I purchased a Fanatec Porsche 911 GT3 RS V2 from Fanatec's US web shop, and upon unboxing, it was immediately clear that the left paddle shifter was mechanically defective. Unlike the right hand one which is nice and stiff and responds quite pleasantly to being depressed, the left hand one was completely loose and gave minimal feedback upon being clicked. When I mounted the aluminum paddles to the buttons, this was even more apparent. It was as if that left paddle had been used and abused for several years, and was starting to go... clearly defective.

I then raced online with a friend for 3-4 hours to test the wheel, and though at that point, the left paddle was usable (registering clicks), it didn't feel good or normal, the way the right hand one did. But, after a couple of hours of racing, as I was leading the race, the wheel suddenly stopped responding! Wasn't providing steering input and there was no FFB (obviously, that was the end of my race as I went straight into the wall). I power cycled the wheel, and it started responding again. I spent some time reading through the manual, searching for cases of this online, etc... eventually, we got back into racing, and after some time (45 minutes to an hour), same thing happened again.

Some days later, I sent a detailed description of the problem to the Fanatec support e-mail address (e-support@fanatec.com), following their guidelines (invoice, serial number, etc..), except I couldn't really reproduce the problem in a meaningful way in a video, so I explained that as well. I promptly received the automated response.

Several days went by, no response...

So I then went to the US web shop, confirmed that there was a 30 day return policy, and filled out the online RMA form. I submitted it, but a few minutes later I got a bounced e-mail report from some e-mail server in Germany with the RMA details included. It seems that their RMA form simply sends an e-mail to "tg@pk-ware.de" (some German IT company), but that address isn't valid!

So I went back online and found, in multiple places, references to the e-mail address for the US web shop, listed everywhere as "webshop.us@endor.ag". So I forwarded the RMA bounced e-mail to that address. Minutes later, I get a bounce... apparently that address listed everywhere isn't valid! So I then go searching to see if someone somewhere has the correct address for their US web shop... well, I found a vague hint of a "webshop.usa@endor.ag" address one some site... so I tried to resend my e-mail there. No bounce this time... fingers crossed.

To my delight, the next day, I got an answer from "SupportAgent-ger2@fanatec.com". In that answer, "Johannes Kirsch" writes:



I was a bit surprised that the only solution I was being offered was to do surgery on my brand new wheel that was already damaged on arrival, and that after having filled out an RMA request. I was not being offered to replace the wheel or to return it for a full refund (under the 30 day return policy). I'm also a bit shocked that the wheel can only be used for 90 minutes at a time... I wish that was clearly indicated on the web pages describing the wheel... I think a few of us, myself included, would think twice about buying an input device you can only use for a limited period of time before requiring a cool down. I have a Logitech G25 that I've been using for the last 5-6 years, and that wheel can be driven non-stop without requiring any cool down in my experience. So I certainly didn't expect that issue.

I then responded asking whether the new PCB and frame would replace the actual left shifter button and it's obviously damaged internal spring (PCB doesn't imply that and frame is a bit vague). I also asked a few questions with regards to the overheating issue and asked for some tips/suggestions as to how to minimize or avoid the overheating (maybe lower some FFB settings).

I sent that last e-mail three days before Christmas, so when I didn't receive an immediate answer, I figured that I might as well wait until early January to followup, as they might well all be off. Well, January arrives, and still no response... so I sent an e-mail (with the whole thread included) to that webshop address, the one that initially got me a response... I immediately get an automated reply from both the webshop address and the support address, so clearly they got it... two more weeks go by, still no answer. So I then sent an e-mail to the main support address (with the whole thread included of course), get the automated response... three days have gone by, still no response!

I tried calling the phone number listed on their site for the US Web Shop a few weeks ago, after navigating an IVR, it rang for a bit and went to voicemail. So I left a voicemail, briefly describing the issue and giving them my number for a callback... obviously they didn't call back. There's a German phone number given for their support line, but they only open two hours per day, and if you're on the US west coast as I am, it's basically only open in the middle of the night (and frankly, I'm not convinced that it wouldn't just go to voicemail given my current experience with Fanatec).

To make matter's worse, after about 8-10 hours of use, the left shifter paddle button in question, developed the annoying habit of not reporting about one click out of 10... so you arrive into a turn, downshift, and several times a lap you end up one gear up as you turn in for the apex. I can no longer put in a competitive lap time as a result.

A this point, and it's been month since their first and only response, I don't know what to do. I've tried to reach them everyway I know (minus the middle of the night phone call). Not only can't I get any support out of them, but I can't even return the product for a refund or a replacement. If their products where available for purchase from third parties, at least I'd most likely have the option of successfully returning the product, but with Fanatec, you buy directly from them, and then you have to pray you don't get a lemon it seems...

