FMIC VS TMIC (Pros & Cons) Subaru WRX & STI 

this has to be the best subi channel ive ever found..cant wait for you to blow up

There is one other downside to a FMIC you didn't touch on - but it's probably because most Subie owners never actually drive their car where it was meant to be driven, or you don't winter drive it where they use sand and gravel on the roads. But if you do actually drive a lot of gravel roads, a FMIC is much more prone to getting beat up by rocks etc, and at 60 m/hr+, it doesn't take much of a rock to actually puncture the intercooler! That being said, you can put some kind of protective screen over it, but then that cuts a bit of the airflow from it, and takes away from the aggressive looks.

How does this guy only have 17k? I found this guy at 9k and his videos were still good quality and good content. He deserves more

Run methanol injection (like myself) and it's basically irrelevant :D With a larger turbo, your not pushing as hot of air like you are with the stock turbo especially at higher boost levels; so that's something else to consider. Meth/water injection will cool the charged air even further. Larger turbos are more efficient when it comes to the temperature of the charged air. On the topic of turbos, and you mentioned turbo blankets etc. having the turbine housing ceramic coated and even the compressor side helps combat under the hood temps near the intercooler. I have a Blouch Dom 3.0R which is jet hot coated and it makes a difference. Another thing that helps with top mounts is running a cold air intake vs a short ram. IMHO, most people don't need a FMIC but a lot of people like to run them because it looks cool; unless you are approaching 500whp I'd say don't worry about it. Now, if you are trying to push the stock turbo to it's limits than go for it, because it'll be a high powered hair dryer at that point and a FMIC would help. If you go with a turbo upgrade but are not planning on building the motor and shooting for 500+whp and don't want a slight increase in turbo lag or to throw down for a FMIC just get a larger top mount and/or run meth/eth injection. Heat soak is going to come into play for sure when your car is sitting still. At speed, I wouldn't worry much about heat soak. I'll have to do some testing on this with my GD STI to confirm. FYI I'm running a Spearco TMIC with Dom 3R/meth and putting down 400whp at 22psi.

Another great video. I've learned so much more with your content than watching 5 other videos on the same subject. Thanks again for what you do! 👍👍👍

