Switching terminology from FBO to BPU

What mods do you consider part of BPU? (Select Multiple)

  • Tune

    Votes: 53 94.6%
  • FMIC

    Votes: 45 80.4%
  • Chargepipe

    Votes: 41 73.2%
  • Intake

    Votes: 43 76.8%
  • Downpipe

    Votes: 50 89.3%
  • Exhaust

    Votes: 22 39.3%
  • Inlets/Outlets

    Votes: 13 23.2%
  • LPFP

    Votes: 14 25.0%

  • Total voters
    56

doublespaces

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Oct 18, 2016
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FBO has been used for as long as I can remember on this platform, but its meaning is very hazy and interpreted differently by pretty much everyone because of that. Full Bolt Ons taken literally could mean anything that bolts up to the car which can be turbos, cams and a variety of other mods that range from basic to advanced.

Considering most people on the platform have basic modifications, perhaps it would be better to use BPU, Basic Performance Upgrades instead or kill the term entirely and just assume people have these mods. The SupraStore defines BPU as:

Downpipes
Exhaust
Tune

Personally, I feel that a Tune, FMIC and Downpipes constitute the core, basic performance upgrades and things like the chargepipe, bov and intake aren't notable modifications. The stock exhaust isn't really that restrictive, so things like meth, Ethanol(LPFP), exhaust and inlets/outlets would be +'s. And upgraded turbos(cast manifold only?), big single, cams, head work, etc would be advanced.

While leaving room for further distinction with BPU+ and APU, what would you consider Basic?

An alternative is to simply use D/F/I for Downpipes, FMIC, Inlets. A tune should be assumptive.
 

doublespaces

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I think BPU is more ambiguous. But that's just me.

But is it? Can't be any more ambiguous than the way the term FBO is being used these days. The word 'Basic' has a well known meaning in the rest of our lives, "Full Bolt On" can mean anything that bolts on to the car, and that varies between platforms as well causing additional confusion.
 

bshotts

New Member
May 16, 2017
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I was thinking you'd have to get the Supra folks to weigh in on this...then I saw you pulled in the official SupraStore BPU definition LOL! For what it's worth even bolt on parts among different platforms have differing meanings. When I came to the N54 platform I adopted FBO terms as just a part of the platform itself. Supra guys have BPU, Subie/Audi guys have Stages 1,2,3, N5x have FBO, Nissan guys have bolt-ons etc...why change it now?
 

doublespaces

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I was thinking you'd have to get the Supra folks to weigh in on this...then I saw you pulled in the official SupraStore BPU definition LOL! For what it's worth even bolt on parts among different platforms have differing meanings. When I came to the N54 platform I adopted FBO terms as just a part of the platform itself. Supra guys have BPU, Subie/Audi guys have Stages 1,2,3, N5x have FBO, Nissan guys have bolt-ons etc...why change it now?

Because FBO becomes more vague as each day passes by and people continue to interpret those words however they want. People think they are FBO with their BOV, DCI and exhaust. When in reality, those three mods do barely anything or nothing at all.
 
Nov 3, 2016
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09 6MT 335i Single Turbo
Tune,Intake,fmic, downpipes,exhaust. Is what I've always considered FBO on these cars. Now we have inlets,outlet, stage 2,3,4,LPFP,PI,meth,TBI. So much to add. And also what e85 you're using. It's hard to keep up with everything.
 
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doublespaces

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Tune,Intake,fmic, downpipes,exhaust. Is what I've always considered FBO on these cars. Now we have inlets,outlet, stage 2,3,4,LPFP,PI,meth,TBI. So much to add. And also what e85 you're using. It's hard to keep up with everything.
Yep, as the platform develops we have more options and nobody wants to do a full mod list every time we have a conversation. BPU, BPU+ will give context in those situations. Its just a wording preference really. Perhaps they can be used interchangeably if a BPU definition could be nailed down.
 

bshotts

New Member
May 16, 2017
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Ah I see your point. FBO in relation to performance vs "reliability."

Guess since it's a clean sheet idea you can define the terms and N5X generations upon generations after us will reference this very thread for definitions.
 

doublespaces

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I mean, I don't REALLY care. I'm single turbo and pretty much everything except my engine is done up. I'm speaking for the lil' guys so they can have their facebook arguements ;)
 
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doublespaces

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Oh watch out big single turbo guy over here talking down to us tiny twin turbos guys

Single turbo = BPU++++?

Nah, my car doesn't run right, I'm not beating anyone till my tune is finished up. Single Turbo would be APU if you continue to follow the Supra terminology. I know people don't like to take after the competitor, but who cares. People understand it.
 
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9krpmrx8

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Nov 5, 2016
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I think Full means full, if you have everything that is bolt on (or plug in) then it's full bolt on and this includes upgraded turbos, LPFP kits, etc. Basic means basic and I think what most consider FBO are actually basic things that bolt right in.
 

doublespaces

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I think Full means full, if you have everything that is bolt on (or plug in) then it's full bolt on and this includes upgraded turbos, LPFP kits, etc. Basic means basic and I think what most consider FBO are actually basic things that bolt right in.

I think FBO personally means, more or less, you've done everything to your car that you can without upgrading the turbos. The problem with this is that is there is no 1/2 FBO or 'almost FBO' term. Just looking at the votes in this poll show there is a big discrepancy on what people think Full and Basic should be.
 
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Kenjermen

Sergeant
Nov 6, 2016
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N las vegas NV
My take is that fbo means full bolt on, where you every avalible bolt on part that's out on the market for the platform. If it requires tearing down the eng ie cams, pistions, rods it not a "bolt on". A bolt on is something you should be able to remove and replace with out have to disassemble main components to install an item. Also the said bolt on must provide some type of car performance gain such as power or weight savings. FBO is used way to much on this platform but it goes the same from any other platform. Mainly due to everything being more opinions base. So if someone made a list saying this is what you have to have to be FBO then it cleans it up
 

langsbr

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Apr 5, 2017
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When I came to the N54 platform I adopted FBO terms as just a part of the platform itself. Supra guys have BPU, Subie/Audi guys have Stages 1,2,3, N5x have FBO, Nissan guys have bolt-ons etc...why change it now?

Nailed it. Just like the LS guys have Heads/cam, cam only, etc. I understand FBO as the 2 main things - downpipes and FMIC. Can you really have those without a tune? I figured the tune is understood. Now you see things like FBO +inlets, or FBO +inletes/outlets.

To me, that indicates stock turbos with the key upgrades. Misc. items like a BOV and chargepipe which are more supporting mods rather than power mods aren't included but should be assumed. Same with a clutch - FBO tells you nothing about the clutch, but you'd hope that someone that is running FBO +inlets/outlets on E60 would have a clutch.

I think once you swap turbos to either hybrids or a single, it's safe to assume you have everything else upgraded? Would someone really consider running a set of MMPs with stock downpipes and FMIC? Oof.
 

Jsherry20

Sergeant
Dec 21, 2016
313
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OR delete both terms and lazy fucks can just state the mods they have instead of using the acronym "FBO" because it can be misinterpreted
 
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9krpmrx8

Lieutenant
Nov 5, 2016
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Does it though? Is a car with a downpipe, catback, chargepipe, bolt it (no cutting) FMIC, and Intake FBO? Or is a car with all of those plus, PI, LPFP upgrade, IM, 7" race intercooler, cold side piping upgrades, upgraded bolt in turbos, inlets/outlets, and a custom tune?
 

Danksies

Corporal
Nov 2, 2016
181
55
0
33
NoVA
Why don't we all just stop being lazy, secretive ninjas and fully type out our parts once, save it somewhere and copy+paste everywhere else for the future. Then we can get rid of fbo/bpu ;)
 
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