Bronco fad?

[J.Ferreira]

I think a lot of it is the cost. Not everyone has the ability to swallow a payment that starts in the mid $700s for a big bend (new base model). Bronco.

I just checked the Ford/Bronco website and the big bend model is the new base model. Looks like they dropped the original base model. The big bend starts at $39k and the ford calculator showed a payment of $735 or something like that.

I know you can have a bigger down payment and get a loan through a credit union for better rates or whatever, but that is still a LOT of money. I gave it the automatic transmission and the Sasquatch package and the payment jumped to $950 (close too).

I think really Jeep is going to struggle with sales in the new year too as wranglers are really expensive too. I think affordability is going to be an issue. A Sport S 4 door now starts at $40k.

Stetson

My exact build no longer exists, so I went as close as I could and the price is now $42k vs the $35,5 I bought mine for.

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[Ten4Jeep]

Agree--no Bronco, likely no Jeep XR--why would they build it? Jeep has been more than happy to sit on their laurels and live on the reputation of the past. Ford pushed Jeep to do things it should have years ago.

Competition is ALWAYS a good thing.

Agreed! Probably no 392 either!! Thank you Ford because we LOVE our 392 XR ?

 

[SaintNick]

I test drove a Bronco a couple years ago. The road manners weren't much better than the Jeep. I think the Jeep looks way better too.

 

[melman]

If they make a plug in bronco I’m out ! I love my jeep but I wish it was bigger inside. My next car will be a bronco or the new RAM PHEV.

 

[Rad-Beach-88]

Being that I work in Car Business, we have a particular set of customers in our business that are the people who buy the hot toy and trade 1,2,3-maybe 6 months later. I have at least 5-customers who have bought a car and traded it before the payment was due in the last 3 months for something else that caught their eye. So those that can will and hell I’ve had 5 different vehicles since 2019(So part of the frequent traders club).

Most of the 7-10 broncos traded into us were either by flippers or people who didn’t end up actually loving the Bronco. All were not on the lot long. Having driven multiple versions and one of my best friends here in Nashville has a Wild-Track and drive it periodically.

My personal and professional opinion is that it rides like a bus, the windows whistle and I am just not a ford person. My family and specifically my brother have had very bad luck with Ford vehicles. The larger room is undeniable and slick larger available screen is very nice looking. But ford quality, longevity of the vehicle to me are all in question. It has the looks, but many parts of it feel chintzy, creak and or look worn with only a few thousand miles on it. I do like the 4-Panels that can be removed while still covering the rear cargo.

I think the ride and look of the XR Wrangler is the superior trim and appearance of the Mall-Crawler/Off-road/Utility Wrangler customer. Just my 2-cents, but the XR is dialed in from a ride and handling perspective. Nothing about a standard wrangler made me desire one until I drove the Xtreme Recon pack. The ride is superior, clearance for days and the 35” tires and lift give the Wrangler the look that so many spend thousands in the aftermarket looking for.

also side note: As a long-time car nut and Toyota fan. The 4-Runner is just absolutely lost on me. It stops and goes like a vehicle from the 90’s, floor-Pan so high my knees are level with the window and nosedives in any emergency braking situation. You can literally get the vehicle to rock back and forth if you alternate between gas and brake like a low-rider that’s how old the suspension tuning is. If the new Land Cruiser had the Lexus GX V6 it would be on my list of looks. But 4-cylinder only alas and the Lexus GX-550’s 70-80k price range is just a tad out of my budget, that would be MY comfortable wrangler replacement.

 

[COJeeper]

I'm not a 100% but I think Toyota still manufacturers the FJ Cruiser, but it hasn't been available in the US since 2014. Sales plummeted from 56000 in 2006 to only a little over 13000 by 2014. I think they are available in the Philippines, South Africa and the Middle East. Kind of a bummer I was interested.

I always thought the FJ was awesome then I started watching videos of them on Black Bear Pass, just falling over to what looks like a very mild step. That reminded me of the fainting goats, just tip over. Then, I’m glad I bought a brand new JLUR for $45k vs the 10 year old FJ with 134k miles for $28k

 

[DMentdJL]

THE NEW 2024 FORD BRONCO!
HOW YOU DIGGING THE NEW BODY LINES?
REMINDS ME OF A 68 SCOUT!
OH WAIT, IT IS A SCOUT!

FORD FAILED MISERABLY WITH IT AND FRANKLY, IT'S JUST NOT A JEEP NOW IS IT!

 

[Bryce]

I was waiting for the Bronco to come out of many years. I have a Bronco II on 33s that used to be my trail buggy until I killed the engine. Now it sits waiting for me to get motivated and drop a 302 into it. I finally got tired of the wait for the new Bronco even before the reservations started., In June of 2019, I said F-it, I'm getting a Wrangler and I did.
My neighbor was a first night reservation holder and it took over 18mo before he got his. I enjoyed my Jeep for 2-1/2 years before he got his Bronco.
I got a great deal on mine back in 2019. Dealer discounts were still easy to negotiate and lots were full of options to choose from. MSRP on a heavily optioned JLU Sport S is right about what my heavily optioned out JLUR was OTD. TBH, if I was buying new today, I'd probably not get a Rubicon and go with a slightly less optioned Willys.
My wife needed a new vehicle this past summer and she looked at the Bronco and dealers still didn't have them on the lot, were not able or unwilling to order and still slapping on ADMs. In the end, she decided to that it was not worth it and too much overlap with my JLUR and went with a very nice 2013 JCG that replaced her 2013 Explorer.

