rec.autos.simulators

Drivers:

Here is my 2 cents on why I would buy a TSW!!  First off in my
opinion you have 3 choices when it comes to buying a wheel for
your racing sim.  Thrustmaster (low End), TSW (Middle/Upper),
and ECCI (Out of Sight).  I really doubt that anyone would ever
wear out either the TSW or the ECCI, but I will assure if you
purchase a THRUSTMASTER you should always buy 2.  The
TM PRO WHEEL that I have brakes both spring about every
60 days.  So having the extra wheel is necessary if you are TM
owner.  Now 2 TM wheels cost about $300.  Now you can buy a
single basic TSW for the same $300.00.  But with wheel  purchase there
is one other consideration.  Its called 6 year Life Cycle Cost of the
Product.  With the TSW lets say you replace the pots each
2 year.

So the 6 Year Life Cycle cost are:

TSW - $300 purchase price and repair to factory and frieght 3
times at $30.00 a trip.  Total cost of a TSW of 6 years is $390.00.
Downtime is about 1.5 months!!!

TM PRO - $150 purchase price and repair to factory and 6 times
a year or 30 trips over 6 years at $30.00 a trip is $900.00.  Total
cost of the TM PRO Wheel is $1150.00. Downtime is
2 weeks downtime 6 times per year or 12 weeks a year times
6 years is 72 weeks travel time.  So you are actually unable to
race about 1.2 years.

Summary TSW is $390.00 and $TM PRO is $1150

My Choice - Thomas Super Wheel.

Trevor I hope my endor***t doesnt hurt your business!!!

Don Wilshe, SHRA
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

PS.    CH PRODUCTS is ok, but I dont like the throw on the
pedals.  How do you guys drive with those Pedals!!!!!

PSS.  I have a T2 and TM PRO WHEEL available cheap
any takers!!!!!

Hi Don,
            Just a couple of comments regarding your above
findings.....
Firstly, i have had a Nascar Pro wheel for over 6 months and yes, the
springs will break, but $30.00 dollars a trip to repair???
Thrustmaster will send out replacement springs free of charge and i
can't see why i should have to send it back to the factory to get new
springs put in, when i can do it myself in about 20 minutes...
Also one doesn't have to be a mental giant to be able to change springs
in a Thrustmaster wheel, so the intelligence factor of the owner does
not come into account.
So that leaves $150.00 for a TM Pro, with FREE replacement parts total
= $150.00 for 6 years...
Ok, i'll grant you down time might be slightly less with a TSW, but not
enough to warrant the extra dollars spent...
Down time of 12 weeks per year??  Either you are extraordinarily
useless or are just too slack to bother fixing and maintaining your own
steering wheel.
I can see about 2 spring replacements a year, and a bit of normal
maintenance which  comes to about 40 minutes a year down time, and i
save myself $150.00 dollars in the process.
Don't get me wrong, i'm not knocking TSW, but not everyone can afford
to spend the asking price of those, and dearer products.
Thrustmaster, while maybe not up to everyone's standards, have
developed and stood by a reasonable quality wheel, suited to a lot of
people who can not justify the added expense of a TSW etc...
Down here in Australia we are limited to what products are available,
and Thrustmaster has always supported and stood by it's customers.
To me, that's good enough reason to give them my support.
Cheers and good racing, from a happy Thrustmaster customer.
Ron Ayton

Another Good Point, But I cant put in the springs!!!!

Guess that leaves me out.  Im not that smart or mechanical..  I coulduse
you to repair mine in my town!!!!! hehe

He He  .. Not for me..  But I agree for some others!!!

2 X realy isnt that much..

I am extraordinary useless I guess compared to you. Why should ihave to fix
my own wheels.  I bought  a product that should work
not somthing that I have to rebuild!!!

I wish that was true.  I have had to replace the springs 2 now in 4
monthsmaybe I drive more than you!!!

Come on now.. Spoil yourself.  You are talking about a $350.00wheel vs a
$150.00.  Extra $200.00 for something that you will use
at least 1000 hours a year!!  I think I am woth it!!!

ok

He He.. I guess if you are in australia you cant send the wheel back as
the freight would be about $100 a trip..  hehe

I am truely happy you love your TM. It just dont work for me,,

Don Wilshe!!!

$1150 haha.

It just might. I'm about ready to dog him on this BS adverti***t :-)

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I dont know where you guys get the $150.00 price for TM Pro.   I paid
$99.00 at best buy.  $30.00 instant rebate of the $129.00 price.

Also... springs are easy to replace.  20 minutes max.  The bungees in
the wheel are much harder to replace.  Helps to have an extra set of
small hands around.

I do agree with Don (god check the temperature in hell) =)   That the
TSW and ECCI are the class of the field.  If you are a serious sim racer
and want top quality.... no doubt about it the TSW is the only way to
go...  Unless of course you can go the extra $$ and get the ECCI (I know
very little about this wheel other than reputation).

Ive had my TM Pro since Christmas this past year and have had only to
replace the gas pedal spring once.   I did replace the original bungees
with stronger ones which TM sent me free within 14 days.  They seem to
be much improved... as well as the new springs.
The new springs have a better feel to them  IMHO.   So far they have
held up fine... so time will tell on the improved durability.

Scott
PA-Scott

Rev:

Don Wilshe

Rev:

Just buy TM F1's if $$$ are concerned. You can get them around $50 at the
right times. I've seen them go for $30 at Comp USA once. I buy in fours so
every dollar is important. I'd need $1200 on TSW wheels. I'm sure their fine
but I make sure never to try them just so I don't get the itch for one.

I've physically abused the F1's, I also drill a hole in the case so I can
dab some lube on the steering pot from time to time to stop spiking some
pots have. If the wheel gets loose you can tighten the bung cord up a bit if
you like. I'm going on a couple years now and their still looking quite
strong for another two at least.

The hand grips have some benefits over foot pedals, and honestly I can't
find a benefit that foot pedals have over hand grips. But I'm still trying
to broaden my horizons... :)

Hopefully we'll see a F1 with force feedback someday.

QBM

R:

Don you have to realize sometimes people get lemons. Yours must be a lemon.
I'll definitely go on the record and state the many TM's are buggy from the
get go. I deal with F1's and I've had to return 3 of them for various
quality reasons. But once you get a good one they seems good for years. So
to all readers make sure you have a perfectly working TM unit from the start
otherwise return it for a replacement.

QBM

R:

Me either. I know some damn good sim racers using TM products and I always
recommend to my clients the best price/perform. products each and every
time. You would have to be a racing god before I'd recommend the TSW based
on the price. Maybe somebody like Reggie White would get the nod since he'd
probably snap the poor little wheel off the TM's. But Reggie White's are few
and far between for me.

QBM

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UK.

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Fair enough. I would go with Rev's wooden block suggestion.

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Greg Cisko wrote

Hmmm, is Don making this because somebody named Trevor is now PlaytestOr for
Burnout ?? (Tee Hee you know Don I'm joking, but still...) ;-)

Btw I'm still searching the link on Bethesda's webpage about the e-mail you
sent me (thanks also).

- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard> Good race at the Brickyard, (-o-)
- Official Mentally retarded guy of r.a.s.
- Member of the r.a.s. Ego-maniac club
- Excuse me for my English (I'm French speaking)
- Excuse me for being provocative (I'm dumb speaking)
- "People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."--