Anyone out there have some advice on how to reach them or get their attention?

Yikes, okay well this is not good, for one have you kept the emails that bounced in your inbox incase you need to supply evidence? i wouldn't let up until you got a replacement or refund, im taking it they have now pushed you over the 30 day return period?
I wouldn't advise taking apart the wheel like they have suggested unless you are sure you know what you are doing, even if its simple to replace, if you don't know what you are doing things can still go wrong.
It seems they are getting your messages they just aren't replying, the customer service it seems isn't too great, over here in the UK we have a program called Watchdog, basically you can just give your problem to them and they usually can help sort it, aswell as giving you fire power to give against the company in question, its worked for me as they dont want bad publicity.

I'm not the most technical minded but please hold tight there are a few guys here who definatly know what they are doing!

You can only use it for 90 min at a time???

WTF

Used my Fanatec Porsche 911 GT3 RS last night for 5 hr.. no problems at all. Using it daily for over two months now and got no issues for so far. Love this wheel.

Gogol, did you have any progress with contacting Fanatec?

When working on my review of the wheel I noted the same thing for the 911 Turbo S wheel(it's in the manual, but not mentioned on the site). I think the issue has to do with overheating of the FFB and vibration motors (just a guess). If you crank up the FFB and vibration to really high levels, after awhile the cooling fans in the wheel housing turn on to a high level (quite noisy). Perhaps if they can't keep the temps under control, the wheel's motors have a thermal cutoff. But according to Fanatec, that limit is very conservative. Still, disquieting to see in the manual, after spending all that cash.

I've run SimHQ 2.5 hour endurance races (many of them), to include about an hour before the race of practice and qualifying. Despite driving/racing for 3-4 hours in a session, never had a problem. However, I keep my FFB and vibration levels lower (around 33%) and crank up the in-game FFB settings. Gives me the feel I need, w/out any overpowering responses.

Bummer about the customer service. In my Fanatec tech support encounter (a thread elsewhere in this forum), I too had Johannes Kirsch as my support rep. No problems, and quick support despite being well outside the warranty window. Perhaps the shifter issue is harder for them to diagnose than my relatively simple circuit board failure on my Clubsport Pedals.

The support solution offered is probably faster than shipping the entire wheel back for RMA, then re-shipping it to you, but I agree that for a new purchase, out-of-the-box problem, that isn't the best customer care gameplan. An RMA and a new unit would seem to be the standard solution (I would think).

One question: Have you been replying with the same e-mail thread, or have you been starting new e-mails for each inquiry? Don't know if that makes a difference, but new e-mails might cause confusion when sorting for support priority. My entire conversation w/ tech support was one long, continuous set of Re/Re/Re on one e-mail. Seemed to work in my case.

Good luck in your future conversation w/ tech support.

It took from mid-September 2010 to mid-November until my GT3 wheel and Clubsport brake issues were resolved. I had to upload videos of the problems. They sent new parts for the pedals that I had to replace (no problem for me to do that) and they replaced the GT3 - I was instructed to cut off the cable from the bad GT3 and I dumped it in the garbage.

I bought a G27...

Try this email address for Armin Habermann @ Fanatec -
From: Armin Habermann [mailto:ah@endor.ag]


Edit - Oh, and I am able to also use the Fanatec GT3 for the SimHQ endurance races and never had a time-limit problem. I don't turn the FFB up very much, though... 3-4 hours racing has never been a problem with my GT3.



Wrecking Crew

Gogol, that is a harrowing story. Nightmare indeed!

I've been plotting a return to sim racing as soon as rF2 lands (in full) and have been eying Fanatec's Clubsport Pedals and the upcoming Clubsport Wheel to replace the trusty but crusty G25. In fact, I've been ready to pull the trigger on the CSPs several times in the past months, but have held back at the last moment on account of the myriad nightmare stories about Fanatec support that I find everywhere I look.

More recently, I was somewhat encouraged by Fanatec's purported commitment towards improving their support situation ... that plus Chunx's tale elsewhere in this forum ... and thought it might be time after all. But, reading your post, I think we are back to square one (boy am I glad I didn't yet pull the trigger). There is simply no way one can justify dropping the better part of a grand on the CSP + CSW combo if there is a chance to be stuck with lemons without recourse.

Gogol, do keep us posted on how this evolves.

Meanwhile, folks, what are some good alternatives when moving up from Logitech's wares? I'm thinking the TM T500 to start with, and perhaps a future upgrade to the CST pedals? Any other ideas?

