Red, at youtuibe there is a guy called Empty Box (or Emptybox, I do not remember), and he has posted PLENTY of cockpit videos from all racing sims of the past couple of years, dozens of videos. Find his channel.
then check for some older videos about netKar and Nordschleife in the rain, older GTR-2 videos, and GSC 2013. By that you get good impressions of what each title is looking like and what it offers you.
NetKar and GTR-2 can be had at 5 Euros or less. Many mods out there for free, cars, tracks, sounds. That may be money you are able to afford, and maybe one can have fun from using the console controller you now have (I assume). An interim solution that maybe saves you from spending more money for a wheel that maybe is not really justified in your situation. Just a thought.
And an alternative: Richard Burns Rally. Racing that is difficult and very demanding, but thus: rewarding. And it is very different, really. A top title, and still the best rally sim out there, after ten years. It made me curse more than any other.
Also still an alternative if you can secure a cheap deal: Papyrus NASCAR 2003. Very intense pack racing, and one of the best AIs in racing sim history. But like richard Burns: it is difficult, and takes time to get into the hang of things. It cured my from my European belief that driving in circles is boring, and pointless.
Boy, I did not know how much sweat I could produce in what a short amount of time. A real nail biter if the field gets close.
Emptybox made videos on these two games, too. Watch them.
Oh, and look at youtube for "netKar Trento Bondone". I have the strong impression you underestimate how much fun you can get from not racing AI, but doing certain tracks like hillclimbs or the Ring all alone. Before AC, my last racing game was netKar and GTR2. I hotlapped the Schleife for the past years, and almost exclusively. Races I did almost never.