Sprint Booster

[badwolf]

Hi everyone. New here and my car's name is badwolf (Dr. Who fans will get it). I installed the sprint booster on my 2008 Passion and am incredibly pleased with the increased sensitivity of the throttle and responsiveness of the car on the whole. I rarely drive in auto mode but with this newly broken hand I'm forced to more than I would prefer. However even in auto mode the car is simply transformed. Would like to hear from others with this mod.Thanks,BadWolf

[lebikerboy]

http://www.peony888.com/VS/SprintBooster.pdf Edited January 24, 2010 by lebikerboy

[charlesbronson]

What are the benefits of drive by wire anyway? What is wrong with a physical wire going from pedal to engine?My neighbors 2000 Volvo had major issues with his drive by wire system and cost $1300 to rectify.Isn't computerizing these thing just adding to more stuff that can break?

[Francesco]

There is testing of this type of mod in conjuntion with the Area 451 Parts cruise control, with variable settings able to be set with a Scangauge. It's simply adjusting the electronic responsivity to the input from the 'gas' pedal, but it seems to be a function some enjoy. It could also be used for economy purposes as well.

I read this the first time we talked about the SprintBooster. I'm wondering if it can be adjusted any other way (for those of us without a 451 and Area451 cruise); it would be interesting to try out a response-smoother that works like the one the CleanMPG guys developed for the G1 Insight.

[Francesco]

http://www.peony888.com/VS/SprintBooster.pdf

This link has hung my computer three times now, without opening.

[badwolf]

http://www.peony888.com/VS/SprintBooster.pdf

[Francesco]

I've now tried it in IE 8 and FF 3.6 and it completely hangs both my laptop and my desktop with either browser, forcing me to kill the browser and the Acrobat Reader plugin processes manually

[Duck]

What are the benefits of drive by wire anyway? What is wrong with a physical wire going from pedal to engine?My neighbors 2000 Volvo had major issues with his drive by wire system and cost $1300 to rectify.Isn't computerizing these thing just adding to more stuff that can break?

Nope, it's removing mechanical elements (moving parts), which are more likely to wear.Statistically, poorly implemented electronic solutions to replace mechanical elements may have been more prone to failure, but that's not so much the case anymore. Can you imagine the headache of the routing of the "bicycle cable" from the pedal, way back to the engine over the wheels? Nightmare. Making everything modular and driving the responsibility onto the electrical team/communications bus also simplifies and accelerates the design time.-Iain

[badwolf]

Oh Jeez, not the white paper again. Yes I read it, and then reread it and then had a few people try to cram it down my throat on smartUSAinsider. The booster isn't going to add any horses or make your car a pocket rocket. It simply amplifies the fly by wire signal and it does it in such a way as to make it more sensitive to input. You can feel the difference immediately. And driving in auto mode is a lot more - how do I put this tactfully? - acceptable? It isn't magic it just gives you an illusion of a horsepower increase (it doesn't) and there is a whole and I mean a WHOLE lot less lurching about. As far as the white paper goes just check around and see how many white papers there are floating around saying there is no such thing as global warming or climate change. And please don't tell me you're one of those. Please, ok?From my own experiencee and with over 90 percent of those who have them in agreement, it does immenslly improve the "drivability" of the car and no it sure doesn't speed up the dreaded 1-2 shift. Now if it did that I really would bellieve in miracles. You'll also find that many if not most aftermarket cruise controls also throw in a Sprint Booster. I chose the version 2 (middrange) of the unit. SmartMadness a site which I spend way too much money at, fits it to all of the cars it modifies and they will install it and if you don't like it will remove it no questions asked. Not one person has so requested.So I guess thanks for the link to the writeup but it wasn't necessary. I always do my homwork. Now you can return the favor, and hopefully we'll be good friends, smarts are designed to understeer hence the narrow fronts, wider rears. My question is do you think the handling would be adversely affected with the same width (as on the rears) at both ends. This wasn't recommended on early generation smarts but I'm not sure if it still applies. I corner aggressively (I'm a former Alfa guy with a couple of Miata's thrown in from time to time and lest I forget a clapped out Citroen 2CV and have never had the ESP light blink once. So I think there is some room for leeway (is that how you spell that?) I've also heard that it greatly helps with the stability of the car in high crosswinds and when I lived outside of LA and had to buck 50 mph crosswinds it was a little frightening. Really don't want go to lowering springs, etc. etc. Besides I'm saving up for my "Scissors" doors. Just kidding? Can you believe they offer those? I'm still thrilled that I have an ashtray and cigarette lighter coming from SmartMadness any day now.So anyway, thanks again for your thoughts and keep em coming. I'm a smart fanatic but not a smart elitist. And yep folks, if my checkbook can afford it my little babe will be sharing the garage with the coming Fiat 500 cabriolet. Especially after Fiat promises it won't have a Chrysler badge on it but a proper Fiat badge (or improper depending on your Fiat experiences or nightmares)Another sacrilidge on smartUSAinsider. Mention another car - how f------ dare you.

