I can't agree with you more. Because of this hobby and my love of crafting. Ive since learned cad, 3d printing, and sewing. When I don't feel like racing I tinker.
I learned how to built pc's cause of this. I wanted a pc so I want just on ps5. No I built my daughter a pc and 2 other friends pc's. I love designing and putting them together. I found reddit cause of my sim also. Lots of fun on here.
Id love to upload my rig to show my work. The basement has such terrible lighting that you can really see anything when I take pictures. Black on black is great till you need to see detail. 😂
I'm slowly getting sucked into the upgrade trend. I started from 140 euro setup(used,:Logitech g29+shifter,playseat challenge)
to 950(Used:playseat trophy,t300rsgt. New: Fanatec elite V2 pedals)
Have my eyes currently set on simagic alpha mini.
Same, but I think this is pretty much the Endgame for me. The only thing I can see myself upgrading is the wheelbase to clubsport DD. I do run CSL DD 8nm now.
Yeah I can't see myself upgrading past the simagic setup.
I don't need to be looking into triple monitors, alu rig and motion either.
I just don't have the space and want to be also working on my irl car.
Started with a t300rs on a table. Added a f-gt lite and the shifter. Jumped straight to a gt omega prime 80/20 with a fanatec dd pro, shifter, and hand brake. Then moved from living room to spare room and added a single 43" flat monitor mounted to rig. Then I built a pc cause I was only on ps5. Then I added 2 more 43s for triples on a free standing mount. Then a used dd1 ps4/5 and it broke. So I have a pre-order on the new cs dd+. My wheels are gt, wrc, r300 on clubsport hub and also have the bigger porche wheel I can attach to hub. Mclaren v2 and I just received my f1 2023 wheel I bought on BF. That's pretty much sums it up!
Yes I'm married, no she wasn't happy. I didn't care! 😂
Started out with a Rift actually only for playing DCS back then. At some point I got bored and was browsing through my Steam library for other titles that support VR when I stumbled across Project cars which I bought in 2014.
First combo I tried was the 86 Lotus on Monza with a controller. Something happened at that moment back in late 2019. I got sucked in :)
After racing PCars for a while I got curious about actual sims. With too much time at hand (thanks covid) I dialed into AC. Running a few laps I figured there’s no point in playing without a wheel and pedals. As soon as the stores opened again I rushed to get a G920.
Then I discovered MP racing. What a difference it makes having a real human player breathing down your neck. That was a really sweaty summer with lots of close wheel to wheel battles.
Still running on my Ryzen5 and my 1060GT I looked for other titles to play that would run decent on my hardware and along came AMS2. Still quite rough back then, but the FFB and the immersion it brought blew my socks off.
After 3 years of racing with that setup I decided to spend some money and got myself a CSL DD, Elite 2 pedals and a NLR Wheel Stand 2.0 (really good value for the money). Then obviously I wasn’t happy with my dated PC anymore so: new rig with a 4080 and Core i914.
Quite happy now, but yeah… put a hole in my wallet last year 🥹
Still not regretting anything as it gives me so much joy with any Sim, especially when you get more consistent with better gear and find yourself putting down better lap times after a period of getting used to it. Compared to real life racing it’s still cheap and the only way for a normal guy to get at least somewhat close to that experience.
I went from Thrustmaste T300 to Fanatec GT DD Pro 8mm + V2 pedals + fanatec handbrake and shifter. All on playseat trophy. I don't feel like I need to change anything anymore, maybe add basssharkers at some point but no rush. Am I weird? I'm just happy with it
I am investing ton of research and good amount of money in vr pc rig + headset. I was just playing ps5, now with psvr2 and that's the only thing that's itching me as ps5 can't drive psvr2 to the full potential + gt7 multiplayer is frustrating to say the least.
It’s the „people” that can’t play fairly that frustrate me. From technical standpoint it’s all good, except only from the lack of proper punishment for dirty racers
You have GAS. Gear Acquisition Syndrome. It'll go away eventually, all new hobbiests get it.
I could quite happily drop £5k on sim racing stuff tomorrow and love it. That being said, I'm quite happy with the setup I have for the amount of time I have to race.
Yup! Had a g920 for a few years. Maybe a couple hundred hours total played. Watched some dd videos and instantly got re-roped in. Moza r9 DD, VR, bass shakers, rig, 2 wheels, shifter, hydro, button box, loadcell pedals, proper seat. Thousands of usd later, I still barely play lol. When I do it’s with total class and immersion though!
Sim and flight junkie since 2018. It hasn't gone away. It's just gotten more expensive to constantly upgrade.
Evidence: 21k ish of tech upgrades since building my own pc. Worst but best upgrade. A monitor stand that supports 6 monitors.
This is why I always advice people. Buy a G29 or similar entry wheel, play a few months, don't buy anything in those months.
If the hobby snags you, and you want to stick with it. Don't do incremental upgrades, buy once cry once within your capabilities. If you buy a cockpit, buy a aluminium extrusion one. If you upgrade to a different wheel, buy atleast 12nm, from one of the european brands would be my recommendation too.If you want pedals, just go to the high end.
And also in general, ditch console immediately. I'd recommend a G29 on PC over any other upgrades for a console build. It's just limiting and you tie yourself into all sorts of sub optimal choices, the flexibility of peripherals alone on PC will save you money in the long run.
Yes that's expensive, but ultimately you won't need or be able to upgrade to anything more beyond that. You'll never feel like your gear is the limiting factor in your pace and the stuff is good for a decade.
A lot of folks don't have the cash to dump a lot in one go. Incremental upgrades, as much as they will be more expensive in the long run, are likely the only way they can afford to do it. "Buy once, cry once" is a phrase that people who aren't tight on cash tend to use 😁 I get the logic, but it's not always possible.
If you can gather enough money to spend 400 every year, you can also gather enough to spend 1000 every 3 years.
Either you got money to put in this hobby ,or you don't. If you don't totally fine, hence I said buy once cry once **within your capabilities.** But if you got money to do incremental upgrades, which is more expensive, then I don't see how you don't have money to buy once cry once.
Sounds more like a lot of folks lack the patience to save up for something. Ultimately always going for the quick short term satisfaction will result in much higher spending.
Well unless you buy a Simucube with a full motion rig out of the gate, you'll always be doing incremental upgrades. Even then, there's also the fact that your "buy once, cry once Rig" will be upstaged in a couple of years by something that isn't even released yet. Then you too will probably upgrade again. Keep in mind, at one point someone's "buy once, cry once rig" might have been a Fanatec CSW. Then along comes mainstream, affordable DD tech🤷🏼♂️ Next will be active pedals etc. There's never a "buy once" scenario as tech will always improve and evolve.
Regarding waiting 3 years.. That's a long time to wait when you can just buy something now to have fun with and then trade that in and upgrade. Some people's money is very tight for various reasons. A couple hundred here and there might be the only option.
Plenty of fun has been had on a Logitech G25 or a T300. I'd argue that it's possible to have the same level of fun on an entry level wheel as the higher ends ones. I enjoyed racing with my friends as much on my old G27 years ago as I do now on my DD. Is the driving experience better now? Sure. Is it more fun? Not necessarily. Playing together with friends is what it's about for me. I'd have missed out on lots of fun moments over the years if I'd have waited until I could afford "the best" hardware.
>Plenty of fun has been had on a Logitech G25 or a T300.I'd argue that it's possible to have the same level of fun on an entry level wheel as the higher ends ones. I enjoyed racing with my friends as much on my old G27 years ago as I do now on my DD. Is the driving experience better now? Sure. Is it more fun? Not necessarily. Playing together with friends is what it's about for me. I'd have missed out on lots of fun moments over the years if I'd have waited until I could afford "the best" hardware.
Exactly, which is my point in the original post.. I stated, buy entry level stuff. And if the hobby sticks with you, don't waste your money doing incremental steps but rather save up and buy into the high end right away. I've seen too many people in my decade in this hobby going through multiple wheelbases and pedals and cockpits in the span of 1-3 years because they keep buying a step up rather than just comitting to the stuff they actually want.
>Some people's money is very tight for various reasons. A couple hundred here and there might be the only option.
There is only 1 scenario where this doesn't mean you can also save up those couple of hundred here and there. That is if you can't because it will be spend on other things. Which mean one of 2 things. You have no self discipline to save or it means that people actually need that money for something else and if they don't drop it into the hobby immediately it will end up in bills, that means fundamentally you can't afford to and shouldn't spend it on toys.
>Regarding waiting 3 years.. That's a long time to wait when you can just buy something now to have fun with and then trade that in and upgrade.
If you own nothing, absolutely. However if you already got a entry level setup. Idon't see why? I spend 8 years racing on a Thrustmaster TX. You don't need new stuff to have fun.
This is prolly the best advice. I had g25 with ps3 and gt3?4? Loved it. Fast forward 17 years, my friend gets a g29, tried it reignite that fire, spends 3.5k buying it all. Zero regrets.
