I started Sim Racing Garage as a way to share my passion for all things concerning automotive racing. I raced carts starting at 11 years old. Then graduated to doing some limited SCCA circuit racing campaigning a Datsun 510. As often happens, life got in the way and I stopped racing for many years. Then in 2001 I bought a new Honda S2000 with the great AP1 engine that would redline at 9000rpm! I took it to some local autocross events and had a blast. Then I started taking it up to Virginia International Raceway, a four hour drive, during their “Track Day” events. This just made me want to get back into racing. But I just did not have the time, or resources to do it. So like most, I had to settle for computer and console racing games to get my fix. As I became more interested in making the racing experience more immersive, it drove me to the internet seeking all the knowledge I could find on Sim Racing peripherals. There were actually a lot of reviews on wheel and pedals systems to watch on YouTube. But much to my dismay, these reviews just glossed over the technical details that I was searching for. So I started purchasing some wheels with pedal sets and taking them apart to see how they functioned, how they were built, what type of materials were used, and what kind of improvements could be made to them if any. This was not too difficult for me as I have worked on all kinds of mechanical things throughout my lifetime. With some tinkering in electronics as well. So, thinking of how it would be nice if someone would document this kind of thing during a review on Sim Racing hardware, I decided to post a video of me doing just that. Turns out, there are some people out there who liked these videos. So, I continued to make the videos and post them.
Another big reason I do “In Depth” reviews, is to give the viewer as much information as I possibly can. As I, just like anyone else who does videos or writes articles, have my own personal bias’s when it comes to certain things. I do my best to recognize these biases and suppress them during my reviews. Of course being a human being these biases can still show themselves. But if I give the viewer as much information as I can, they will have the detailed information they need to make the decision on whether an item is something that they might want to buy. Regardless if I recommend it or not.
I go to great pains to keep my reviews about the product. It’s not about who Barry is, or trying to create an online personality with the dramas I see regularly on other YouTube channels. And I’m not talking about just Sim Racing channels. It seems that is what YouTube has become these days. You only see me in my driving segments, when I am demonstrating something where I need to be in the shot, intro’s, and final thoughts. I’m just another person who enjoys Sim Racing, just like you.
So here we are. I am now retired and will be able to devote more time to the Sim Racing Garage. Which I really enjoy doing for the most part. In the past I mostly only reviewed some pretty high end gear, that most would never want to buy if they are just sitting in front of their desktop and racing. I will, of course, continue to review these expensive items, but will also be reviewing entry level and higher Sim Racing hardware as they appear, and I have access to them. I will also focus on any mods out there for any particular piece of hardware, claiming to improve performance or the user experience.
How Sim Racing Garage conducts business.
I thought I would tell you how SRG is compensated for the work done here.
In the beginning, it has always been the goal of the SRG to remain objective as possible when conducting reviews. I’ve always felt that one cannot remain 100% objective in any review they do regardless of their intent. And for different reasons. For example, anyone can be influenced for something as little as a preference for one color over another, and it goes from there.
The reason I even started doing in depth reviews in the first place was to give the person watching, as much information as I could about the product being reviewed. Then let them make up their own minds to whether it is something they would want to have. At that time, there were no Sim Racing review channels doing reviews with this type of detail. The first reactions I received was they were too long, boring, or not what you should be doing in a review for YouTube.
But, I’ve always been one of those who goes against the established norms for anything in life. Also, I never intended or thought the SRG would become as popular as it has. So, I continued doing them that way as I wasn’t trying to do anything special, just having some fun with it.
But with more viewers and subscribers comes a lot more work, if I wanted to continue doing this. This brings us to the question of how to get compensated for the work you do. While at the same time remaining as objective as possible during the review process.
In the first few of years, I just bought the item for review at my own out-of-pocket expense. But I knew this was not a sustainable model. Then I started to get offers from manufactures to send me their product at no cost to me for a review. I first hesitated because I wasn’t sure how this would affect my objectivity. I was aware the first time a person receives something for free, it’s a great feeling. One you want to continue having. But, if you are too hard on the product during the review how will you ever get them to send you another product for free? A reviewer may also want to sell the item they reviewed for compensation. Once again, if you don’t give a good review, the re-sale value may not be as much.
