Topic: Review: SprintBooster

[kennysabarese]

i'd be worried about something like this on the track. (though i have very little experience, so please correct me if i am wrong) by getting to 100% faster you have less precision in the middle to get exactly the power you want. it would also be more abrupt when you lift off the throttle

[G8TR]

Did I see THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY NINE DOLLARS ?!?!?!?!?! A Westers tune is only $200 more and has great throttle response. WTF, huh?

That was my thought also. I have the GMR tune and that's less then this thing. I have plenty of throttle response and more HP and torque.

[jonymac]

Posted my review: http://www.skyroadster.com/forums/f25/sprintbooster-installed-30327/

[Yamatr3]

your link does not work.

[RichSol]

http://www.skyroadster.com/forums/f25/sprintbooster-installed-30327/

your link does not work.

It is something to do with this page. I found the link elsewhere and it works. But here it will only work if you copy it and paste at the top of a new page.

[RichSol]

Or I could just cut and paste the whole thing for you:


Sprintbooster Installed!
Hopefully, we can use this thread as place where those who have installed Sprintboosters can post their reviews...

<jonymac's review>

BACKGROUND:
I have read all the back and forth between the pro SB camp and the against SB camp. I read the white paper and read all the other car board threads I could find. I decided to take advantage of Dave's 10 day money back guarantee, and decided to be open minded about it. Other than swapping out the turbo, I have done all the other performance mods - RPI exhaust, RPI intercooler, intercooler piping, fujita air intake, Dejon TB elbow, Big Bore TB, Wester's race tune, painted engine cover (I'm sure it helps somehow ) -- still looking for a catless RPI DP though. I grew up with a 66 Mustang with a Boss 302, four barrel Holley, dual exhaust, the works. I enjoy power, throaty exhausts and convertibles.

INSTALL:
Received mine from UPS today (despite blaming Dave unfairly for sending my SB by three legged camel) - dropped my stuff, got out of my big boy clothes and into some play clothes and went out to do the install. Now, I have to say, those who said it takes 3 minutes are either contortionists or midgets, or both. My ribs still hurt from laying across the sill and fidgeting with connectors upside down!

The SB was definitely a tight fit - I installed it by removing the pink clip above the accelerator pedal sensor - (slide it backwards), pressing down on the rear detent and pulling. (I believe there is another thread with pics) I pushed the SB into the connector and then plugged the SB into the car. Took about 20 minutes to figure out how the connectors worked, test fit the pieces and find the right tools to encourage a tight connection. In the end, I just squeezed as hard as I could. I uninstalled it and reinstalled it twice just to be sure I could do it on the fly later if needed. Next go around it should be closer to 3-5 minutes total.

IMPRESSIONS:
Sorry to disappoint you guys out there, but you aren't going to slaughter women and children in a parking lot with this thing. (I went to the local Walmart parking lot to test it and be sure.) There is a definite difference with it installed - no placebo effect AT ALL. If you put two identical cars next to each other and didn't tell the driver the SB was installed, had them drive the non-SB car first, then the SB car, he would definitely crap his pants at the difference!

1st gear is gonna take some getting used to - it was a bit yippy and there is a definite need to feather in the clutch a bit to even things out. 2nd and 3rd gear come on FAST. The thing I can say about this is that not only does the car drive differently, but it will change how you drive the car. I spent about 30 minutes tonight tooling around highways, back roads and parking lots. I am still giggling and grinning!

CLOSING:
The best way to put it is, all the mods I have done have given me a bunch more HP to play with. This device gives me all that power like, RIGHT NOW. I understand the mechanics of, "just push the accelerator further and save some money". Really, I get that. This thing just makes the car damned fun, as if it weren't fun enough already!

I know this review may be meaningless for those who are staunchly in the against SB camp because it can't add HP to your ride. I am not trying to convince you this is right for you, because it most probably wouldn't be if you are dead set against it. In life, sometimes, you just gotta try it to believe it.

