemade ones greatly I assume.
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very much, but the one I built out of wood cost me $20 of wood and screws from LOWES. Granted it is not the best for space saving but it was cheap and works great.
 
OLDSKOOLACURA
hahahahahahahaahhaha. I meant to say I have a welder and some knowledge (going to school now for it) of welding to make my own frame.



very much, but the one I built out of wood cost me $20 of wood and screws from LOWES. Granted it is not the best for space saving but it was cheap and works great.
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Yeah I was looking at the one I made of wood, and thinking if I knew how to weld, used the same blueprint, it would be a more stylish setup.
 
The high prices is from the lack of a market, sim racing is a very niche community, these company's are trying to turn a profit selling maybe 10 rigs a month, think about owning a metal/fabrication shop, where you exclusively build rigs, theres employees to pay, theres property tax, heating, and utility cost, plus shop and material supplies. They probably spend 6 months to a year designing and testing a new design, during that time, those employees aren't producing products, or as many products, and your trying to get buy selling 10 of these rigs a month, at $500 a pop, thats only $5000, ask any business owner if thats really sustainable. So yes its unfortunate, until or if sim racing becomes a larger market they always will be expensive, same goes for wheels, not only does a company like fanatic need technicians to design, build, and test the wheels, they need sales reps, human resources, repair and warranty staff, plus operating costs, its amazing that they can sell these products at the price they do.

So yes build your own rigs if you can't afford it or are handy, but also, support the companies that make sim racing what it is, without these guys, we'd all be racing with DS3, and watching drift vids full of wheel flick.

Its also the reason why air travel is as expensive as it is, it takes alot of man power to keep a plane flying not including several thousand dollars of fuel a flight.
 
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P_Lav
The high prices is from the lack of a market, sim racing is a very niche community, these company's are trying to turn a profit selling maybe 10 rigs a month, think about owning a metal/fabrication shop, where you exclusively build rigs, theres employees to pay, theres property tax, heating, and utility cost, plus shop and material supplies. They probably spend 6 months to a year designing and testing a new design, during that time, those employees aren't producing products, or as many products, and your trying to get buy selling 10 of these rigs a month, at $500 a pop, thats only $5000, ask any business owner if thats really sustainable. So yes its unfortunate, until or if sim racing becomes a larger market they always will be expensive, same goes for wheels, not only does a company like fanatic need technicians to design, build, and test the wheels, they need sales reps, human resources, repair and warranty staff, plus operating costs, its amazing that they can sell these products at the price they do.

So yes build your own rigs if you can't afford it or are handy, but also, support the companies that make sim racing what it is, without these guys, we'd all be racing with DS3, and watching drift vids full of wheel flick.

Its also the reason why air travel is as expensive as it is, it takes alot of man power to keep a plane flying not including several thousand dollars of fuel a flight.
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Right, but there might be more of a demand if the prices were lower. Instead of selling 10 units a month, and went to say 30-50, well, I can see a profit.

It just seems to me the actual materials are not expensive. I get the design phase, and maybe even the build, depending on how many people are doing it, could take some time.

Fanatec makes great wheels. I am now the owner of one. I can justify the cost. For some reason I just dont see the price you pay for what you get with some of these cockpits and stands. Dunno.

Was just thinking out loud I guess.
 
I hear ya Vaxxtx. Im just using a small computer desk I bought from Walmart a couple years ago. It works good enough for me. Very stable. I put some felt pieces on the bottom so I can slide it into and out of position easily on my wood floor. All I really want is some sort better chair. I was thinking of buying a regular racing seat and just putting some legs on the bottom somehow.
 
My Obutto was $329 + shipping. I thought it was a good value. But the shipping was $95, I sorta threw up in my mouth lol. Then I thought about it and realized it weighed 114 lbs so shipping wasn't insignificant and UPS was mostly getting that cut. So $424 total and 22% of that was shipping ! People would post "good deal on the cockpit but no way I'm payiing that much for shipping". Well next thing you know Obutto"s are like $429 with FREE SHIPPING and now everybody's happy and no more complaints about high shipping costs.

Before and after the shipping policy change they raised the price once or twice a year for a couple years there. I just checked the website and now they're $399 and back to charging shipping on top of that ! I guess the distributor couldn't stomach that shipping hit anymore than their customers could.:ouch: Sooo....my irrational complaints about the high costs of cockpits. if I had any, would centers on shipping costs. Hey I got an 💡 I could start a new thread ,"Why are shipping costs so $$$". :)

Scotty
 
scoddee
My Obutto was $329 + shipping. I thought it was a good value. But the shipping was $95, I sorta threw up in my mouth lol. Then I thought about it and realized it weighed 114 lbs so shipping wasn't insignificant and UPS was mostly getting that cut. So $424 total and 22% of that was shipping ! People would post "good deal on the cockpit but no way I'm payiing that much for shipping". Well next thing you know Obutto"s are like $429 with FREE SHIPPING and now everybody's happy and no more complaints about high shipping costs.

Before and after the shipping policy change they raised the price once or twice a year for a couple years there. I just checked the website and now they're $399 and back to charging shipping on top of that ! I guess the distributor couldn't stomach that shipping hit anymore than their customers could.:ouch: Sooo....my irrational complaints about the high costs of cockpits. if I had any, would centers on shipping costs. Hey I got an 💡 I could start a new thread ,"Why are shipping costs so $$$". :)

Scotty
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That last part is mainly because the weight/size that your cockpit takes up on the plane/boat/train/truck could be used for other goods that pay that much for the space, plus a little extra for giving you the privilege of course, a bit of fuel costs, but mainly, these shipments are happening anyways whether your cockpit/wheel is on it or not so its competition between companies that can charge whatever they want because someone somewhere will need **** delivered.
 
picture.php


picture not great but you get the idea :) no lack of demand for this baby lol cheap as chips :P
 
that mini ironing board is stable? Those things always seem cheap and flimsy.
 
mine is pretty stable don't get me wrong I don't think every ironing board will cut it. But this one works fine you would be surprized how well it works. I compete in many GTP series and do pretty well, Its also ajustable ....... ;)
 

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