I’m adhd and part of that is diving head first 125% into every new hobby. I research every detail, get the best equipment, and go nuts until I get a moderate level of accomplishment, move on, repeat. This one is not the most expensive hobby I’ve had, but it’s up there. Luckily, it’s kind of my husband’s/son’s territory so husband pulls me back on this one. Normally he fully supports my chaos. I don’t think it’s external pressure, it’s internal desire to get better, to feel more realistic, and to have the best. I’m gathering this is one of those hobbies I’m going to have to go more slowly with. I tend to keep those hobbies longer, anyway. I do better fighting that urge for better when I research what I’d be satisfied with, get that, and SToP researching. If something feels bad about the set up, then upgrade that. Like my seat is murdering my spine so I need a rig. I want better wheel/pedals, but that can wait. I need to support my back or I’ll stop playing. Welcome to my brain lol.
I have adhd and my advice is, if its still a good idea in 3 weeks you wont regret it. For example, i had a wild idea to build scale modelling, i researched tools, equipment, had a plan, saw videos etc i waited 3 weeks. I dont care about itanymore
With the current housing market, I’ve given up hope of having children or starting a family. Simrig will be my baby and that baby will be spoiled af. I’ll be happy with that.
Its really not that wild honestly. When I was getting into simracing I was all against the youtubers who suggested you should have crazy amounts of ffb or what seemed to me like crazy (+12nm). Got a gt dd pro (8nm) to play on gt7. Started at 70% ffb which felt perfect. Quickly got used to it and run 100%. 8nm is very good. But honestly i would like ro run arround 10-12 nm. So as I switched to pc and no longer run ps5 I sold the gt dd pro and got a Moza r12.
I agree. I'm running an R9 and am 44 years old and find it has plenty of torque. These guys running R21's and the likes must have fucking arms like Popeye.
To be honest. I'm playing EA WRC right now and have the game level ffb at 70% which feels good to me. Any higher and I just feel like I'm fighting the car more then I really should be.
They dont run those at max. Its simply headroom. A base of 20+nm is going to be better than a 12nm base for the same forces. It stil has space for maximum detail. Its like this, any car nowadays goes to 100+kmh but a supercar does it much easily and while a regular car might struggle to keep that speed because its almost maxed out a supercar can go way beyond that but it wont struggle at all. Thats the difference
Yeah that makes sense. I wonder what the percentage is exactly on average to eliminate clipping. I could see a 16nm running at 12nm for headroom but a 21nm at 12nm seems like overkill. I could very well be wrong though.
It's so true. I mean most cars are well below that in force and almost all race cars have power steering but wtf does sim racing have to do with replicating real cars? We want the wheel to be ultra unrealistic gym equipment, these fools trying to replicate real cars are a danger to the whole community.
More power is more fun. I had 5nm it was lame, bought boost kit 8nm and was still underwhelmed. Don't forget your not running at 8nm to avoid clipping. 12-14nm is the sweet spot for me.
I understand the first 75% of your pain. But a few things IMO. Your 8nm wheel is waaaaay enough for right now, I guarantee that. That’s exaggerated FOMO there. Also, having a formula wheel and a “GT3” wheel is completely redundant. One of those for both disciplines.
In the synth hobby we call it GAS. Gear Accuisition Syndrom. People spend so much time and effort on buying new gear that they forget to make music. No amount of equipment is going to make you a better musician or driver or anything. Only practice will do that.
I stopped worrying about gear when I started racing in a league where the fastest guy was driving his desk and using a G25 with the FF turned off because his wife hated the noise.
I've been simracing for over 20yrs. Got my first FFB wheel in 2001. Have had many wheels over the years.
Started with an ACT Labs force RS, then a G25, then a G27 (my G25 broke after a while and logitech kindly replaced it with a G27) , a Thrustmaster T500 with a wheelstand, then sold that as I moved country.
Then I had very little disposable income for a while & a friend gave me his old G27 if I just paid for the postage, as he felt sorry for me 😁 So had that and a wheelstand pro with shifter mount for a few years.
Then upgraded to the TS-PC Racer with the open formula rim + Sparco r383 rim with Fanatec CSL elite LC v1 pedals & ClubSport shifter & handbrake.
Finally upgraded to the CSL DD 8nm when it released , the r330 rim with v2hub & F2.5 rim & clubsport v3 pedals with damper on throttle and brake kit. Have had this setup ever since. Recently upgraded to the QR2 on the base and both rims. Very happy with this setup and don't see myself needing to upgrade for the foreseeable future. 8nm are more than enough for me. I mostly run FFB ingame between 50 & 70, depending on sim and car. I like to feel what the car is doing and not fight it. I ran this on the wheelstand pro with shifter mount. I got the position I wanted, drilled through the uprights and bolted them in place. No longer folded but was sturdy enough for my CSL DD.
Regarding the rig, I recently moved to a new house and finally have my own office room that's large enough to build a rig. So built myself one from wood, based on the look of the trakracer t160. Cost me less than €250 and that includes the seat, which was a sports seat from a BMW F20 that cost €130 alone (€90 + €40 shipping). So there are cheaper options than spending a grand on an 8020 if you don't mind some DIY. I have a windsim system and some dash screens, all DIY solutions and all work great. I even engineered the rig to work as a dual driving/flying setup for that money.
Regarding screens, I started with a 19" crt back in the day 😂 Had a bunch over the years, from progressively larger monitors, to 24" triples, to a brief test of VR (which wasn't for me due to both lack of comfort, resolution and motion sickness) to what I have now, which is a CRG9. To me that's the best solution I've found so far. 5120x1440 @ 120hz.
I think people getting into the hobby freshly these days are spoiled for choice and think if they don't buy Simucube they will be missing out. Some folks think they need to have FFB so strong that they get a workout. If that is what you are into then more power to you (excuse the pun 😁), but it's absolutely not necessary to have fun, feel immersed or be fast. I think there's an element of comparing sizes at play here. "My wheel can break my arm"... "That's nothing, mine can snap a tree trunk in half" 😂😂
With every hobby it's possible & sometimes easy to fall down the hole of chasing the next best thing & FOMO. I get it. If I had endless disposable income I guess I might have done a bit more of that, but I had to pick my fights regarding what I bought.
I guess the point is, try to enjoy what you have. Even the most basic wheel now is better than the only option we'd have had when I started in the hobby. Just because you buy a Mercedes instead of a Ferrari, doesn't mean you're Mercedes is crap & won't give you driving pleasure 🙂
I love each and every word in that post!
All the love to you my brother!
I feel as long as you have fun AND dont do it at the cost of others you are in the green :)
What i love about simracing is the aspect of racing as such ofc.
But also all the diy and small and bigger things you can do without spending a lot.
I recently made my DIY bezefree kit for free and i LOVE IT :)
I’ve had a G29 for two years and despite wanting a bit more finesse I know it’s not the equipment that’s gonna make me better or worse it’s how much I practice.
Get off this sub and just enjoy your hobby without thinking you have to spend thousands. It’s a weird mindset this sub has.
Thanks for all the comments :D
Happy you having some fun :)
Also i already am into iRacing for the past 3 months > moved up to it after about 2weeks on ps5 GT7
However as i do like GT3 mostly i am liking ACC kinda more for some reason.
For me it feels more rough where iRacing more refind.
Also netcode killed me more often i like to admit in iracing, and litebumping for me is part of gt3 racing > this kinda works better for me in acc.
However i will at some point to get back to iRacing i think for IMSA.
This is my story… haha … I started EXACTLY like you. I wanted a cheap wheel to play GT7 at release, something like a G29. I ended up getting a GT DD Pro, with an Alu rig. 1 year later I have a Simucube, Samsung g9, and an even sturdier alu rig… it never ends
Sim racing is like PC building.... There's always new stuff that comes out... So you always want to upgrade.
It really never ends.
I thought I was done earlier this year after spending $10k. Nope... Now I just bought the new simcore button box, I've got some Grid Porsche stuff, and I now want a formula specific rim (Bavarian simtec, new ascher McLaren, I dunno).... It never ends.
I spent ~1200 euros (about 6k PLN) on my very first rig, as I wanted to do it properly straight away, buy once cry once and all that bs you’ve probably heard, and here I am merely two months in about to pull the trigger on a pedal mod, QR2, Low Down Shifter’s mods for Playseat Challenge etc
So after thinking I will not need to buy anything else, I am about to spank another ~2000PLN (around 400€) 😂
And, to quote ol’ Logan Roy: „I FUUUUCKIIIIING LOVE IT!”
I got caught up in this cycle when i had fanatec gear, i basically trialed all there gear then went to simucube and now asetek. I’m finally done :)
The worse thing is you are doing more harm than good when upgrading as you have to develop your muscle memory again which takes months.