For the nice discount gotten in the group buy, I think this is definitely worth the money - but that is just me. I bought all my other performance mods at discount prices - used, slightly damaged, group buys, etc. If anyone can reverse engineer this thing and post pics and a nice How to - that would be awesome! I will definitely be looking at a way to install some sort of intermediary switch to make the car wife friendly - anyone who has ideas here - please speak up!

I for one was on the fence, but willing to try the SB and am happy with the product. It will definitely lead to a lot of spirited driving. The cost of the product will probably pale in comparison to the cost of my future pink slips from the nice man in a pressed blue suit with those flashy blue lights...

</jonymac's review>
Last edited by JonyMac : Yesterday at 08:43 PM.
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[Yamatr3]

Thanks!

[jonymac]

Thanks!

[2kwk4u]

Thanks for the review, jonymac.  I'll admit up front that I'm in the anti-SB camp.  I'd probably see things differently if I had a bunch of mods already and an extra few hundred bucks, though.  At the very least, it sounds like it makes the car a helluva lot more fun.   

...and isn't that the biggest reason we all bought these cars to begin with?

[rich71]

I have been curious as to why there haven't been more user opinions on this product on any of the forums. Of all the people that were in the group buy, i have not really heard from most of them. Nothing - wether good bad or indifferent. So i am giving my opinion here.............

I am very pleased with my sprintbooster. I actually love the fact my car is more fun now because of it. You basically have to unlearn what you have learned, so says Yoda. It gives the car a whole different "feel". I have enough mods for my taste so i figured, why not give it a shot at the group buy rate. I am sure glad i did. I like the fact that it "feels" more responsive. I like short pedal travel. This is what it does. If we had an actual cabled throttle plate, i would modify the throttle buttlerfly cam so it opens to the max with less foot travel. That is what this does for me. Pricey - for sure, but hey, then again. I am modded enough so i am not throwing away a budget for a "real" mod. It is no different than spending money for detailing under the hood. You can spend way more doing that and it does NOTHING for your driving experience, but makes you "feel" good when you open the hood. IMHO....i love it and fully recommend it......it makes the car just dam fun. I mean MORE dam fun. 

[jonymac]

True - I feel the same way.  I still have some issues with first gear - I wonder if it has come a little loose or something under there... You?

[RichSol]

I think everyone is so tired of being attacked by all the naysayers, who think they can just prove us wrong on paper. And I don't know why we have to keep putting "feel" in quotes, like it's not a real thing. All I can say is my car drives sooo much faster, and is sooo much more responsive since I added the GM power upgrade and followed a week later with the SB. When I punch it now it flies. I am still planning on pulling the SB so I can see what the difference is without it (since the GM upgrade was a fairly recent addition), but so far I have been having too much fun driving it to get to that. lol. The thing is I get to higher speeds quicker and with less noticeable engine strain. It just seems effortless now. But I don't think its the SB alone. I think it IS the combination of the GM upgrade and the faster throttle. I would recommend both (or a good 3rd party tune and the SB).

Some have commented on the throttle being too sensitive or non-linear. To a degree there is some truth to this. But its non-linear in the way the turbo kicking in is non-linear. I notice after the engine warms up it is a smoother acceleration. But also, the more I drive, the more I get used to the extra sensitivity of the pedal now. And you aren't going to go through the garage wall when you try to park at home. Just barely touch the pedal. Its easy.

As far as price, I think its all relative. People are spending $600 or more for leather upgrades inside that add no power, but are pleasing to the eye. This is an add-on that you will definitely feel right away and it is a fast install. The only problem I had with the install was...because it went on so easy I thot it couldn't be on right, and I kept trying to make it click. But it seems solid and I haven't had a problem.

One other comment: I have an automatic, so I got the less aggressive auto version, I believe. I have read on other forums (with other cars) that some with manual trannies found they preferred the auto version of the SB over the manual version because it was smoother. Something to think about, depending on how you like to drive.

[opjohn]

It's not coming off my car !!! I love it !

