Fanatec issue (911 Turbo S Wheel and Clubsport Pedals)
- Thread starter akeyX
- 52 comments
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- 1,002
- Northern VA
First, price is not necessarily an indicator of reliability. I think a lot of people need to remember that when taking the plunge on the next tier of racing hardware. Take a look at some of the very supercars that are simulated in our favorite games. A Ferrari is certainly not maintenance free.
That said, my ClubSports have seen a lot of use and do not require constant maintenance. Maybe the occasional lubrication. Some examples have issues, sure, but people act like nothing in life should ever break.
In the case of lots of higher-end sim gear, some maintenance is to be expected. ECCI sells a variety of replacement parts for their products. I don't take that as a sign of fault; it just means their products are user serviceable and wear items can be replaced. Another selling point with ClubSports and ECCI pedals is the degree of user modification available. You need to know how to turn a wrench, but it allows you to adjust position, angle, spring tension, and more, until you have the pedals customized just the way you like them. I find that very appealing, but you trade personalization for some ease of ownership.
- 1,629
- Texas
- RC45
- RC45
I knew this comparison was inevitable.
The %age of Fanatec folks reporting issues seems to be substantially higher than the other premium branded mass produced wheels - Logitech G25 and G27.
There is a difference between "user servicable" and poor quality. The point really is that a main stream product need to have better wearing parts.
The Fanatec GT2/3 wheels and CS Pedals are not sold as boutique finicky products needing lots of TLC - but it turns out they are.
This should be clearly advertised then as the product is advertised as a turn-key prosumer product - not a hand build specialist DIY item.
Adjustability is not in quesiton here - the high number of product failures and large numbers of owners who have had to more than once dive into the product and conduct potentially warranty voiding service on the items.
I am always amazed at how people will pay premium price and be so forgivign of poor quaility control in the name of "personal tuning".
Thsi is oddly contradictory to the concept that the 'cheap' $300 G25/G27 should be totally maintance free because it is cheaper.
If the new T500RS proves to be bullet proof, maintanance free, trouble free and well built then that will sort of shoot that theory to peices and Fanatec will deserve all the market share they loose to Thrustmaster.
Honestly, this idea that paying more for a "specialist item' means you should be prepared for lower quality and duty cycles is absurd.
- 1,002
- Northern VA
This does seem to be the case. What is still in question is how large a percentage of Fanatec users are affected. I'm assuming it's still a minority.
I disagree with both of these assertions based on personal experience. My wheel and pedals have seen plenty of use from multiple people in this house. They perform as new. The wheel itself feels about as premium mass-market as a G25 or G27. The ClubSport pedals definitely seem a lot more like an entry-level boutique product. They're feel extremely overbuilt. To me the big issue is the skeletal design, as it leaves exposed wiring.
Frankly, I've had more issues with my Logitech wheels than my Fanatecs. That does not lead me to believe Logitechs are less reliable in general as my replacements worked fine.
Fanatec does need to set expectations in some cases. I think a ClubSport package is relatively turnkey, but given all the tuning options in wheel firmware and pedal hardware, it can be pretty intimidating for someone expecting something as plug and play as a Logitech.
You seem to believe that Fanatec has released a shoddy product that breaks early and often. You're welcome to draw your own conclusions, but my Fanatec ownership experience has been trouble free. I can't speak for everyone, obviously, but I can't possibly have the only working Porsche 911 Turbo S and GT2 wheels in North America.
My comparison to supercars earlier wasn't to claim that a Fanatec wheel is a finicky supercar, but to dispute the notion that paying more will always net something more reliable. It's not meant to be a an all-encompassing rule; I'm just making a point. A car analogy works well here because something like a Corolla seems to keep running despite an owner's best efforts to kill it. It's a cockroach with a motor. You can pay more for an Audi A4 and get something with better performance, more luxury, more features, more complexity, and lower reliability. The analogy also works well because some people love VW/Audi products, and some people have sworn them off for life due to ownership woes.
We'll see how the T500RS holds up. I have a feeling there will be some report of issues, but expect a pretty solid product.
Since I said that my pedals were fixed, I need to update saying that they are improved, but not perfect. I still have to re-start the wheel when I start my first race (once it is working, it continues to work indefinitely). I started fiddling because I was having trouble going more than 15 seconds. For all I know I've been stomping on the brake too hard for too long... Abuse will kill anything....
When you buy anything, you are (obviously) giving money to the person who makes the product. In other words, you are paying his rent, paying for his TV, etc... So buy products that you believe in, and buy from people you like.
I personally think Fanatec wheels are a great product, and they represent an extraordinary amount of work. It's a huge risk to design and produce a high quality product like these wheels, and it's difficult to compete with a huge corporation like logitech who has near limitless resources, an extensive r&d department... The 'entry cost' required to compete against them is enormous.
To reproduce what Logitech does would be good, but for the little guy to do better is awesome. And not only are fanatec's wheels better in functionality, I think they look much better.
And what's really cool is that the fanatec wheels are better technology for a comparable price tag.
When you buy anything, you are (obviously) giving money to the person who makes the product. In other words, you are paying his rent, paying for his TV, etc... So buy products that you believe in, and buy from people you like.
I personally think Fanatec wheels are a great product, and they represent an extraordinary amount of work. It's a huge risk to design and produce a high quality product like these wheels, and it's difficult to compete with a huge corporation like logitech who has near limitless resources, an extensive r&d department... The 'entry cost' required to compete against them is enormous.
To reproduce what Logitech does would be good, but for the little guy to do better is awesome. And not only are fanatec's wheels better in functionality, I think they look much better.
