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03-24-2026LAST POST
I have really enjoyed just sitting here watching video.
While the pro simulators are fun, they don't hold a candle to real racing and I actually prefer iRacing over the expensive simulators.
Any simulator is going to have a disconnect but for some reason the Pro ones feel less "real" than iRacing to me. I think it is because you can't recreate the g's you feel when your racing in a simulator, so they compensate with a lot of herky-jerky movement. With the simple iRacing set-up you are just focusing on a few outputs and adjusting your inputs accordingly (IE: Wheel Feedback, Tire Noise and visuals). IMO that is more beneficial to real world skills.
But its still a lot of fun regardless
gdor wrotelmaoo the high quality setups are addicting for surePersonal take: Started sim racing… haven’t seen my friends since. Send help.
On the auto sim platforms, preferred Project Cars to Asetto Corsa.
In contrast, you can race at a very high level in the sim for a fraction of the cost. Plus, you don’t have to worry about some yahoo punting you off in real life and the time and money that goes into repairing the car. In a sim? Just restart and go again, lol.
As someone who does all the building, maintenance, and track prep on my own track and race cars, being able to hop into the sim and just drive is incredibly refreshing. No towing, no travel time—just sit down, load up your sim of choice, and you’re racing within 10 minutes.
With a good, properly set-up rig, you can get about 90% of the real-world experience in my opinion—maybe even more if you go with a motion system. But as close as it gets nowadays, it’s still not quite the same as being out there on a real track.
The vast amount of vehicles and driving experiences you can have on the sim is simply unmatched as well. Whether you're more casual or serious, there's something for everyone.
Shokh wroteNot sure about pricing in the EU, but the cheapest recommended way is a Logitech steering wheel and pedals (model depends on how you run your racing game - PC vs console). Clamping the wheel to the desk and sitting on a kitchen chair at your computer desk can work for starting.Just out of curiosity, what's a realistic amount of money to get started?
After that, I'd look into DIY building a simple rig to better hold the wheel and pedals (and you), or going with something like the Playseat Challenge.
That'll set you back $450-650 in the US (probably a bit more in EU), but assumes you have a PC or a console to run a sim game.
I have a mid-high tier setup and I'm about $4,000 in not including the PC (which I use for lots of other stuff).
