rec.autos.simulators

Hi I've had FIVE faulty Thrustmaster Grand Prix 1 steering wheel
controllers. The throttle or brake control becomes erratic (the
potentiometer, i think) after a while. It's not my PC since each one was
demonstrated back on the shop as faulty.

If you have also had these problems PLEASE let me know so i can forward
them to Thrustmaster.

PS. I received a replacement wheel for them a few days after i asked for
help. Their service and support is GREAT, but the product is CRAP.
--
Jason Ingram

R:

You need to go to the Shack and buy TV Tuner Cleaner Lubricant. Squirt a tad
into the pot that is giving you troubles and your off and running. Yep it's a
must for the GP1's and really is no big deal as it works fine afterwards.

Q.B.M.

The first T1 a bought at the store I had to bring back because it was
broken out of the box. The one I got now is working but I know the springs
are getting loose.
Kind of shitty as I have only had the thing for 2 months.
Look on the bottom of the T1.......MADE IN CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Junk.
Just looked at the bottom of my CH stuff. MADE IN USA.
Love supporting Communism and Military Dictatorships Thrustmaster?
10 year old kids building your shit for pennies a day??? In the shit hole
city Kawasaki. then sell it for 300% above cost to us.
Good business I guess, eh?  Like Many other companies.
Food for thought my friends.
Mr Bill

'Mr Bill' has been known to post flame-bait in the past, so I wouldn't get
too worked up over it.

--

First things first. I work for ThrustMaster. These are my opinions, not the
opinions of ThrustMaster, Inc. Some of the information stated here is based
on
knowledge I have gained from working at ThrustMaster, but still in no way
constitutes an official opinion of ThrustMaster, Inc.

Now that I have that out of the way. If you have a T1 it was made in the
United States. No T1's were ever made outside of the United States. So if you
have a ThrustMaster driving wheel that has a Made In China sticker you either
have a GP1 or a T2. Just so people understand what we are talking about.
Yes we do manufacture products in China. In factories that exist in part due
to our government's blessing of China with Most Favored Nation status. For the
record, Kawasaki is a city in the Kanagawa prefecture in Japan. Not China.
China is the big country above and to the left of Japan. Look at a map. Do
you know where CH is? Right on the US/Mexican border. What do you think the
chances are that every single CH employee is an American citizen. I'll take
that bet. The factories that we use are not sweat shops, they do not employ
10 year old children. That is a myth perpetuated by paranoid rednecks.
McCarthyism died with McCarthy. Look into it. If you have a problem with the

They will gladly send you a new set of springs. However, you seem like you
don't really like our products so I would recommend that you return your
ThrustMaster product and buy the CH driving wheel. Oh wait, they don't make
one.

Thanks for listening.

Steven T.A. Carter

ET. One thing I have noticed about you aside from your EGO
Is that you are quite a Suckhole, Mr Cool.
You have had more flamewars than most others in this particular group.
What I said Is not "Flamebait" It is fact.
I know people from China, ( MY best friend ) And he and his Dad can name a
very large list of companies there for obvious reasons. They have told me
of all the shit that goes on there. Many times over the years.
My mother has a PhD in Anthropology, She knows David Suzuki from UBC among
many other respected doctors and experts in their fields. We have had many
debates and chats on the subject. And all these people have said, studied,
documented, filmed, reserched, and have been to China for field studies.
etc, etc, etc. And all of them..for years, have all documented how bad it
is there. Read a book besides the N2 manuel for a change. We are talking
Human rights here bud. Not to be taken lighty.
But hey, a guy from Thrustmaster, or any other company would never bullshit
us, Heavens no.
Mr Cool.  There........flamebait.

Mr Bill

Well, you sure have a real love of the company.
-Kawasaki is in Japan. My mistake but you got the point. Petty comeback.
-Mexico is a democracy, for the most part. Slight differance from China.
-Rednecks are people who enjoy Cars, Trucks, Driving games, and steering
wheels.
Everyone on this group I guess.
Define Rednck for me..Everyone seems to have a different view of Redneck.
-Thanks for the geography lesson. Petty comeback.
-According to CH, they have taken 60% of your business away in the last 3
years.
That must hurt.....why are they taking away your customers? you tell me.
-In my city we are hard pressed to find TM stuff now. Mainly CH.
-I have the GP1, It is built cheap. IMO.
-I have no love of CH stuff or TM, I could care less about any large
company, just sell me quality stuff at good prices. Made in USA, UK, or
Canada.
Thats all. Oh..read the post I wrote to ET....He needs a job.