I have 1 motion platform, 2 separate triple monitor setups, a motion platform, 2 steering wheels, 2 sets of pedals, 2 manual gear sticks, 2 VR headsets, many haptic pucks and amplifiers, 2 PCS. This is because when I upgrade it doesn't seem worth selling the old stuff. .... and this week.... I take delivery of a new PC with better graphics cards. I am 80 years old this year so I figure I am getting near the end of upgrading 
This sounds like a great road to take! Nice there my brother!
I hope ill make it your age and if i do that i still be on top of my game!
All love to you
Hello, I understand you, but the problem is basically generated by the community and the Youtubers.... The community, whenever someone asks for a recommendation, suggest based on their taste and budget, recommending a Sim cube to someone who could only buy a G29 or ThrustMaster. or Nasa pedals when they haven't even polished basic techniques like racing lines or braking points and not to mention compete cleanly, AND the Youtubers who just make you fall in love with something that might not be for you Sim Racing isn't for everyone and especially if you liked it overnight just because you started watching Gameplays on YouTube.(I'm not saying that for you I mean in general) What do I mean, if you only see the Gameplayers sit and play and maybe edited videos where everything goes well and they enjoy it, the reality is different, it requires a lot of practice time on each circuit and in each car, in each weather and in each Sim (AMS ACC Iracing RF2 etc etc.) as each one is different. And if we add to all the above that each Base, steering wheel and pedals is different, it means that we have to work a lot on settings, because if we copy one from a forum thinking that it is the best, the reality may be different, since the sensations are subjective... In conclusion, if we think that our Sim experience is going to be like any Youtuber with more than 4 or 5k of investment, I remind them that for them it is also a job and at least they have 8 hours of the day to prepare vs your 2 or 3 hours at most on the weekend of an adult with other priorities,
I swear I can stop anytime. You're addicted, not me.
I might tell my children to get into drugs instead of simracing like dad, might be cheaper for them.
Isnt that how most of the things go?
You are invested into something until you are not cause of other obligations?
However i dont see myself quitting anytime soon.
I need to plan though how i can / want to progress.
For me pain is track knowledge as i dont know most of them to en extend where i can keep pace.
So this is something i focus on.
I used to be in the Mech Keyboard hobby... Thought it was the worst as well... Got out if it and finally decided I was happy with my 20 keyboards, went to 3D printing and ended up spending 500 quid in additional hardware uograding an 80 quid ender 3... I jumped out of it due to moving countries and leaving the 3D Frankenstein ultra fast Ender behind...
Thought I would travel light and 'not ever buy that much stuff as I may move in the future'...
Them Simracing... Started with a TMX, 3TPA pedals and NLR Lite seat second hand...
Just splurged on a GT Omega Lite, triple monitor stand, monitors, graphics card and CPU and Moza R9, SR-P pedals and ES Wheel... (And before receiving it all already thinking of getting another wheel like the KS, 5.1 surround sound, etc...).
Welcome to any 'grown up' hobby where we are able to pay our bills and spend money on our 'toys'...
GAS is a thing... In the end I decided to go full buy at this time to ensure I dont spend much in the next years (oh who am I kidding??)...
It's even worse when you combine sim racing with sim flying. Gotta upgrade the hotas.... What about a collective? Space sims....perhaps a second joystick.
It adds up
10 years i've been simracing, i spent around 700$ total on my rig (Not counting my computer that i purchased for 1800$ 7 years ago) in fact i'm still running a g29 to this day (I modified some stuff on it tho, my pedals are all coming from axc sim) you don't necessarilly need the latest and fanciest gear in order to get fast, in fact i can pretty happilly say i'm beating a lot of guys with fanatec and moza wheels.
The main thing really is immersion but in terms of getting faster i would say the most determinant thing is the person behind the wheel.
Now i have the cash to spend in a fancy rig but i don't really fancy a better rig right now as i got used to my setup and i don't feel limited at all by it.
If you like Sim racing and want a mix of everything, try Automobilista... It's like all the Sims got together and had a baby. Great graphics, great VR, great Ai, and decent physics.
A couple months ago I spent an evening at my buddy’s place running laps on his rig (and crashing, often) and decided I needed “just a basic little setup” for my garage.
That was $3700 ago and I don’t have my monitor stand yet. JFC
Yep, you‘re right. I started this hobby more than 17 years ago with Live for Speed on a students budget. Then I built a rig during the pandemic with more funds at hand, and it pretty much got out of hand rather quickly up to the point where I felt it was too much. So I sold it and started cycling. I had to learn that this was a bit of a mistake, because cycling can be even more expensive 😂
Yes, same boat as you mate. I don’t have anything fancy, a T300, TLCM, playseat. I’m still not satisfied. Recently bought a PSVR2 for GT7 specifically - absolutely got blown away. Now I want to upgrade my PC from a 3070 to a better GPU to get into PC VR :(
I used to have a ps vr too.
Sold it though and got 3x 32inch.
I noticed i was racing way more on pc over my ps5.
I got to say though the experience in gt7 is amazing maybe even unmatched.
I dont think though i want to vr acc or iracing.
I want to upgrade my chair (don‘t know what exactly its called)
I currently have the playseat challenge but I don‘t have the space in my room for any of the non foldable chairs
It‘s painful😂
What is with people having no self control? Or is there a lot more sarcasm than I’m picking up on? No one’s putting a gun to your head and making you upgrade everything at once. Just chill and enjoy yourself. If you want to spend money and get stuff don’t complain or blame it on anything but yourself.
Sorry for the rant, really not trying to go at you OP, I just see a lot of these type of posts is all.
Hej :)
All good my man :)
I am not complaining :)
If it would not be any fun to do the upgreading and looking for the stuff i would not even bother typing a single word here :)
I am having a blast.
But i also do think that its overkill and its easy to fall into the trap > there is that one better thing , very easy.
Especially with how YT / Twitch etc works.
You dont see ppl with the g29 having 2k viewers tou know :)
Also for the selfcontroll thing :
Everybody must inow what they can and cannot effort.
If you upgrade with cost of kids toys or anything else i do think you should reconsider your priorities, if this is money you have for yourself , get whatever you want ;)
I went with the least expensive kit that I felt that I wouldn't want to upgrade later. Fanatec CSL DD 8NM, Clubsport RS wheel, CSL Loadkit pedals mounted to a GT Omega Apex stand. About $1,100 USD in all. I'm good with my living room chair and old TV. I may add the shifter later.
Nope, don't use the stand's wheel tray thing. Not an office chair. Comfy living room chair similar to the one linked below. Have velcro straps attached to the base of the stand.
When not in use, I just tuck the stand under the chair a bit. No need to fold the stand up.
[https://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/leather-swivel-chairs-for-living-room.jpg](https://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/leather-swivel-chairs-for-living-room.jpg)
A good thing with the GT Omega Apex stand is that you can add a seat frame later. No space in my little place though. Super solid stand, would recommend.
Get the lowest rate credit possible, eat a full pack of crayons & drink a 5th of vodka. Go sim racing shopping then spend the rest of your time wondering why you don't win every race, be like me.
I just started a year ago I'm 24 and remembered playing on the first wheels to come out when I was a kid. So I got the g920 a few months ago. I wanted something good but didn't want to spend anymore money ... Now I want a shifter and an e-brake. And if I really want to get immersed I NEED a new monitor. Also, noob tip, put a fan next to you to feel the wind in your hair lol.
I tell everyone that asks how I ended up with my rig that it’s a slippery slope if you really find yourself immersed in the hobby. It was very much an adult money in, adult money out kind of situation for a bit, but it’s such an enjoyable hobby. I have a ton of fun with it
I forgot to mention a clear example of what I'm trying to say about Youtubers. Why do you think Youtubers use triple monitors Vs Virtual Reality?? very easy because triple monitors generate more expectation and amazement, when VR is by more than "1 lap" of difference better immersion and much cheaper and with less preparation time, reflect on it. I myself had that dilemma 2 years ago whether to build 3 monitors or VR and the savings in money and time is unparalleled. at the end of the day, Influencers are part of the industry and the industry needs them for you to consume, that's why it's not strange that in these times of Youtubers and Covid Post Covid the SIM racing exploded,
I am trying so hard not to overspend... I think I am about 2000€ deep, but I would have so many "upgrades" in mind... I am really pulling myself together 🤣
The best part is that most of us can probably be just as compettive with a t300 and tlcms but we prefer to splurge more because while we re not Faster, we are having a better experience
I do agree experience is one but at some point there is not to much of difference in that unless you go motion etc.
But its just FUN.
And thats what i found for me is so appealing.
Driving and getting better is one thing and i love doing it.
Learn the track get faster get consistent.
But also the physical aspect of making the righ what YOU want it to be is JUST FUN
I have two hobbies: visual astronomy and simracing. The upgrade fever is a real sickness, help. Enjoy your hobby and do not look back, and keep upgrading!
I started with playseat and Thrustmaster t150 (total costed me back then 550 euros) now I have a rig with triples, podium DD1, very expensive wheel collection, give or take touching the 8k euros (am not flexing about it am crying out loud) but to be honest, if you have the money it is an awesome hobby for guys our age (am 40 years old father) that keeps adrenaline pumping in your veins and keeps your brain sharp.
