Want a first wheel! Help!

[nmx]

Hey all!

I'm a casual gamer, I don't game 24/7 but I do enjoy gaming ! The same applys for racing games, i'm not a die hard sim racer but I do enjoy playing LFS! And so, i'd like to get a wheel.

But the problem is, the pricing. Ideally, I want a G25 - and I've got the money for one but A) I don't know if i'd be allowed to spend that amount on it! (£150) B) This would be my first proper wheel, the only other wheel i've had was on PS1 and it was to say the least, bad.

So the thought of blowing £150 on such a god damn beautiful wheel to then not really use it worries me! So ideally I just want to pick up a wheel dirt cheap (pref max £20! :shrug:) to see if a wheel is for me. But whilst paying that minimal amount, I want a wheel which is going to be half decent and representative of what it is to use a proper wheel.

So i'd like force feedback, and more than 90 degrees of rotation - something that's actually quite decent and not tack.

Now I know there's the MOMO, DFP etc etc but on ebay these are all quite expensive when what i'm after is merely a test product rather than a full time product (would hopefully upgrade to G25 if all was well! :thumb:)

So can anyone help me on this? I want a good wheel for £20~ basically, something to give me a good introduction to wheel gaming. For now, it doesn't have to be PS3 compatible - just PC.

My second idea, is anyone actually looking to sell a wheel quite cheap? (MOMO, DFP?) I'm down in Dorset, so it'd be nice to buy one localish but maybe shipping could be arranged?)

Thanks all! Hopefully you can sort it out with something! :D

[shaun463]

Id recomend a sidewinder

[Jakg]

Link to my wheel guide in my sig.

[nmx]

Okay so after Shaun's suggestion, and reading your guide JakG, the Sindwinder is appealing to me most currently - as it's the cheapest I can find on eBay (still not as cheap as i'd like tho!! :P)

Is this wheel a nice wheel to use?

Also are all the USB wheels FF? As i've found one on eBay but it doesn't state whether it's FF or not. How do you tell?

[duke_toaster]

It's Jakg's guide, but I rewrote it for the manual :p

EDIT : I have a DFP, but I can't use all the time (long story), it's a nice wheel. A friend of mine has a Saitek R-something, there's a 4 in there somewhere. It's cheap and nasty but works, but I've only used it once.

[nmx]

It's Jakg's guide, but I rewrote it for the manual :p

EDIT : I have a DFP, but I can't use all the time (long story), it's a nice wheel. A friend of mine has a Saitek R-something, there's a 4 in there somewhere. It's cheap and nasty but works, but I've only used it once.

Fair do's.

So is the Saitek one actually any good at all? Was it the R440 possibly?

Just tried Microsoft Sidewinder Dual Strike as wheel! Interesting to say the least, but not super fun - still need a wheel! :P

[Mr.549]

Try a momo its 100 USD but its very good.(note the pedals dont work with lfs)

[nmx]

Try a momo its 100 USD but its very good.(note the pedals dont work with lfs)

100 USD ~ £50, way over what I want to spend as this is a first wheel as a test - not for ever.

And if the pedals dont work with LFS, then that really is a no. (But surely they must? Loooads of people use MOMO's for LFS :O)

[Jakg]

Try a momo its 100 USD but its very good.(note the pedals dont work with lfs)Erm, what? Course the bloody pedals work with LFS. Why wouldn't they? :really:

[nmx]

I've found someone selling a Logitech Formula Vibration Wheel - what's this like? He's asking for £15, but i'll try for £10 as it seems to much at £15.

Is this worth getting? Or is it going to be really bad? Advise me ! :thumb:

[duke_toaster]

Fair do's.

So is the Saitek one actually any good at all? Was it the R440 possibly?

Ah yes, the R440. It's like a Lada - remotely functional, but if you can get any better, do. 360 of lock, no sequential stick but it has paddles, but a little clunky.

[viper-2007]

I am not a full time gamer but i just went for it and got a g25 i was tight so its not like i can waste money but i think that it is CRAP i am finding it hard to get used to and while ur learning its really frustrating!:chairs:

defiently not worth it dont bother with one:schwitz:

[stry90dis]

I use a Logitech Formula Vibration Feedback wheel. Its cheap, simple and precise enough, easy to remove and place. I believe it costed me 35 euro's. There's nothing to complain about for that price and very well suited as a first wheel.

[The Moose]

Get the Sidewinder wheel. It's far better than any of the cheap saitek or logitech wheels. If your going for anything less than a DFP then the Sidewinder is the only choice worth having imho.

[Mazz4200]

Just to add to the confusion i'd also recommend the Thrustmaster Ferrari wheels. Not sure of the exact names of them, but they're the older ones with the silver face plates. Very good and strong force feedback and because they are belt driven and not cog driven they're really precise (and a bit quieter). I've seen them on ebay for 20 quid or less.

