I have a 2010 Justa. I was looking forward to being able to enjoy heel and toe downshifting again with this car. My old turbo Passat had such poor off-idle throttle response that it really ruined the experience unless you were really driving all out and had the motor @ 3000 rpm or more. Much to my dismay, I have found the Justa to be the same, even with Sport Mode button engaged.

Can anyone comment on their experience with the Sprint Booster product in this regard? It just ruins the experience to have to kick the throttle more than once to get the revs up to match what is neededto smoothly engage the next lower gear.

So, does the Sprint Booster help with this, or is there another way to improve off-idle throttle response?

Thanks,

DOC

 

I have a 2006 Cooper and I'm considering installing the SB for the same reason. By all accounts it really does make a significant difference. The only complaint I have personally read is that some find it "too twitchy" but I think that's something I could work with, having ridden some twitchy, squirrely sport bikes.

The price tag is steep but if it works, I think it's a good use of cash, and if it doesn't, you can return it and get your money back. Others have suggested a Cold Air Intake can help as well.

Hopefully some SB users will chime in with their experiences. If you get one please let us (me.) know if it solves your problem!

 

I tried a Sprint Booster but returned it after about 3 wks for a full refund. I didn't feel it added much to my driving experience and seemed like a $50 product with a $300 price tag. That said, I did get a hassle free refund. Give it a try, it might be just the ticket to improve your heel-toe experience.

 

ammodave, can I ask what year/model MINI you drive?

 

same here, came from a GTI and having the same issue. My GTI was chipped though. Maybe the SB would help.

 

I have a 2010 justa hatchback. I didn't dislike the Sprint Booster; it was actually entertaining for a day or two. By cycling it through its 3 modes (off, sport, and race) you could definitely feel a difference in the throttle pedal respnse. After about a week I found I could almost duplicate the Sprint Booster simply by being much more aggressive with my right foot. In the end I just couldn't see $300 worth of value. If the price had been $50, I probably would have kept it. I ordered mine from Sprint Booster.us for 299.95 with free shipping; be sure to keep all the original packaging if you decide to return it.

 

You're not really supposed to heel-toe the same way at low rpm's as you would in spirited driving. When you just wanna even out the revs on, say, a slower turn, just gently raise the revs and then quickly let off the gas while simultaneously releasing the clutch.

This differs from a typical heel toe, where you actually blip the throttle all the way.

 

The problem with gently raising the revs is you have to mash the throttle to get them to come up enough, which usually means for me I have to raise them too much and let it fall a bit before letting up on the clutch. This has been my experience, anyway. If it was more sensitive I could give it a little much easier. I'll probably try the SB after I install tires and the swaybar.. it's third on my list of things to do.

 

With all due respect to the "Reserved MD", I have been racing Formula Fords since 1970 and I don't plan to alter my driving style. I intend to get my car to work properly. I drove a turbo Passat for ten years. It was a remarkable street car in many ways, but the low compression made it impossible, even wth ECU reprogramming to get reasonable throttle response at low revs.

When I decided to get a normally aspirated Mini, it was, in part, so I could enjoy heel and toe downshifting without having to be winding the **** out of the car. I thought there was something "wrong" with my car when it stumbled coming off idle, but I am told "they are all like that".

So it sounds like the consensus is that the Sprint Booster MAY address this problem at a price that many people feel is excessive. I am not looking for this product to make the car faster or even "feel" faster. I just want better low-rev throttle response.

So is the Sprint Booster the only possible fix, or are there other possibilities?

Thanks a lot for all the input so far.

DOC

 

I'm not asking you to change your driving style. I too was surprised coming off an M Coupe that the throttle response is so lagging. I just 'assimilated' to the new car. Every car is different.

Also, if you want a better fix, I believe the booster thing is around 400 dollars. New lightweight flywheel if I'm not mistaken is around 500. From what you said, I assume you have knowledge required to replace the flywheel. I've done that on my M and My God was it a dramatic change. Not only did the engine rev considerably quicker; it was also much faster off the line. Yes it is more of a faff to install, but I think it's worth it!

 

I put the Sprint Booster on my car about a week ago and instantly found it to be a whole lot more fun. When you drive with the race mode on and in sport mode its a whole new car. I've had an 05 GTI, and an 89 Mustang GT both had a whole lot more power but the Mini with the Sprint Booster makes it my Fav car to drive. Its just one of those things you'll love, hate, or have mixed feelings about. Either way the return for free deal you can't beat. SO try it out and see.

 

I just ordered a Sprint Booster. Will report how it works.

DOC

 

You should have bought the S. Try a pulley if that doesn't work for you.

 

I've driven the S, it has throttle lag too. This is not a solution. There are several benefits to the S, but it's still got a laggy throttle response. If this is the only thing the OP needs to make the car drive like he wants it to, it makes more sense to spend a few hundred than it does to spend a few thousand.

 

DOC4444 - I just traded my 2000 V6 Passat in for a 2009 MCS. Both have/had relatively poor throttle response in my opinion(at least in terms of what you would like to heel and toe), but I chalked it up to the fly-by-wire throttle.

My "other" car is a Caterham 7 (Crossflow - which I'm sure you're familiar with - with DCOE 40's) and if I breath on the gas pedal the engine responds - immediately. With the Passat, I could bounce the gas pedal up and down rapidly, and the rpm wouldn't move.

My 2 cents.

Steve

 

I was just kidding. The pulley only helped the old S superchargered engine anyway. I find it pretty easy to heel toe my S, but I've never drived the Justa.

 

Exactly.......unfortunately this is kind of the nature of the beast.

 

Hi Steve,

I have a 1700cc Kent crossflow (with 45s) sitting in my trailer. Let me know if you ever need a spare for the 7.

So there is at least one person here who knows what proper throttle response actually feels like.

Best Wishes,

DOC

 

My 1999 1.8T Passat actually has an old fashioned throtle cable. The problem with this car is the low compression that turbo cars require. In 2000 I got a GIAC chip that had a lot of spark advance and was not too bad in terms of throttle response. However, the chip "socket" went bad and GIAC went to a different style of chip mounting in the ECU. The new style chip they provided was claimed to be the same, but actually has dramatically less advance and thus, worse throttle response. We could never get a chip out of them with the original spark advance.

DOC

 

There is no way you can compare those types of vehicles to a modern passenger car.

The Sprint Booster is going to get you close, but they really are different animals.

 

Should've gotten an S...

 

Unless you can prove that the MCS has quicker throttle response, either you're joking or you don't understand the problem. The problem is that the time between throttle application and engine revving is too great. On the Cooper, this seems to be the result of a delay deliberately programmed into the throttle/engine control system. It has little to do with the engine, but going to a turbocharged engine with lower compression may even make the problem worse.

 

To the OP


I have no issues hell toeing when necessary, very rare around town but when i go out of town to the twisties i can just fine.


But if your hell toeing, you really shouldnt be coming from idle unles you are waiting for the revs to completely drop down which defeats the purpose of staying in the power band if ya know what i mean.

Is it just the response in genral that bugs you?

 

OK this is getting a little silly now Both Cooper and Cooper S have the same response time for the electronic throttle for both regular and sport modes. That's what you get with drive-by-wire technology. I would absolutely die for a cabled throttle! These car's throttles are programmed to be acceptable and comfortable to the majority of the population that would drive them. I hate it just as much as the original poster and it just takes some getting used to before you're heel to toe'in like a pro. On the track I barely notice the lag probably because the system is more sensitive at higher engine speeds, but needs some improvement on the low-end. Is it worth a $400 improvement though

 

Honestly i have no problem heel toeing with my MCS and ive driven both S's and non-S and the throttle response on the S is much faster especially when in sport mode. Probably get a lightened crank pulley that'll make it even quicker throttle response. Sorry to tell you all but theres a good reaon people pay more for the S. Its simply faster in all aspects and its got alittle more than like 118?? HP featured on the base cooper. If you dont believe me head to your nearest mini dealership and ask them to let you drive a non S and then drive an S right after...then tell me the throttle response is the same.