[spicy3480]

It really is a great piece of electronics.  It makes the car a ton more fun to drive, and I am used to it now so controlling the throttle is no longer an issue.  The shorter pedal travel is what I like to drive also.  Mine has been smooth since day one, so I can not complain at all about it.  Like others have stated, people will spend $300 on a detail, lots more on leatherwork, etc....so the price should not even be an issue.  What about when we add gauges with a pod...that's way over $300 dollars but doesn't add any power to the car...just lets you see the vitals...but it does look damn cool...and that "look" makes the entire driving experience more fun.

[Ben L]

Hopefully, the vibe around here is that you can express an opinion without having clods of dirt thrown at you by "naysayers." 

Personally, I am looking for people's real live experiences and opinions, good and bad.  Lots of people know a lot more and lots know a lot less about any topic, I don't care who you are.  And opinions are like armpits.  Everyone has them, and they all stink.

I am starting to look for better power delivery out of the hole, because the combo. of the very slight turbo lag and the part of the tach where the Wester's Race tune pours on the torque is not giving me the low end kick I need autoxing.  I have to floorboard it to get full boost, and by the time the torque gets to the ground, I find myself at the braking/lifting point entering turns.  Woosh goes the blow off, and I have to mash the pedal to WOT to build up the boost all over again rolling throttle on out of the turn.

Would this device help that do ya think?

[rich71]

It won't make a difference for you because you are flooring it as fast as you can. The delay from closed to wot is the same with or without the booster. It is more to give the sensation of a shorter travel gas pedal which feels more responsive....Try removing the stiffer bov spring. I had one and noticed some boost lag because of the increased seat pressure. I actually never paid attn to it until a couple others mentioned it. I went back to the stock spring and it did indeed make a diff in regaining boost recovery. I have no logs to prove that other than the log in my brain from looking at the boost gauge. give it a try, you can always put the stiffer one back in if you disagree.

[jonymac]

Yeah - hopefully we can keep this board clean of the bashers... I still love mine too - and it may be my imagination, but since I put on the catless and DP and subsequently pulled the ECM for 1/2 hour and replaced it - 1st gear has been a LOT easier to manage with the SB.  !st was my one frustration - but tat is 80% gone now.  Not sure which change affected it though.

Now, with the catless DP - boost comes on faster than before.  The SB just accentuates this feeling.  I don't autoX so I don't know the distance between cones or anything or what gears you are in most the time, but the boost seems to be instantaneous at 3k rpms in 2nd and 3500 rpms in 3rd.  It may also be attributed to the Westers tune too...

[Uranium-238]

*raises hand*

I was one of the bashers of this device over on the Sky forum. This device changes the pedal's response curve, Min and max are still the same.

If you prefer the altered curve, great. My issue was with how people kept saying it made the car faster, as in reduced 0-60 times (not butt dyno feel.) The absurd price ticked me off as well. But that's just my opinion. I got really annoyed with all the misconceptions about this mod, and the way it's supporters made those us us who questioned it feel.

If you're looking to change the feel of the car, and have the money, this might be a great mod for you. If you want to increase your cars power, it's not going to do alot. WOT is still WOT with or without the sprintbooster.

I'd think that in A/X you'd want the stock pedal response curve. Since the sprintbooster gets to max sooner my guess is fine control of the throttle wouldn't be as simple. But that's just a guess.

If it was cheaper, I'd give it a shot myself. 

[rich71]

you are correct that the car isnt' any faster. I like it because for me, it makes the car respond how i want it to with the amount of foot pedal travel that i use. I like a short travel pedal it seems, It sucks that the ecm hasn't been cracked yet to adjust the delay/response curve of the throttle body as that would be perfect. For autocross if you don't feel like using more than 75% or your pedal travel, then it would work for you, but it won't open to wot any faster. 

[elff]

I can 100% back up Uranium's statement.  Those other forum's tend to have a lemming effect and those who question something are quickly dismissed.  This product was advertised in a way that made it seem like your car would be faster and it took pages of posts before that was changed to 'Feel" faster.  Calling it the "Best Mod Ever"  with a statement like
"The Sprintbooster is hands down the best mod you could ever buy for your Drive By Wire Solstice or SKY!!!"
added to the frenzy. 
As such, some of us posted our opinions on what we thought were better mods, such as a tune which would make your car faster, vs just feeling faster.

