Fanatec continues to move up a gear, this time with an announcement that comes out of nowhere. The German brand of sim-racing peripherals has just launched a special offer for refurbished products, to appeal to a wider audience of virtual racing enthusiasts who can’t afford new products.

In what follows, we bring you up to date on the latest news concerning Fanatec’s refurbished products.

What is refurbished?

According to Wikipedia, a refurbished product is one that has been repaired and refurbished by a professional in order to be marketed again. In other words, they are typically devices that have been purchased by a first owner, used for a certain period of time, then returned to the dealer or manufacturer for various reasons. Examples include retraction, after-sales service, software or hardware problems, etc.

For Fanatec, refurbished means that a sim-racing device has been “lightly used” before being returned to the brand. For example, a Direct Drive base that has been blocked by a software or microcontroller problem, or a problem with the electric motor or QR, and has therefore been returned to Fanatec under warranty. Naturally, the first owner will be sent a replacement.

The problem in such a situation is that the manufacturer ends up with a huge stock of returned products, limiting the gains for the brand. And that’s where Fanatec’s refurbished products come in.

Attractive offers for the less aesthetically-minded

First of all, you should know that a reconditioned product may have a few cosmetic imperfections, such as scratches, but in terms of operation, everything is perfect. At least, that’s what Fanatec assures us.

Each device is meticulously inspected by the brand’s technicians to ensure perfect operation, in line with Fanatec’s high standards of reliability and performance. What’s more, the brand offers a 2-year warranty, and a 30-day return policy.

In the refurbished store, you’ll find peripherals with prices down from 15% to 40%. For example, a GT DD Extreme bundle can be exchanged for €774, instead of €1,300 new. And that’s just one example from Fanatec’s refurbished store, and the offers are very tempting, I must say.

As far as I’m concerned, it’s a great thing to offer returned products for sale. It allows the brand to have less “dead” stock, attracts more people to sim-racing and also prevents electronic components from ending up in the wild. In short, it’s a win-win situation.