A racing simulator can pay for itself, but only if enough people pay to use it, or if it brings in business you can measure. Nobody can give you an honest payback period without your own numbers: price per session, how many paid sessions you sell, and what staff, space and upkeep cost you. Here is a simple way to run the math, the tax questions to ask, and when renting beats buying.
Step 1: List your real costs
- Equipment: purchase price or lease payment, including the motion platform, wheel, pedals, screens and PC.
- Installation and space: floor space, power, and any build-out around the rig.
- Staffing: someone has to greet drivers, explain the controls and reset the rig.
- Software: some sim platforms charge subscriptions or per-seat licenses.
- Maintenance and insurance: commercial use means heavy use, and your liability coverage should reflect it. Note that standard commercial general liability policies exclude liquor liability, according to the Insurance Information Institute, which matters if the rig sits in a bar.
Step 2: Estimate revenue honestly
Direct revenue is simply your price per session multiplied by your paid sessions. For a reference point on pricing, Ferrari charges €30 for a 7-minute F1 simulator race at its Maranello museum. Your market will differ, so test prices before you assume any.
Indirect revenue is harder to measure but often the real reason to buy:
- Bars and restaurants: longer visits and more spending per guest. The F1 Arcade model, as Formula 1 describes it, pairs simulators with a full bar, food and private-event space.
- Dealerships: foot traffic for launches and owner events, and leads from sign-ups.
- Hotels: an amenity for guests and an add-on for group bookings.
- Corporate offices: a team-building and recruiting tool. Here the return is not measured in session fees.
Step 3: Find your break-even
Use this formula:
Paid sessions needed per month = monthly cost ÷ (price per session − variable cost per session)
Monthly cost includes your lease or loan payment (or purchase price spread over the rig's expected life), staff hours, space, software and insurance. Variable cost per session covers things like card fees. If the number of sessions you need is more than you can realistically sell in your busiest hours, the rig will not pay for itself through session fees alone.
Step 4: Ask your accountant about taxes
Business equipment can often be expensed. For tax years beginning in 2025, the maximum Section 179 deduction is $2,500,000, reduced once total qualifying purchases exceed $4,000,000, according to IRS Publication 946. There is a catch: the same publication lists "property generally used for entertainment, recreation, or amusement" as listed property, which comes with business-use tests (Section 179 requires more than 50% business use). A racing simulator may fall into that category. This is not tax advice; ask your CPA how it applies to you.
When renting beats buying
If you only need simulators for a few events a year, renting is usually simpler and cheaper, because someone else handles delivery, setup, staffing, storage and maintenance. SimsForHire rents full-motion rigs at $2,750 per rig per day, with a $2,000 event minimum, all plus tax and insurance. Compare that with your monthly ownership cost from Step 3. Our rent vs. buy comparison walks through the decision.
Buy, lease or rent
SimsForHire sells and leases simulators for permanent installation and rents them for events. Our fleet is 10 full-motion rigs built on SIGMA Integrale 2DOF/3DOF motion platforms, which use electric actuators. Read the buying guide, see our pages for dealerships and hotels, or try a rig at our showroom at 2920 NW 5th Ave, Suite 105, Miami. Delivery is free within 50 miles of Miami; farther out, we quote the delivery fee on request. Call (754) 228-5654, email hello@simsforhire.com, or start a booking. We reply within 24 hours.