Sprint Booster. I saw one for sale on the BMW forum (guy was selling as his car was a lease). So I started to investigate. Apparently this thing actually works. Youtube even show improved 0-60 time since power is delivered quicker than stock.


Doesn't provide any extra HP or Torque, but allows quicker delivery and response.



Link to company:



https://www.sprintboostersales.com/?...SAAEgJVlPD_BwE


A couple of videos that explain operation and real world performance gain:


How it works:




Real world test (customer install and impression):



Measured performance gains:



A Mini Cooper Install:



Thoughts?

 

I keep mine in sport mode all the time and love the response. I cant imagine anything making it better.

 

If you don't drive around in sport mode all the time like Vinnie then you surely wouldn't need a SprintBooster. I suspect all those promos above are "paid" in some way.

Driving with the Dinan Elite I can't imagine the need to have faster response.

 

I have the JCW tune on mine and it's plenty quick. Although from a stop or even a roll, WOT is pretty progressive rather than instantaneous.



The second review was a regular Joe. So unsure where he was compensated. In theory, it should change the character of the car when accelerated.



There was another video I didn't link (couldn't find it), where they had the booster attacked to the actual butterfly valve off the motor. They demo'd normal then w/ the booster. Huge difference in the way the valve opened.


Unless the tune (Dinan or other) changes the way the butterfly valve opens, the booster should be a noticeable improvement. Again, I've not seen a demo of the Dinan Elite and the way it controls the throttle. As you said, the Dinan may be changing that. Considering the number of connections on the Elite, it may. On a non tuned, or simple box tuner (NM as an example), the booster could probably be worthwhile.


Dunno. It looks simple enough to install and remove.



Just fishing to see if any NAM member had one installed.

 

How much?

 

I haven't really priced them. There are a couple of different types "Sprint Booster", another called "Pedal Commander" to name two. I think they are all in the $300 range.


Just another toy for the car.................

 

I live my life one-quarter mile at a time

 

Over on the RAM forums "Pedal Commander" is hugely popular for whatever that's worth.

 

On the F series cars the throttle plate is used only during startup. After that the VANOS system controls airflow using the valves directly, not the throttle plate.

 

So this has no effect on any of the F cars or BMW's w/ VANOS? Don't understand how when the stock throttle is applied the drive by wire shows a slowly opening throttle plate, and with the "booster", the plate opens instantly. Remarks by people who own one say they can feel a difference in the way the car responds................

 

Its basically a resistor that fools the DME that you are applying more throttle than you really are.

 

I have had the Sprint Booster in my Mini's for the past 18 months. I have one in a 2016 R60 S and 2017 F56 JCW. You can definitely tell there is a difference in thee throttle response.

 

What drive mode setting do you have it/them set on? If it is "normal' mode then yeah, I have a feeling you would feel a difference.

Im curious to hear if there was a difference on sport mode

 

 

From what I've been reading on other forums, most of the actual owners of a "booster" seem quite happy w/ it. The most negativity are from those that have never used one nor tried it.

Saw this on a BMW forum (should still be applicable since Mini is a BMW lite):

Sprint Booster V3 Review

I’ve been driving with the new Sprint Booster V3 for about 3 weeks now and I have to say I love it. I was hesitant to buy it, because I really didn’t need more driving modes in my 2012 F30 335i Auto, but the throttle performance was driving me crazy with inconsistent behavior. The unpredictability of the engine-transmission interaction is at the heart of my dissatisfaction with the F30. I added a Burger Stage 1 a year ago, so there is plenty of low end grunt, but it did nothing to improve the slow decision making of the transmission at low speeds.

How It Works:
This device remaps the throttle signal with a range of more aggressive settings. It does not add any power, but it does make the car feel more powerful. It delivers power exactly when you want it, which in my book, for a daily driver, is more valuable than adding more power to the N55. It has Sport mode with 9 settings and Race mode with 9 settings. Despite the names, it is just a gradual increase in response. Less pedal travel is needed to produce more throttle. So why not just skip this gimmick and push the pedal harder? I think the difference is time of travel. It isn’t just pedal position that matters, but the time to travel to that position. The Sprint Booster seems to send a clearer (i.e. faster/harder) signal to the computer, so you avoid the “hmmm, what gear would provide the optimum balance of economy and power?” delayed response that seems to happen at slow speed. Now it is a clear “go fast!” signal being sent. I’m not pushing the pedal further or faster, but the transmission immediately grabs the right gear now.

Expectations:
Coming from an E39 530i, I expect precision and predictability. The more telepathic the experience, the better. Less physical movement, with exactly repeatable input/output results is a more telepathic experience. The stock F30 was not providing that for me. I expect to feel a direct connection between my foot muscles and rear wheel torque, with nothing in between. The same foot movement should produce the exact same acceleration every time; no hesitation, no delays.

What Sprint Booster Solved:
I started to dislike this F30 because of initial hesitation when accelerating from a stop. There is a bit of acceleration and then a pause, maybe less than half a second, like it is rethinking what gear you really want, then an abrupt surge once it finds the gear. Clearing the car’s adaptations seemed to help some, but was not a lasting solution. BMW drivers who can identify with my complaint will be happy to hear that the Sprint Booster has solved this completely. I use Race setting 2 in Comfort Mode and the acceleration from a stop or slow roll is precise and responsive without tip-in delay. That alone is worth the price of entry for me.

