Sprint Booster for Mini?

Discussion in 'MINI' started by speedygonzales, Nov 20, 2009.

  1. speedygonzales

    speedygonzales New Member

    Nov 17, 2009
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    Haven't seen anything on Sprint Booster on this site. Has anyone tried this?

    What is it? It's an electrical adaptor that fits behind the throttle pedal. As the throttle imput is electronic and not a mechanical linkage, then this Sprint Booster alters the inputs to throttle position compared to stock.

    A bit like the sport button on the R56 does.

    Sprint Booster | Improve Poor Throttle Response with SprintBooster

    I was told by a local Mini shop this was the best add on for performance for the dollar.
     
  2. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    It really depends on the person. Me, I don't like it. I'm very used to the way the pedal reacts and I can modulate the pedal to suit my needs. Others like this amplification and swear by it, I swear at it.
     
  3. MightyStripes

    MightyStripes New Member
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    Im with Nathan I was at a Mini Dealer doing installs and had already moved 3 minis and did stripes on them the 4th one I moved was 2009 with a Sprint booster decal on the window (Dealer wanted that removed) and I about put the thing in the wall! :mad2: Was not a fun thing as I was not exspecting it to dart off the way it did. One of the porters said " I had that happen to me tooo! " I think its a cool idea for a race car but not for something your driving on the street! Had I been in traffic and this happened Im sure I would have hit someone. In the end I told the dealer about the part they had installed and they removed it from the car for liability reasons. I think it was a smart move on there part :D It will keep someone from test driving it and smashing it.
    All in all I didnt like it and I dont care for the option on the R56's either.
    Just my .02 though
     
  4. k-huevo

    k-huevo Club Coordinator

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    I enjoy my Sprint Booster! I already have throttle response enhancements in my tune and the SB is an improvement on top of it. There is a very short learning curve because one gets used to the step-and-wait characteristic of the stock pedal and must re-modulate plantar flexor muscles/brain signal input, it’s much easier and intuitive than it sounds. The SB has a money back guarantee, try it for a few days, take it off and see if you prefer the stock pedal after that; most likely not. If you don’t care for the quick response of the aggressive version it can be exchanged for the milder version, which pleases most everyone.

    I have yet to install one in an R53 where the owner didn’t enjoy it. A sarcastic quip from one eventual adopter after going for a test drive with a SB temporarily in his MCS, “Gee thanks, now I know my car is a dog without itâ€.
     
  5. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    So how would you compare/describe the difference between stock-RMW tune with changed throttle position-adding Sprint booster?

    I am very happy with the better response that my RMW tune has given me, what would the SB add to it?
     
  6. mini_racer

    mini_racer Well-Known Member

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    I also have an RMW tuned R53. I gave the SB a good try out, had it installed and drove my car in many situations and different roads/speeds with the device. In short..............
    HATED IT !
    It just wasn't for me/my car. Some people like it and good for them. As K mentions this is one of those things that you just have to try.
     
  7. speedygonzales

    speedygonzales New Member

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    I plan to try one out if the 30 day try out is good. Anyone try one & returned it? If I have a problem with a surge or any safety issue with it I will return it. So far, it sounds like it makes the enhances the throttle response.
     
  8. mini_racer

    mini_racer Well-Known Member

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    I bought it from Mini Mania, tried it, and then returned it. No problems on the return.
     
  9. Ofioliti

    Ofioliti New Member

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    Is the new Adjustable Sprint Booster a simple reach-under-and-flip-a-switch deal or does it require unplugging and re-installing?

    Also, does anyone have any comments/feedback on the "medium" and "high" settings? Thanks.
     
  10. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    I still don't see the point of this thing.....can't you just push the pedal down quicker and achieve the same results?

    I think I would hate this on the racetrack, I can't see how you could modulate the pedal accurately in race conditions with a hir trigger throttle response.....

    I also think a lot of people think this thing improves the perfromance (adds hp) when it clearly doesn't.
     
  11. Nathan

    Nathan Founder

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    Ity certainly is not for everyone but think of it like the sport button on the R56 or that many cars now have.