While I don't have the SprintBooster, I have a 2009 Mini Cooper S.
They come with this technology from the factory.
When you put the car in "Sport" mode, 2 things happen
1. Steering tightens up
2. Throttle response increases

The car, however, is not any faster in sport mode. 
I personally like the feel of the gas pedal in sport mode so I can understand why those who purchased it, would like it.

Me personally, I like the feel of the stock sky gas pedal.  As such, the price point of the SprintBooster doesn't entice me to take a chance on it. $300 for this mod, is beyond my price point.  I have other things I have and still want to spend my money on.

I am glad that everyone who bought it, likes it.  That's all that matters.

[Ben L]

Very good, constructive comments from all.  Thanks!

Most autoxs are run in 2d gear.  At Cumberland Airport (long circuit) you might see third on the back straight.  But there's always a real time cost in having to brake AND downshift, so usually we see people banging the rev limiter at the tippie top of second. 

The way I was taught, most of the time, autoxing technique involves either being hard on the throttle ("when the throttle is called for, use it with great vigor") or hard on the brakes and out of them ASAP, or simply lifting to rotate the rear. 

So, while it is needed on some components of some courses, fine throttle modulation control is not the primary consideration, at least how I try to drive. Note -- Others may disagree, and that's just fine.  Based on these comments, I think the SB would probably not help enough to justify the investment.

Finally, I have to say that I really dig the quality and knowledge of people's posts on this board!  It is absolutely legit., in a friendly and good humored way, to call bull**** when someone goes overboard in touting a mod that really does not, from a technical standpoint, deliver what the breathless touter says. 

The fans of the SB here who posted here know what it does, and what it doesn't do, and they like what it does.  Fair enough.

That's the kind of exchange that is really useful to someone evaluating whether to do a performance mod.   Hopefully, that's the kind of forum this will always be.

[Uranium-238]

The fans of the SB here who posted here know what it does, and what it doesn't do, and they like what it does.  Fair enough.

Yep, that's why I kept my mouth shut at first. I didn't have anything to add, because they bought it for the right reasons, with the right expectaions.

So I guess there aren't many broad, sweeping corners in a/x? The kind where you have time to find the limit of your tires with the throttle, then hold the throttle steady at that point till you're out of the corner. (You can PM me a reply if you want, in order to avoid a hijack...)

[Critterman]

Ben, you need a supercharger added to your turbo.  DDM will be doing that in the very near future.

[elff]

I autoX and while there are situations where I mash the gas then mash the brake, there are alot of sections where I am not full on accelerating and fine control of the gas pedal is important. 

In the Mini, IMHO, I think the sport mode allows for better gas pedal control.
On the Sky, I'm used to the control of what I have.

The SCCA has a gazillion rules, I'm not sure if adding the SB to a car would bump you into a different class as it isn't a stock part.
Kind of the like the backbone brace from DDM.  That takes you from Street Prepared into Prepared. 

[Ben L]

You're right.  Sweepers are an example of a situation where part throttle through the turn is maintained, and fine control is required, but you still may need to lift to shift the weight forward and get the rear tucked  in just behind the apex. Especially descending radius turns.

But an instructor once taught me another way to attack them; by making sweepers into two turns and a mini straight.  It did not work well for me. 

This stuff actually is pretty hard, but you learn a whole lot about car handling in the process.   I am thick and a very slow learner.  I have been to many schools and many many races, and still don't get it. 

I defer to better autoxers like Snapon Bob and Elff, but I will still share what I am finding out on my journey here.

BTW -- as I've said, my approach is to set the car up to achieve the maximum level of handling and neutrality.  Then I end up in whatever class I end up in. 

After three seasons doing this, I am still a student and a beginner.  I am my own competition, so I really do not worry too much that I am not on the podium in my class consistently.  Or ever.  I look for improvement in my skills, and where in the entire field my raw times come in.  In the Cobra, with most of the clubs (not SCCA regional), it was consistently in the top 25% of all cars in all classes.  In this car, not so much.  Yet.