TFL Tommy talks... Do I Regret Buying My Brand New Jeep Wrangler After Living With The New Ford Bronco For a Week?

[SH556JL]

Indeed, JK tops were notorious for leaks. Yet Ford goes out and builds an even larger fiberglass top, with more removable panels, more seams and more gaps.

I think it is less about Jeepers having selective memory, and more about the arrogance with which Ford embarked on its Bronco experiment, as if it had nothing to learn from JK’s top leaks.

Also pretty sure when Ford was developing the Bronco, they benchmarked into to the JK. So would assume they would improve on the JK drawbacks at the very least.

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[aldo98229]

Also pretty sure when Ford was developing the Bronco, they benchmarked into to the JK. So would assume they would improve on the JK drawbacks at the very least.

Ford must have started benchmarking TJ when it gave Bronco the go-ahead...in 2005!

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I find my seats to be quite comfortable. I would rather that the material used for the upholstery was more durable. I think many people don't know how to use the adjuster lever on the side of the seat that raises and lowers it.

 

[entropy]

You guys should see his new video were he took his stock willys on that same trail where the defender crapped out. First time I see the rear LSD in action in a video. The rear LSD has so much bad rep, but it has been wonderful in my Jeep. I've even read on this forums from "knowledgeable" people that the rear LSD is worst than an open diff most times and that it is 100% useless offroad. Insane.

And remember, that's a Wrangler on 32s. Just shows the capabilities of the "base" Jeep. Willys sport 2D is the best value offroad you can buy today in my opinion.

 

[Notorious]

I think Tommy said he tried silicone

I bet he sure did.

 

[Notorious]

notorious

You called?

 

[The Last Cowboy]

I know he said Bestop makes the soft tops for both but, is the hard top manufacturers the same for the hard tops?

Yes he said it and I've read it elsewhere. Anymore these days Auto manufacturers are assemblers of vehicles. Many of the components are made by outside vendors/subcontractors to the specs provided by the auto manufacturer.

Things from computers, light assemblies, wheels, frames, seats and many other smaller components are all made elsewhere and shipped to the factory where the vehicle is assembled. Generally, but not always, the manufacturer makes the engines and stamps the body but even those processes are often done outside of the plant.

 

[Dakota Jeeper]

Indeed, JK tops were notorious for leaks. Yet Ford goes out and builds an even larger fiberglass top, with more removable panels, more seams and more gaps.

I think it is less about Jeepers having selective memory, and more about the arrogance with which Ford embarked on its Bronco experiment, as if it had nothing to learn from JK’s top leaks.

It is literally no different for the JL then. After how many issues they had with a 3 piece JJ top, they rolled out… a 3 piece top with leaking issues again.

Time will tell. They might have issues for the entire run of the vehicle. They might make big adjustments. They might just get it fixed. To judge the success off of the first year of a vehicle would be just plain silly. Again… look no further than Jeep for a perfect example.

 

[Pig-Pen]

how long until the aftermarket sells fixes for hardtop broncos?

soon! it will be a bar that goes across that wide open space in the roof, like a wrangler lol

im sure the bronco forum is a frenzy right now after this latest video

thats pretty crazy, that in 2021, you can spend $60k+ on a new vehicle and have rattles on the way home from the dealership. its not like ford hasnt been testing these things for the past ten years.

and lmao off at both ecobosts sound like a dyson and the only thing worst is the 2.0 wrangler motor

 

[SH556JL]

I’m not going to pretend the Jeep doesn’t have quality issues... Ignoring orange peel (pretty bad on our Jeeps, but can tolerate it), these issues seem to be pretty common on our rides. Something that shouldn’t be for what we pay.

 

[aldo98229]

It is literally no different for the JL then. After how many issues they had with a 3 piece JJ top, they rolled out… a 3 piece top with leaking issues again.

Time will tell. They might have issues for the entire run of the vehicle. They might make big adjustments. They might just get it fixed. To judge the success off of the first year of a vehicle would be just plain silly. Again… look no further than Jeep for a perfect example.

I don’t think you are being fair. Jeep did address the leaks with JL for the most part. One thing Jeep certainly didn’t do was make the removable panels larger, or cut out the roof over the rear seats as well.