Mr Bill

Mr. Bill. amen brother! Buy Made in the USA!

"IF WE CONTINUE TO BUY IMPORTS WHERE WILL OUR CHILDREN WORK?
UnionMan

a>...

What does China have to do with .............never mind!??

You always seem facinated by my employment status (usually you're taking
pot shots at me for 'spending daddy's money' or something similar, but your
restraint here is quite a feat).  If you must know, I have been employed by
a local ISP since finishing grad school.  As a result I spend most of the
day on-line, it's part of the job.  If you were to post your e-mail address
I would have told you there, but instead you continue to hide behind 'Mr
Bill'.  

--

a>...

Blah, blah, blah....

Could you perhaps ask one of your esteemed friends to describe for you
the difference between China and Japan?  That minor detail seems to
have escaped you.

"Shithole" Kawasaki indeed....

Same disclaimer as before. These opinions are mine and mine alone and in no
way the opinions of ThrustMaster, Inc.

Blah, blah, blah. If you don't like the way China runs their country, don't go
there. Don't buy products made there. Try that. Try NOT buying a Chinese
single Chinese made product for the rest of your life. Good luck. The
factories ThrustMaster uses are all in Economic Free Zones. People travel from
across China to get a job in the factories ThrustMaster uses. They are clean,
workers get a place to live and better meals than other places in China. You
are confusing a lower standard of living with oppression. This forum is
supposed to be about driving simulations and related topics. This isn't
related at all. If you want to post about business practices you don't like,
go to the rec.IliketowhineabouttopicsIknownothing.about. They would love to
hear your diatribe. Or should I say tripe instead.

Flame on.

Steve Carter

PS. Why don't you get your *** back from your mother and post your real
email address. If you feel soooo strongly about a subject it seems you would
want people to be able to have an intelligent dialog offline.

Whatever Eric, And I work for Microsoft. But you seem to Flame bait just
like anyone.
And I do not post my Email because I have got viruses and bombed in the
past. And I do not need email from you, thanks anyway.
My problem is with the TM guy and TM itself. I do not have a problem with
you. You Flame bait yourself, So I flamed you with the Facts. So mind your
own.
Now lets Kiss and Make up OK.
Peace.

Mr Bill

<HTML><BODY>

<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>Mr. Bill. amen brother! Buy Made in the USA!&nbsp;
<BR>
<BR>&quot;IF WE CONTINUE TO BUY IMPORTS WHERE WILL OUR CHILDREN WORK?&nbsp;
<BR>UnionMan&nbsp;
<BR>

<BR>a&gt;...&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;The first T1 a bought at the store I had to bring back because it
was</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;broken out of the box. The one I got now is working but I know the</I>&nbsp;
<BR>springs&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;are getting loose.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Kind of shitty as I have only had the thing for 2 months.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Look on the bottom of the T1.......MADE IN CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Junk.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Just looked at the bottom of my CH stuff. MADE IN USA.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Love supporting Communism and Military Dictatorships Thrustmaster?</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;10 year old kids building your shit for pennies a day??? In the
shit hole</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;city Kawasaki. then sell it for 300% above cost to us.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Good business I guess, eh?&nbsp; Like Many other companies.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Food for thought my friends.</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;Mr Bill</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;</I>&nbsp;
<BR><I>&gt;</I>&nbsp;
</BLOCKQUOTE>
&nbsp;&nbsp; Mabye thats why they can afford the free replacement parts!&nbsp;
:)&nbsp;
<BR>
<BR>

</BODY>
</HTML>

I must say again that the customer service has been GREAT.  But I must
also say that I've always had two problems with the T2... The first
was the pots... they would always go after a month or two.  The second
was that I was afraid to "hammer" the pedal down... whether it was an
incident ahead of something of my own doing.... BOOM, the springs
would break.  I've gotten the new pedal springs and I must say that I
haven't broken them yet (only two weeks) and they look/feel solid.
But the potentiometers are another problem in itself.  Others may have
never had problems and I applaud you.  I'm not that fortunate and
haven't been.  
--
Take Care, Charlie