Before I'd actually done any real driving, I thought Gran Turismo 4 with a Logitech wheel and pedals was the real deal.

Then I started driving and realized it's not quite there. It certainly taught me about proper corner entry, but not the visceral parts of it.

Even good simulators are like those "virtual rollercoasters". Not quite the same.

And like you said, it's very much the "I can't feel it in the seat, I can't feel the vibration difference in the pedals, frame and wheels".

If you're paying attention when driving on snow and ice, you can "feel" when the back of the car is "light" without actually kicking it out. You don't get that in these sims.