sprintbooster is great for the GL
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Hampsted QC, CA
GL 350
sprintbooster is great for the GL
I can only speak for the 450, but the Sprintbooster works very well at making the car feel lighter and more spry through stronger and more immediate acceleration.
Since all GLs are turbocharged, I assume they are all tuned alike to give a very luxurious take off from a standstill. In other words the throttle pedal doesn't give the engine much gas up to around 50% from the floor. The sprintboost changes that and lets you choose from two settings. Stage 1 is a little peppier and stage 2 is a lot peppier. I keep it in stage 1, although stage 2 is still fine with the family if you're careful with the pedal. I'm sure gas mileage suffers. Who cares. It goes from mediocre to slightly less so. But its more fun. It places your car at more lively (higher) speed more frequently without much thought or effort - definitely a plus. In doing so it gives the sense that the car is lighter on its feet.
I decided to get the Sprintbooster after driving a 550 and realizing that I liked the enhanced throttle of the sport mode, but I didn't care for the sharper shock setting. In the new GLS I believe you can control those elements separately.
Anyway. Just wanted to share.
Thumbs up for Sprintboost on the GL. Took 15 minutes to install (although you do have to lower the plastic cover panel over the drivers footwell.
DRP
Since all GLs are turbocharged, I assume they are all tuned alike to give a very luxurious take off from a standstill. In other words the throttle pedal doesn't give the engine much gas up to around 50% from the floor. The sprintboost changes that and lets you choose from two settings. Stage 1 is a little peppier and stage 2 is a lot peppier. I keep it in stage 1, although stage 2 is still fine with the family if you're careful with the pedal. I'm sure gas mileage suffers. Who cares. It goes from mediocre to slightly less so. But its more fun. It places your car at more lively (higher) speed more frequently without much thought or effort - definitely a plus. In doing so it gives the sense that the car is lighter on its feet.
I decided to get the Sprintbooster after driving a 550 and realizing that I liked the enhanced throttle of the sport mode, but I didn't care for the sharper shock setting. In the new GLS I believe you can control those elements separately.
Anyway. Just wanted to share.
Thumbs up for Sprintboost on the GL. Took 15 minutes to install (although you do have to lower the plastic cover panel over the drivers footwell.DRP
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 442
Likes: 6
From: Long Island, NY
2013 GL450
I can only speak for the 450, but the Sprintbooster works very well at making the car feel lighter and more spry through stronger and more immediate acceleration.
Since all GLs are turbocharged, I assume they are all tuned alike to give a very luxurious take off from a standstill. In other words the throttle pedal doesn't give the engine much gas up to around 50% from the floor. The sprintboost changes that and lets you choose from two settings. Stage 1 is a little peppier and stage 2 is a lot peppier. I keep it in stage 1, although stage 2 is still fine with the family if you're careful with the pedal. I'm sure gas mileage suffers. Who cares. It goes from mediocre to slightly less so. But its more fun. It places your car at more lively (higher) speed more frequently without much thought or effort - definitely a plus. In doing so it gives the sense that the car is lighter on its feet.
I decided to get the Sprintbooster after driving a 550 and realizing that I liked the enhanced throttle of the sport mode, but I didn't care for the sharper shock setting. In the new GLS I believe you can control those elements separately.
Anyway. Just wanted to share. Thumbs up for Sprintboost on the GL. Took 15 minutes to install (although you do have to lower the plastic cover panel over the drivers footwell.
DRP
Since all GLs are turbocharged, I assume they are all tuned alike to give a very luxurious take off from a standstill. In other words the throttle pedal doesn't give the engine much gas up to around 50% from the floor. The sprintboost changes that and lets you choose from two settings. Stage 1 is a little peppier and stage 2 is a lot peppier. I keep it in stage 1, although stage 2 is still fine with the family if you're careful with the pedal. I'm sure gas mileage suffers. Who cares. It goes from mediocre to slightly less so. But its more fun. It places your car at more lively (higher) speed more frequently without much thought or effort - definitely a plus. In doing so it gives the sense that the car is lighter on its feet.
I decided to get the Sprintbooster after driving a 550 and realizing that I liked the enhanced throttle of the sport mode, but I didn't care for the sharper shock setting. In the new GLS I believe you can control those elements separately.
Anyway. Just wanted to share.
Thumbs up for Sprintboost on the GL. Took 15 minutes to install (although you do have to lower the plastic cover panel over the drivers footwell.DRP
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Hampsted QC, CA
GL 350
There are 4-5 screws with torx heads securing the plastic panel at the very bottom of the dash/driver's footwell. Once removed you have to carefully remove the panel pulling it down from right side to left. Be careful b/c the footwell light in the middle of the panel is wired and should be disconnected once the panel is down enough for access to the wire. Don't worry about the air vent, that can be aligned when you reinstall.