Smeedia is right on with this. Granted he is not including ej20 engines in this. So I figured I would drop my real-life experience running a fmic on a td04 + ej205 engine combo. Hopefully, this is useful to someone. Smeedia is exactly right about the "lag" part of this video. To double this point if anyone here watches Engineering Explained, he said that you should ALWAYS be around 4k RPM before you get on it. It is the healthiest spot for your car to get into boost because a lot of the system is pressurized and oil is being forced around at a good rate. So anytime I get on it in my car i am always at 4k RPM. To give some background and mods. Mine is nothing special, but for those who are worried about ej205 and small turbo filling a front mount, this should be helpful to you. I have a 2005 wrx EJ205, TD04, Grimmspeed electronic boost control solenoid, Tial 38mm external wastegate, 565cc pink injectors, IAG AOS, blah blah blah (There is other shit like Air suspension and so on but its not important to the topic but if you want to see what the car looks like then just look up Boosting.jpg on insta and you can see it and I will answer any question I can to help). The typical stuff. Now I have been pro tuned twice by Chleo at IAG Performance. Once on my 5 speed (no broken gears, center diff started making weird noises) then tuned on a non-dccd v7 Sti 6 speed (AMAZING UPGRADE FOR WRX). So I have NOT been retuned on the FMIC that I installed, here is why. I had it sitting around for 4 years and was too scared to and I figured "if I do pro tune again I am going bigger turbo and blah blah blah" Reason I have not retuned is because I am looking at the data on accessport and monitoring a few different parameters that Sheedia should have also mentioned. Now, these are the important ones. The wrx if I remember correctly is a 16Bit ECU which means our tables do not have many cells. - The BIG one to monitor is called Dynamic Advanced Multiplier this can show you the knock events and when it's safe to get on your car or not. On the 16Bit ECU, this Value is represented out of 16, and below 16 means that the car is seeing something so it is altering the tables to save the car. So for me when I reset my ECU it was at 16 but dropped down to around 4. I was worried but as I drove more and got more data this number rose back up and settle back out at 16/16. - Next is A/F learning 1 which allows you to see the percent of A/F learning and I don't know this one by hear but I know that the key here is to keep it between -8 and +8 - Next are both the knock event logs. Mine both still sit at 0 which is good. Now if you see knock that is where the DAM comes in to help you confirm if it were a true knock event or if it might have been a heat shield rattling or something. The knock sensor can pick up on intercooler piping clanking or heat shields rattling or just weird stuff but I have never had the issue. People think watching their AFR will do something but on a 16Bit ECU and it being narrowband will not show you any accurate information. This is why the WideBand is important if you want to monitor AFR on the wrx. That is it for what I am monitoring. For more advanced people yes you can go into it more but for those of us not running crazy-ass Subarus with stupid horsepower, this should be more than enough for you. My finding on running the fmic on a ej205 and stock td04? Well, it's amazing! For those in hot climates like me where the weather has mood swings, this is a perfect upgrade. There were no downsides. No lag, no tuning issues after install because of my previous tune on my intake (DO NOT put a fmic on if you are on stock air box and switching to fmic and intake then you will need a retune). You will find that the car does in fact feel like it is running better thanks to all the nice cold air it gets. I ran the STi TMIC before this and in hot weather, this car would Actually feel like it's having heatstroke. It would respond poorly and the power was way down and getting the car to even move felt like a chore because the heat just ate the power-up. Now for the real banger.... The FMIC is from eBay.... honestly it does the job. It's piping and a core. nothing fancy. The bends don't line up well so I got on amazon and just got longer silicone hoses to make it work. I run the stock BPV because these cars do not really like aftermarket valves unless necessary when you get into high horsepower. I am sure some may wonder about the power. This is NOT a fast car by any means it made 230WHP on TD04 at 19PSI (which is the max on this turbo) and 250TQ (high tQ bc of 6 speed) So you can see that many people will say "you don't need an FMIC until the 400HP range" and that is where I think they are thinking one-sidedly on the subject. If it's a horsepower thing then yes but if its a day-to-day driving and function thing then that is where the thinking ends. I think an FMIC is very much a positive solution for any EJ205 car because the benefits even at a horsepower as low as mine is justified. Conclusion: For my Ej205 brothers and sisters out there, go ahead and run an FMIC on your TD04 as long as you have a tune or get tuned. You will see a nice improvement all around. There is really no downside at all. For Forum people, we all know how they are. They are kind of useless to say the least. They tell you that adding window tint will cause your engine to knock. So be skeptical of people throwing in their two cents and look for people who have REAL world results for what you are after. I was in the same boat looking for this answer and just decided to do it and it worked out better than I could imagine. I even called IAG for them to explain all the monitoring software and they were more than helpful and I learned a lot. The last thing they told me is to enjoy the car and don't be scared. Hope this helps people out there and good luck have fun!

Man!!!! Love this channel, content is alway legit.🔥🔥

Working my way backwards through your videos. Your knowledge is cool AF. Thanks for the info.

Awesome content as always, just subscribed recently. '18 STi owner here. I've been thinking about converting to a front mount for the cooling benefits especially with the heat soak here daily driving here in FL. Awesome, helpful video! 🔥

Just commenting to show support to the channel! Quality video as usual 🙌🏽

I had a screen protecting my front mount intercooler in my 03-wrx and it always caught nasty amount of bugs and snow in the winter. It also made the car look more subtle without exposing a big Perrin front mount.

I’m currently stage 2 tuned on my sti, but I wrapped my down pipe, installed a turbo blanket, and have a Perrin heat shield and it’s amazing in the difference it’s made. I do occasional hard driving and since I did the heat mods the Intercooler usually stays cool to the touch. I would run fmic but it’s not in the budget at the moment! Lol .....Awesome video as usual!!!

Just got my 2018 wrx your channel helped alot in making my decision your channel is awsome dude!!

The fact that you completely shoved the whole “more lag with FMIC” bullshit out the window made me respect you SO much. THANK YOU. THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE THAT TRY TO COME AT ME SAYING FMIC IS GOING TO CAUSE LAG IS NNNGGGGHHHHHFFFFF

Never get tired of seeing the STI🔥🔥

awesome video always, ive always been told that there will be a lag when switching to front mount but it makes sense if you have a smaller tubro then it doesnt need much to spool up :)

You are such a cool guy. I love your enthusiasm with cars

TWO Videos today!?!?!? Did someone get a little last night? You sir are on fire! Love the topic. I think for me and what I want to do with my car, (FA20 WRX) a aftermarket TMIC will get it done. That Process West Verticooler looks pretty cool, if you know what I mean and I think you do.