At about the time of my initial post to this topic, I tried sending another response directly to the e-mail address of the support guy (Johannes Kirsch) who had sent me the initial response. Despite having not yielded anything the first time round, I couldn't think of any other option, having tried all the alternatives I knew of. A week after I sent that e-mail, I received a response.

Unfortunately, the response was less helpful than the initial one. With regards to the overheating problem, he just re-iterated the same thing as the first time, and with regards to my defective left shifter button, he suggested that I make a video so that they could assess whether the problem was within their tolerance. I responded, explaining that a video would not help as the problem is almost only noticeable from a tactile perspective. I also explained that the left shifter button was no longer consistently reporting all clicks to Windows, ultimately the biggest problem the wheel has, given that this is what makes it impossible to put in a competitive lap time.

Three business days later, I received another response (the third in total):



The way I had answered his previous e-mail, is the same way I've been responding to e-mails for 20 years, and the same way I responded to his very first e-mail: his response quoted, and my responses inserted in context within his quoted e-mail (with appropriate spacing applied, to make it easy to differentiate the two), in order to make it easier to read and understand. When I view his response in my standard e-mail client (and a few others just to make sure), I can very clearly tell both sides, which is made even easier by the colour coding and vertical bars most clients apply to each side of the thread.

In any case, I responded as he requested, re-iterating my previous response, but this time all above his e-mail, making sure that they can't be anything that comes in the way of finding my response this time. Obviously, I hadn't and haven't deleted any of the message history. A couple of days have gone by, waiting for my response...

With regards to the overheating, I was running FFB at the max level (both in software and on the wheel itself). Going forward I'll turn that down significantly on the wheel, though I don't know if I'm going to be testing that before my left shifter issues a resolved, since putting in several hours of driving on a wheel where down shifting doesn't always work, isn't much fun.

44 days have gone by since I first reported the problem with my wheel...

Haphazard -

Having both the Fanatec and Logitech G27, a *great* combination is the G27 Wheel and Shifter with the Fanatec pedals.

The G27 Shifter is nice to have for programming functions to it - much easier to use the hat on that for changing pit options that it is to use the Fanatec's GT3 hat while driving.

I do like the Clubsport pedals over the G27's - I like the Clubsport's USB connection - very convenient. The new Fanatec CSR pedals look even better.


Gogol - g/l... I suspect that when I b****ed about my problem here that helped grease the wheels on my support incident.

WC

WC - yes I've been considering this combination for a while (G25 + CSPs in my case). It would indeed make a fantastic combination. Unfortunately, however, I can't muster the courage to order a Fanatec product at this time (for all the reasons I've mentioned above).

What would be some good non-Fanatec upgrade options to the G25/7? Looking around, all I can find is the TM T500 and the CST pedals. Thoughts?

-Hap.

I reviewed the T500 RS wheel last year. The FFB is really nice, with a lot of fidelity and very robust output, and the buttons are mostly well laid out. There are (or will be) optional wheels to attach to the wheel housing (some F1 styled wheels, etc). They now offer a shifter unit that can be H-pattern or sequential mode. Their pedals are also nice, using HALL effect sensors, but not as nice as having a load-cell brake (a la CSP) They can, however, be 'flipped' so that the pedal axis is above your feet like most cars.

On the cautionary side, the housing for the wheel is huge, requiring (IMO) a wheel stand or sim cockpit. Clamping it to a desk can be difficult due to the size, and the strong FFB can make your desk really move around a lot.

My only real gripe was that TM opted for paddle shifters fixed to the wheel housing vice the wheel. This means the paddles are in the same place relative to the housing, vice rotating with the wheel. Since the paddles don't rotate with the wheel, TM placed them further away from the wheel rim so that they didn't impact your fingers when turning the wheel. That, in turn, means you have to 'reach' for the paddles more than you would if the paddles rotated with the wheel. I personally found that hard to get used to and I found it hard to make up-shifts while groping for the paddles when accelerating out of a turn (that required me to loosen my grip on the wheel to reach for the paddles). Some street cars mount their paddle shifters this way (but not all), while racing applications (F1, ALMS, etc.) do not.

With a wheel stand or sim-pit, the T500RS with the shifter unit, and matched w/ CSPs, could be a nice combo - if you can get over the price of that combo, and the fixed paddle shifters.

It's been 25 days now since I resent Fanatec my last response (the one reformatted according to their wishes), and I've heard absolutely nothing in response. It's been 66 days since I first contacted them and I'm still stuck with an undrivable wheel.