I'm enjoying the gameplay of DiRT2/3 a lot with wheel. With some fine-tuning on the wheel it feels really good to me. I can't play DiRT3 that long however because the loading times and the stupid menu animations take away 90% of the playing time so I get bored soon.

Quote from E.Reiljans :

Pedals are not on or nothing, check your dead zone and sensitivity settings

What I mean is that there is never any need for the finesse of gradual acceleration or braking at the limit of adhesion.