Thrustmaster T500 RS

Hi guys,

the time has come for me to buy a better alternative from my Logitech DFG so i wanted to ask you for your experiences and advices.

My best candidate is T500 RS as it has 3 pedals with it, i have a few questions tho
1. Is there many more alternatives to choose from in the same price category?
2. THe price of T500 RS is around 300-350 pounds, but that is that "high" because of those pedals. Is the steering wheel any good? Logitech DFG is a very good steering wheel that works plug and play, are there any issues with the T500 SW? is the FFB strong enough as i use very strong FFB settings.
3. Is it worth getting T500 RS and getting the load cell brake pedal mod for it or would it be better to get some other steering wheel that sells without pedals and getting fanatec CSP V2? What wheel would that be?
4. I dont need a shifter to be part of the bundle as i will buy the fanatec shifter anyway.

Thank you very much for your time answering this

Mikee

 

Mikee, i just changed from g27 to T500rs. Is it strong enough: yes it is. Much stronger than g27 so thats good imho.
Loadcell ofcourse will be better buth i think the thrustmaster pedals without mod are way better then the logitech ones without mod.
I think you wil love this wheel.

 

Oops. Yeah plug and play rF2 without any hassle

 

Thank you for the answer Eddy, anybody else who would be willing to add their experiences please? So i can base my decision on more than one person

 

It's my pleasure I had the chance to compare the T500 to a G27 just some weeks ago. Not a direct comparison, but pretty close. After I bought my t500 I sold my g27 to a friend at whose place I have just used it again. The difference is enormous IMO, with the t500 providing loads of more feel. It's stronger by far, yes, but the biggest difference to me seems to lie in the range of the ffb which allows for a much better translation of the forces. When returning to the G27, everything felt so numb and bland, to an extend at which it made rf2 feel like a different(less good) sim. That´s a cliche if there ever was one of course, but it really did. The t500 pedal set was not an improvement over the G27 for me, but only because I installed a load-cell on the latter. The stock t500 pedals are a definite improvent over the stock G27's though. The only question mark with the t500 is it's reliability. Just check the forums and you'll find tons of posts from people who suffered problems with their piece. Concurring with those, my shifter-paddles are worn down and either don't react, or cause a double or triple shift at one touch. I read that it's fairly easy to get a new set from Thrustmaster, so that's what I'll try soon. Overall, the T500 has been a very good update over the G27.

 

Thank you very much, how long time aproximatelly does it take for the paddlers to go? How long is the manufacturers warranty?

 

I'm another convert from a g27 to a t500.
Agree with everyone else the difference is night and day.
If you like strong force feedback you will love this.
Its strong enough to rip your arms off...I'd be surprised if anyone has it on max. But the main thing with the ffb is the subtlety you feel with it....you really can feel so much more.
As for the pedals I think they're a big improvement on the stock g27.
Having said that I've now gone for a ricmotech load cell mod and love it. So much more like a real pedal but pricey.

One thing to note is the paddles on the standard t500 rim are fixed in relation to the rim.....was a problem for me I couldn't get used to that so spent another 80 quid on the add on Ferrari rim that has rotating paddles like the Logitech.....
So all in all its been expensive but to me well worth it as it has re ignited my passion for sim racing....along with rf2 of course

 

T500RS here too. Haven't compared it to any other high end wheel but the ffb is definitely strong enough. According to what I have read, the pedals apparently aren't that good but still good enough for me. I haven't had any problems with paddels and I got used to the fixed position pretty soon. I have had the wheel for over a year now. Only con I can tell is that it takes awfully long time to cool down at summer (over 1 hour before the fan shuts off). Overall good quality I would say.

 

I own a T500RS and I can only repeat what has just said TIG_green: perfect description!

 

Thrustmaster support has been great for the few problems I have had with my T500. The stock pedals with the brake stiffness mod have been as good as any pedals I have used. The brake is as good as the CSP's I used to have.

Everything above about the FFB is right. It's like the FFB in rF2 was made specifically for the T500. It'll bring the game to life. You'll get used to the non-moving shifter paddles. Once I got used to them, I can't go back to moving paddles.

 

Ok i would like to thank everybody who has contributed to the conversation. I am definetly getting the T500 than. I really apriciate your help and yet again am impressed by the quality of the community ISI has.

Thanks a lot guys

 

2 years warranty over here in Holland. ;-)

 

Went from G27 to T500. The difference is night and day. I loved my G27 and only replaced it as it broke.

However the T500 is a totally different experience. Night and day, the feel is different, the sheer size of it as well. Pedals are fantastic. I had the nixim mod on my G27 pedals and then ran the real brake mod that comes with the T500 pedals, felt awesome. Added a loadcell since and I can't imagine ever changing my wheel again.

I will say if your expecting it to make you faster out of the box, think again, you really need to work on the settings to hit the sweet spot, but once you do, no looking back.

 

@OP....I highly recommend the T500RS.
I loved my G25 but the T500 is in another class. Get the GTE wheel add-on for moving paddles.
It was an absolute must for shifting in turns....for me anyway.
You could also sell the stock pedals and get a set of Fanatec Clubsports, which already have the load cell.
The stock T500 pedals are in fairly high demand by guys who love and have purchased the TX wheel.
It (TX wheel) comes with a two pedal set but the T500 pedals plug right in so they generally sell quickly.

 

Cheers, i will consider it after trying them, the bloody dabs.com i bought it at said they have 14 on stock (plus i got the Ferrari F1 wheel addon it) which also it said its on stock but now i got message that they are out of stock so i have to wait. If anybody considers buying something on Dabs.com please go to competitors first...

 

I agree with all the positive comment on the t500. It bridges the gap nicely between G27 and CSW, has great ffb and is much sturdier than a Fanatec GT3 for example. The brake pedals are not in the same league as clubsports (obviously) but I personally use the TSS (the Spanish Simulator) hydraulic brake mod. The mod is expensive but enables you to have a high end hydraulic brake pedal for a fraction of the cost and is very nice to drive with. My point being, there's loads you can do with the pedals to make them sexier and more realistic.

 

It is definitely a good piece of hardware for the money and it remains a strong alternative offered under the mainstream products, although I would prefer a servo as a technician, but for the bit of random driving i do and the current feeback technology it is sufficient enough.

 

Haven't found it on their website...is the same g27 brake mod adapted to t500 pedals?

 

I had the T-500 in my cart ready to check out @ amazon and decided to read some of the reviews. Wow. Thrustmaster has used time warner cable for it's customer service training apparently. Who has dealt with them after the purchase and would buy again? I am almost ready to do a G-27 only because my 18 year old momo red is about done. I am very hesitant to drop almost 6 bucks for something that consistently breaks down within the first hour of use for several people only to be blown off by customer service for weeks after contact. I replaced 2 pots in my momo in like 2000 or 01 and have not had a single issue (other than it being a basic ffb wheel with almost no feel) since. Logitech gets compliments on an average wheel/pedals and seldom requires service and thrustmaster is trashed on service with a great wheel. Seems like a conundrum. Big fear is being without one for months while TM verifies my purchase while i can be doing laps with a mediocre g27. Price is not a huge barrier but people that piss me off are. Thoughts? thanks.

 

I've bought my T500RS on December 2011 and no problems since!