What's up with Saitek?

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

 

Where did you get the April date? I contacted Saitek directly, back in January and was told "late January, early February." Well, it's late February right now, and still nothing. I tried contacting Saitek again and this time they aren't returning my queries. It would be very nice if Saitek would comment on this publicly, since there are a whole lot of us who use their products. Else, there may be a mutiny, if and when someone comes out with a competing product and a fair price. We're getting tired of this, ya know.

 

 

Well I'm all set and my new one goes south I will be looking at other products - that price for plastic all set

[fppilot 4,360]

Richard,

I do not "buy" those sales reports at that price.  No pun intended! Just do not believe there are that many buyers who would pay 8X the list price for something they could possibly wait longer for. The price increment  vs the benefit over time is just way to great! Makes absolutely no sense.

 

I have the Pro Cessna Yoke and the one quadrant that comes with it.  I move one power lever and see two move in the VCs of my twins. Same with the conditioning and mixture levers (where both appropriate).  Adding a second Q and moving two levers to see two move is not anywhere near paying that increment.  Not even worth 2X list price for me.  

 

Fools money is fools money.

 

Wish this was like Facebook where I could see Likes!

[Richard Sennett 2,499]

Richard,

I do not "buy" those sales reports at that price. 

 

Frank I was thinking the same thing Buddy - bunch of crap but the price is not - I can see anyone paying that for it

 

On a side note - I did not like the serial quadrant on my Cessna yoke so I bought another usb version - good thing I did when I did - the reason I bought usb version and dumped serial version is I dont like how they come up as one in controllers menu so now separated and a lot nicer

 

CH is a decent product for throttle anyway - gave mine away but I would have a problem buying one of those if this one goes south as for yoke the Cessna is the best you can buy in its price range

[Dale_Reitz 0]

I have been on back order for these throttles since LAST SEPTEMBER with FSPilotshop, The back order wait list was 30 days now its 90, it keeps getting move further and further. Oh but they give you an option to add that money to purchase a more expensive throttle setup, I for one can't afford to buy $500 throttles, my budget is tight now.

 

Had to quit flying, my saitek throttles are worn out, move them 2 inches and they spike full.

[brucewtb 249]

Where did you get the April date?

 

 

From the PC Aviator (Australia) site.

 

 Looking at what the asking price is on Ebay for Saitek throttles glad I picked up mine from PC Case Gear in Melbourne Australia last September for 85 AUD.  

 

Bruceb

[Slayer 190]

There are people who sit at home on ebay all day who "speculate" just like the stock market. When they see a perceived shortage they buy up remaining items and inflate the price 2x.. Love it when these gold diggers get stuck with worthless stock 2 months later and they are still trying to sell it for $ 400 and production has resumed and the price is back to normal. Be patient either they will be out of business and you can buy something else or they will be back in stock.

[gpbarth 12]

From the PC Aviator (Australia) site.

 

 Looking at what the asking price is on Ebay for Saitek throttles glad I picked up mine from PC Case Gear in Melbourne Australia last September for 85 AUD.  

 

Bruceb

Well, my FSX works just fine without these Saitek quads. So I'm not really down and out. And the price on Amazon is still $59 per...I'm not spending $400, or even $80, just to get the product sooner.

 

I'd just like Saitek to speak up and tell us what's up.

[fppilot 4,360]

I have been on back order for these throttles since LAST SEPTEMBER with FSPilotshop, The back order wait list was 30 days now its 90, it keeps getting move further and further. Oh but they give you an option to add that money to purchase a more expensive throttle setup, I for one can't afford to buy $500 throttles, my budget is tight now.

 

Had to quit flying, my saitek throttles are worn out, move them 2 inches and they spike full.

 

Dale! This is Flight Simulation! It is of paramount importance! At least adapt to fly with the always available keyboard and rudder pedals until flight no longer exists!

[gpbarth 12]

Posted on another thread, but here goes: Saitek contacted me this morning via their Facebook page, and told me that the throttle quadrants would be shipping in May. Really? I went to their site, and they're gearing up for Space Citizen and other space sims, with all sorts of fancy gaming mice and other controllers, but they can't seem to produce their regular product line. Methinks they're bailing on the old stuff, and putting all of their resources into the future.

 

Sad. I really liked their products - had an X-52, have the X55, have their rudder pedals, really wanted the throttles. Now it looks like I'm stuck with the CH throttles. I'm not waiting until May, when they'll probably say, "early November."

 

And as for wireless? I won't be holding my breath on that, either.

[gpbarth 12]

Decided tonight - going with the CH throttles. It will cost me about $12 more through Amazon, but that's with free 2nd day shipping. I'm not waiting till May, IF it will be May. I'll be flying with my new throttles on Friday.

 

Bye, bye, Saitek.

[robb13 22]

Just to chuck my bit in... Saitek has got a strong support base because it is at the low cost end of the market and as we all know most people end up making their purchasing decision based on price. I think the company has a good product  and if any re-engineering is to take place they should give serious consideration to making products more modular both in the vertical and horizontal..  i.e. radio panels are twice a big as required. .. could have a FIP and radio is same space as a current radio panel. The BIP is way to big .. should be modularised to maybe 7 or 8 lamps and fit vertically with a smaller radio  in same vertical space as the current panels. A new product consisting of just push buttons Im sure would be a seller especially if it was modularised  into one line ..one third the height of current panels  / same as  proposed BIP..

With just a bit of thought they could put out a range that would provide a vast combination of rig assembly options.

[vortex681 806]

The problem is that flight simming is a small, niche market. I can understand them producing flight controls as they're used in other games but I'm surprised they still sell panel parts and flight instruments - their turnover must be miniscule. I can't see how they could justify the cost of designing and manufacturing new panels, let alone re-designing older ones.

[The Wizzard of Aus. 0]

Just thought I'd add my 2Bobs worth to this topic, I've been using the Saitek throttles and yoke pretty much since they came out and sadly around October 2015 the throttle quads both started spiking badly so I took them apart and cleaned the pots (I'm a Watchmaker so used to small parts) but sadly even after cleaning they weren't much better. So around December I bought the Go-Flight 737 Pro throttles after saving all year for them, yes they are VERY Costly but after using them for the last few months I've decided they were a good investment, I still have and use 9 other Saitek products and will continue to till they die or break as like most here I've invested a lot of money in this hobby and would not throw it away just because one supplier may change their marketing plans and I would never pay inflated prices for thing like yokes etc on Ebay as it just wrong.

One of the sayings I tend to use is " Patience Grasshopper " and that is what we need as really it's only a few weeks and it won't kill us to wait to see where this goes ;-)

[gpbarth 12]

Bought the CH product, and so far, it seems to be acceptable. The calibrate procedures show the raw data during the calibrate, and I have noticed that very few of the levers will cal at either 0 (top end) or 255, (bottom end). Nor are they all equal at the detent. Been told that this is acceptable by the CH crowd - just go ahead and do the cal procedure and then go and set up your aircraft.

 

Again, I just couldn't wait until May, when I ordered the Saitek in mid-December (and learned that some have been waiting since last summer). My big problem is that these companies just can't be honest with you - just tell me, "We're changing tooling, or factories, or countries, and it may be another 6 months before the product is available again." I know, I know...that would be too honest.

[Slayer 190]

I had heard that since they are now Madcatz they are moving out all the old Saitek product. Not sure if that means they will be releasing more in the future rebranded as Madcatz or if that means they will not be producing the stuff anymore. Hard to say. Another guy I fly with got a brand new cessna yoke/throttle for $80.00 in Japan - the place that sold it to him said they can't get them anymore..