Fanatec: orders and the 2023 Black Friday experience

This opinion piece was recorded in December 2023 after Fanatec’s Black Friday promotions. I discuss my QR2 order, difficulties reported by other customers and the presentation of the new ClubSport DD bases. It is a reaction to the situation at that time, with information still incomplete. These comments do not describe the brand’s current service or software.

My QR2 order and the announced delay

I took advantage of the CSL DD base-side QR2 promotion, shown at €20 instead of €70 in the offer I discuss. My own case is a delayed availability date: the message received states 17 January 2024. At the time of the video, my order has not been cancelled.

What annoys me is discovering the delay after buying, when I had not noticed it while ordering. Fanatec’s message mentions transport delays. I can wait, but would have preferred clearer information so I knew what to expect from the outset.

Choosing the right QR during a catalogue transition

I then check wheel-side products and see several QR2 references marked unavailable on the pages shown. QR2 Lite remains a visible option, but I highlight the torque restriction associated with that version in the configuration discussed. For a more powerful base, quickly buying the only available version may not meet the need.

My criticism therefore also concerns how clearly the choice is explained: base side, wheel side and fitting variant need distinguishing. I prefer to wait for the model I want rather than order again later. Stock examples and prices in this section belong to December 2023.

Customer reports and cancellations

The video follows many messages I see in groups and forums. I show reports of delays, unclear tracking or orders arriving in separate parts. These are experiences reported by those customers, distinct from my own QR2 delay.

I also discuss cancellations involving Formula-wheel and paddle-module offers. The displayed exchanges show frustration from people who believed they had secured a good deal. I question what may have happened with the promotions, but do not have the internal information needed to establish the cause.

For me, the issue is confidence in the purchase process: knowing whether an order will stand, when it will be processed and how to track dispatch. Expected hardware quality does not remove that uncertainty.

ClubSport DD: announcements and software support

I finish with the ClubSport DD and DD+, then newly announced. This is not a hardware test of them. In particular, I react to FullForce being presented as an important feature when its use in simulations is not yet available at the time of this video.

I also dislike the process of finding the correct FanaLab version through forums rather than a clearly grouped download alongside the drivers. Simulation profiles are useful; their installation and compatibility should be easy to understand.

Calibration and cogging reports are mentioned too, without turning them into personal findings on these new bases. I also note that slight cogging felt at rest does not necessarily describe the driving experience.

What I want at this point

I remain interested in the products ordered and hope to receive them. Above all, I want more precise information on delays, compatible references and required software. This piece therefore retains its context: a customer and enthusiast’s view after Black Friday 2023, before knowing what happened next with my order.