How crazy would I be to just jump right in?

[DMickeyG 0]

I've got an itch to get a new fast car or a motorcycle despite already having a good car for at least another few years and a desire to not kill myself.  I get bored of most games quickly but racing games have always kept me entertained (at a very amateur level).  I've recently gotten the idea that I can save quite a bit of money while holding off the itch to buy an expensive car by building a sim rig to cure the need for speed.

 

From the experts, would it be a horrible idea to just go all out (it's my style) and pick up a t500rs and an obutto r3volution at the start of my journey?  The obutto would also double as a sitting workstation as I am already using trip monitors at home and just built a data workhorse machine that can double as a mid-high level gaming platform. My career is in the data sciences so I already spend quite a bit of time staring at as much screen real estate as possible.  I currently use a treadmill desk but find myself wanting to sit down at the end of a long day.  This plan would prevent me from having to buy a new desk,office chair, and monitor mounts while curing my itch to spend money on a vehicle I don't need.  Using this flawed? logic, I am ultimately saving money over the next year while ensuring I get top notch equipment from the start (also preventing duplicate purchases as I inevitable upgrade).  

 

So, would it ultimately be a bad decision to drop the ~1500 bucks on this rig before I even dip my toes into the serious sim racing community?  I'm looking for a push either way.  Pretty sure I am getting the t500rs no matter what...but the rig is even pricier and a potential space hog.  

[PaulG 79]

Doesn't sound crazy to me. Although I think many of us in the sim community are serial tinkerers and a bit crazy to begin with. So you're among friends if you are.

[Jason Dunnington 25]

Yes you've came to the right place and Welcome Home! Ever since I found iRacing to get the multiplayer speedfreak out. I haven't had the need to go autocrossing last year, and only went 3 times the year before. I drive safer, I have a motorcycle as well and find I don't need to carve the corners as hard as I use to, to have fun. So I can also say sim racing has saved my life and money in more then one way for sure.  And now with the amount of good quality sim's in development this is the perfect time to get comfortable while racing besides being able to use it for other things, I do all my editing out of my rig then send it over to render on my other PC's. I hardly use my chair anymore.

 

Not just a push my friend, "Slap, Shove, Kick in the right direction!" DO IT, DO IT

 

J

[CaTaPulT 658]

This line you said above answers your own question..... "This plan would prevent me from having to buy a new desk,office chair, and monitor mounts while curing my itch to spend money on a vehicle I don't need."

Both your purchase choices (T500rs and Obutto R3volution) are good ones, I have both and am very pleased with them.

The fun that can be had through sim racing may out weigh a new car in many respects not to mention the savings and personal safety. Sim Racing costs nothing in real world expenses, fuel, insurance and of course, if you crash the car, hit reset and start again, no personal injuries, no pathetic car rental (Ford Fiesta, Chevy Spark, etc) for the next month while your car is getting fixed.

If you decide to go through with the Sim racing setup, just make sure you order the triple monitor arms when you order the R3volution, they are a option, also the acrylic table tops are handy, I have all of these.

Good luck with your decision.

Take care

 

Regards:  >>>> Jack <<<<

[Gunstar 615]

You don't NEED to drop the money on a T500RS and a R3v, you can always get a G27 and save $350 and the oZone and save $400. However that being said, if you have the extra scratch and are looking for a way to spend some of it, the R3v and the T500RS are fine choices, and upgrades that I have either made (T500) or would like to make (R3v) so I'd say go for it.

[TruePunisher 78]

Sounds like the situation I was in. I spent the money I was saving up for a track car on sim racing instead and I don't regret it. There are many "pros" and not very many "cons" with getting a sim rig.

 

If it is snowing I cant race a real car, but I can race my sim car. If it is midnight I cant race my real car, but I can race my sim car. If I hit a wall at 100 MPH in my real car I'm dead, but in my sim car I just look a little stupid and they give me a new car. 

 

Also, if you do plan to ever track a car, sim racing (using a sim not a game like Need for Speed) will give you a great learning ground so you can get the basic fundamentals before actually using up real fuel/tires/breaks/time.

 

I dove right in without trying anything other then Forza on Xbox 360 with a controller. Now I have a dedicated sim rig. I am happy I went with the sim rig over the real car.

[Superant78 0]

As you say, your logic is flawed. Instead of purchasing a car you dont need your thinking of getting a sim rig that you dont need?.  Where would you rather be on a warm spring afternoon?

[DMickeyG 0]

Superant78  - Depends on how you classify "need". I NEED something to fix the urge to go buy a new car.  I would prefer to wait 2-3 years on getting one as my current truck is 7 years in and still running like new.  Do I need a sim rig?  No.  Do I need something lest I go spend even more money?  Yes.  A proper sim rig seems to satisfy my desire for the lowest initial and ongoing cost. This is, unless I am overestimating the satisfaction of real sim racing.  I am very good at telling myself not to buy something because I don't need it.  But, I'm 3 years into constantly talking myself out of getting a new car.  It's time I do something for myself.  I also stated I NEED a new desk, chair, and monitor mounts for a sitting desk.  Price of all that already comes close enough to the price of the Obutto.  I'm actively defending a potential decision now - pretty sure I know what that means.  

 

Historically, I have only been into technical off-roading and couldn't care less about real-world fast cars .  Fortunately I can satisfy part of the desire to build out a new Jeep as well - unfortunately a computer can't come close to replicating the Rocky Mountain scenery.  

 

I don't think a G27 is going to satisfy me like a T500RS would - so, I'm going put in the extra money to make sure I am satisfied.  Pretty sure I've decided to just do it. Now, starting off with Asetta Corsa or iRacing?...hmm.  Hope to be able to find a group to teach the basics in the right way.  Back in the day, I played a ton of Need for Speed (before they went ridiculous), Gran Turismo, and Forza.  Literally the only games I could play for longer than 30 minutes.

 

Thanks for all the comments - every single one was quite helpful.  This seems like a great community - let's hope I don't (or do?) give it an opportunity to pick up some cheap hardly used gear.

[Darin Gangi 1,074]

The community here including myself and the ISR team will be more than happy to help teach you all the basics. You definitely came tot he right place to get started. Besides the gear, what's your PC like ?

[DMickeyG 0]

i7 4770k

16gb ddr3

Radeon r9 270

Currently running 2 27" 2560x1440 and two 24" 1920x1080

My plan is to pull the two lower res monitors to combine with a 3rd for the rig. The 270 should be able to run that on at least mid level graphics. I will probably wait about a year and upgrade that.

[Ricky Davies 326]

Yep! happy to help with basics when i can . A lot to learn coming from console to PC it's a totally different experience. Welcome to ISR also you made the right choice on coming here

 

CHEERS!

[Sim Racing Jason 107]

Blow it if you can afford it then just do it mate.

Jason.

[FannBlade 188]

Yes you've came to the right place and Welcome Home!

I think that about sums it up.

iRacing only for me,but others are doing more then 1 sim.

When your rig is built,immediately start an upgrade fund....for all the cool addons you will want later!!

Looks like you just need to pickup a third monitor and you will be ready to go.

Don't forget to start a build log for all of us to enjoy. (post link here)

Welcome aboard!

[Wumps 0]

I'm in a similar situation, paid off my vehicle, have disposable income, and the itch for going fast. So I renewed my iRacing membership, picked up a TX Wheel (I have the Xbone) and lucked into 3 24" monitors. Looking at rigs now and weighing my options. 

 

iRacing and the other sims are fun, but it's not the same as running a track toy. So now I'm shopping 125cc Karts, plan on picking one up this winter to be ready for next years racing season brand new and all in, I will still end up at about half the cost of cars I was considering. With a 0-60 in the 4 second range, running 70mph or better 2 inches off the ground pulling 1.5g or more in a corner will be pretty exciting too. Just somthing to consider YMMV

[Never_Too_Fast 3]

Not crazy but carzy JK.

I jumped straight in and it may mean that you aren't the best... Don't worry, I have been racing for over a year and still suck. First try an easy sim like AC and then move on. I started with iRacing and boy it was hard. Take care

Never_Too_Fast.

[DMickeyG 0]

UPDATE:

 

So, I've spent the past few weeks going back and forth on the purchase.  I was leaning towards not doing it but this morning I decided to just take the plunge - so I put the order in through Main Performance. No turning back now...I'm glad I no longer have the decision weighing me down.  I got the whole shibang with the table tops and triple monitor mount.  Haven't quite taken the plunge on the T500RS as I may still attempt to cheap out and go with the g27.   Decided to start with Asetta Corsa so I downloaded the beta...and quickly realized how much it sucks with a controller.  I'll play again when I need the motivation to drop 600 on the t500 and shifter.  Unfortunately, I also downloaded Microsoft Flight and am getting the itch to spend even more money on the Warthog .  I should be able to talk myself out of that one though.

 

As I prep the install location, I was wondering if someone could help me out with dimensions.  My plan is to have the monitor stand in a shallow closet with closable curtain door (to hide the shame ) but I can't find dimensions on the sleds....just overall length.  Would someone be able to measure for me?  Looking for the depth of the sleds on the monitor mount as well as the pedal base.