And what's really cool is that the fanatec wheels are better technology for a comparable price tag.
My opinion on people joining a forum to "tell the world" that a product they don't have is imperfect is that they're childish. That means you, my friend!
What did Fanatec ever to do you? Every post you've made on this site is in some way against Fanatec... That's Stupid...
Ugh. I put in an order for the 911 GT2 wheel and club sport pedals about a week ago and after reading about all the trouble with the wheels, pedals and customer support I'm really reconsidering my order. I really want a wheel that will work on both systems but I don't want to throw 500$ in the crapper.
- 1,629
- Texas
- RC45
- RC45
I have their product, paid good money CASH for it and will tell you it is rubbish.
I could care less if in your opinion that makes me "look childish" - what it does do is shows I have the gonads to admit when I have made a mistake rather than pretend I sm in love witha productafter reality sets in and will save other people the expense of learning the hard way.
If the pedals prove to be as "reliable" as their wheels then they dont have a very high benchmark to achieve.
Not sure what they did that bloke, but I can tell you what they did to me. They had no problem taking 100% of my monru UP FRONT and only delivering 45% of the product with ZERO explanation or confirmaiotn or status update and the product they did deliver has been prone to failure and has required constant babysitting, resetting, manipulaiton and tweaking and hardly works for $100 worth let alone $250.
- 1,629
- Texas
- RC45
- RC45
I am out about $500 and have a poor product to show. Actually only half the product on hand - I can afford the $500. Not that it still doesnt upset, I dont like to throw money away - I really dont want to see people scrape and saveand then buy this getup and be burned by it.
I am honest to a fault
A ferrari needs a $15000 service every 1000 kilometers. Does that mean its a piece of garbage also?
These are extremely highly sensitive devices, As with other high performing machines and devices, they need regular maintenance and recalibration. If you want a toy that you never have to think about or miantain, then by all means purchase something cheaper and less sensitive that doesnt have the same level of performance.
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- 1,629
- Texas
- RC45
- RC45
I dont believe Ferrari brake pedals just up and stop working every other Tuesday and require your to hit them with a ball peen hammer to get them working again.
An entire system needing tweaking and tuning to achieve maximium potential is not the same as an inherent flaw that almost every user seems to experience time and time again and needs to be addressed just to achieve basic funtionality.
I mean I can tell you that my Clubsports... oh wait, still havent been delivered yet
I dont mean to be a smart ass, but would you mind telling me how and why lamborghini was founded? Something to do with somebodys wifes ferrari destroying a clutch every week.
Its worth noting that if one uses the launch control in an enzo, fxx or f430 scudaria more than twice the car needs to be returned to the factory for a new clutch.
Lets completely ignore that in the past some very italian cars with stallions on them have had very italian temprements if not maintained absolutely maticulously.
Theres also the issue with 458's constantly setting themselves on fire. I dont think I even need to quote and bold the "basic functionality" statement for this one.
But they are still incredible cars.
Anyway my point stands, CSP's are highly adjustable and extremely sensitive simulation devices, and require the same level of care and maintenance that ANY product at the top of its field does. Problem is people are buying them expecting to get a crashem bashem no worries toy. That they are not.
I have been experiencing this same problem intermittently and recently it became worse. My brake would stay engaged even when I had left off the brake.
I tried using the electrical contact cleaner as suggested before but it did not solve the problem.
What seems to have fixed the problem is taking apart the CSPs, and cleaning and re-lubing the rods and parts. When I wiped down the rods and cleaned the tube, the previous lube was very dirty and I suspect that the lube wasn't doing its job by then. I used a chopstick to clean out the tube and reapplied fresh dry bicycle chain lube to the rods, metal piece, foam and tube and now the pedals seem as good as new.
Taking apart the pedals was a bitch and I can see why they did some video editing when Thomas got to the part where he had to take out the inner screws.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54iQktxDQOM
Fanatec should encourage regular maintenance of the CSPs of reapplying and cleaning the lube.
I tried using the electrical contact cleaner as suggested before but it did not solve the problem.
What seems to have fixed the problem is taking apart the CSPs, and cleaning and re-lubing the rods and parts. When I wiped down the rods and cleaned the tube, the previous lube was very dirty and I suspect that the lube wasn't doing its job by then. I used a chopstick to clean out the tube and reapplied fresh dry bicycle chain lube to the rods, metal piece, foam and tube and now the pedals seem as good as new.
Taking apart the pedals was a bitch and I can see why they did some video editing when Thomas got to the part where he had to take out the inner screws.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54iQktxDQOM
Fanatec should encourage regular maintenance of the CSPs of reapplying and cleaning the lube.
I had the same problem with the G27 and the problem was the controller. I had to umap all the ingame controls of the controller, except for the lights, wipers and put the controller on '1' to make it possible to use the G27 (brake was constantly on for about 10%) with the controller.
- 8
So the only way to fix this for GT5 is by taking the CSPs apart? Wow, seriously unimpressed. What I don't understand is that I don't have the same problem with Forza, which makes no sense.
Oh, and do other people have an issue where every so often during a race, you get no input at all from the pedals or wheel for a second, then they kick back in again? I'm running firmware 681 I think, whichever the most recent one was. Have tried different PS2 cables from the wheel to the pedals to no avail.
Oh, and do other people have an issue where every so often during a race, you get no input at all from the pedals or wheel for a second, then they kick back in again? I'm running firmware 681 I think, whichever the most recent one was. Have tried different PS2 cables from the wheel to the pedals to no avail.
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