[Huronlad]

The wider the tires on the front the more deadening of the steering.

[Duck]

If all this thing does is adjust the scaling of the pedal response, then that's dumb. The current setup is refreshing in that 0-100% of stroke travel on the pedal actually linearly equates to 0-100% of engine power. Nothing disgusts me more than Minivans that fool people that they're driving a "SPORT" van by having 100% of the engine power output engaged after like 1 cm of pedal travel. This is how you get people driving through coffee shop fronts and the like!-Iain

[lebikerboy]

First of all how do you know that not one person has requested their money back from Smart Madness after purchasing a Sprint Booster from them?I personally don't think that's something they'd advertise. Secondly, Kane of Evilution is another naysayer regarding the product and I will take his word over a manufacturer/retailer anytime...

[Huronlad]

The current setup is refreshing in that 0-100% of stroke travel on the pedal actually linearly equates to 0-100% of engine power. Nothing disgusts me more than Minivans that fool people that they're driving a "SPORT" van by having 100% of the engine power output engaged after like 1 cm of pedal travel. This is how you get people driving through coffee shop fronts and the like!-Iain

+1

[Francesco]

I do not think that is what it does.

[kheran]

From Badwolf..."Now you can return the favor, and hopefully we'll be good friends, smarts are designed to understeer hence the narrow fronts, wider rears. My question is do you think the handling would be adversely affected with the same width (as on the rears) at both ends. This wasn't recommended on early generation smarts but I'm not sure if it still applies. I corner aggressively (I'm a former Alfa guy with a couple of Miata's thrown in from time to time and lest I forget a clapped out Citroen 2CV and have never had the ESP light blink once. So I think there is some room for leeway (is that how you spell that?) I've also heard that it greatly helps with the stability of the car in high crosswinds and when I lived outside of LA and had to buck 50 mph crosswinds it was a little frightening. "In answer to the the question, yes it does deaden the steering a little bit. I just did this "mod" on my smart and it tends to smooth out the ride . Bumps are not as harsh and cross winds dont bother the car as much as it used to. This is especially noted when a big rig passes by. Road noise is greatly reduced as well. It also looks cool, gives the little bugger some attitude. Oh ,yeah Welcome to the club!!Kevin

[badwolf]

From Badwolf..."Now you can return the favor, and hopefully we'll be good friends, smarts are designed to understeer hence the narrow fronts, wider rears. My question is do you think the handling would be adversely affected with the same width (as on the rears) at both ends. This wasn't recommended on early generation smarts but I'm not sure if it still applies. I corner aggressively (I'm a former Alfa guy with a couple of Miata's thrown in from time to time and lest I forget a clapped out Citroen 2CV and have never had the ESP light blink once. So I think there is some room for leeway (is that how you spell that?) I've also heard that it greatly helps with the stability of the car in high crosswinds and when I lived outside of LA and had to buck 50 mph crosswinds it was a little frightening. "In answer to the the question, yes it does deaden the steering a little bit. I just did this "mod" on my smart and it tends to smooth out the ride . Bumps are not as harsh and cross winds dont bother the car as much as it used to. This is especially noted when a big rig passes by. Road noise is greatly reduced as well. It also looks cool, gives the little bugger some attitude. Oh ,yeah Welcome to the club!!Kevin

[Francesco]

Deaden the steering? How?