    Granted when you fiddle the controls on your F430 you are make adjustments to all kinds of systems, including the throttle response. This tool just does the throttle part.

    Now if Way wants to send me one of these new adjustable ones, I'll try it out and report back.

    I'm in the same camp as you, I tried and was not happy,. Over time, sure I could adapt to it but when I wear those track moccasins I'm already at a point where I can fine tune thinks with toe movement. I can't see this helping me, but for others, it seems to work.
     
  12. Ofioliti

    Ofioliti New Member

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    I'm not sure if I'd like it as well, but I'm willing to withhold judgment till I try it out. The sport button is fun, so I can see how some like this thing.

    It would be nice if one can easily switch it off and on like the sport button.
     
  13. yellowbritishrocket

    yellowbritishrocket Well-Known Member

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    i think this might benefit the older gen 1's because i noticed that the 02-early 04's the throttle was a bit sloppy...i know in mine even with the rmw tune i push the pedal and it takes a bit to catch...not much mind you but enough for me to notice...ive never been a big fan of the drive by wire throttles...i like the good old cable ones but thats just me
     
  14. Eric@Helix

    Eric@Helix New Member
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    I used to do this mechanically to GTIs. We would bolt the primary and secondary throttles on the TB together and it would seem like we were getting the holy onslaught of power by just touching the go pedal.

    One of the common complaints about early R53s is the slow throttle response, which is an effect of the e-gas circuitry (and, to a lesser extent, the heavy flywheel). Changing the potentiometer settings in the throttle pedal (like the Sprint Booster and similar products do) will not help with throttle response: it just sends more aggressive throttle angle signals to the throttle body. Effectively, you are pressing the pedal a little, and the car thinks you are pressing it a lot.

    Like with my old GTI, it was fun and different experience, but ultimately, it didn't improve performance, and made it more difficult to modulate the throttle when driving hard through corners (who remembers the old VWs at autocross, cornering on three wheels, and sometimes two:eek6:).
     
  15. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    ultimately, it didn't improve performance, and made it more difficult to modulate the throttle when driving hard through corners

    That's my thinking exactly......

    I've never noticed throttle lag in either my R53 or R55, that wasn't due to waiting for the turbo to spool (in the R55) or just being below the power curve on my R53, and frankly I don't think it's a problem. My R55 is an automatic, and I like some of what the sport button does, but I don't like the hair trigger throttle it gives me - trying to pull away smoothly from a light is almost impossible. Any more, I just use the paddles when I want to be more agressive, rather than the sport button....

    But, as others have said - to each his (her) own, however I do object to the tone of the advertisments that seem to imply that it will give you more power.
     
  16. thejunkmonger

    thejunkmonger New Member

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    The biggest problem I see here is the price, $329.00 ????? For maybe $3.00 worth of connectors and a chip.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  17. thejunkmonger

    thejunkmonger New Member

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    Forgot to add I don't have a Cooper and the lag was the first thing I noticed when I picked up the car, makes me regret I didn't get the sport button added. The second thing I noticed is that my old mini SPI went around corners better. Anyway no crying over spilled oil, still love my MINI


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  18. ScottinBend

    ScottinBend Space Cowboy
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    Did this with my old Scirocco and I actually liked it, but then again it only had about 140HP.....:D

    Was a lot better than the old large bore TB's that Nuespeed and others had....now those were an on-off switch throttle!
     
  19. lotsie

    lotsie Club Coordinator

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    Lead lined insoles:Thumbsup:

    Mark
     
  20. k-huevo

    k-huevo Club Coordinator

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    The SB’s effect cannot be replicated by pressing the pedal faster/harder/heavier; the disconnected non-linear response is still there to contend with.

    I’ve had the SB for two years, absolutely no problem modulating throttle inputs/outputs, this doesn’t make anyone else’s experience any less valid, but I can’t relate to that. The SB improves parking lot maneuverability, backing up on a decline, moving foreword on an incline, traffic jams, drive-through pace, and other areas that have nothing to do with a racetrack’s environment; I can’t see how it would be a hindrance there either.

    I absolutely “hate†to remove my SB.:prrr::lol:
     

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