Like I’ve said already: the design itself of the Bronco top looks problematic from the get-go, regardless of the manufacturing and supplier issues. There’s way too much unsupported structure for it to provide solid, weather tight cover for miles and years to come.

Geez, Bronco has only been out a month, in summer weather, and the problems are already making themselves known. What is going to happen to those tops when the weather turns? When the miles, on and off-road, add on those vehicles?

IMO, nothing short of a complete redesign of the top, with a stronger structure and fewer removable parts, is going to fix the problems we know about already, and the ones we are likely to uncover in months to come.

 

[aldo98229]

BTW, one comment Tommy makes that is spot-on, IMO, is Wrangler’s poor value for money. This has been my gripe for the past 5 years or so.

I find having to pay extra for proximity locks, even after you already paid for remote start or Cold Weather Group, as shameless greed. The same goes for LEDs still being extra on top trim levels. And don’t get me started about having to pay extra for every single paint color!

Bronco’s most immediate impact on Wrangler is going to be for Jeep to make it more competitive dollar-for-dollar against Bronco.

 

[Dakota Jeeper]

I don’t think you are being fair. Jeep did address the leaks with JL for the most part. One thing Jeep certainly didn’t do was make the removable panels larger, or cut out the roof over the rear seats as well.

Like I’ve said already: the design itself of the Bronco top looks problematic from the get-go, regardless of the manufacturing and supplier issues. There’s way too much unsupported structure for it to provide solid, weather tight cover for miles and years to come.

Geez, Bronco has only been out a month, in summer weather, and the problems are already making themselves known. What is going to happen to those tops when the weather turns? When the miles, on and off-road, add on those vehicles?

IMO, nothing short of a complete redesign of the top, with a stronger structure and fewer removable parts, is going to fix the problems we know about already, and the ones we are likely to uncover in months to come.

I understand where you are coming from. I just think if we are being fair and honest, this is a brand new vehicle for Ford. If anyone is surprised there are issues with the first ones rolling off the line, they haven't been paying attention to other vehicle launches.

I can't say what it would take to fix the hard top issues myself. I haven't actually put my hands on one. The fit and finish he talks about is pretty glaring and hard to believe it got the go ahead but it will be interesting to see how things get adjusted as we move forward.

 

[Outrun]

I don’t think you are being fair. Jeep did address the leaks with JL for the most part. One thing Jeep certainly didn’t do was make the removable panels larger, or cut out the roof over the rear seats as well.

Like I’ve said already: the design itself of the Bronco top looks problematic from the get-go, regardless of the manufacturing and supplier issues. There’s way too much unsupported structure for it to provide solid, weather tight cover for miles and years to come.

Geez, Bronco has only been out a month, in summer weather, and the problems are already making themselves known. What is going to happen to those tops when the weather turns? When the miles, on and off-road, add on those vehicles?

IMO, nothing short of a complete redesign of the top, with a stronger structure and fewer removable parts, is going to fix the problems we know about already, and the ones we are likely to uncover in months to come.

My hardtops never leaked on mine. I live where we get rain and snow. Plenty of thick icy roof days too.
Also, my seats are great, I wonder if he knows he can raise the seat with the lever? I am taller than him and I can road trip all day. Plus the back seats can accommodate an adult. The Bronco rear seat is gonna be as bad as a Taco.

 

[Dakota Jeeper]

BTW, one comment Tommy makes that is spot-on, IMO, is Wrangler’s poor value for money. This has been my gripe for the past 5 years or so.

I find having to pay extra for proximity locks, even after you already paid for remote start or Cold Weather Group, as shameless greed. The same goes for LEDs still being extra on top trim levels, and having to pay extra for every single paint color!

Bronco’s most immediate impact on Wrangler is going to be for Jeep to make it more competitive dollar-for-dollar against Bronco.

Absolutely! The LED thing gets me on any vehicle. This is 2021. Not making them standard is only an attempt to nickel and dime someone already paying quite a bit for your product. If they want to keep the night lights for the bare bones sport to keep the cost down, I can see that but man, anything above that, just put the LEDs in.

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