Nice video again! I’m still TMIC with the mishimoto. The piping is much easier then stock. I wish I went FMIC when I did it and wish I saw this video before I made a decision lol 😂

I favour the TMIC option especially with the FA 20 turbo down below and given that my BHP will stay under 400. I also favour the fuel economy/ BHP ratio 😍 of the FA 20 platform. I did replace the OEM TMIC with a larger Grimmspeed TMIC. Awesome quality! For EJ 25 STI owners I get the FMIC attraction, power!. FMIC cover up the radiator though which has to compromise engine coolant temperatures, I think a negative. On the plus side I have seen some STI owners place the Perrin oil cooler where the TMIC used to be. Put that hood scoop to good use, form follows function!

Not gonna lie. Thought this was a 100k+ sub channel. *surprised pikachu face* when I seen the 8k. I see big things in the near future.

I’m glad I found your channel, can’t wait to start my Fa20 build😭😭 wish me luck

Been watching your vids for about a month. And just realized I wasn’t subbed Just subbed and I dont regret it!

Excellent points Sir ! I would like to add my experience I had a 05 Sti (really miss that car) I installed a 20g turbo and a APS DR525 fmic very high quality and heavy. I think it came with its own bumper beam(long time ago and im getting old). My very first impression was i noticed the weight of the dr525 when throwing the car around it definitely felt heavier especially because it hung below the bumper beam. After the first summer here in Az. my oil temps started rising a bit , I ended up putting a heavy duty radiator on the card which took care of that. If i didnt live in AZ it probably have been ok

Great video man! I’ve heard some rally drivers complain that weight distribution is affected when switching to a FMIC. Heavier on the nose of the car over the axles which ultimately affects the handling characteristics of the vehicle. May be minuscule compared to the gains you can get with a Front mount but still should be taken into consideration for an auto x enthusiast.

Thank you for the info. Just ordered a COBB fmic. Love your channel sir! Very informative and straight to point.

Thank you for the information. Love the channel! Recently subscribed. I have a lot of videos to catch up on!

Top mount all day with a vented hood for heat extraction cold air intake. Works great with a high end radiator. Plus the hood scoop still looks bad ass. Less weight too.

Great video! Forgot to mention that front mount will automatically require tuning vs top mount that doesn’t require it. I just purchased a Grimmspeed top mount specifically because it doesn’t require tuning.

You're the man! This helped alot, thanks!

Alright bro, I'm sold. I'm adding the FMIC to my list of mods. Lol

Dope video, getting the ETS soon!

Take a shot every time he says intercooler

Cobb TMIC is good to 500whp.... buy and it call it a day. Not many are going over 500whp realistically for a daily.

This feels like a tougher topic albeit one I was very excited for. I'm interested to hear more as to why folks feel it worth it to go with an aftermarket tmic. I'm interested in one myself but I feel like the money may not make much of a difference. I also don't want more nose weight and not interested in making much over 350wheel. I want the fastest spool possible (coming from an N/A instant torque car) and a buncha mid range power for AutoX. I feel like this topic also separates the STI from the FA20 WRX due to the turbo location and general differences. Any takes? I feel it may be beneficial to bandaid this problem with a turbo blanket and lots of heat sheilding.

Another banger 🔥

Could you make a video on Blow off valves and how to safely run a full atmospheric BOV without hurting the car? Great video btw!

I have a Process West TMIC to run with stock MY99 GC8 WRX we get the JDM version here in Australia and the kit allows you to add the STI water jets which I did add to mine ✌🏻great informative video love all your content

The man! Love your videos !

You weren’t kidding when you said how annoying it was to remove the TMIC to replace the coupler. I literally just did it today and what should’ve taken 20 minutes took me an hour or more and messed up some of the fins on it. I am literally purchasing a FMIC Now just so I don’t ever have to worry about replacing that damn coupler because of a stupid boost leak.

Hey Man , I'm ( was )running Ets 4in front mount , Cobb 20G w/44m wastegate on a stock exhaust manifold. And did have noticeable boost lag. That I'm pretty sure comes from the intercooler. I would say watch it with the 4in and 5in intercooler depending on your setup.

