I have a feeling this has been covered in the past but I have read through the other threads and am completely lost. Everything I read was like a foreign language to me.

I work in LA and the stop and go traffic is really getting to me. You all are probably familiar with the lag-then-go from idle. You can tolerate this in when stopped at a light but not 5+ times a minute, 2hrs each way, during rush hour in LA, while going 3mph max. Its to the point where sometimes I get a bit car sick. :( Its like riding the Indiana Jones ride at Disneyland, or a very old boardwalk style bumper car. Its enough to shake me around a bit.

I was wondering if you super smart mini owners knew any way to get rid of this, or make it drive like the newer models? Doesnt need to be perfect, just better. I had an 08 loaner for a week and it did not do this. I have an 06 automatic and my friend has an 04. Mine is still under warranty so I do not want to do anything to void that but this is not making for a fun drive.

If you totally amazing knowledgeable people could explain this in a way a car novice would understand that would be great. Seriously, dumb it down for me. I wont be insulted.

Thanks and sorry if I am asking the same thing over again. Hope you can forgive me.

 

Here you go, its a thread about the "Sprint Booster"

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...sprint+booster

 

I was currently reading that thread but it sounded scary, like it was going to void something or damage my car. Im only about halfway through the thread though.

Any other options or would this be the best one? I dont mind spending the money to keep my breakfast from coming back to visit, but being a car novice I dont want to damage anything or void anything.

:: continues to read thread ::

 

Well The good thing about it is, its reversible in about 5 minutes If you think you have a problem, remove it and then bring your car to the shop, they would never know You can also get a custom tune but you are looking at much more money. You drive a Cooper right? Not a S? Call Mini Mania and ask them if it works on a Cooper. You also read that it is fully refundable for 30 days, right?

 

So what are you looking for?
You can try this: http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...catalogid=3751
SB seems like the safest of your choices, if your worried about void warranty.
Also try turning off Traction Control I turn that sucker off every single time I am in the car, rain or shine that crap is always OFF.

 

Sprint booster all the way. I just installed one and it's really quite insane the difference it makes. I had the same lag you describe, mine was so bad sometimes I thought the car was going to stall, especially on uphill grades. Stuck the sprint booster in and the car drives like it should and then some. Massive difference, best mod I've made, without question. I can't for the life of me see how it could cause any damage to the drivetrain aside from maybe wearing the clutch out a bit sooner from having too much fun.

If you're not a performance minded driver and just want to lessen the lull, I'd get the les aggressive version meant for automatics.

FYI, it does take a little getting used to, the difference is that big. But you'll love it. Don't have sticker shock either, it sounds like alot, and probably is for what it is physically, but you're paying for what it does, and for that, I'd have hapily paid twice what it cost.

 

http://www.sprintboostersales.com/

 

stupid question: traction control? Is that the little switch next to my windows that the guy who sold me the car told me never to touch after I took a turn too fast while test driving? If so can you tell me just how different it will drive/handle so I dont do something stupid. He made me fear that switch.

I think the sprint booster may be the way to go but I have a few questions about it if you all dont mind.

Just how different will it drive? Will it help the car take off faster? How does it feel? I used to drive an 01 mustang (not a v8) so that was (and still is) the biggest annoyance I have with my mini. Actually, the slow out of the gate is the only annoyance I have. I visited the sprint booster site and it says it does not give extra horsepower it just feels like it. Guess I am just curious exactly how it feels?

Which brings me to a slightly off topic question: if the sprint booster does not help me go VROOM any ideas on what will while I am at it?

I like performance but I am not a "car" person. I am not the type that needs to be heard coming down the street or go 0-60 in half a second. What I care about is gas mileage and not getting tail gated/crushed trying to get up to speed on a freeway. Not sure if any of you have driven in SoCal but LA/Orange County drivers are INSANE.

Oh, and to whoever asked my car is an 06 automatic and is not an S but it does have the sports package.

Thank you all so much for being patient with me. I admit, I am an idiot when it comes to cars and I am OK with that. Trying to learn, its just slow going.