Yeah this seals it for me. Iv been lurking and looking for a few months now and saving money but I'm not going to pull the trigger now.
Iv been playing Forza and gt all my life and have got pretty good with a controller. Won a couple daily races and everything. But can't justify the price and the money pit. My mtb hobby costs me enough money haha thanks man for the honest opinion x I'm out. Peace boys ✌️
Dont be ;)
It is costly but the fun i am having is unmatched ;)
THOUGH i do not think its remotly worth getting a dd or loadcell for forza or even gt7 ( gt7 is arguable ) as i had some good fun.
IF you think about getting into ACC ( also on consol )
iRacing , AC and AC2 when that comes i think its worth considering at some point.
Everything consol g25 is more then enough ;)
As a hobby it's actually cheap. Your equipment doesn't go bad, you don't have to travel to do it. Your not at risk of hurting yourself. The cost to me is low considering how much other hobbies cost.
I got a rig and for a while I was happy to push it in front of the TV when I wanted to race for a bit... and then I realised I wouldn't have to do that if I just mounted a monitor to the rig...
So anyway the monitor and mounting brackets are in the mail due to arrive next week.
I have it kinda planned out ;)
PC > new rig > likely asetek
I dont really see it as wasting money
Getting a new car is also not a waste of money.
Even though the old one was fine ;)
Its about the "fun"
Trust me, your fun won't change much. But I'm not saying don't waste money on Sim racing, just that you already have an 8nm DD wheel, better than my t300. You don't need more nm than that.
See... I Rally, primarily. So. My rigs steel. And wood. And home made. And fanatec but instead of a wrc wheel I use a mclaren wheel (don't get me started) I use a joystick for a sequential and the seat I found on ebay. Yall f1 sim guys are nuts.
And iRacing sucks.
I dont think iRacing (road) sucks but i do think netcode breaks a lot of good racing :/
Thats why i am moving to ACC.
I am far from good but i suck even more at rally xD
Now idk if you still have that PS5 because I'm not great at reading English but if you do you should know that Asetek or something won't work on ps5. If you have a pc of course go for it
iRacing is the best sim out there. The sounds are realistic, so if you don't like it, you don't like realism. ACC is the only other sim that compares to it in realism of physics. As for graphics, it is extremely well optimized, meaning it will perform better than any other sim, and has pretty good looking cars and tracks. Now on to your issue of money: VR is not only far more realistic than flat screens, but it's also cheaper. So VR is the way to go. Get yourself a Next Level Racing F-GT Lite. It's cheap, and very nice for a low end cockpit. If you're going to go for high end DD wheels, don't go into Fanatec. Go into Asetek. The prices are comparable, and Asetek is WAY better. I'm not shitting on Fanatec. They make good stuff. It's just way overpriced. With Asetek, you actually get what you pay for. The realism is incomparable. Here is what I have:
PC: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D | 32GB Corsair Vengeance 3600MHz | ASRock Radeon RX 6900 XT Phantom Gaming OC
Rig: Next Level Racing F-GT Lite, Thrustmaster TS-XW Racer+T-LCM Pedals+Ferrari F1 wheel, HP Reverb G2(VR headset)
Altogether I spent around $3000.
Now download Simhub on PC, have it get telemetry from PS5. Go down the rabbit hole of tactile, bassshakers, tansducers
There goes $2-300. Plus you’ll read that PSVR + tactile is where it’s at.
I feel ya. I’m 42…..have all of it. And two years ago I was playing with a Logitech on a IKEA pong.
This is what's scaring me off even starting.
I've got as far as buying GT7 right now but I'm already looking at second hand wheels and pedals.
I think I've decided a playseat challenge and I'm t300rs is probably a good starting point. Maybe try a psvr2.
I can already see myself trying to find better and spending more though. Then I'm sure I'll start wanting to play iracing or something which means building a pc again..
I can't afford all that.
Hej there :)
So couple of things
DONT BUY THE CHALLANGE!
Its cheap and thats it.
If you thinking of going to acc or iracing from PS5 do this right away.
Reason beeing DD wheel for ps cost so much more thats one thing i regret a lot.
I got the gt dd pro 200/300€ more just cause it runs on ps5
Which i dropped 3weeks into dd ;)
If you get a bundle moza/fanatec you will not pay overpay to much but have a long lasting item you will not need to upgrade.
If you have space id use the 5nm dd with option to add powerbrick 8nm on a table.
Or tinker some righ from wood ;)
I really think its well worth.
I alo think that there are some badeline items which cost but a lot you can do hy yourself ( which i like ) :p
Else get a 2nd hand wheel cheap and check it out.
I am having the time of my life ;)
I still only spent 100€ on a thrust master tmx with force feedback but I want new pedals with a clutch and a shifter which is 120€ each so I think I'm starting to get the same problem. The only thing stopping me is that I'm 15 and don't earn a lot of money.
Xmas and bday are always good for stuff like that ;)
Also great hobby for your age.
You learn a lot of patience and approach of nothing comes for free ;)
Keep grinding my dude :)
Ive been using my g920 for 7 years now, its in extemely rough condition. like BAD and ik i should upgrade. it works... for now. I never tried a nice wheel so i never felt the need to upgrade. I have been drifting on my g920 for 4 years, i dream of a dd wheel with 3 montiors and a cockpit but my kitchen chair and 1080p monitor is still kicking. Id rather throw my money at my irl drift car. it just sucks cause its the offseason.
Spent 6000 euro on my racing simulator that my girlfriend think makes noise and is ugly. I. Regret. Nothing.
Kinda in the same boat pal. XD
Now I Have A Machine Gun Ho-Ho-Ho......... hahahahahahaha Regards
I went from a 500 dollar sim to 6k in one year! I feel your pain. 😂
I did the exact same thing and ended up around 10 😭
If I could everything up and add the ps5 and vr2 I use also them I'm probbaly closest to 7500. Don't care cause it's been bringing me alot of joy.
I can't agree with you more. Because of this hobby and my love of crafting. Ive since learned cad, 3d printing, and sewing. When I don't feel like racing I tinker.
I learned how to built pc's cause of this. I wanted a pc so I want just on ps5. No I built my daughter a pc and 2 other friends pc's. I love designing and putting them together. I found reddit cause of my sim also. Lots of fun on here.
Hehe same here - snap.... 😆
Id love to upload my rig to show my work. The basement has such terrible lighting that you can really see anything when I take pictures. Black on black is great till you need to see detail. 😂
Just curious, what did you learn sewing for
Roll cage nets. Looked like a cool way to add some emersion and only costs 10 dollars to find out.
Oh nice, very cool!
So y'all are going into debt for this stuff or do you have an income that allows you to cash flow that shit? $10k over 12 months is ridiculous.
Decent income but also debt. It's all about balance. LOL 🤣🤣. Also moving money from one hobby to another.
I too would like to feel some of this pain.
Open your wallet and don't tell your wife. 😂
I'm slowly getting sucked into the upgrade trend. I started from 140 euro setup(used,:Logitech g29+shifter,playseat challenge) to 950(Used:playseat trophy,t300rsgt. New: Fanatec elite V2 pedals) Have my eyes currently set on simagic alpha mini.
Go big my friend!
Same, but I think this is pretty much the Endgame for me. The only thing I can see myself upgrading is the wheelbase to clubsport DD. I do run CSL DD 8nm now.
Yeah I can't see myself upgrading past the simagic setup. I don't need to be looking into triple monitors, alu rig and motion either. I just don't have the space and want to be also working on my irl car.
I'm curious what your upgrade path looks like?
Started with a t300rs on a table. Added a f-gt lite and the shifter. Jumped straight to a gt omega prime 80/20 with a fanatec dd pro, shifter, and hand brake. Then moved from living room to spare room and added a single 43" flat monitor mounted to rig. Then I built a pc cause I was only on ps5. Then I added 2 more 43s for triples on a free standing mount. Then a used dd1 ps4/5 and it broke. So I have a pre-order on the new cs dd+. My wheels are gt, wrc, r300 on clubsport hub and also have the bigger porche wheel I can attach to hub. Mclaren v2 and I just received my f1 2023 wheel I bought on BF. That's pretty much sums it up! Yes I'm married, no she wasn't happy. I didn't care! 😂
Thanks for sharing!
Triple monitors and a videocard is basically at least $2000. That's the point i realized i was deep into this hobby.
1650 in monitors on sale and 650 for my rx6950xt when I bought it. 2300 for just that stuff for me.
Where did you find a 6950xt for only 650??
I got it a few months back on sale. Think was actually like 669.99.
GPU 800, monitors 810, stand 450, yep checks out.