Some might say, "Why not just keep it in Sport Mode all the time?". A problem with early F30s is that in Sport Mode, the transmission will not shift up to 8th gear (someone said it would above 100+MPH, but I have not verified that). While I tend to have a heavy foot, I still make an effort to save gas when I can. I use Comfort Mode most of the time for commuting and anytime speeds are above 45 MPH. I don’t mind the shift points in Comfort Mode, and find the car has better manners overall. Sprint Booster allows me to have aggressive, precise throttle control in Comfort Mode, use all 8 gears, and save a bit of gas by upshifting more conservatively. At 4300 Ft., the N55 doesn’t have much high RPM pull, so holding gears is mostly noise anyway.

Drivability
I find drivability is improved in all regards. It does not make the car twitchy at all. In Sport mode at about 5, there is a very slight hesitation for gear selection, but still way better than stock. I keep mine at Race 2. It is crisp and precise. When I want more, I use the Sport Mode switch on the console. With that combination the car requires more driver attention if you don’t have much room in front of you. It almost feels like you are in a lower gear – it will jump forward with very little throttle pressure. Just for fun, I tried Race setting in Eco Mode, and it was like Comfort Mode with more aggressive upshifting. Seemed useless, but some might have need for such a combination. I have not tried Sport+ since I assume I’ll just spin the tires more (I still have the Blizzaks on), and I have not felt the need for quicker throttle response than Sport Mode with Race setting.

My average gas mileage dropped from 24.3 MPG to 23.9 MPG with mostly the same driving patterns (very little freeway driving), but I have been having a lot more fun with the car now, so it probably isn’t the Sprint Booster itself that is causing the decrease.

Installation was pretty simple. I used a Torx (star) bit at the base of the pedal and then slid the pedal up and forward (toward the engine) to get it free. I routed the cable by tucking it up under the edge of the console and mounted it by the shifter by pulling up the aluminum console piece that holds the iDrive control. It just pops off (but it takes some force).

Overall, I could not be happier with what it has done for my F30. The car should have come this way from BMW.

And this from "Bimmer forums":

The Sprint Booster and sport button do not do the same thing. You'll have to search, but there was a thread on one of the Z4 forums detailing how the car calculated the amount of power requested based on pedal position.

Long story short, the sport mode isn't simply a more sensitive programming of the normal mode. One is more linear than the other, where the pedal angle is directly proportional to the output. The other is more exponential.

I would go with a Shark Injector over a Sprint Booster. I thought the throttle response was pretty much perfect after sharking the car, and I got a little bit of power and raised redline out of it. That's not to say the Sprint Booster is a bad or ineffective product, and I have no first hand experience with the Sprint Booster. I would look to Shark the car first because of the added benefits, and then go with the Sprint Booster if you want something different.

 

 

Agreed. Not sure how it would work w/ a manual tranny. Most every post are guys w/ autos. Guess one would have to try it and see if it's viable. Anything car mod that can put a smile on my face is worth at least some passing interest. Considering the ease of install makes it that much more appealing.

I honestly think we are seeing the waning days for the manual cars. A shame for those that enjoy that connection to driving. I see where the C8 won't even offer a "row your own" option. What next..........this?

Hello Jetsons:

 

I've had the Remus Responder in my manual transmission S for over a year. I got it because I was annoyed by that dead zone in the throttle. Taking off from a stop, you have to really punch the pedal to get the revs for a start from standstill, before letting off. Like, really really punch it. I guess it's the car's computer dampening the pedal response for fuel efficiency. I think? Anyway, this thing helps with that. Doesn't make it perfect, but it helps. Together with the BMS clutch stop, it's a lot easier to drive smoothly.

The Remus one has like... 10 or so levels, between Sport and Race modes (not counting green mode of course). So you can find the level that works for you. I played with it at first, and settle on Sport +1 I think, and haven't touched it since then.

As others have probably said, this doesn't add power, it just changes the throttle signal. But if that gets the pedal to add more throttle sooner, maybe you're getting to 60 mph a little sooner too.

Once I get a tune, maybe this thing will be for sale. People say the tunes reduce the dead spots as well- hope so!

 

Have to agree with manual vs. auto. With Shell 91 and JCW tune, my '15 MCS already leaves others at a stop light some 15 car lengths behind. I am not even aware of it, always in Sport mode. Have to drive my 1500 GMC auto (small 8) a few times recently because broke her foot. I have been noticing a "spool up" with the auto. With my Mini, after this thread, been starting to check my review mirror more often for police behind me when starting first from a line of cars at a green light...
Regards,
SFMCS
2015 MCS JCW Int/Ext Tuned
Heavily Modified

 

I love mine, I leave mine in sport on level 9 all day every day.

 

I use mine on the countryman set to Red 6 and my JCW is set to Red 7. Really enjoy romping on the pedal and passing.