Considering a Grown Up Bronco

[GoHack]

I originally wanted to buy a Full-Size Bronco but ended up w/a Baby Bronco Sport (BS), the Badlands Model w/a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine, due to the lack of the availability of the Full-Size models at the time.
There's nothing wrong w/the BS Sport, outside of perhaps having an automatic transmission, the first one I've ever owned. It gets great fuel mileage, and actually does pretty good offroad, though I would never do the Rubicon w/it.
I'm now once again thinking about a Full Size, w/the Black Diamond Package. Rumors out there, Ford is dropping the 7 Spd M/T from a few of the '24 Broncos next year, including the Black Diamond Package.
One dealer has three of the Black Diamonds in stock, w/no mark ups. It has everything in it that I want, including the 2.3L, 4-cylinder engine w/a 7 Spd M/T, and a rear end w/Lockers. Sadly, all I can find around are the ones w/the Soft Tops, which I don't want, nor like, w/no color selections out there, outside of just Silver. My BS is Area 51 Blue, which I like.
Doing some research on the Hardtops themselves, the ones offered by Ford are really a piece of junk, quality wise, considering how they are constructed, and that there is an aftermarket of some much better ones out there.

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[GoHack]

Well, I went and bought a Full-Grown Bronco last Saturday, a Silver Black Diamond I have shown below, for $44,510, w/no markups.

The only options it has: The Black Diamond Package, which includes the 17" Black Painted Steel Wheels, w/LT265/70R17 A/T TIRES (32"), a 4.46/Rear Axle-Locking Differential, Front Open Axle, Rock Rails and Pans, Front Bumper, HD Modular.
It includes the standard 2.3L 4-Cylinder Engine, w/the 7 Speed Manual, and a Soft-Top.

Driving home w/it, around a hundred miles, I average around 20 mpg w/it, doing around 70, shifting up and down in gears in order to vary the rpms for the engine break-in.

The dealership had three Black Diamonds (4-Door) w/manual transmissions, for $44,510, three Big Bends (4-Door) for $41,120, a Badlands model (Not Shown on Website) for $50K, w/a 2.3L 4-cylinder, 7 speed manual, Area 51 Blue, w/a soft-top. again w/no markups. I wish I had a little more money, otherwise I may have bought the Badlands.
I don't know if we're allowed to name a dealer here, but the one I'm talking about is on 2440 First St, Simi Valley, CA 93065.
Once again, no markups, w/a large selection of model's w/7 speed manual transmissions should anyone be interested.

Looking all across the LA area, I only found this dealership w/any models w/manual transmissions.
Everyone else had what they had, marked-up.

Reasons for my going w/the Bronco:
More room.
More durable and set-up for going off-road.
The Black Diamond comes w/the Body Armor kit, just like the Badlands model does.
The manual transmission.
The rear locker.
More upgrade options.
More clearance.
More engine power, w/the 2.3L 4-cylinder engine.

I was looking into going w/a lift kit on my Bronco Sport. together w/some body armor underneath, but there isn't a whole lot of upgrade options for the BS, including a winch mount.

The soft-top isn't that bad. Not as noisy as I thought.
Off-road, I found very little dust leakage inside.
Washing it later, I found no water leakage inside.
Driving off-road, the top did rattle, but once back on smooth pavement, it disappeared.

 

[GoHack]

Well I had to christen it offroad, working the transfer case, rear locker, and everything works great, w/no issues.

The transmission shifts beautifully, w/no issues. It's a 7 speed, as mentioned, w/one of the gears being a Granny Gear, w/6 regular gears.

On the highway, I got it up to a high of 23 mpg doing 70 mph, randomly shifting it up and down, keeping the rpms in the 2K range, allowing for break-in. Offroad, I got around 16.5.

 

[GoHack]

 

[GoHack]

I loved my Baby Bronco Badlands.
Negotiating the deal, I seriously considering walking out, since I could live w/my BS.