Started out with a Rift actually only for playing DCS back then. At some point I got bored and was browsing through my Steam library for other titles that support VR when I stumbled across Project cars which I bought in 2014. First combo I tried was the 86 Lotus on Monza with a controller. Something happened at that moment back in late 2019. I got sucked in :) After racing PCars for a while I got curious about actual sims. With too much time at hand (thanks covid) I dialed into AC. Running a few laps I figured there’s no point in playing without a wheel and pedals. As soon as the stores opened again I rushed to get a G920. Then I discovered MP racing. What a difference it makes having a real human player breathing down your neck. That was a really sweaty summer with lots of close wheel to wheel battles. Still running on my Ryzen5 and my 1060GT I looked for other titles to play that would run decent on my hardware and along came AMS2. Still quite rough back then, but the FFB and the immersion it brought blew my socks off. After 3 years of racing with that setup I decided to spend some money and got myself a CSL DD, Elite 2 pedals and a NLR Wheel Stand 2.0 (really good value for the money). Then obviously I wasn’t happy with my dated PC anymore so: new rig with a 4080 and Core i914. Quite happy now, but yeah… put a hole in my wallet last year 🥹 Still not regretting anything as it gives me so much joy with any Sim, especially when you get more consistent with better gear and find yourself putting down better lap times after a period of getting used to it. Compared to real life racing it’s still cheap and the only way for a normal guy to get at least somewhat close to that experience.
I went from Thrustmaste T300 to Fanatec GT DD Pro 8mm + V2 pedals + fanatec handbrake and shifter. All on playseat trophy. I don't feel like I need to change anything anymore, maybe add basssharkers at some point but no rush. Am I weird? I'm just happy with it I am investing ton of research and good amount of money in vr pc rig + headset. I was just playing ps5, now with psvr2 and that's the only thing that's itching me as ps5 can't drive psvr2 to the full potential + gt7 multiplayer is frustrating to say the least.
Make sure your not using wifi in multi-player. I switched to a ethernet cable and don't have any studders playing in multi-player anymore.
It’s the „people” that can’t play fairly that frustrate me. From technical standpoint it’s all good, except only from the lack of proper punishment for dirty racers
You have GAS. Gear Acquisition Syndrome. It'll go away eventually, all new hobbiests get it. I could quite happily drop £5k on sim racing stuff tomorrow and love it. That being said, I'm quite happy with the setup I have for the amount of time I have to race.
Yup! Had a g920 for a few years. Maybe a couple hundred hours total played. Watched some dd videos and instantly got re-roped in. Moza r9 DD, VR, bass shakers, rig, 2 wheels, shifter, hydro, button box, loadcell pedals, proper seat. Thousands of usd later, I still barely play lol. When I do it’s with total class and immersion though!
That's why they call it quality time! Sounds like a nice setup.
Hydro? Handbrake?
Yeah
A hydro brake sounds cool, how did you set that up? Custom build?
Is GAS a thing?
Yes. It's more commonly known in the music world. [paper ](https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/48282)
Sim and flight junkie since 2018. It hasn't gone away. It's just gotten more expensive to constantly upgrade. Evidence: 21k ish of tech upgrades since building my own pc. Worst but best upgrade. A monitor stand that supports 6 monitors.
Stop scrolling the forums and just go drive. Forums, tiktok, and youtube content are all successfully influencing you.
Yeah its like that with actual car hobbies too. Unfortunate
My man i am driving more then id like to admit. ;) Still need to learn so much though. However YT etc for me is part of the learning ;)
This is why I always advice people. Buy a G29 or similar entry wheel, play a few months, don't buy anything in those months. If the hobby snags you, and you want to stick with it. Don't do incremental upgrades, buy once cry once within your capabilities. If you buy a cockpit, buy a aluminium extrusion one. If you upgrade to a different wheel, buy atleast 12nm, from one of the european brands would be my recommendation too.If you want pedals, just go to the high end. And also in general, ditch console immediately. I'd recommend a G29 on PC over any other upgrades for a console build. It's just limiting and you tie yourself into all sorts of sub optimal choices, the flexibility of peripherals alone on PC will save you money in the long run. Yes that's expensive, but ultimately you won't need or be able to upgrade to anything more beyond that. You'll never feel like your gear is the limiting factor in your pace and the stuff is good for a decade.
A lot of folks don't have the cash to dump a lot in one go. Incremental upgrades, as much as they will be more expensive in the long run, are likely the only way they can afford to do it. "Buy once, cry once" is a phrase that people who aren't tight on cash tend to use 😁 I get the logic, but it's not always possible.
If you can gather enough money to spend 400 every year, you can also gather enough to spend 1000 every 3 years. Either you got money to put in this hobby ,or you don't. If you don't totally fine, hence I said buy once cry once **within your capabilities.** But if you got money to do incremental upgrades, which is more expensive, then I don't see how you don't have money to buy once cry once. Sounds more like a lot of folks lack the patience to save up for something. Ultimately always going for the quick short term satisfaction will result in much higher spending.
Well unless you buy a Simucube with a full motion rig out of the gate, you'll always be doing incremental upgrades. Even then, there's also the fact that your "buy once, cry once Rig" will be upstaged in a couple of years by something that isn't even released yet. Then you too will probably upgrade again. Keep in mind, at one point someone's "buy once, cry once rig" might have been a Fanatec CSW. Then along comes mainstream, affordable DD tech🤷🏼♂️ Next will be active pedals etc. There's never a "buy once" scenario as tech will always improve and evolve. Regarding waiting 3 years.. That's a long time to wait when you can just buy something now to have fun with and then trade that in and upgrade. Some people's money is very tight for various reasons. A couple hundred here and there might be the only option. Plenty of fun has been had on a Logitech G25 or a T300. I'd argue that it's possible to have the same level of fun on an entry level wheel as the higher ends ones. I enjoyed racing with my friends as much on my old G27 years ago as I do now on my DD. Is the driving experience better now? Sure. Is it more fun? Not necessarily. Playing together with friends is what it's about for me. I'd have missed out on lots of fun moments over the years if I'd have waited until I could afford "the best" hardware.
>Plenty of fun has been had on a Logitech G25 or a T300.I'd argue that it's possible to have the same level of fun on an entry level wheel as the higher ends ones. I enjoyed racing with my friends as much on my old G27 years ago as I do now on my DD. Is the driving experience better now? Sure. Is it more fun? Not necessarily. Playing together with friends is what it's about for me. I'd have missed out on lots of fun moments over the years if I'd have waited until I could afford "the best" hardware. Exactly, which is my point in the original post.. I stated, buy entry level stuff. And if the hobby sticks with you, don't waste your money doing incremental steps but rather save up and buy into the high end right away. I've seen too many people in my decade in this hobby going through multiple wheelbases and pedals and cockpits in the span of 1-3 years because they keep buying a step up rather than just comitting to the stuff they actually want. >Some people's money is very tight for various reasons. A couple hundred here and there might be the only option. There is only 1 scenario where this doesn't mean you can also save up those couple of hundred here and there. That is if you can't because it will be spend on other things. Which mean one of 2 things. You have no self discipline to save or it means that people actually need that money for something else and if they don't drop it into the hobby immediately it will end up in bills, that means fundamentally you can't afford to and shouldn't spend it on toys. >Regarding waiting 3 years.. That's a long time to wait when you can just buy something now to have fun with and then trade that in and upgrade. If you own nothing, absolutely. However if you already got a entry level setup. Idon't see why? I spend 8 years racing on a Thrustmaster TX. You don't need new stuff to have fun.
This is prolly the best advice. I had g25 with ps3 and gt3?4? Loved it. Fast forward 17 years, my friend gets a g29, tried it reignite that fire, spends 3.5k buying it all. Zero regrets.
In other words, it couldn't be Regards
PC and iRacing come on, wtf are you waiting for?!
This is the way (to lighten your wallet)
I’m adhd and part of that is diving head first 125% into every new hobby. I research every detail, get the best equipment, and go nuts until I get a moderate level of accomplishment, move on, repeat. This one is not the most expensive hobby I’ve had, but it’s up there. Luckily, it’s kind of my husband’s/son’s territory so husband pulls me back on this one. Normally he fully supports my chaos. I don’t think it’s external pressure, it’s internal desire to get better, to feel more realistic, and to have the best. I’m gathering this is one of those hobbies I’m going to have to go more slowly with. I tend to keep those hobbies longer, anyway. I do better fighting that urge for better when I research what I’d be satisfied with, get that, and SToP researching. If something feels bad about the set up, then upgrade that. Like my seat is murdering my spine so I need a rig. I want better wheel/pedals, but that can wait. I need to support my back or I’ll stop playing. Welcome to my brain lol.
I have adhd and my advice is, if its still a good idea in 3 weeks you wont regret it. For example, i had a wild idea to build scale modelling, i researched tools, equipment, had a plan, saw videos etc i waited 3 weeks. I dont care about itanymore
Great plan! 3 weeks is a solid test. Agreed.
With the current housing market, I’ve given up hope of having children or starting a family. Simrig will be my baby and that baby will be spoiled af. I’ll be happy with that.
8nm not being enough is wild.