"Think ahead before buying your parts," the best advice I heard in a while. Are you still running internals in your car? Hope not...great vid! Stop jumping! Lmao!

I have a FMIC I just installed from Perrin. I want to install an intercooler sprayer that can see boost pressure and kick in above 10-15 PSI. Do you know what will work for that setup? Thanks bro!

Well said. I dont believe you missed any key points in the argument. Im sure your video will help alot of people understand the applications available to them when modifying their projects accurately.

If only someone could come up with a FMIC that performed well but retained the factory crash bar...or at least came with a crash bar that wasn't completely useless.

What do you think about a heat shield under the TMIC and a hood with hood vents? Seems like that may help keep the IAT lower? Also I live in New England, seems like the TMIC might be better where you may get a lot of slush/road grime in your front bumper?

Another great breakdown ooooh😂😂 broswki have me crying when he says oooooh😂😂.... Keep it going💯💯😄😄😂

Nice work brother , I want a front mount just because taking off my intercooler is a pain in my ass , the first time took me 2 hrs. Second 20 min. Still want the front although I am concerned with lag and I think my version 8 JDM top mount intercooler may be better than some front mounts !

Great video , but I would have agree and slightly disagree I run the the same ETS FMIC , with a built motor and a stock location turbo the blotch dominator 3 which is a decent turbo , but the lag on does have a lot to do with the piping especially when it’s traveling so far from the “ hot pipes which is the hot side and cold pipes which is the cold pipe, thus meaning the charged air has a while to travel to the turbo, so yes size of the turbo has a huge part in to turbo lag but the piping does also , I think ETS has some pretty good piping , but I’ve seen Cobb’s and it’s much more efficient in my opinion. It’s just very expensive

Aye Man U made me go fmic was well worth it ... putting it on was a different story but did it 😀😀

Crazy shit I was just pondering on that last night if I wanted to go Fmic

I think a lot of people add FMICs for looks and that’s fine if that’s what you’re going for. Deleting front bracing for the FMIC is not a good idea, but if looks outweighs safety, then it’s your decision. Removing a TMIC is not that difficult. I can remove mine in a couple of minutes. Unless you’re building a race car to attach the Nurburgring, an upgraded TMIC with a PTP blanket and an aftermarket heat shield will work perfectly fine.

I dread it when I have to take my tmic off. I've procrastinated on installing parts before because I didn't want to take it off lol. But I'm planning on buying a fmic really soon! I really like the ETS and Perrin because you can run a crash beam.

Whaaaaat! 13:37, niiiiice Edit: wait, where'd that 1 second go?

Great info man! Thanks!

Best of both worlds, I picked up a Process West Verticooler

Hey man, thanks for the great video, Just a quick question from a noob. I've just replaced the motor on my 2011 WRX with an EJ255 Stage 2 Tuff (hopefully I'm saying that correctly) and I'm looking to get about ~400 WHP at the end of the day with no plan to upgrade the turbo which is still stock. Would a Grimmspeed TMIC be a good investment or would you still suggest going with the FMIC? Thanks!

Super great Video man !!! Loved it !! I’m trying to run E85 but the only thing I need left is the Intercooler, idk which one to decide . Either Verticooler (TMIC) or FMIC , but my WRX has 38k miles I’m on stage 2 protuned and I haven’t got no single problem . I daily drive my car and commute about 30 mins a day, but dim what’s the best for daily driving . Please help . TMIC OR FMIC ??

I’m gonna go top mount on mine. I don’t really want to cut the bumper on the saab. That’s the thing on mine. Plus I’m not looking for a lot of power haha.

I like that in that link with the charts they say cons of going fmic is buying one installing you have to cut your front bumper 😂😂😂 was planning to get a fm anyway but now its in stone thanks for the info man

How can I turn that like button bluer than it is? Very good points. Don't fall for the forum sticky rhetorics as aftermarket technology have advanced since then. Cooler charge air IS cooler charge air!! That's the absolute truth! Thank you for this vid. I may make one as well, according to my experience...

In terms of "need", a FMIC is not needed unless you're hitting crazy HP numbers, like 600+whp. A good TMIC is more than capable for a normal street car. There's exemptions to this rule, of course, like being stuck in traffic at 110 degrees, but it's not like the engine is going to blow. I, myself, prefer FMIC because I like the dental work of my car. It now has a beautiful smile.