It's actually quite a good idea getting a cheap wheel at first and seeing if all this driving sim stuff is your kettle of fish. It'd be a shame to fork out £150 on a G25 to find out you don't like sim racing. But if you do get the hook then you can easily move up to the G25 in a few months time.

[nmx]

I am not a full time gamer but i just went for it and got a g25 i was tight so its not like i can waste money but i think that it is CRAP i am finding it hard to get used to and while ur learning its really frustrating!:chairs:

defiently not worth it dont bother with one:schwitz:

Any comments on this? Doesn't sound to good! :(

Just to add to the confusion i'd also recommend the Thrustmaster Ferrari wheels. Not sure of the exact names of them, but they're the older ones with the silver face plates. Very good and strong force feedback and because they are belt driven and not cog driven they're really precise (and a bit quieter). I've seen them on ebay for 20 quid or less.

It's actually quite a good idea getting a cheap wheel at first and seeing if all this driving sim stuff is your kettle of fish. It'd be a shame to fork out £150 on a G25 to find out you don't like sim racing. But if you do get the hook then you can easily move up to the G25 in a few months time.

Okay i'll look into them, thanks!

Right now I'm leaning towards Sidewinder, but we'll see wot these Thrustmasters look like too. :thumb:

[Jamesisinthehouse12]

Just tell your parents it will improve your "gear shifting" and get the G25!!! :P

[Jamesisinthehouse12]

Just tell your parents it will improve your "gear shifting" and get the G25!!! :P
The G25 OWNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :thumb::D

[Dajmin]

Ah yes, the R440. It's like a Lada - remotely functional, but if you can get any better, do. 360 of lock, no sequential stick but it has paddles, but a little clunky.
ROFL, if only.
I use a R440 and it's only around 180 degrees of lock :)
It has a horrible notch right in the centre as well so driving in a straight line is nearly impossible in some places (like the Blackwood straight). One of the other problems I have is that it only has 4 buttons, so if you assign look left, look right and pit limiter you're almost out of options.

I like the feel of the pedals though and the FFB is pretty good. It was the best FFB wheel I could afford at the time. If I was a hardcore LFSer I'd have a G25 by now.

But definitely go for the MOMO or DFP long before this. My little brother has a Driving Force EX which is probably a better choice for about the same money (but wasn't around when I got mine).

[hardcoreobscure]

I am not a full time gamer but i just went for it and got a g25 i was tight so its not like i can waste money but i think that it is CRAP i am finding it hard to get used to and while ur learning its really frustrating!:chairs:

defiently not worth it dont bother with one:schwitz:

I am definitely not a full time gamer either. I got my G25 yesterday and I find it an absolute joy to use.

I found it easiest to jump into a car similar to what I drive in RL (the FXO) and drive around slowly, then gradually build up speed. Maybe you should give that a try Viper.

I loved my DFP, but the move up to the G25 just adds so much more immersion. The best way I can explain is that it feels a lot more like I'm actually driving and less like I'm playing a game with the G25; previously I used a DFP. If you can afford it, it really is worth it and breathes new life into lfs.

[viper-2007]

I am definitely not a full time gamer either. I got my G25 yesterday and I find it an absolute joy to use.

I found it easiest to jump into a car similar to what I drive in RL (the FXO) and drive around slowly, then gradually build up speed. Maybe you should give that a try Viper.

I loved my DFP, but the move up to the G25 just adds so much more immersion. The best way I can explain is that it feels a lot more like I'm actually driving and less like I'm playing a game with the G25; previously I used a DFP. If you can afford it, it really is worth it and breathes new life into lfs.

ye i have been going sideways and spinning alot since i got it but yesterday something werid happend suddenly i started getting control and going fast on my first run of bl gp in a xgf i got a 1.41 noraml for me but then the times kept dropping 1.38 1.37 and then a 1.36 i am pretty amazed now but still hopeing for that magical 1.34-35:thumb:

[nmx]

Could anyone tell me how many degrees of rotation the Sidewinder has?

Will it be alright for all cars in LFS?

[shaun463]

Yes it will be fine :)

It has 240 degrees of rotation :)

[nmx]

Yes it will be fine :)

It has 240 degrees of rotation :)

Thanks! :) Also, does it have gear paddles? If not, how do you shift up/down?

[JO53PHS]

ye i have been going sideways and spinning alot since i got it but yesterday something werid happend suddenly i started getting control and going fast on my first run of bl gp in a xgf i got a 1.41 noraml for me but then the times kept dropping 1.18 1.17 and then a 1.16 i am pretty amazed now but still hopeing for that magical 1.34-35:thumb:

Just start with the more controllable FWD cars and then work up to the more powerful RWD cars.

If you buy a new wheel and jump straight into a FOX for example, you're probably going to spin on every corner :shrug:

[nmx]

Okay i've just won a bid for a Sidewinder Force Feedback on ebay! :D

Max price im paying is £20.50 but i've got to wait for the seller to calculate courier cost, so it could be less! :)

Hopefully I made a good choice! :thumb: