If you guys are familiar with FF racing wheels then you may also be familiar with Fanatec that makes high end racing wheels. Fanatec recently announced a new high end steering wheel line up which is a new addition to their "Clubsport" Edition products. This new wheel offers many features and impressive build quality. the main feature is the replaceable rim feature allow the end user to swap out the rims for different racing styles from F1, GT, NASCAR and rally. Just figured some of you guys might be interested in these new products. Fanatec Clubsport Racing Wheels Comments, opinions?
A D-pad at last Hopefully this wheel be less over-engineered and more reliable than their previous ones - I've already had to take mine apart twice to fix various problems and I haven't even used it that much. Nice to see it's not all plasticky and they've moved away from Porsche branding. 600 euro is a considerable amount of cash for a wheel so it had better be pretty damn good, just a shame not many games support all the features like the pedal vibration. Fanatec also need to do something about their distribution, it's ridiculous that in the UK you'd have to pay 600 euro, then shipping, then 20% import tax + customs fee even though you'd have also paid the 19% German VAT.
They are pricey that's for sure. Perhaps the price will come down a bit after they have been out for awhile.
Yes very good points - in the end they pushed me towards going the G27 route when replacing my G25. Had the buy options been different, it may well have been enough for me to give one a go. The wheels are well known, so I dont understand the crap distribution network they have.
I'd like to think if my G25 died I would go with Fanatec. My only issue is how easily Fanatec stuff bolts onto my Playseat.
Oh, just not thinking that the Fanatec would fit on to the Logitech mounting bracket. There was also one other aspect I didn't think was great - the gear change module that mounted by two rods into the wheel for the Fanatec, did not look as sturdy as the Logitech gear box mounted independently onto a bracket/stand.
Do UK have special import tax and custom fee. normaly when you are inside EU, you only have to pay vat one time. In Denmark I ordred GT3RS v2 and and after 25.5 hours later it was at my doorstep, and I did only pay the German vat, no other tax or fee.
Fanatec wheels are by FAR the most problematic wheel on the market, the iracing forums are full of people having problems and are complaining about poor customer support on top of the problems, however those lucky ones that don't have the problems love them. The Clubsport pedals are really good, probably the best bang for the buck right now. http://www.thrustmaster.com/product.aspx?ProductID=224 The wheel above has been getting mixed reviews on launch but they seemed to have fixed the teething troubles now, perhaps an option?
The gear shifter is the weak part of the line up but you get them for $30 for both. You can always use the F1 style shifters on the wheel if you don't like the stick shifters. Fanatec is building a high end Clubsport shifter right now. Shold be pretty cool based on postings designs..etc.They are alos building a Clubsport hand brake. A user overseas built some prototypes for himself that looked amazing and I think he got together with Fantec and put their heads together on the hand brake.
For that price on that TM wheel at launch none of them problems were acceptable, that was "the" wheel for gt5 cost what 500 or around there for the wheel and pedals, and heard nothing about problems that wheel.
That was my thinking too, but I still got stitched up with 20% tax and 15 euro handling fee when it arrived in the UK. I then had to pay another 15 euros because I needed it delivered at the weekend and they charge extra for that. I really wasn't too happy about it but by that point I just wanted it bolted onto my desk.
if you bought if from a EU shop and you paid VAT at that shop then the HMRC have NO right to demand more VAT @20% on top of what you paid upon entry to the UK or the customs to ask for a fee. Likewise did Fanatec put a VAT invoice etc in the package, which showed VAT was paid?
No, but on their site it said 19% VAT included. Actually I think UK VAT was 17.5% not 20% when I bought the wheel, but anyway...
I agree. the price is a bit high right now but that is common with newly released products. This wheel is also supposed to be in a class of it's own surpassing everything before it. You get some guys out there that are deadly serious about sim racing and have invested alot of money into their rigs. Although these products are aimed at the gaming market I would not call them toys. I am hoping the prices drop a bit as the great thing about it is having a RIM for each type of racing. I am also looking forward to the Clubsport shifter and Handbrake. They should be pretty sweet.