The reason I have chosen not to go FMIC for my track STI is the restriction to radiator airflow by placing the FMIC in front of the radiator. I’d say that should be listed as a negative to FMIC.

Great video. 😎

I'd like to shave some weight and noticed there's a single pipe 4" exhaust made for the wrx(15+). Do you know about them or have you tried one? I also don't want it more than 50% louder than stock, and already have a stg 1+ and cobb SF airbox

Very good info.. thanks smeedia👍🏼👍🏼 now let's all count how many times the word intercoolers was used in this video.😂🤣

I own a 2019 WRX and on my car the factory turbo is now mounted on the bottom near the front of the engine. It's closer to the radiator now as opposed to the previous models where the turbo was located at the back-top of the engine near the firewall. That being said, does that change your opinion on a FMIC over a TMIC on these models? Thanks and love the channel!

I love your videos bro I hope you blow up Your channel not you specifically

When I swapped from top mount to front on stock turbo, I compared the lag and it was about 200 rpm so very negligible that you actually notice with the but dyno and if your using that as a excuse as why you lost a race you have other issues bro

Just a heads up cobb released the update to access tuner with the CCF Gen 2 software. You can now do a speed density tune without the pro software. You should buy mega log viewer HD to build a histogram based off of your logs to rebuild the ve table. There's no press release on the update. You just need to tell accesstuner to check for updates. If you haven't paid for the class to get your AccessTuner software, now is definitely the time in 100% worth it. If you have a pre-existing CCF Gen1 tune you will need to start over entirely due to the tables are entirely different.

Fucking love this channel! Such great content man thank you! 😁

ive seen people have success with both in almost any scenario (daily, street, track, Drag, roll racing, rally, it honestly depends on your style

Hey I’m not sure if you mentioned it or in any other video on different Front mount Intercoolers. Perrin ETS Cobb mishimoto etc. would be nice to hear your opinion on each of them 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

I know this is an old video (this vid was AWESOME in getting me to understand some details about FMIC vs TMIC), but I have a question with regards to the VA WRX specifically on this subject. The FA20DIT's turbo (header and cat for that matter) is literally right behind the radiator. It's also right below the intake piping. Going with a FMIC puts said IC much closer to some of the hottest parts of the engine even though it's getting direct air from the front. When the car is moving I can see IATs being good, but getting into boost and pushing, let alone just sitting idling, is what I wonder about with regards to IATs with the FMIC. With a TMIC, said IC is much further away from the turbo, cat, and headers. Granted it's at the top of the engine bay (heat rises), it's still not being completely blasted by radiating heat. Now all of this is considering staying under 400hp (at 350tq in the FA20DIT, you'll have another three letters to be concerned about: R-O-D). I just wanted to get your thoughts on this, or anybody else that reads this TBH.

How do you feel about the Cobb 15+ FMIC for STI? How about the Perrin? I noticed you didn’t mention either one and was wondering if it was because they don’t work as well or price or just because there are so many choices. Thanks again! Sorry I just straight up missed the fmic mentions of Cobb and such. Either way, any more opinions would be greatly appreciated. How do you feel about a grill/mesh to protect the fmic?

What do you recommend for fmic on a 2012 wrx I do auto cross and trying to get cooler numbers I live in Texas so very hot summers

Can you drive with a fmic until you get a protune? I'm just running the Cobb stage 2 ots map 😬

The big question I have is I got a 2013 wrx with the rare color , and fmic all I have seen it, is that u have to cut into your bumper and you Lose your fog lights and where I live fog lights help , are they any fmic that don’t require much or any cutting and me getting Reid of my fog lights ?

If you are running a front mount, is there an intake that uses the hood scoop as a ram-air intake? It'd be nice to have the scoop still be purposeful when relocating the IC to the front

Does an aftermarket intercooler require a tune. And can it be installed between stages or stock with upgrade intercooler. Wrx version

What kind of effect is there on coolant temperatures for the engine can you expect with a FMIC?? With an intercooler in front of your radiator??

I noticed after I switched from my TMIC to the FMIC, my computer started to lag when I was playing online with some friends. Is this related?

this is dope 🔥 also just wondering if you can do a video of how to install cobb fpr on our car?

I can't really afford a FMIC plus I just want to daily my car and not push that crazy of hp. I work nights anyways, so traffic isn't an issue and ambient temps are lower. But if I get a Process West TMIC do I have to do any retuning afterwards?