 

[TCBSport]

Good info! I too looked long and hard at the big boys and it came down to the Lux package (my requirement WHEN I get one) being way too expensive as the demand is still there to pay ADM for the loaded ones. I love our BSport Badlands. If our LR4 ever dies we are replacing it with a Bronco Badlands 7 speed manual hardtop lux package and we will have one of each!

 

[Chiefthepup]

People will tell me to shut up and I’m wrong but I’m convinced anyone who has a sport secretly wants a full size. As a daily driver I don’t mind the sport but god I envy the people I pass driving the full size haha. She’s a beaut!! Great price to considering I paid 40k for my 22 big bend sport after warranty and 60k/100k maintenance package and taxes/fees One day I’ll hand the sport off to my wife and get a full size

 

[Mark S.]

People will tell me to shut up and I’m wrong but I’m convinced anyone who has a sport secretly wants a full size. As a daily driver I don’t mind the sport but god I envy the people I pass driving the full size haha. She’s a beaut!! Great price to considering I paid 40k for my 22 big bend sport after warranty and 60k/100k maintenance package and taxes/fees One day I’ll hand the sport off to my wife and get a full size

They're nice-looking vehicles. So are Ferraris. I don't want either one for the same reason: they simply don't meet my current needs at a reasonable price point.

Now, if I won the lotto...

 

[rocks]

I love the full size OBX but once I started adding the options I wanted, it got expensive at $54K plus fees about $7K over my limit.

 

[Glamdring70]

I think the regular price demonstrates the demand for manual transmissions. If every Bronco is marked up except those, the dealership is probably kicking someone for ordering them that way. Stick shift was fun in my teens and gone by the time I was 30. It's just not fun in traffic which is everywhere so few people want a vehicle that way. I think there is already a larger aftermarket for Bronco than Sport even though it had a slower and rougher rollout. Probably a good plan to start minimal and add.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Honestly, if they had a decent full size on the lot when we bought our HL, it wouldn't have been a consideration. Only one they had was a relatively low equipped Big Bend and it just didn't cut it.

The BS is a fun little commuter vehicle that can do some trails and well. The full size is a Wrangler killer- properly equipped there isn't a trail in the US it can't do.

I've been told by my better half that if there was a full size Heritage doable in red with the white top, go ahead and pull the trigger.

 

[Robink]

They're nice-looking vehicles. So are Ferraris. I don't want either one for the same reason: they simply don't meet my current needs at a reasonable price point.

Now, if I won the lotto...

Same lol!

 

[JerryC]

BTDT. We have two Broncos now, 2dr BL and 4dr Wildtrak.

The Sport I had was 21 BL+BL. The Sport was far and away a better commuter and road tripper.

Broncos are awesome in a totally different way that is not related to comfort and convenience of every day life. However as an old timer I've driven rougher riding trucks with way worse handling so it's all good.

Sometimes I think that owning a Bronco is like wearing shoes that look great but fit badly Or wearing boots when you need sneakers.

I would not trade my Bronco for a Sport now, but ask again two years and I might have a different answer.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

One of each is definitely the right answer! Now if I can only get them to change my full size status from “in production” to “built”, I’d be golden!

Fortunately, I’ve been on the full size train for 3 years now so my Heritage will be just over 40k because of the 21-23 model year transition private offer and the 23 price protection. And of course it helps getting it at Granger which meant 2k below invoice.

But, after having the Sport now for nearly a year and 1/2, it’s a keeper which also means the full size becomes “when I want to drive it” vehicle.

 

[Bato001]

People will tell me to shut up and I’m wrong but I’m convinced anyone who has a sport secretly wants a full size. As a daily driver I don’t mind the sport but god I envy the people I pass driving the full size haha. She’s a beaut!! Great price to considering I paid 40k for my 22 big bend sport after warranty and 60k/100k maintenance package and taxes/fees One day I’ll hand the sport off to my wife and get a full size

Absolutely wrong. I think im out of this forum if this is the assinine content that is going to be posted here. Go hang out on the Bronco Nation forum where they bash the Sport every day and its encouraged by the mod team.

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