What steering wheel?

I know nothing about video games.

I am having a brand new 2015 BMW custom built for my wife (twin turbo, 8-speed paddle-shift transmission, Track Handling Package with Brembo Brakes and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires, blah, blah, blah). I’m flying her to Munich to pick it up at the factory in 19 days. We are planning to spend a little over 3 weeks touring Europe in it. Our final destination of note, is the Nurburgring. We are spending three days there, for her to drive the Nordschleife.

We purchased an Xbox 360 and Forza Motorsport 3 as a way for her to learn the corners to the Nurburgring, but we are truly frustrated with the Wireless Speed Wheel controller (the one that looks like a horseshoe). It’s like driving a boat through pudding.

Is there an affordable steering wheel controller that I can buy that will give us direct, immediate. linear steering control?

Forza 3 version of the Ring is not accurate. The first Forza game to have an accurate/correct version of the ring is Forza 5 on Xbox One. Just go on Amazon, plenty of better wheels for 360 listed there.

The Xbox One has 2 wheels currently available. Thrustmaster TX & Mad Catz Wheel.

Personally, I think you need to buy Forza 5, a Xbox One & one of the 2 wheels available for it. Then your wife will be driving an accurate version of the ring, down to track width.

WTH? seriously man, i’d love to be your wife!! :smiley:

As Gangrel has covered your initial question already, i can give you some additional advise on how to prepare for the mother of all tracks

Gangrel is right, the only nearly accurate version of the real thing on Xbox is the Forza 5 version, even if its missing some of the really nasty bumps of the real track. However, be careful when using this method to prepare for the real thing, especially if that’s the only ‘tool’ you use. Its a great way to learn the general layout of the track, and the experience gained in game will be sufficient to not get lost if you just plan to ‘cruise’ around a bit. However, if you (or your wife) intend to conquer this monster in a quicker way, then this would just be the beginning.

A few years ago i also prepared myself for my first ride on the nordschleife by doing countless laps on all the iterations of the track in several race games on console and PC. At the end I thought i was ready for it, but boy…i was wrong!! These tracks where not laser scanned and while looking ‘realistic’ in game, i quickly realized that the real thing is still completely different and my self-confidence vanished to a point where i was driving around that thing like a grandma because i couldn’t trust my virtual track know-how anymore. Guess its even worse than just going on the track without any preparation at all.

So, is this part of a “buyers experience package” offered by BMW (which means you could possibly race it while its closed for public use → lots of free tarmac in front of you) or are you going to drive it during the tourist-drive-hours (-> lots of idiots around you). If you just do a tourist drive and not going too fast then using a game to prepare should be enough for that.

For a more serious approach to tackle the green hell (and it fully deserves this name), i would suggest the following:

The whole nordschleife is divided into 30 sectors, some contain just one corner, some are a sequence of corners. Its important to learn all the names of the sectors, like “Tiergarten”, “Hatzenbach”, “Flugplatz”,“hohe Acht”, etc (all German names, might be a bit difficult to pronounce). This tremendously helps to remember the sequence of the turns as there are 72 of them (official count) and seeing them as sectors makes it much easier to memorize all the turns.

Next would be to watch a bunch of onboard videos from professional drivers and ring-coaches that have “live-commentary” on youtube. They usually refer to the sectors when giving tips, that’s why memorizing the names is so crucial. By watching these videos you can gain some important and valuable advise from people who know every inch of the track.

To step it up even further you could get lessons from nordschleife-instructors, some use their own car, some would even drive your car while your wife is sitting in the co-drivers seat, a great way to obtain valuable information on how the baby performs on this track, especially if its a new car. After a few laps the seats will be swapped and you can experience the hell on your own, while still getting advice from the instructor. Its something i would recommend to everyone who wants to tackle it quicker than 50 mph while still driving as safe as possible.

If your nordschleife ride is not part of a special package you will have to take it during the idiot-hours (late afternoon) when its opened to the public. Be wary, there are lots of wanna-be-Schumachers on the track…i had quite a few scary moments there, so always be aware whats happening around you and don’t expect skillful driving from the others on track, most don’t have these skills. :smiley:

He’s not old enough to be married let alone own a car.

No offense, but you’re really trying too hard to sound “baller”.

This is how your post should read:

I ordered a BMW (enter model # here) for my wife. (Sure - it’s customized but certainly not “custom”).

We chose their European Delivery Program. (Ie - the only reason you’re flying your wife to Germany - that’s how the program works).

I find it sad that you wrote (twin turbo, brembo brakes, Michelin tires, etc) like any of it is special. Why not just say that you ordered an M3/M4 or whatever you actually ordered?

Sorry, but you’re probably not nearly as cool as you think you are.

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What i found strange after reading about the car he ordered was he wants an affordable wheel! Although i think his affordable wheel might just be the top of the range $800 Fanatec :slight_smile:

FM3…really? I guess what went into that car was all the capital they had as a family. Sucks, especially since she’ll more than likely crash it.