Do you have a video on rotating the intake manifold 180° and what all needs to be done? With my FP green, I'm about maxed out on my grimmspeed TMIC.

I’m looking for a fmic on my 19 wrx but was wondering is there’s a difference between companies or if it’s just for the brand?

Speaking as a thermal/fluids engineer, I think the fundamental points in this video are very good, but I take issue with the statement that a TMIC heat soaks more than a FMIC because of heat rising. To be fair to the author, this is not their original idea, but rather one of "common wisdom." No doubt heat rising is a small part of the issue, but far more important is the simple fact that a FMIC is just further away from the hottest parts of the engine bay, with quite a bit of insulation between it and those hot parts, mainly in the form of the radiator and AC condenser. For my part, I run the Grimmspeed top-mount on my Outback because I do lots of light off-roading in it, and I want to keep the IC away from the ground and gravel and other crud. I got the intercooler in black because the color and texture of the coating improve heat transfer from the charge air. The next thing on my list is the Killer-B EL-headers with the ceramic coating to reduce engine bay temperatures. This also helps improve heat transfer from the coolant radiator, too. I love your channel, though, you do a great job.

Can you run an aftermarket tmic on stock tune? also keep the vids coming your killing it.

On an fa20 you can monitor IAT at the manifold

So if I go tmic and my end power goal is 330 350 and I live in Florida will that be okay or should I go front mount? 🤔 2018 fa20 6speed m

I have a WRX (2021) that is stock other then a cold air intake and a cat back exhaust. I've also got a buddy that has a stage 2 STI (2021) with a FMIC and a recent pro tune. We raced from a 40 roll and when we go on 3 I have noticed that his turbo takes way longer to spool up then mine does. I would say probably about 1-1/2 second difference. Which is a huge difference when it comes to racing because I am able to get going quite a bit faster, even though his car should be decently faster then mine its not. Should that turbo lag be able to be tuned out as you mentioned in your video? I have been doing tons of research as to if I should get a FMIC or TMIC but with the turbo lag I see from my buddy's STI it almost instantly makes me want an aftermarket TMIC rather then the FMIC.

Is it possible to have both an FMIC and a TMIC. If so, how much benefit? If not, what else can be done to get as much heat out of the engine compartment? Temps are hitting close to 100 with high humidity in the summer.

thanks for all these detail . also u habe put some fmic brand in ur description .i wanna know is ets is better than the cobb one . ets looks insane but i got a couple of cobb parts so

With the fa model the turbo is not under your Intercooler so that’s a big help.

Will it cause any problems having a front mount intercooler without a tune?

Very informative , so if I only want about 350 - 400 what do you recommend I want e85 only and that’s it.

amazing vid like always, this is off subject to the video but in your opinion do you see much of a difference in the 2019/2020 STI ? or do you prefer the 2019 over 2020??? Now I have a 2019 WRX premium, it's a nice car but the transmission and steering are sloppy. I'm saving off for the difference in price and will trade in my car towards the end of the year. Just wanted to ask a expert, Thank you

I am able to read Intake temps at the manifold on my AP in my 2018 WRX with the FA20DIT which I believe is diff than intake temp at the intake at least from what I can see. My question is if my intake temps at manifold are on average only 10 degrees higher than temps at the intake with my TMIC i think my TMIC is doing a great job right? let say as an example im driving on the highway and its 70 degrees ambient/ intake temps at the intake. Usually i'll see temps at the manifold which i believe is past the TMIC about 80 degrees while cruising and they drop to about 75 degrees when boosting. When i was at laguna seca tracking it was 90 degrees out ambient and while hot lapping I was seeing intake temps at the manifold slightly over 100 degrees. my wrx makes 381whp on E60 mix FYI. Tho i know a front mount would deff do a better job at cooling down the inatke air i dont think i really need one at the moment seeing how well my TMIC is working. Would you concur? I have an aftermarket Garret TMIC by the way. also keep in mind the FA turbo location is diff than the EJ

So if you had to recommend a front mount brand based on all the ones out there what would you invest your money into? Figured I'd ask since cob has one now also

Does the perrin FMIC require the stock bumper bar to be removed? I know the GS Fmic does. Probably will get TMIC for this specific reason, once warranty period is over