With the panel out, its still tough to get to the plug behind the pedal. Use a screwdriver or small needle nose pliers to pop the clip and unplug the pedal. Pluggging the sprintboot in to that recepticle was the hardest part for me since you're in an odd contorted position under the dash. Once plugged in (make sure you follow the arrows on the sprintboost -- it may only plug in one way, just make sure you have the right ends attached i.e., in to in, out to out.
Then decide where to put your button. I ran my wire along the middle console and tucked it in. I then mounted it to the front of the seat bracket cover. Very discreet.
Now put the panel back in starting with the right side (middle of the car). Then attach the light wiring and make sure as you push the panel up in place that the air vent it aligned in its groves. Then holding the panel install a screw etc...
Sounds like a lot, but it took me all of 20 minutes. Good luck 👍🏻👍🏻
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 526
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From: Texas
2021 GLE 53 AMG Coupe
Neurobit
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Hampsted QC, CA
GL 350
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 96
Likes: 0
From: Hampsted QC, CA
GL 350
DRP
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 68
Likes: 14
2014 GL450
I didn't really know what these were, but after a little research it seems that most internet articles have a negative attitude towards them. The line of reasoning makes sense to me, it just intercepts the signal being sent to the ECU from the pedal and scales it at a more aggressive rate, saturating the signal more quickly. The max doesn't change, it just takes less pedal travel to get there. Is there something about these products that I'm missing?
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2015
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From: Texas
2021 GLE 53 AMG Coupe
Cheers,
Neurobit
Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 101
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From: Colorado, USA
2016 GL450
I'm used to controlling the engine with minute changes from my foot. I'm tired of having to add throttle because I'm not getting the immediate response that I'm expecting...so I add some more throttle. This usually results in too much throttle once the computer finally gets around to giving me what I had asked for a couple of seconds ago. Seems like they're building nanny-mobiles that warn me at intersections when there is no threat, shut off the engine at every red light, and won't give me the throttle when I want it.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 68
Likes: 14
2014 GL450
It's not about increasing horsepower. It's about reducing the lag programmed in between your foot and the throttle.
I'm used to controlling the engine with minute changes from my foot. I'm tired of having to add throttle because I'm not getting the immediate response that I'm expecting...so I add some more throttle. This usually results in too much throttle once the computer finally gets around to giving me what I had asked for a couple of seconds ago. Seems like they're building nanny-mobiles that warn me at intersections when there is no threat, shut off the engine at every red light, and won't give me the throttle when I want it.
I'm used to controlling the engine with minute changes from my foot. I'm tired of having to add throttle because I'm not getting the immediate response that I'm expecting...so I add some more throttle. This usually results in too much throttle once the computer finally gets around to giving me what I had asked for a couple of seconds ago. Seems like they're building nanny-mobiles that warn me at intersections when there is no threat, shut off the engine at every red light, and won't give me the throttle when I want it.
To anyone with one of these on their GL, does it feel jerky or harder to modulate the acceleration? Especially in comparison to a tune. I don't want to make my kids carsick. One thing I liked about the GL when I bought was that at a later time I could take the V8 up another level with a tune.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 96
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From: Hampsted QC, CA
GL 350
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,430
Likes: 187
From: USA
W140 Mercedes S350, W221 S550 sport
There are 3 modes which you can change at the push of a button: OFF (stock), green +1 boost and red +2 max boost. I keep it in red all the time. I thought the red would be too much for my wife - but she likes it. Its not jerky. It feels like a 550 plain and simple.
I do scale back to green or off in the snow.
You might ask the dealer above for a discount as a forum member.
Good luck,
DRP
I do scale back to green or off in the snow.
You might ask the dealer above for a discount as a forum member.
Good luck,
DRP
Also, if you seem to notice any hesitation in your GL, this is what this unit fixes. In the S550 I do notice this sometimes, when I'm trying to merge on the highway, or first pull away from a stop sign, it's not instant. I haven't had the time to try it on the S yet, but that's what this was designed to FIX.
Member
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: Colorado, USA
2016 GL450
On the Sprintbooster website, they don't identify a model that covers the 2016 model year for the GL. We're a quarter of the year into 2016, any idea why there's no compatibility info for 2016?
https://www.sprintboosterusa.com/p-3...edes-benz.aspx
https://www.sprintboostersales.com/d...%20or%20Diesel
https://www.sprintboosterusa.com/p-3...edes-benz.aspx
https://www.sprintboostersales.com/d...%20or%20Diesel
Last edited by GL-; Apr 6, 2016 at 07:28 PM.
