Bogus Products

[AE82 FXGT]

While browsing trademe, I came across this

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/car-parts-accessories/mazda/ecus/auction-592126885.htm
http://www.sprintbooster.co.nz/

It claims to be plug and play computer that makes your throttle response "faster".

It only works for throttle by wire vehicles and intercepts the connector plug at the accelerator pedal.

All it does by the looks of things is tell the PCM an exaggerated pedal position on the throttle. So the car thinks you've opened the throttle more than you actually have.

It's just like that pinwheel thing that goes on the intake that was being sold a while ago.

Is there anything stopping products like this being sold?

[Bling]

If things like this were banned, how would fools and their money be parted?

If people blindly spend that much money on something without asking someone for advice, then sucks to be them.

[Grrrrrrr!]

The fair trading act/Consumer guarantees act. A product must do what it claims to do.

But there is nothing they could do about that product, it probably does exactly what it claims.. changes the throttle response curve to make it feel "snappier". It doesn't claim to make any more power, or too make the car faster so they aren't making any false claims.

Althought that picture with the dyno graph is definately intended to portray that it does make more power.. hmmm.

[AE82 FXGT]

If things like this were banned, how would fools and their money be parted?

If people blindly spend that much money on something without asking someone for advice, then sucks to be them.

Guess you have a point, funny how it says makes throttle response better regardless of aftermarket management.

You think they would charge a little less than $500 for something that intercepts an outgoing voltage signal and adds a volt to it.

[iOnic]

Is it still bogus if Mazfix sells them?

http://www.mazfix.com.au/?page_id=87

[Leon]

Looking at the wording in the trademe ad, they clearly know what they're selling is a BS product.

Their only claim is that it makes a car feel better, and they even put the word feel in quotation marks.

[Mr Ree]

If things like this were banned, how would fools and their money be parted?

If people blindly spend that much money on something without asking someone for advice, then sucks to be them.

Would the same also apply to the poor souls who bought bomb detectors off that piece of shit, re-marketing golf ball detectors?

[rolla_fxgt]

If things like this were banned, how would fools and their money be parted?

If people blindly spend that much money on something without asking someone for advice, then sucks to be them.

Would the same also apply to the poor souls who bought bomb detectors off that piece of shit, re-marketing golf ball detectors?

I asssume you're talking about the guy in the US?

Then no, he clearly sold the products as bombe detectors.

[Grrrrrrr!]

funny how it says makes throttle response better regardless of aftermarket management.

Whats funny about it? It would so long as the aftermarket ecu still uses the electronic throttle. All its doing is lying to the ECU about how far the driver has pressed the pedal. Driver goes from 5% to 15% at the pedal, the box tells the ECU the driver wants 20%.. the ECU opens the throttle to 20%.

Probably quite worthwhile in terms of gain in throttle responsiveness around town, most new cars do a fair bit of filtering to keep the throttle response smooth and gradual around town to keep the engine fuel/emissions efficient. But $500 .. fug that.

Of course if you have an aftermarket ECU that uses electronic throttle you can probably get the same effect by changing the throttle input mapping.. for free.

Its just the new engine ground kit/electric supercharger/magic fuel filter magnet thing...


As BZG-Bling said, a fool and their money...

[Grrrrrrr!]

Is it still bogus if Mazfix sells them?

http://www.mazfix.com.au/?page_id=87

You broke mazfix!

[iOnic]

Pretty normal. I think their site is rotary powered.

Basically they're selling the same thing. For AU$650. Promise better throttle response etc and go as far as saying if you don't like it, they'll remove it and refund your money. They're pretty confident about their product and are a reputable business from what I've seen/heard.

[Bling]

If things like this were banned, how would fools and their money be parted?

If people blindly spend that much money on something without asking someone for advice, then sucks to be them.

Would the same also apply to the poor souls who bought bomb detectors off that piece of shit, re-marketing golf ball detectors?

Would you spend that much and not just try it even once to see if it worked? I know i'd at least put some bomb material near it and try it. Do I condone what happened there? Not at all, they got conned 100%. The fact no one ever checked the product actually worked is rather concerning.

What i'm saying is, that if a product claimed to do something. I'd at least make a phone call to someone in that industry and ask for their opinion on it. It's a lot of moolah.

[RobertC]

Similar product manufactured by TOMS

In reality all is does in changes the throttle response. So at 30% pedal depression the throttle can be say 80% open.

Eliminate sluggish response on vehicles equipped with electronic throttle systems by matching the movement of the accelerator pedal more directly with the throttle body. Customize the ideal throttle response for any driving condition via four control modes.

- Eliminate the sluggish response on vehicles equipped with electronic throttle systems by matching the movement of the accelerator pedal more directly with the throttle body. Experience a linear and more powerful acceleration response during sport driving.

- Easy installation featuring a durable standard coupler available for many applications (over 40 Toyota applications). Unit simply clips into coupler underneath dashboard in the interior cabin (most vehicles).

- 4 driving modes to choose from (ECO/SP1/SP2/SP3) for the ideal throttle response for any given condition.

- Safety feature returns driving modes to normal. System turns off automatically at start up.

[captain crescent]

$500 is alot of money towards a Link ......

[AE82 FXGT]

funny how it says makes throttle response better regardless of aftermarket management.

Whats funny about it?

Of course if you have an aftermarket ECU that uses electronic throttle you can probably get the same effect by changing the throttle input mapping.. for free.

That's whats funny about it.

[iOnic]

I don't get it. The thing does what it says. Is it overpriced? Yes. Is it worth it? Probably not. Are there better ways of achieving the desired outcome? Of course.

But does that make it a bogus product? I don't think so.

[phoenix]

Similar products are made by Blitz & Pivot. Not everyone wants a standalone ECU.

[AE82 FXGT]

I don't get it. The thing does what it says. Is it overpriced? Yes. Is it worth it? Probably not. Are there better ways of achieving the desired outcome? Of course.

But does that make it a bogus product? I don't think so.

Yeah I guess thats a fair call, it does what it says, so it's not a bogus product.

Just a stupid tax.

[AGRORB]

You could probably make something for $&#$% all that does the same thing!

[Timmo]

You could probably make something for $&#$% all that does the same thing!

A piece of wood strapped to your accelerator pedal?