My approach was to develop a step-by-step process for a review to follow. All objects in for review would have to follow this process, no exceptions. The process continues on today. In some cases, it has caused me not be able to review some things I would have liked to due to a manufactures objections to parts of this process. Mostly the “look inside” segment. But, most were ok with it. My mission here is to give the viewer as much information as I can about a product. Then let them decide if it is something that would suit their own individual needs and situation.
That process continued until I realized I could not go on doing these reviews with this kind of detail without getting more compensation. I am not trying to make a living off the SRG. I know there are reviewers who say they are doing it as a business to create revenue streams to support themselves and their families. Fortunately, I’m not in that position in life. But still feel my daily work at the SRG does have some value.
So I looked at different ways to create revenue, while at the same time holding onto my personal goal of as much objectivity as possible. Not an easy thing to do, I found out, during investigating how to go about this.
Things I didn’t want to do:
Sponsorships: I don’t have any issue with a YouTuber being sponsored by a company, just not for me.
Influencer contract: I felt the same as with sponsorships. But maybe, if I could negotiate the terms myself, like no marketing babble, stunts, or quips. Be able to review independent of the manufactures wishes and above all, must go through the SRG review process.
Affiliate Links “aka” Sales Commissions: I find it interesting that a lot of YouTubers use this as a way of generating continuous revenue streams. And it is pretty much accepted that it does not affect a reviewer’s objectivity. I feel like that would affect my objectivity. More so if I was trying to make a living on YouTube. You can spin Affiliate links any way you want, but at the end of the day, you are literally selling what you are reviewing. When someone clicks on an Affiliate link it takes them to a site where they can buy the reviewed item. The reviewer will get a small amount of money if you do. This is also a long term ongoing revenue stream from that particular review. Great, if that’s what you want to do, just not for me.
YouTube ads: Now, I don’t like ads as much as the next person. But you can always skip the ads after few seconds for the most part. It does not generate as much revenue as you may imagine. Last I checked it was .003 cents per view on average. You need to have 10’s of thousands of views on all your videos to realize what I would consider a good income. Also, the ads shown do not have anything to do with Sim Racing hardware. At least the last time I checked. So, no conflict with what I am reviewing.
PayPal Donations: This is an easy way to let people to support the SRG if they feel like my work deserves it. There is a PayPal fee for every donation, but that’s unavoidable. I would like to take a moment here to thank all of you who have found some value in my reviews and donated to the SRG. You guys are the best!
T-Shirt sales: Another way for my to make a small amount of money.
Patreon: Want to thank those of you who have taken the time to support me through this channel. You guys are also the best!
In October 2020 I decided to try something that would generate revenue. Something I felt would have the least impact on my objectivity. Here is what I am doing now.
If a manufacture wants me to do a review on a product, there is a one-time video production fee that must be paid in advance before starting the production on a review. This is not a continuous revenue stream. All items sent for review must follow the complete SRG review process. No exceptions. Any items reviewed on the SRG will be donated to the SRG. Just because you pay a production fee, it in no way effects whether your product gets a positive review as my review process will sort that out for those who watch my reviews. So, submit your product at your own risk.
The fee varies from item to item. It is directly related to the amount of work I have to put in to produce the review. I feel like my work has some value. As, I’m sure, most people who work do. The fee is the same for an item type, like a shifter, regardless of the cost of the item. It does not matter if the shifter cost $100 or $5000, the fee is the same. Reasoning here is most shifter reviews take about the same amount of work hours to produce.
I feel like this sets me free from any obligations I may have towards the manufacture. And I stress quite often in my reviews that just because I might like a particular item feature, it does not mean that you will feel the same way about it. Just use the information I provide to assist you in making a decision on whether or not to purchase an item. But, also use other reviews as a source for your decision making to have the best chance of not getting any surprises from your newly aquired item. I think this is sound process to follow for anything you are interested in buying. Not just Sim Racing gear.
I know some will not agree with my decision to run the SRG this way. And that’s ok. I can only do what I feel is right for me. As others must do what they think is right for them.
I want to say thank you to all the support I receive for what I am doing.
Barry Rowland.