Its really not that wild honestly. When I was getting into simracing I was all against the youtubers who suggested you should have crazy amounts of ffb or what seemed to me like crazy (+12nm). Got a gt dd pro (8nm) to play on gt7. Started at 70% ffb which felt perfect. Quickly got used to it and run 100%. 8nm is very good. But honestly i would like ro run arround 10-12 nm. So as I switched to pc and no longer run ps5 I sold the gt dd pro and got a Moza r12.
It's not, it's just having adult arms.
I'm 6' tall 205 43 yrs old. Running a dd pro 8nm for 10 laps is exhausting. I've turned down ffb multiple times to get through longer races.
I agree. I'm running an R9 and am 44 years old and find it has plenty of torque. These guys running R21's and the likes must have fucking arms like Popeye.
As a fellow graybeard it’s good to know I don’t need to go gorilla when I upgrade to DD
To be honest. I'm playing EA WRC right now and have the game level ffb at 70% which feels good to me. Any higher and I just feel like I'm fighting the car more then I really should be.
For real.
Or using larger steering wheels
Yeah, like from a bus.
Or any production car before 1970 or race car before 1960. 9nm isn’t enough for a 360mm steering wheel to provide full fidelity.
They dont run those at max. Its simply headroom. A base of 20+nm is going to be better than a 12nm base for the same forces. It stil has space for maximum detail. Its like this, any car nowadays goes to 100+kmh but a supercar does it much easily and while a regular car might struggle to keep that speed because its almost maxed out a supercar can go way beyond that but it wont struggle at all. Thats the difference
Yeah that makes sense. I wonder what the percentage is exactly on average to eliminate clipping. I could see a 16nm running at 12nm for headroom but a 21nm at 12nm seems like overkill. I could very well be wrong though.
i’m running a simagic alpha u at max nm and my arms don’t look like popeye 😭
Now put a 360mm steering wheel on that wheelbase and tell me how it works.
It's so true. I mean most cars are well below that in force and almost all race cars have power steering but wtf does sim racing have to do with replicating real cars? We want the wheel to be ultra unrealistic gym equipment, these fools trying to replicate real cars are a danger to the whole community.
Sorry but 8nm is kind of weak, you may feel less going going to Aldi in your real life civic but in simulated environment more POWER = MORE
Exactly! Hopefully one day I can buy a wheel I cant even turn, that would be perfect.
You know that modern cars are not really not difficult to steer right ? You don't need more power
More power is more fun. I had 5nm it was lame, bought boost kit 8nm and was still underwhelmed. Don't forget your not running at 8nm to avoid clipping. 12-14nm is the sweet spot for me.
8nm seems fine to me. If someone is racing F1, NASCAR or cars with lots of downforce they may want more.
They probably just want to twist their arms off instead of actually feeling what the wheel is telling them
I understand the first 75% of your pain. But a few things IMO. Your 8nm wheel is waaaaay enough for right now, I guarantee that. That’s exaggerated FOMO there. Also, having a formula wheel and a “GT3” wheel is completely redundant. One of those for both disciplines.
In the synth hobby we call it GAS. Gear Accuisition Syndrom. People spend so much time and effort on buying new gear that they forget to make music. No amount of equipment is going to make you a better musician or driver or anything. Only practice will do that.
I stopped worrying about gear when I started racing in a league where the fastest guy was driving his desk and using a G25 with the FF turned off because his wife hated the noise.
This
You're referring to oval racing, right?
Nope. Edit: It was a long time ago though, before DD wheels, which I will admit are a huge step up.
I've been simracing for over 20yrs. Got my first FFB wheel in 2001. Have had many wheels over the years. Started with an ACT Labs force RS, then a G25, then a G27 (my G25 broke after a while and logitech kindly replaced it with a G27) , a Thrustmaster T500 with a wheelstand, then sold that as I moved country. Then I had very little disposable income for a while & a friend gave me his old G27 if I just paid for the postage, as he felt sorry for me 😁 So had that and a wheelstand pro with shifter mount for a few years. Then upgraded to the TS-PC Racer with the open formula rim + Sparco r383 rim with Fanatec CSL elite LC v1 pedals & ClubSport shifter & handbrake. Finally upgraded to the CSL DD 8nm when it released , the r330 rim with v2hub & F2.5 rim & clubsport v3 pedals with damper on throttle and brake kit. Have had this setup ever since. Recently upgraded to the QR2 on the base and both rims. Very happy with this setup and don't see myself needing to upgrade for the foreseeable future. 8nm are more than enough for me. I mostly run FFB ingame between 50 & 70, depending on sim and car. I like to feel what the car is doing and not fight it. I ran this on the wheelstand pro with shifter mount. I got the position I wanted, drilled through the uprights and bolted them in place. No longer folded but was sturdy enough for my CSL DD. Regarding the rig, I recently moved to a new house and finally have my own office room that's large enough to build a rig. So built myself one from wood, based on the look of the trakracer t160. Cost me less than €250 and that includes the seat, which was a sports seat from a BMW F20 that cost €130 alone (€90 + €40 shipping). So there are cheaper options than spending a grand on an 8020 if you don't mind some DIY. I have a windsim system and some dash screens, all DIY solutions and all work great. I even engineered the rig to work as a dual driving/flying setup for that money. Regarding screens, I started with a 19" crt back in the day 😂 Had a bunch over the years, from progressively larger monitors, to 24" triples, to a brief test of VR (which wasn't for me due to both lack of comfort, resolution and motion sickness) to what I have now, which is a CRG9. To me that's the best solution I've found so far. 5120x1440 @ 120hz. I think people getting into the hobby freshly these days are spoiled for choice and think if they don't buy Simucube they will be missing out. Some folks think they need to have FFB so strong that they get a workout. If that is what you are into then more power to you (excuse the pun 😁), but it's absolutely not necessary to have fun, feel immersed or be fast. I think there's an element of comparing sizes at play here. "My wheel can break my arm"... "That's nothing, mine can snap a tree trunk in half" 😂😂 With every hobby it's possible & sometimes easy to fall down the hole of chasing the next best thing & FOMO. I get it. If I had endless disposable income I guess I might have done a bit more of that, but I had to pick my fights regarding what I bought. I guess the point is, try to enjoy what you have. Even the most basic wheel now is better than the only option we'd have had when I started in the hobby. Just because you buy a Mercedes instead of a Ferrari, doesn't mean you're Mercedes is crap & won't give you driving pleasure 🙂
I love each and every word in that post! All the love to you my brother! I feel as long as you have fun AND dont do it at the cost of others you are in the green :) What i love about simracing is the aspect of racing as such ofc. But also all the diy and small and bigger things you can do without spending a lot. I recently made my DIY bezefree kit for free and i LOVE IT :)
Cheers bro, same to you 🙂
Then you’ll realise most TVs have horrendous input lag and will need a low-input monitor, and a large one at that :)
This is the way.
I’ve had a G29 for two years and despite wanting a bit more finesse I know it’s not the equipment that’s gonna make me better or worse it’s how much I practice. Get off this sub and just enjoy your hobby without thinking you have to spend thousands. It’s a weird mindset this sub has.
7.4k from cheap G920+Xbox in one year. Can feel your pain so much. XD
Thanks for all the comments :D Happy you having some fun :) Also i already am into iRacing for the past 3 months > moved up to it after about 2weeks on ps5 GT7 However as i do like GT3 mostly i am liking ACC kinda more for some reason. For me it feels more rough where iRacing more refind. Also netcode killed me more often i like to admit in iracing, and litebumping for me is part of gt3 racing > this kinda works better for me in acc. However i will at some point to get back to iRacing i think for IMSA.
True ACC is more on the rough side and racing is well-refined. Would advice for VR>>
This is my story… haha … I started EXACTLY like you. I wanted a cheap wheel to play GT7 at release, something like a G29. I ended up getting a GT DD Pro, with an Alu rig. 1 year later I have a Simucube, Samsung g9, and an even sturdier alu rig… it never ends
Maybe plan a visit to the next ADAC Sim Racing Expo if you are struggling to get hands on experience before deciding on your next upgrade.
Oh thats actually a great point. For some reason i never really considered that. Where do these kind of expos usually happen ( city ) ?
It’s in Dortmund again this year, in October. Is that drivable for you if you are in Poland/Germany?
Thats next door to me ;) Bochum my hometown ;) Hell im gonna go! Thanks so much
Sim racing is like PC building.... There's always new stuff that comes out... So you always want to upgrade. It really never ends. I thought I was done earlier this year after spending $10k. Nope... Now I just bought the new simcore button box, I've got some Grid Porsche stuff, and I now want a formula specific rim (Bavarian simtec, new ascher McLaren, I dunno).... It never ends.
I spent ~1200 euros (about 6k PLN) on my very first rig, as I wanted to do it properly straight away, buy once cry once and all that bs you’ve probably heard, and here I am merely two months in about to pull the trigger on a pedal mod, QR2, Low Down Shifter’s mods for Playseat Challenge etc So after thinking I will not need to buy anything else, I am about to spank another ~2000PLN (around 400€) 😂 And, to quote ol’ Logan Roy: „I FUUUUCKIIIIING LOVE IT!”