[badwolf]

If all this thing does is adjust the scaling of the pedal response, then that's dumb. The current setup is refreshing in that 0-100% of stroke travel on the pedal actually linearly equates to 0-100% of engine power. Nothing disgusts me more than Minivans that fool people that they're driving a "SPORT" van by having 100% of the engine power output engaged after like 1 cm of pedal travel. This is how you get people driving through coffee shop fronts and the like!-Iain

Gee, I've never even wanted to drive through a coffee shop. And the booster sure doesn't makee it feel like it wants to. I swear until you guys try the sprint booster you don't have much credibility. For christ's sake what is everybody's problem with a product that improves the "feel" of the smart. And you know what I'm talking about. I almost nicknamed my car "Lurch" Try the product and then get back to me. Until then these kind of messages not only have a kind of rude tone like I'm some kind of idiot who wasted my money on a worthless product. Nothing could be further than the truth and I don't want to hear anything more about the Sprint Booster. It works, I love it and I don't mind driving in automatic mode with a broken hand right now. If you think it's bogus so be it. But I have one and I for one (I guess one) believe it does what it says on the tin. Improves throttle response and control. Haven't crashed through any storefronts yet and doubt if I will. Now before the Sprint I'd say my chances were a little better of driving right into Starbucks.Sorry guys but no more Sprint Booster. Fini

[badwolf]

The wider the tires on the front the more deadening of the steering.

That doesn't make sense to me. With power steering it still has enough feel to the wheel that cornering is still fun even with the narrow tires. i can only imagine that the grip would be a little higher with the wider fronts and then there's the crosswind issue too.

[bilgladstone]

I swear until you guys try the sprint booster you don't have much credibility.

Yeah, we keep hearing all kinds of negativity from people who themselves have never tried it. And then reports from vendors who say that they have sold hundreds of Sprintboosters with zero (money-back) returns.You are obviously enjoying your car more with this kit on board. I wish it would work with the CDi :dunno:Go man, go!Bil sun:

[Huronlad]

My 450 has direct steering and with wider front tires (175) the front end of the car is less likely to move under side winds, transport trucks passing. The increase in grip is substantial, stepping up from 145's to 175's. After driving a 451 for a little over a week and then driving my own car again, the power steering makes driving in cross winds noticeably worse.

[Huronlad]

Deaden the steering? How?

Less tread makes the steering lighter, more tread makes it heavier. I should maybe refer to the steering as heavier not deader.

[badwolf]

Yeah, we keep hearing all kinds of negativity from people who themselves have never tried it. And then reports from vendors who say that they have sold hundreds of Sprintboosters with zero (money-back) returns.You are obviously enjoying your car more with this kit on board. I wish it would work with the CDi :dunno:Go man, go!Bil sun:

Thank you, thank you, thank you. How is the CDi by the way? Noisy, rough idling, anything? I;m guessing slow as molasses but never had the opportunity to drive one. You have to be loving the mileage. Call SmartMadness and ask them about a CDi application. Since they're not sold in the states I just don't know.''Be welll my friend and have fun with your car. My car's name is Bad Wolf but you have to be a Dr. Who fan to kind of get it. Why do i kind of think maybe you are?

[Huronlad]

Yeah, we keep hearing all kinds of negativity from people who themselves have never tried it.

Knowing how the booster works and given the choice of driving a car with a throttle response like a factory smart or more like a North American minivan, having driven both I choose the smart.If the original poster is going to become upset that others have unique opinions and are willing to share them, posting opinions on an online forum might lead to a lot of aggravation.

[bilgladstone]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. How is the CDi by the way? Noisy, rough idling, anything? I;m guessing slow as molasses but never had the opportunity to drive one. You have to be loving the mileage. Call SmartMadness and ask them about a CDi application. Since they're not sold in the states I just don't know.''Be welll my friend and have fun with your car. My car's name is Bad Wolf but you have to be a Dr. Who fan to kind of get it. Why do i kind of think maybe you are?

I've been in touch with SmartMadness, who brought a CDi into their shop and confirmed the SB wouldn't work on the diesel. Not sure why, but there it is.The Canadian CDi is great; given the choice, no way would I trade it for a gasser. Mind you, my wee smartie is not stock Cheers, cousin.Bil