- Stand/cockpit
- This depends on whether you are going to be seated in a cockpit or just want a good stand for your desk. For the desk, I like this guy quite a bit. It has a little rail you can put your front two chair casters in so your desk chair can work as a racing seat. It’s also apparently convertible to a full setup. I see it’s out of stock here, so I’m not sure how easy it’ll be to obtain one nowadays. There are probably knockoffs out there. I believe @Felix and @Victor both use this or something similar.
- For a seat + stand unit, the budget can get pretty crazy. I cut my teeth on Playseat stuff, but I can’t even find the model I used to own. It had an annoying bar in the middle, and it really couldn’t handle the torque of a wheel beyond something like the G923, but it definitely got me through years and years of sim racing without a hitch. Their modern stuff actually looks pretty nice and seems to be foldable. I currently use one of these and just wheel it over to the TV when I want to get down.
- All the big racing perverts use rigs that are made of aluminum profile for max customization these days. I’m not the guy to ask about that stuff. I’m sure it’s nice.
- PS4/5 PC games
- Dirt Rally 1, Dirt Rally 2 (PS/PC) ← probably just DR2, but I have really fond memories of playing DR1 in PSVR
- EA WRC (PS over PC maybe because PC has kernel level anticheat?)
- Older WRC games (8, 9, 10, Generations) (PS?/PC) ← be ready for some weird bugs but they can be crazy discounted
- Gran Turismo 7 (PS)
- Assetto Corsa + all DLC (PC) ← tons of mods available (also usually crazy discounted)
- Beam.NG.Drive (PC) ← more driving/realistic physics simulator than racing but a real hoot
- Assetto Corsa Rally (PC) ← still in early access but gawd damn it’s fun
- Richard Burns Rally (PC) ← completely free and hardcore
- Emulation tips eg R4, FZero GX
- Only thing I can say here is that PCSX2 has great wheel support built in nowadays and Kaido Battle (TXR Drift) is really really fun. It also works well with Gran Turismos 3 and 4.
- SB car thread to bother
- We have Fading Brakelights, but there’s not a lot of non game talk there. @meauxdal created an actual racing games thread a while back. It’s probably due for a revival!
I don’t think my post is very helpful unless you have interests that align pretty well with me. I think a lot of Sim Racing people just get an iRacing subscription and start buying hydraulic brake setups and get obsessed with lap times. Sorry I listed so much rally that’s kinda my thing.