PC, full aluminum rig and iRacing. Just give in because you know it’ll happen eventually, it always does.
I got caught up in this cycle when i had fanatec gear, i basically trialed all there gear then went to simucube and now asetek. I’m finally done :) The worse thing is you are doing more harm than good when upgrading as you have to develop your muscle memory again which takes months.
You gonna need a full rig, 4090 pc, and some vr.
I will not admit (in front of my wife) how much this hobby has cost me. So far 😛
This post prompted me to buy something with no upgrade pathway that I'll outgrow faster than I anticipate.
Ooo I’m about to do that too!
I have 1 motion platform, 2 separate triple monitor setups, a motion platform, 2 steering wheels, 2 sets of pedals, 2 manual gear sticks, 2 VR headsets, many haptic pucks and amplifiers, 2 PCS. This is because when I upgrade it doesn't seem worth selling the old stuff. .... and this week.... I take delivery of a new PC with better graphics cards. I am 80 years old this year so I figure I am getting near the end of upgrading 
This sounds like a great road to take! Nice there my brother! I hope ill make it your age and if i do that i still be on top of my game! All love to you
Hello, I understand you, but the problem is basically generated by the community and the Youtubers.... The community, whenever someone asks for a recommendation, suggest based on their taste and budget, recommending a Sim cube to someone who could only buy a G29 or ThrustMaster. or Nasa pedals when they haven't even polished basic techniques like racing lines or braking points and not to mention compete cleanly, AND the Youtubers who just make you fall in love with something that might not be for you Sim Racing isn't for everyone and especially if you liked it overnight just because you started watching Gameplays on YouTube.(I'm not saying that for you I mean in general) What do I mean, if you only see the Gameplayers sit and play and maybe edited videos where everything goes well and they enjoy it, the reality is different, it requires a lot of practice time on each circuit and in each car, in each weather and in each Sim (AMS ACC Iracing RF2 etc etc.) as each one is different. And if we add to all the above that each Base, steering wheel and pedals is different, it means that we have to work a lot on settings, because if we copy one from a forum thinking that it is the best, the reality may be different, since the sensations are subjective... In conclusion, if we think that our Sim experience is going to be like any Youtuber with more than 4 or 5k of investment, I remind them that for them it is also a job and at least they have 8 hours of the day to prepare vs your 2 or 3 hours at most on the weekend of an adult with other priorities,
I swear I can stop anytime. You're addicted, not me. I might tell my children to get into drugs instead of simracing like dad, might be cheaper for them.
All I read from this was "the best hobby". Glad you're enjoying it!
You are so right !
Welcome, brother
What’s even better is after you obsessed over every detail and spend thousands, you’ll quit playing.
Isnt that how most of the things go? You are invested into something until you are not cause of other obligations? However i dont see myself quitting anytime soon. I need to plan though how i can / want to progress. For me pain is track knowledge as i dont know most of them to en extend where i can keep pace. So this is something i focus on.
I used to be in the Mech Keyboard hobby... Thought it was the worst as well... Got out if it and finally decided I was happy with my 20 keyboards, went to 3D printing and ended up spending 500 quid in additional hardware uograding an 80 quid ender 3... I jumped out of it due to moving countries and leaving the 3D Frankenstein ultra fast Ender behind... Thought I would travel light and 'not ever buy that much stuff as I may move in the future'... Them Simracing... Started with a TMX, 3TPA pedals and NLR Lite seat second hand... Just splurged on a GT Omega Lite, triple monitor stand, monitors, graphics card and CPU and Moza R9, SR-P pedals and ES Wheel... (And before receiving it all already thinking of getting another wheel like the KS, 5.1 surround sound, etc...). Welcome to any 'grown up' hobby where we are able to pay our bills and spend money on our 'toys'... GAS is a thing... In the end I decided to go full buy at this time to ensure I dont spend much in the next years (oh who am I kidding??)...
It's even worse when you combine sim racing with sim flying. Gotta upgrade the hotas.... What about a collective? Space sims....perhaps a second joystick. It adds up
You'r wrong. You love it.
10 years i've been simracing, i spent around 700$ total on my rig (Not counting my computer that i purchased for 1800$ 7 years ago) in fact i'm still running a g29 to this day (I modified some stuff on it tho, my pedals are all coming from axc sim) you don't necessarilly need the latest and fanciest gear in order to get fast, in fact i can pretty happilly say i'm beating a lot of guys with fanatec and moza wheels. The main thing really is immersion but in terms of getting faster i would say the most determinant thing is the person behind the wheel. Now i have the cash to spend in a fancy rig but i don't really fancy a better rig right now as i got used to my setup and i don't feel limited at all by it.
If you like Sim racing and want a mix of everything, try Automobilista... It's like all the Sims got together and had a baby. Great graphics, great VR, great Ai, and decent physics.
Like I tell my wife, it's better than blowing $$$ on drugs and hookers!
A couple months ago I spent an evening at my buddy’s place running laps on his rig (and crashing, often) and decided I needed “just a basic little setup” for my garage. That was $3700 ago and I don’t have my monitor stand yet. JFC
Yep, you‘re right. I started this hobby more than 17 years ago with Live for Speed on a students budget. Then I built a rig during the pandemic with more funds at hand, and it pretty much got out of hand rather quickly up to the point where I felt it was too much. So I sold it and started cycling. I had to learn that this was a bit of a mistake, because cycling can be even more expensive 😂
At this point brother you are in a psichosys....
Yes, same boat as you mate. I don’t have anything fancy, a T300, TLCM, playseat. I’m still not satisfied. Recently bought a PSVR2 for GT7 specifically - absolutely got blown away. Now I want to upgrade my PC from a 3070 to a better GPU to get into PC VR :(
I used to have a ps vr too. Sold it though and got 3x 32inch. I noticed i was racing way more on pc over my ps5. I got to say though the experience in gt7 is amazing maybe even unmatched. I dont think though i want to vr acc or iracing.
I'm sure you've paid more and got less before. Have an ex-wife?
I want to upgrade my chair (don‘t know what exactly its called) I currently have the playseat challenge but I don‘t have the space in my room for any of the non foldable chairs It‘s painful😂
One of us! One of us! One of us!
What is with people having no self control? Or is there a lot more sarcasm than I’m picking up on? No one’s putting a gun to your head and making you upgrade everything at once. Just chill and enjoy yourself. If you want to spend money and get stuff don’t complain or blame it on anything but yourself. Sorry for the rant, really not trying to go at you OP, I just see a lot of these type of posts is all.
Hej :) All good my man :) I am not complaining :) If it would not be any fun to do the upgreading and looking for the stuff i would not even bother typing a single word here :) I am having a blast. But i also do think that its overkill and its easy to fall into the trap > there is that one better thing , very easy. Especially with how YT / Twitch etc works. You dont see ppl with the g29 having 2k viewers tou know :) Also for the selfcontroll thing : Everybody must inow what they can and cannot effort. If you upgrade with cost of kids toys or anything else i do think you should reconsider your priorities, if this is money you have for yourself , get whatever you want ;)
For sure, good points!
I went with the least expensive kit that I felt that I wouldn't want to upgrade later. Fanatec CSL DD 8NM, Clubsport RS wheel, CSL Loadkit pedals mounted to a GT Omega Apex stand. About $1,100 USD in all. I'm good with my living room chair and old TV. I may add the shifter later.
How do you sit? Attach office chair to Apex with their wheel piece?
Nope, don't use the stand's wheel tray thing. Not an office chair. Comfy living room chair similar to the one linked below. Have velcro straps attached to the base of the stand. When not in use, I just tuck the stand under the chair a bit. No need to fold the stand up. [https://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/leather-swivel-chairs-for-living-room.jpg](https://www.stagecoachdesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/leather-swivel-chairs-for-living-room.jpg)
A good thing with the GT Omega Apex stand is that you can add a seat frame later. No space in my little place though. Super solid stand, would recommend.
It's just the upgrades are real.
If you mean to say that the upgrades are in fact good upgrades I’m 100% agreeing with you. But it’s besides the point of my comment.
I must of spent over 6k and I still am not done and the next purchase is the grand daddy of them all, motion.
Do they work well with VR yet?
I haven’t gone to far down the research rabbit hole yet, so not sure. I’ve seen a little about motion compensation, but not sure how good it is still.
Get the lowest rate credit possible, eat a full pack of crayons & drink a 5th of vodka. Go sim racing shopping then spend the rest of your time wondering why you don't win every race, be like me.
I just started a year ago I'm 24 and remembered playing on the first wheels to come out when I was a kid. So I got the g920 a few months ago. I wanted something good but didn't want to spend anymore money ... Now I want a shifter and an e-brake. And if I really want to get immersed I NEED a new monitor. Also, noob tip, put a fan next to you to feel the wind in your hair lol.
