Bronco II- Where's the love?

[Poolmanz Sport Bronco]

At the Moab Basecamp there is a "hall of history" of the Bronco. I did not see any reference to the Bronco II. Where's the love?...Discuss.

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[MJE]

That’s disappointing. To me the BS is the second coming of the II. I loved my 93 explorer, effectively a development of the II all originating out of the ranger. If I could find a II in as nice a condition as I’d want to have in my garage today I’d absolutely jump on it.

 

[Osco]

Bronco II’s and Rangers of that era were pretty popular. I had a friend with a B II he went everywhere in it. Trouble free, good on gas, at the time.
About 19 city and 21 hwy.
That goes to show how there’s only so many BTU’s in a gallon of gas And to move a 3600 pound machine is pretty much the same today.
I miss the simplicity of the older cars and will always believe them to be over engineered these days.
For example,
Head light cooling fans, really !
Auto stop start that cannot be turned off permanently by the owner.
But the radiator louvers are way cool.
I will admit If the Maverick truck had been out in Dec 2020 Idda bought that in AWD and been just as happy. I will drive my BS and wait for the day the Maverick comes in AWD and plug in hybrid. Then I’ll trade in or up, however you want to look at it.

 

[Meanderthal]

For example,
Head light cooling fans, really !
Auto stop start that cannot be turned off permanently by the owner.
But the radiator louvers are way cool.
I will admit If the Maverick truck had been out in Dec 2020 Idda bought that in AWD and been just as happy. I will drive my BS and wait for the day the Maverick comes in AWD and plug in hybrid. Then I’ll trade in or up, however you want to look at it.

All of those complaints about the new technology and engineering but you want to ”trade-up” to a plug-in hybrid.

 

[M3H7363]

 

[Robins21]

My wife purchased a Bronco II new in 1985 & has since owned a 94 Explorer Sport & 2 99 Sports. If I could find a Bronco II in good condition, I would buy it.

 

[LilbroncoS]

Bronco II’s and Rangers of that era were pretty popular. I had a friend with a B II he went everywhere in it. Trouble free, good on gas, at the time.
About 19 city and 21 hwy.
That goes to show how there’s only so many BTU’s in a gallon of gas And to move a 3600 pound machine is pretty much the same today.
I miss the simplicity of the older cars and will always believe them to be over engineered these days.
For example,
Head light cooling fans, really !
Auto stop start that cannot be turned off permanently by the owner.
But the radiator louvers are way cool.
I will admit If the Maverick truck had been out in Dec 2020 Idda bought that in AWD and been just as happy. I will drive my BS and wait for the day the Maverick comes in AWD and plug in hybrid. Then I’ll trade in or up, however you want to look at it.

I think i was reading that maverick owners with the 2.0 250 hp awd were still getting like 29 city.. id rather not loose 60 hp to go to there hybrid just to gain 12 more mpg ... and there hybtid is not plug in.. it charges as you drive the vehicle.. so pretty sure thry wont add a plug on maverick.think only time we will see a charger on that or bs is all electric versions

 

[AndyMac204]

bronco II were little tanks. those things are getting super hard to find now, instant classic/collectible.
id totally buy one.

 

[Bill G]

Guess I'm in the minority.
Had a new 86 Bronco II (Eddie B ed.) V6, manual tranny . . . well actually (3) trannies in 3,000 miles! Put me off Fords for @20 years, but now I'm back and lovin' my BS, third good Ford since 2007.

 

[MJE]

Guess I'm in the minority.
Had a new 86 Bronco II (Eddie B ed.) V6, manual tranny . . . well actually (3) trannies in 3,000 miles! Put me off Fords for @20 years, but now I'm back and lovin' my BS, third good Ford since 2007.

3 in 3,000 miles?!? Wow! & usually the manuals are pretty bulletproof or so I thought. Autos perhaps not so much. Sadly that was this one’s fate. A transmission is or was uneconomic to repair. Still should’ve fixed it. But really wasn’t in a position to at the time.

 

[13MikeH]

Guess I'm in the minority.
Had a new 86 Bronco II (Eddie B ed.) V6, manual tranny . . . well actually (3) trannies in 3,000 miles! Put me off Fords for @20 years, but now I'm back and lovin' my BS, third good Ford since 2007.

I'll join the minority. Never really liked em. To each their own I never owned one, just meh...never moved the needle for me

 

[rootdoc]

I had lots of good years with this Bronco II. Manual transmission, always fun to drive!

 

[JerryC]

Had two, still have one of them. The BII is the reason I wanted the BS. I look at the BS as the new BII.

Of course they don't compare with 30+ years of technology between them but in some ways the concept is the same. Small, very usable SUV, very nimble.

Everytime I drive the BII it makes me happy, but it wouldn't be my daily driver now.

 

[WLK]

I had a 1989 Bronco II back in the mid-'90s. I loved it and missed it long after I sold it. I sold it in 1999 and used the funds for a down payment on my house. Which I still live in today! Lol

 

[Osco]

All of those complaints about the new technology and engineering but you want to ”trade-up” to a plug-in hybrid.

Yep I’d like 40 mpg.
but as we are now I got 25 and all kinds of stuff to break down and kill my battery.
With this complexity I’d be afraid to keep it long term, like 200,000 miles. Even 100k would make me nervous.
But if I was getting something tangible like 40 mpg for my money I’d at least feel like the industry was moving forward.
I’d still trade in before 100k I think.

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