What to buy? Fanatec CSW or T500RS

[Ilias Axarlis]

I'm thinking to buy CSW base with the gt2 rim and the v2 pedals, I'm actualy between this and the T500 RS, but I have found reports for bad reliability on fanatec products but there are all 1 year ago. Is there any new feedback on this? Have they fixed the problems or they are still there?

 

[Tim Meuris]

After long consideration myself I'm going for the fanatec as well.
And this is only from collecting info from the internet so not experience:
-several problems have been taken care off in the meantime
-they had a batch of bad motors in those wheels but that's not the case anymore
-customer support has been much improved and I've heared much good of them on several fora
and the t500rs, a good wheel as well, but also has flaws so...

 

[Ilias Axarlis]

Thats what i read also from later reports. Im going for fanatec too.

 

[jimortality]

Although I only had the CSR forza fanatec wheel, I didn't like it much at all. I now have the T500 and it's fantastic.

 

[Anestis]

I have/had the same question but finally I ordered the Trustmaster one, mostly afraid about Fanatec support from what I have heard(maybe are just rumors,I don't have a personal experience)

I don't know your location but T500rs is at the lowest price at Amazon.co.uk (£323) and I ordered it today.
http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Thrustmaster-T500-Force-Wheel-Feedback/product/B004GNG2MW
Currently I have a G27 and I hope to see some difference between them(I never tried T500)

 

[FrankyMS]

@Anestis
You´ll feel the diffence between a toy and a real wheel.

 

[Anestis]

I really hope so. Every review I have read and every opinion from ex G27 owners I
searched they conclude to this(except the rubber wheel and the stationary paddles)

Probably in about a week if everything goes well, I'll have my own conclusion.

If you are an owner of the F1 addon wheel could you please tell me if it's worth buying it as well?(Sorry to ask this in this topic but I don't find it important to open a new one,No more questions)

 

[Kevin Ascher]

I've had the T500, sold it and got a CSW and I am very happy about the decision.
The feel of the materials is from a different dimension. Anyway, I liked the FFB of the T500.

 

[FrankyMS]

Sorry Anestis, I don´t have the F1 addon.

Kevin in your point of view, which FFB is better, T500 or CSW?

 

[Ilias Axarlis]

we are on the same location anestis, probably, w8ing feedback from ur purchase guys. still havent decided yet between these 2. if u encounter any flaws plz tell us as there is no new feedback from CSW or CS v2 pedals.

 

[jimortality]

I really hope so. Every review I have read and every opinion from ex G27 owners I
searched they conclude to this(except the rubber wheel and the stationary paddles)

Probably in about a week if everything goes well, I'll have my own conclusion.

If you are an owner of the F1 addon wheel could you please tell me if it's worth buying it as well?(Sorry to ask this in this topic but I don't find it important to open a new one,No more questions)

I have the add on and although I haven't used it as much as the main wheel, I do like it. A few buttons are for decorative only but apart from that and it seems on the small side. It's easy to swap between this and the main wheel and adds to the open wheel experience.

 

[Andrew Ford]

i currently have a g27 which i have got used to and learned to love.
i did have a csr csw...well, i still do. the problem (like for many, many others - just google it) is that it disconnect randomly. the customer service acted quickly to "repair" the wheel and send it back. more disconnection. their is different "firmware" too (update software). the updates removed ffb from the wheel. so it just got worse and worse. the customer service guys kept suggesting ridiculous things like "dust" in a wheel which had diconnected after a couple of month. no, it wasn't dust. there is clearly a design flaw and after all the money I spent, the g27 has been more solid. if i had my time again, i would have invested in a g27 or...a t500 for greater potential.

the csr for xbox and pc was the selling point. however, even if some csr owners are happy...a quick google search will show you far too many cases where problems have not been resolved. for the disconnection issue, people keep suggesting they have found solutions (all different) but the truth is, they will more than likely have another random disconnect like me - during laps 5-10 of an endurance race i had prepared for for weeks!
typical.

 

[Tim Meuris]

man, that would freak me out at that moment Andrew
real sad. But isn't there still a quality difference between csr and csw?
or does it really suffers from the same problems?

@ Anestis: from reading I heared that the Bmw-rim suffers a bit from its heavy weight
so FFB feels a bit dampenend compared to the formula rim and with the formula rim you can correct the car easier cause it reacts faster

 

[Andrew Ford]

@Tim Meuris you might well be correct

but based on other wheels from fanatec:
http://www.911wheel.de/?q=node/9548

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNgcLhKVS37WvEd0M-HsfdPwpW8N2ZtEj

etc etc...

I don't think I would risk it?

 

[Tim Meuris]

hmmm...

 

[Anestis]

Thanks for the infos guys, seems that the next upgrade will be the addon wheel.
My concern is the quality and the way I feel it in my hands, unfortunately I don't have the option to see it in a real store an to "play" with it.
Another thinking is to build my own f1 style wheel with a quick release system to swap every wheel I like but that could probably cost me twice the price.(I am quite good with DIY stuff and I have the tools. I have build my custom load cell pedals, H-gearbox, seq gearbox, button box etc). Time will tell...

 

[Tim Meuris]

Thanks for the infos guys, seems that the next upgrade will be the addon wheel.
My concern is the quality and the way I feel it in my hands, unfortunately I don't have the option to see it in a real store an to "play" with it.
Another thinking is to build my own f1 style wheel with a quick release system to swap every wheel I like but that could probably cost me twice the price.(I am quite good with DIY stuff and I have the tools. I have build my custom load cell pedals, H-gearbox, seq gearbox, button box etc). Time will tell...

Sorry mate,
to be clear I'm talking bout the CSW from fanatec not the T500RS
don't know about the Ferrari F1 add-on from trustmaster
sorry, misread your previous post

 

[Anestis]

Thanks for clarifying this, just your intention to help me, it counts

 

[itrdc5]

I can't comment on CSW feel or reliability because I've never tried one but what about consideration of how easy it is to swap to real steering wheels? Hard to do with CSW but so easy to do with T500. Can't say the steering wheel feels like a toy when it's the real thing.

 

[Pete Bone]

I have the chance to buy a CSR Elite from Feb 2012, is it worth the gamble? Im using a DFGT at the moment.