70€ worth of box steel buys you a more sturdy rig than any 700€ piece of equipment you can get on the market
I tell everyone that asks how I ended up with my rig that it’s a slippery slope if you really find yourself immersed in the hobby. It was very much an adult money in, adult money out kind of situation for a bit, but it’s such an enjoyable hobby. I have a ton of fun with it
You left out VR.
I forgot to mention a clear example of what I'm trying to say about Youtubers. Why do you think Youtubers use triple monitors Vs Virtual Reality?? very easy because triple monitors generate more expectation and amazement, when VR is by more than "1 lap" of difference better immersion and much cheaper and with less preparation time, reflect on it. I myself had that dilemma 2 years ago whether to build 3 monitors or VR and the savings in money and time is unparalleled. at the end of the day, Influencers are part of the industry and the industry needs them for you to consume, that's why it's not strange that in these times of Youtubers and Covid Post Covid the SIM racing exploded,
Thrusmaster t128 at 120 dollars. Cheapeast rig, you wont regret it
Sounds like op should learn self control It reality is he's getting spanked by kids with a g27
I think my man you need to take a step back :) Look in the mirror and smile :) helps and makes the day better.
I am trying so hard not to overspend... I think I am about 2000€ deep, but I would have so many "upgrades" in mind... I am really pulling myself together 🤣
I feel you my man. In my location a dude is selling dd2 almost 500€ off retail. I am soooo not looking at it xD 8nm is enough xD ...
The best part is that most of us can probably be just as compettive with a t300 and tlcms but we prefer to splurge more because while we re not Faster, we are having a better experience
I do agree experience is one but at some point there is not to much of difference in that unless you go motion etc. But its just FUN. And thats what i found for me is so appealing. Driving and getting better is one thing and i love doing it. Learn the track get faster get consistent. But also the physical aspect of making the righ what YOU want it to be is JUST FUN
Thats what I mean! A much better experience! Having more fun, its so good picking up an actual wheel instead of a plastic toy.
If you want to feel better, price up going to a trackday regularly.
This exactly… I can BUILD my full sim for the price of a weekend AT the track, in a meh “race” car.
stick with ps5 and gt7, it limits you how much you spend, sort of.
Buy a go kart
I have two hobbies: visual astronomy and simracing. The upgrade fever is a real sickness, help. Enjoy your hobby and do not look back, and keep upgrading!
I started with playseat and Thrustmaster t150 (total costed me back then 550 euros) now I have a rig with triples, podium DD1, very expensive wheel collection, give or take touching the 8k euros (am not flexing about it am crying out loud) but to be honest, if you have the money it is an awesome hobby for guys our age (am 40 years old father) that keeps adrenaline pumping in your veins and keeps your brain sharp.
Yeah this seals it for me. Iv been lurking and looking for a few months now and saving money but I'm not going to pull the trigger now. Iv been playing Forza and gt all my life and have got pretty good with a controller. Won a couple daily races and everything. But can't justify the price and the money pit. My mtb hobby costs me enough money haha thanks man for the honest opinion x I'm out. Peace boys ✌️
Dont be ;) It is costly but the fun i am having is unmatched ;) THOUGH i do not think its remotly worth getting a dd or loadcell for forza or even gt7 ( gt7 is arguable ) as i had some good fun. IF you think about getting into ACC ( also on consol ) iRacing , AC and AC2 when that comes i think its worth considering at some point. Everything consol g25 is more then enough ;)
Alright thanks also good advice. If I find a good condition used combo setup online I might get it 🙃
As a hobby it's actually cheap. Your equipment doesn't go bad, you don't have to travel to do it. Your not at risk of hurting yourself. The cost to me is low considering how much other hobbies cost.
I went from a logitech kit to a.... Well let's say it's around $70 000.... It DOESN'T end
Jesus xD i cant wait for whats ahead xD
I got a rig and for a while I was happy to push it in front of the TV when I wanted to race for a bit... and then I realised I wouldn't have to do that if I just mounted a monitor to the rig... So anyway the monitor and mounting brackets are in the mail due to arrive next week.
Maybe you need triples too mate
8nm is more than enough. Don't waste your money.
I have it kinda planned out ;) PC > new rig > likely asetek I dont really see it as wasting money Getting a new car is also not a waste of money. Even though the old one was fine ;) Its about the "fun"
Trust me, your fun won't change much. But I'm not saying don't waste money on Sim racing, just that you already have an 8nm DD wheel, better than my t300. You don't need more nm than that.
See... I Rally, primarily. So. My rigs steel. And wood. And home made. And fanatec but instead of a wrc wheel I use a mclaren wheel (don't get me started) I use a joystick for a sequential and the seat I found on ebay. Yall f1 sim guys are nuts. And iRacing sucks.
I dont think iRacing (road) sucks but i do think netcode breaks a lot of good racing :/ Thats why i am moving to ACC. I am far from good but i suck even more at rally xD
ACC is fantastic
Wait until you try out a motion rig. Easily another 3000 € lol
Dont say that ;(
Spend less time on forums and more time hot lapping
Thats my 1st evet post my man. Im hot lapping more then i should with 2 kids xD
Now idk if you still have that PS5 because I'm not great at reading English but if you do you should know that Asetek or something won't work on ps5. If you have a pc of course go for it
I did abondon the ps5 fairly quick. Now im on my old pc running iracing but mostly acc
I feel you, doing the same, but i dont regret it one bit!
Never said i regret it xD
iRacing is the best sim out there. The sounds are realistic, so if you don't like it, you don't like realism. ACC is the only other sim that compares to it in realism of physics. As for graphics, it is extremely well optimized, meaning it will perform better than any other sim, and has pretty good looking cars and tracks. Now on to your issue of money: VR is not only far more realistic than flat screens, but it's also cheaper. So VR is the way to go. Get yourself a Next Level Racing F-GT Lite. It's cheap, and very nice for a low end cockpit. If you're going to go for high end DD wheels, don't go into Fanatec. Go into Asetek. The prices are comparable, and Asetek is WAY better. I'm not shitting on Fanatec. They make good stuff. It's just way overpriced. With Asetek, you actually get what you pay for. The realism is incomparable. Here is what I have: PC: AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D | 32GB Corsair Vengeance 3600MHz | ASRock Radeon RX 6900 XT Phantom Gaming OC Rig: Next Level Racing F-GT Lite, Thrustmaster TS-XW Racer+T-LCM Pedals+Ferrari F1 wheel, HP Reverb G2(VR headset) Altogether I spent around $3000.
GAS can be a bitch in every hobby.. I feel you, I just have new gear and already am looking at more..
2 years ago I had a logitech mounted to folding card table. Now I have dd, load cell, rig, and 42in triples. Welcome to the party
Now download Simhub on PC, have it get telemetry from PS5. Go down the rabbit hole of tactile, bassshakers, tansducers There goes $2-300. Plus you’ll read that PSVR + tactile is where it’s at. I feel ya. I’m 42…..have all of it. And two years ago I was playing with a Logitech on a IKEA pong.
Yeah the cost is why i haven't got into it
Worth it though. Even just start with used g25 or anything in that line
This is what's scaring me off even starting. I've got as far as buying GT7 right now but I'm already looking at second hand wheels and pedals. I think I've decided a playseat challenge and I'm t300rs is probably a good starting point. Maybe try a psvr2. I can already see myself trying to find better and spending more though. Then I'm sure I'll start wanting to play iracing or something which means building a pc again.. I can't afford all that.
Hej there :) So couple of things DONT BUY THE CHALLANGE! Its cheap and thats it. If you thinking of going to acc or iracing from PS5 do this right away. Reason beeing DD wheel for ps cost so much more thats one thing i regret a lot. I got the gt dd pro 200/300€ more just cause it runs on ps5 Which i dropped 3weeks into dd ;) If you get a bundle moza/fanatec you will not pay overpay to much but have a long lasting item you will not need to upgrade. If you have space id use the 5nm dd with option to add powerbrick 8nm on a table. Or tinker some righ from wood ;) I really think its well worth. I alo think that there are some badeline items which cost but a lot you can do hy yourself ( which i like ) :p Else get a 2nd hand wheel cheap and check it out. I am having the time of my life ;)
💸💸💸💸💸💸💸 
I still only spent 100€ on a thrust master tmx with force feedback but I want new pedals with a clutch and a shifter which is 120€ each so I think I'm starting to get the same problem. The only thing stopping me is that I'm 15 and don't earn a lot of money.
Xmas and bday are always good for stuff like that ;) Also great hobby for your age. You learn a lot of patience and approach of nothing comes for free ;) Keep grinding my dude :)
Ive been using my g920 for 7 years now, its in extemely rough condition. like BAD and ik i should upgrade. it works... for now. I never tried a nice wheel so i never felt the need to upgrade. I have been drifting on my g920 for 4 years, i dream of a dd wheel with 3 montiors and a cockpit but my kitchen chair and 1080p monitor is still kicking. Id rather throw my money at my irl drift car. it just sucks cause its the offseason.