Edit: Thanks for the link. Seriously considering it after I fully research it. Lets make sure I have this correct, since I have an automatic 06 base model mini with nothing special done to it I would go with the one for automatic and it will work right? The notes section: confused me. I would guess I have the "normally aspirated" one? "Notes:Normally Aspirated, Supercharged, Turbo Engines"

 

Save your money and run away from the SB. Just get a custom tune and it will solve more than just the throttle response issue for about the same amount of money. Talk to Revolution MINI Works or Mynes tuning for their options.

 

If the SB does what everybody says, this would be the way to go for smilezie. First off this is only a Cooper, not an S. There is not alot of HP to extracted. And second, "for about the same amount of money"? How do you figure? A custom tune is now in the $350- 450 range add the dyno cost of a minumum of $100 and the gas to get to a tune, you are way over $300. I say try the SB, if you dont like it, return it for a refund, no brainer.

 

Im not looking for sports car speed or horsepower, just enough to not make people assume im an 80 year old woman while trying to get on the fwy.


I turned off the DSC (i think?) aka toggle by my window toggle for my drive to work and it actually did help a bit. Who would have thunk it? I still have that lag-then-jolt but its smoother as opposed to what it was before. Plus it drives better, for me at least. Doesnt mean I am not going to seek other options to perfecting my baby, just means that I am less likely to blow chunks in her until I find the solution.


Keep the advice coming if you have it. I like to know all my options, the pros and cons, etc before I jump into anything, esp when money is involved. Thank you all so much for being patient with me.

 

As many have said, try the Sprint Booster. It is very easy to install or remove if you do not like it. It has a money back guarantee so you can always get your money back if you do not like the result.

 

I feel your pain.

I've had my 05 S since april and I immediately noticed it too. I have a lot of stop and go traffic as well. Not only is the car very low on torque under 2K RPMs (to be expected given that it's supercharged and a 1.6L displacement), the lag in the electronic throttle system is quite annoying. When you get the A/C on... forget it!!! Twice I've been trying to pull out or change lanes and just BOGGED down, crawling out into oncoming traffic, cars coming, looking around, cars are getting closer, seems like slow motion ... then SLAM! the boost kicks in, your head snaps back, the tires squeel and you're OFF!!!!

Nowadays I'm always bitching at my wife for turning on the AC and constantly am revving the engine sitting at a stop so I can get into the power band for a reasonable take off. You can get used to it but it is very different from other cars.

A sprint booster is definitely in my future, though as usual I have a ton of competing car and other purchases lined up.

 

By going to a custom tune you are not only getting the throttler response issue addressed, but getting additional power (which is nice for a Cooper), less intrusive traction control, better running engine, better mileage.

All the SB does is "trick" the ECU about the pedal position, and we all know the headaches associated with the Unichip trying to trick the ecu.

 

A custom tune will not fully address the lag issue the way the SB does. In fact, the reason I got the SB was because Jan at RMW recommended it after he tuned my car. The two are different things that don't really overlap. A tune will really not be extremely beneficial to the OP as he drives an apparently unmodified non-S Cooper. It won't give him the results he's after, and it'll cost closer to $500. PM Longboard or Jan at RMW, they'll tell you the same thing, and I'm pretty sure they know what they are talking about.

 

The "tricking" of the ECU comparison between the Unichip and the SprintBooster is like comparing salmon and grizzly bears.... all the SB does is change the voltage response curve of the pedal sensor. The Unichip goes way, way, way further than that in ways that materially impact the operation of the engine...

 

T/C OFF prevents that annoying jerk (engine cutting off feeling) when you lift off aggresssively, and generally smoother acceleration. OK initiallyy I have some posts around here on nam that I wrote "instead of sb boost buy some 8 inch platform driving shoes" but I eat crow now. The only way I can desribe it is I test drove new MCS with sport button that kind is like sb boost or I have a rental BMW 128i auto and in auto mode it like the MINI (actually alot worse) but engage the "manumatic" shifter and the throttle comes alive, thats the best way to describe SB. SB wont be like the Hertz Shelby Mustang GT-H that piamp slaps you into the buckets, but you'll sink you into the buckets like the the Snuggles bear falls into the towels.