zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Culture
/
There's Never Been A Cheaper Time To Build A Fanatec Direct Drive Sim Racing Rig
There's Never Been A Cheaper Time To Build A Fanatec Direct Drive Sim Racing Rig-September 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:11:54

Image of Fanatec CSL DD wheel base on a desk

In this fast-paced online economy, deals are a dime a dozen. I typically don’t pay attention to them. I just don’t have enough money for all the deals, all right? But every so often, there’s a deal that’s too good not to share, that even I consider for myself. Today, that deal is everything you need to go sim racing with a for $150 off.

The Fanatec CSL DD is my go-to recommendation for sim racing wheel bases these days, because it’s direct drive — which means it’s super smooth, accurate, and natural feeling — and it’s also decently powerful for its compact footprint. The CSL DD normally costs $350, or $500 in tandem with the Boost Kit 180 power supply, which bumps torque from 5 Nm to 8 Nm. Those 3 Nm make a big difference; I recommend them.

Since June, Fanatec has had a promotion going where the CSL DD itself costs just $200 (or $300 with the Boost Kit) if you also buy it alongside a steering wheel and pedals. This is a reasonable proposition, as a steering wheel and pedals are arguably important for sim racing. However, until this week the promotion locked buyers into a certain rim and pedal combination. Not so anymore — customers are free to mix and match all of Fanatec’s gear to assemble their dream rig and still get those savings.

You can configure your own setup on , which unfortunately is about as speedy to navigate as your healthcare provider’s automated phone system. In the interest of efficiency, here’s the with the standard CSL steering wheel for $400 before tax and shipping. If you want to pair that base with a fancier formula-type wheel or a bolt-on load cell kit for the brake pedal, you can do that as well; you’ll still get the discount.

There’s one disappointing catch with this promotion, and you may have already noticed it. The CSL DD only supports PC out of the box. It can support Xbox, but only if you pair the base with an Xbox-licensed steering wheel like the , which will likely add at least $80 to the cost. Additionally, if you prefer to do your sim racing on PlayStation, maybe in , the price will be considerably higher. (Cue the sour sim dads scoffing at the mention of GT7 and “sim racing” in the same sentence.)

See, for that you’ll need the, which starts at $700 and does not qualify for the $150 discount. Shame, that. Still, the PC gang or those eagerly anticipating the new will be in luck. Here’s to making an expensive hobby a little less so.

This story has been updated to reflect that the CSL DD wheel base requires an Xbox-licensed steering wheel to work on Xbox.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Culture
Tesla's Plans to Expand Factory Nixed by German City Council
Tesla's Plans to Expand Factory Nixed by German City Council
grand plans to expand the footprint of its are now being put on hold. The unfortunate news for the automaker came after the plans were taken off the agenda of the local municipal council. reports the mayor of Gruenheide, where is located, struck the item from the September meeting...
Sep 4, 2026
Horizon Chase 2 Is Here for Your New Old Racing Game Fix
Horizon Chase 2 Is Here for Your New Old Racing Game Fix
Last Friday, Brazilian developer Aquiris dropped Horizon Chase 2 on Apple Arcade. It’s the studio’s first true successor to 2015's Horizon Chase, a hit arcade racer that originally released for mobile devices but has since made its way to every gaming platform. The sequel had been a long time...
Sep 4, 2026
Dodge Charger King Daytona: Let Your Inner Florida Monarch Shine
Dodge Charger King Daytona: Let Your Inner Florida Monarch Shine
Why be a mere Florida Man when you can be Florida royalty? This is the question Dodge is asking with its latest Last Call model, the Dodge Charger King Daytona. It is a question to which I wish to seek an answer. In case you’ve missed out on the...
Sep 4, 2026
Third-Generation Subaru Crosstrek Refines the Small Crossover Game
Third-Generation Subaru Crosstrek Refines the Small Crossover Game
Not to be outdone by the (), revealed to the world its third-generation . says it has refined the driving dynamics of the small crossover and emphasized the uniqueness of the car’s design. It’s also got a slew of new and updated tech and creature comforts inside. The vehicle...
Sep 4, 2026
Tesla Is Getting Sued For False Advertising Over Autopilot And FSD
Tesla Is Getting Sued For False Advertising Over Autopilot And FSD
Autopilot and FSD buyers are suing Tesla, automakers are upset that dealers aren’t allowed to lie, and Tesla is moving battery production stateside. All that and more in for Thursday, September 15, 2022. There’s a tradition in the automotive world, one that’s sprung up over the past decade. Once...
Sep 4, 2026
Jean-Luc Godard Is Dead at 91, So Let’s Watch His Best Car Film, Week End
Jean-Luc Godard Is Dead at 91, So Let’s Watch His Best Car Film, Week End
French New Wave cinema is known for many things, but great car movies certainly aren’t among them. However, Jean-Luc Godard, who , might have inadvertently made exactly such a film. It’s a black comedy called Week End, it came out in 1967, and in addition to being a generally great...
Sep 4, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved