v_therussian

I don't think another SB DIY is necessary, nor is it particularly hard to install. Rather, I would like to mark my installation of the SB by ranting a bit on the subject.

First and foremost, thanks are due to all those who - in one way or another - made this possible: I'd not have done it if not for this forum, thanks e60.net! Thanks to Bijan (member boosted4door) for selling the SB to me and giving me a great deal in the process! Thanks to my friend Stan, who provided the financing for this mod (LOL well, he did owe me, so it wasn't a gift, but still, he made it easier). Thanks to all the members who wrote up the DIYs and the countless threads on the device, teaching me everything I needed to know about and finally, thanks to - yes - BMW for making the e60's throttle a drive-by-wire unit!

Impressions: I installed the SB after work yesterday, took a drive around the block, grinned like an idiot, posted a thread with praise and went to sleep. When I woke up today, I obviously got behind the wheel as soon as I could. I've now logged a few more miles - both highway and in-town - and have a few more impressions to report. So, without further adeau:

Around town: In the first two gears is where the SB makes itself known the most. The most tangible change is, I would say, to the overall character of the car. I have a stick shift, so it also changes the clutching a bit - basically, you'd have to get used to your car all over again, as the take up point shifts due to different mapping of the gas pedal. But overall, the car became edgy - not edgier, no! It is not certifiably edgy - as opposed to before, where it was fast only if I beat it into submission. With SB installed, the car is eager to run, the throttle opens much wider at a drop of pin on the accelerator - again, to me, a source of widest grins. In my driving so far, I can tell you that any and all hesitation is gone - where before the SB my car hesitated when floored hard from a stand-still with the DCS on, now it just goes.

On the highway: Not THAT much difference in highway performance in upper 2 gears - as a matter of fact, the negative effect of the SB (only one I can think of, aside from higher gas consumption) is a pretty big dead zone in the pedal travel in higher gears - what happens is when you lightly tap the gas pedal, it gives progressively more throttle openning than a stock pedal would, thus topping out at about 35% of the pedal travel, hence yeilding the remaning 65% or so of pedal travel useless. To someone like me, it is a small price to pay for the responsiveness the car gains in lower gears. But this does bring up the incredible benefit of the Velocity unit, which you can actually turn off completely (if I'm not mistaken, on the fly). I would also say that installing an RPi Scoop and a better breathing (proven) exhaust would probably alieviate most of this deficiency.
Most noticable difference in highway driving to me is in downshifting and running highway speeds in 3rd, 4th and 5th gears - particularly the 3rd and 4th. The rev come sooner and have a higher stamina. It does actually feel as though the engine has more power (I know everybody says it, but let me tell you: there is a reason everyone says this). Also, the passing is now easier, and dare I say, the need for downshifting in some situations actually diminished - if not disappeared altogether, again, in some situations.

It is probably wise to advise anyone who gets a SB to keep in mind that their car actually did not gain any horsepower from it, as it does tend to give you a bit more confidence, perhaps, than justified. But in 99.9% of real-life driving situations, that confidence is justified - just wise to remember that there is that odd chance of feeling overly confident due to the SB's performance.

Is there a need for any concensus? I doubt my review needs it - the thesis has been clear before me - and will remain long after this thread is banished to the outskirts of the forum's archived writings: sprintbooster is the best performance mod you can get for your car for the money, even though it actually does not change the max HP and torque figures. I do suspect that there's a good chance it actually change the torque curves slightly, bc enigine gets more gas faster per every rpm, so actually, I stipulate that the torque curve rises faster with the SB and has a broader plateau. But that's pure speculation. What is a fact, however, is that the sprintbooster is definitely worth the money and definitely improves the car's performance.

Finally, installing the SB made me seriously consider installing a performance exhaust and an RPi scoop to compensate for that "lag" created by the dead area in the pedal travel. I'm not sure if this will do the trick, but my feeling is that the free'er air flow provided by better intake and exhaust will add that top of the rev range power, much needed for the NA inline 6.

John@Motorcepts

yup. i've always wondered if it changed the horsepower and torque curve of the car at all.

sdg1871

Great write up Vlad.

If the SB only changes the throttle response then I don't think it would affect the torque curve. It doesn't alter the engine at all and instead just send a more aggressive throttle input to the engine.

Given the really annoying lag in a stock E60 between WOT and actual full power, this sounds like an awesome mod for leadfoots like me.

bespoke1

V,

You should write ad copy for Sprintbooster. That was quite a testimonial and dead on target. All E60.net newbies should be shown a copy of your review!!


B

e6t

it is my understanding that the SB doesnt change the actual performance of the car in any way. no more power, no more torque. it simply translates the movement of the gas pedal more rapidly.

damnit, i guess im going to have to get one so that I can weigh in.

where can i get in touch with this wang guy?

BMWRINO

congrats on the SB! hope you have a fun holiday weekend driving around!!


Here is Andy Wong's Ebay store for Sprint Boosters http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Parts-Exporter...e__W0QQ_armrsZ1 ...and I think this is his email: sale@PartsExporter.com

radzM

Congrats! The SB must have change your life with that long review of yours.

Idonkare

Another satisfied customer....ENJOY!

flyingpuck

Sprint Booster!!

EuroCarFan

Don't buy it from his eBay store. Email him directly and tell him you're from E60.net. He might be able to give you a small price break. Or if you can wait, then sign up for that group buy.