rec.autos.simulators

Having just received NASCAR 2 for Christmas, I was wondering how this
steering wheel would work with it.  I know the T2 is supposed to be
better, but cash is low.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Aaron

Don't know about the Per4mer wheel, but the Mad Catz wheel is another
less expensive alternative to the T2.  The construction is much lighter
than the T2 and it has a weird 3/4 wheel with nine buttons and a hat
switch.  Control response however is very smooth and I prefer the feel
of the Mad Catz pedals over those of the T2.  I bought mine yesterday at
Circuit City - $69.99.  Don't know about support - Thrustmaster support
is excellent according to other posters here.

I used a home built wheel and pedal setup until yesterday when a friend
came over and talked me out of it.  I went shopping planning to buy a
Thrustmaster GP1 or T2, but everyone was sold out and I was going
through Nascar withdrawal - so I got the Mad Catz.  It's not a T2 but it
will do until I can build another setup.

Rick

It really is.  I just got off the phone with their service department (Dave
helped me) due to a broken throttle spring.  He didn't give me the run
around or ask me a million questions, but was immediately said he'd get me
new springs.  I asked if I could drive over (only 40 miles or so from
them), and he said it was OK.  He even offered to still mail them to me to
save me the trip.  He gave excellent directions to get to their facility,
BTW.

---
()  http://www.pacifier.com/~dtuso           ()  Dominic Tuso
()  http://www.nicad.com/                    ()  For you NiCd needs
()  http://www.teleport.com/~cramark         ()  R/C car racing club
()  http://www.teleport.com/~lzwz/rcsr.htlml ()  R/C car racing club

Don't DON'T buy a Per4mer Turbo Wheel .....................DON'T

My wife bought me one for my Birthday last year... it lasted a week..

I will be glad to send you mine for free if you pay shipping..... but
hurry its on the way to the dumpster!!!!!!!!

I've had 2 of them.  I paid 80 bucks for the first piece of ***
and 2 months later it was half the price.

EB  replaced it for me after about a month and 1/2 after buying it (very
nice of them), after I wore it out.

The second one, I took apart and greased the moving parts (it's plastic
with a metal ball that is used to return the wheel to center). That causes
a lot of friction between the ball and the plastic.  It has lasted 6
months or so but I recently gave it up for regular analog joystick. I will
buy a T2 with my tax return

I'm also using CH pedals.  They are  awesome and have lasted a long time
so far.

Mike Lewis

                                                 Jimmy McKinley
                                                 #12 WilBoo
Computers                                                        
Pontiac
                                          Tidewater NASCAR Modem Series

--
Chuck Stuart - Mesquite TX USA  
RaceTime utility program for Nascar1/Indycar2.  
http://www.metronet.com/~cstuart/

I've been using a CH VPPro wheel and pedal combo for a year. Never even a
hint of a problem yet. I too love the CH pedals. They forced me to learn to
left foot brake, something I had a hard time with in real life. I'm
extremely happy with the reliability but...the wheel does have some
shortcomings:

I had to rig up a wood bracket to mount the CH wheel at the desired angle. I
had to seriously beef up the mounting so I wouldn't rip it off the table as
I was turning. Since it's really a flight yoke, I had to use a hose clamp to
keep it back all of the time so it wouldn't move in and out as I was
driving. It has a centering notch that can bother you when your trying to be
super smooth at a track like Dega (I think this is more of a mental rather
than physical problem).

The buttons on the wheel work flawlessly. It also has hat switches within
thumbs length. Sure wood be neat if the hat switches could be used to modify
pit settings.

When I get rich and can afford a better wheel, I think I'll skip the
Thrustmaster T2 and go to one of the high end units. I don't want to upset
any T2 users but I've seen too many posts that read like..."Thrustmaster is
great! Why, they've fixed my T2 five times this year and they are nice
guys!". I have no idea how good the CH support is because I've never needed
it.

Mike Radler

--
Ed

: } Don't know about support - Thrustmaster support
: }is excellent according to other posters here.

: It really is.  I just got off the phone with their service department (Dave
: helped me) due to a broken throttle spring.  He didn't give me the run

I wish I could say the same. My T2 (6 months old) gas pedal spring broke
about a week ago and I:

- called a number of times (only ever got busy signals or a voice mail box)
  a left a couple of messages desribing my problem and how to get ahold of
  me.

- e-mailed Thrustmaster's service dept. with a full description of my
  problem, along with my phone number, e-mial address, and street address.

I've not yet been contacted. Did they ( Thrustmaster) get washed out in
all the ice, rain and snow in Portland?

: around or ask me a million questions, but was immediately said he'd get me
: new springs.  I asked if I could drive over (only 40 miles or so from
: them), and he said it was OK.  He even offered to still mail them to me to
: save me the trip.  He gave excellent directions to get to their facility,
: BTW.

: ---
: ()  http://www.pacifier.com/~dtuso           ()  Dominic Tuso
: ()  http://www.nicad.com/                    ()  For you NiCd needs
: ()  http://www.teleport.com/~cramark         ()  R/C car racing club
: ()  http://www.teleport.com/~lzwz/rcsr.htlml ()  R/C car racing club

--
Chris Hook

I am not really sure why they haven't.  I went down there on New Year's Eve
and the roads looked really bad.  On my way back home, there were many mud
slides reported as well as roads blocked due to high water.  I might have
gotten a lot worse out in their neck of the woods.  Luckily I live in a
higher area without a mountain around to worry about sliding down onto me.

---
()  http://www.pacifier.com/~dtuso           ()  Dominic Tuso
()  http://www.nicad.com/                    ()  For you NiCd needs
()  http://www.teleport.com/~cramark         ()  R/C car racing club
()  http://www.teleport.com/~lzwz/rcsr.htlml ()  R/C car racing club

Nope....just a flood of calls from the holiday shopping season!<G>  We
definitely underestimated the rush this year, and are Very, VERY Busy.
We're trying to get everyone taken care of as best we can tho'!  The best
time to call for the Service Dept. is probably in the morning at 8:00AM
Pacific Time, sharp.  Their phone # is (503)615-3202...make sure you call
them if you just need replacement parts or if you have something physically
broken that needs to be sent in, as the tech support que has a much longer
wait, and once it's found that you need a replacement part, you'd be
transfered over to Service anyway!

Gotta Go....phone calls to answer! ;-)

Matt
ThrustMaster, Inc.

Don't buy it, it's a very cheaply made, low quality wheel.  I'd advise
you to spend a few extra $$$ and get a Thrustmaster GP1.  It's very
solidly made, feels great to drive with, and it has TM's rock solid
customer support behind it.  Later on when you have some extra money,
you can add a set of CH Pedals for about $40 and have a really nice
racing setup.

David

*** You're only young once, but you can stay immature forever ***