 

[SoK66]

I retired from Ford (Jaguar actually) and got very interested in Bronco. My daily F150 was getting on ten years old and I was ready for something new. I get employee/retiree pricing on Fords, which is under invoice. I was going to order a non Sasquatch two-door Black Diamond. Not one nearby dealer would talk seriously to me about it. If I summed everything up, it went "Well, you can order it but if it comes in and someone else wants it we'll sell it to them at sticker plus ADM." I got a Gladiator instead at 18% off and a fair trade in for the F150. Frrankly, dollar for dollar a JL or JT is a much better vehicle.

 

[TorturedMargot]

From my understanding, the Bronco thing was just a fad. Like someone on the thread said, it’s like someone sees one on instagram and gets FOMO. I’m in a lot of 4x4 circles up here in Washington and I don’t know anyone who’s kept one or preferred it to a Jeep. However, I’m sure pricing doesn’t help. It’s egregious how bad the prices have gotten. I got my ‘21 Sport S with nearly every option for $39k and my interest rate is only 3%

Couldn’t imagine buying a vehicle with current interest rates

 

[Bryce]

From my understanding, the Bronco thing was just a fad. Like someone on the thread said, it’s like someone sees one on instagram and gets FOMO. I’m in a lot of 4x4 circles up here in Washington and I don’t know anyone who’s kept one or preferred it to a Jeep. However, I’m sure pricing doesn’t help. It’s egregious how bad the prices have gotten. I got my ‘21 Sport S with nearly every option for $39k and my interest rate is only 3%

Couldn’t imagine buying a vehicle with current interest rates

I'm in a non brand specific off road club in Georgia and I think there is 1 Bronco in the club. He's a long time Bronco guy.
Around me, I do see a lot of Jeeps and Broncos alike getting dumped within a few years of ownership. FOMO and people liking the "idea" of a Jeep-type vehicle, but then realize that a short wheel base, solid axle off-roader isn't practical or rides like their luxury SUV/CUV.

 

[DMentdJL]

The same can be said for a Jeep depending on the use case. You will have to upgrade many things to accomplish certain use cases, or you will break something. A Jeep will never ride as well as the Bronco and for the vast majority of us, despite our penchant for offroading, we all spend a VERY high majority of the time just driving them.

I WILL GO OUT ON A LIMB AND SAY YOU WILL HAVE TO MODIFIED A BRONCO BEFORE THEY BREAK WELL BEFORE A JEEP.

SECONDLY, WITH THE EXCEPTIONS OF THE JLs, JEEP HAVE NEVER REALLY BEEN KNOWN FOR RIDE!

 

[DwnSth]

Not a fad. I've wheeled some pretty extreme stuff with Broncs and they have even out-wheeled some well built jeeps. The sales are closing in and while Wrangler still easily outsells I suspect that will even out in a couple of years. I like the competition, we wouldn't have the 392 without the Braptor. Full disclosure - did have a Braptor I sold (couldn't pass up the cash). I suspect I will eventually get another Bronco just because I like off-road vehicles, however the prices etc. are just outlandish across the board. Jeep and Ford are going to have a rough year if they don't get pricing and discounts in line with interest rates! Also jeep needs another ICE power plant but they don't seem to be seriously considering the hurricane in a wrangler.

 

[TrailMax]

. . .. I read somewhere (not sure if it's true) that the EV batteries are only good for about 5-6 years in the wrangler before needing replacement. Not sure where they are getting the info at.

Time will tell after they have been out on the road long enough of course, but it seems Jeep would have more confidence that the battery would last more than 5 years when there is a 10 year warranty on it.

 

[CarbonSteel]

I test drove a Bronco a couple years ago. The road manners weren't much better than the Jeep.

How is that possible? I am not here to defend the Bronco and bash the Wrangler and this is not directed at you OP, but some of you guys need to remove the rose-colored glasses and add more objectivity to your vision.

A SFA vehicle will never ride on the highway as well as an IFS vehicle will. In addition, unless all of you are driving the unicorns of Wranglers, every stock (and even some modified) Wranglers I have even driven roams the highway like the buffalo do in a particular song and rides rougher than 16 grit sandpaper on steel. I spent a TON of money on my Wrangler and while it did drive better than it did stock, my Wildtrak rides better out of the box than my Wrangler ever did and I did not go cheap on the mods that I did on the Wrangler.

Yes; there are clearly things that a Wrangler can do better than a Bronco--but again the use case has to be taken into account. To hear some of the comments, you would swear that everyone here is rock crawling 100% of the time they are behind the wheel, which for a miniscule number, that might well be true, but that is the exception and not the rule.

The Wrangler also has had aftermarket support for how much longer than the Bronco? So, indeed, the "bugs" have been sorted in the Wrangler via strong aftermarket support--it sure as freak is not due to FCA. Aluminum steering boxes, plastic ball joint internals, thin wall crimped steering components, lack of caster angle, shorted ELD modules, failing rocker arms, failing oil coolers, lack of temperature control, poor ESS design--those are ALL courtesy of FCA. With the exception of the steering boxes, how of what I have listed has been addressed by FCA?

Aftermarket support is catching up for the Bronco and I would opine it will continue to do so. With that said, Ford is not without its own issues. Weak tie-rod ends, plastic engine and transmission oil pans, CV joints that fail when overstressed, a run of engines with faulty valves, etc.

There is no perfect off-road machine no matter what you invest in it--everything has some level of compromise. It simply depends on what you are willing to compromise on and how much you are willing to invest.

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