Dealer lets people test drive your new Bronco Sport…

[baja_bob]

The dealer peeled the plastic off the one I test drove, it was with a truck load of others meant for sale on the lot, this was in March of '21, back when you could get a deal on a lot model. I bought it as soon as I returned it.

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[Mark S.]

The BS manual calls for a 1,000 mile break-in period -- partial throttle, moderate rpm, gentle braking.

Not to negate your concerns about abuse, but I couldn't find anything in the manual about a particular break-in procedure. At least not in my 2021 manual. The only mention I could find is on page 246 where it suggests avoiding heavy use of the brakes and clutch (heh). Can you share the page number where you found this?

 

[sajohnson]

Not to negate your concerns about abuse, but I couldn't find anything in the manual about a particular break-in procedure. At least not in my 2021 manual. The only mention I could find is on page 246 where it suggests avoiding heavy use of the brakes and clutch (heh). Can you share the page number where you found this?

In the index, under "Breaking In", page 258 (2022 owner's manual).

 

[Elegance]

Test drove a dealer-ordered Badlands before ordering mine that same day. I put the first miles on it and was sure to be as gentle as possible. Just wanted to make sure the 2.0L was actually what I wanted before pulling the trigger. Took it around the block twice, added approximately 3 miles to the odometer.

That being said, if I'm not the first one to put my butt in my premium leather seats except the guy who backs it off the truck, I will be livid. I'm very particular about my vehicles and ordered this one so I know it'll only ever be mine. I wouldn't ever buy a mannequin vehicle, either. Even my Big Bend placeholder was driven off the lot immediately after coming off the truck. Nobody drove it except me.

 

[Wolf256]

My salesman called me as my Badlands was being offloaded. When I took it for a test drive, there was about 1.3 miles on it. When I signed the docs, there was maybe 4 Miles on it. That was six weeks ago. I currently have <700 miles on it. The majority put there by me.

 

[Mark S.]

In the index, under "Breaking In", page 258 (2022 owner's manual).

Ah ha! Interesting. That's a change from the 2021 manual. Although it is a bit different from what you wrote:

...partial throttle, moderate rpm, gentle braking...

Here's the recommendation from the manual:

...avoid driving at high speeds, heavy braking, aggressive shifting or using your vehicle to tow.

 

[sajohnson]

My salesman called me as my Badlands was being offloaded. When I took it for a test drive, there was about 1.3 miles on it. When I signed the docs, there was maybe 4 Miles on it. That was six weeks ago. I currently have <700 miles on it. The majority put there by me.

1.3 miles?! OK, now I'm paranoid! Our BL had 7 or 8.

 

[HomePeace]

1.3 miles?! OK, now I'm paranoid! Our BL had 7 or 8.

Oh man, they sold you a clearly used vehicle! Kidding, I took mine off the showroom floor with 7 miles on it. I was about to buy the test drive model in the lot (carbonized grey) but it had 135 miles on it. Granted I put 30 of those test driving it to the house to show the family first lol. I am happy with my showroom Area 51.

 

[sajohnson]

Ah ha! Interesting. That's a change from the 2021 manual. Although it is a bit different from what you wrote:

[QUOTE="sajohnson]...partial throttle, moderate rpm, gentle braking...

Here's the recommendation from the manual:

...avoid driving at high speeds, heavy braking, aggressive shifting or using your vehicle to tow.

That's why I did not say, "Direct quote from manual:"...partial throttle, moderate rpm, gentle braking...". I was paraphrasing.

The bottom line is -- as with essentially all vehicles ever made -- the Bronco Sport should be broken in. The typical number of miles is the 1,000 stated by Ford.

Using the verbatim quote from the manual, my point remains -- if a vehicle is test driven, even once, but particularly several times, there is a good chance that the driver(s) will completely disregard the advice to, quote: "...avoid driving at high speeds, heavy braking, aggressive shifting..."

Many people are hard on cars (read: ignore break-in requirements) when they test drive them. That's a fact.

How much damage they may cause is unknown. Maybe none. Or maybe the engine will always burn more oil than it should because the rings never seat properly. Or maybe a suspension component develops a hairline crack and does not fail until months or years later.

As with so much of this stuff, it's a personal choice. My position -- speaking only for myself -- is that I do not want to pay full MSRP for a "new" vehicle that may have been thrashed. There's no reason to. If the dealer were to knock (say) $2,000 off, maybe(?) -- but why pay top dollar for a car/truck that has possibly been abused?

When people buy something that is described as "new", it should be just that -- unused/untouched by anyone else. That's why Amazon and other retailers sell "open box" and "refurbished" items at a discount. They must give buyers a break to move the items, and it is illegal to sell an item that has been used -- however lightly -- as "new".

 

[kyle_conrad]

That being said, if I'm not the first one to put my butt in my premium leather seats except the guy who backs it off the truck, I will be livid. I'm very particular about my vehicles and ordered this one so I know it'll only ever be mine. I wouldn't ever buy a mannequin vehicle, either. Even my Big Bend placeholder was driven off the lot immediately after coming off the truck. Nobody drove it except me.

well there’s also the folks moving it at the factory, the folks loading it onto a train, the folks unloading off a train, the folks moving it to staging, the folks loading the truck…

 

[sajohnson]

well there’s also the folks moving it at the factory, the folks loading it onto a train, the folks unloading off a train, the folks moving it to staging, the folks loading the truck…

Of course, but there's no way around that.

Theoretically, some of them could abuse vehicles, but the chance of that happening is pretty slim because a) they drive cars all day long, and b) there are usually other people around.

I would not be surprised if Ford monitors how vehicles are treated during transport -- after all, they certainly have the incentive.

Whatever the case, and again, speaking for myself only, the fact that a vehicle must be driven for logistical reasons does not change my position regarding joy rides (test drives) in a vehicle that will be sold as "new".

Some people are apparently OK with paying top dollar for "new" cars that have dozens or even hundreds of miles on them. That's cool. Their money, their choice. In most cases it's probably fine. If there was no option, if almost all vehicles had been loaners or demos and I really needed a car, my attitude would probably be different -- but that's not the case. There are plenty of new cars that have <10 miles on them. All else equal, I'll take one of those.

 

[Desert Bronco.]

Will salespeople really attempt to sell another customer’s ordered vehicle?

I custom ordered the car and waited five months to get the Badlands. Took a bus 430 miles, then walked 3 miles, took a train for 45 minutes, walked 20 minutes. Got to the dealer and within 15 minutes there were other buyers trying to purchase the car. They told me I beat them by 12 minutes. I told them I beat them by 6 months. Had I not purchased the car, it was out the door in no time. The dealer listed my ordered car for sale, to get buyers to walk onto the lot.

 

[Its her Bronco]

Now that we’ve placed an order for a BS Badlands, I was wondering:

How would you guys feel if your dealer allowed other people to test drive your Bronco Sport, something you customized, ordered and waited months for, before you picked it up?

The dealership I buy from would not do that. But if they did I would be done with them.

 

[Osco]

2 miles on the clock before I test drove mine.

 

[69cuda340s]

I wouldn't ever buy a mannequin vehicle, either.

My '16 F150 Platinum FX4 with long long list factory options was a dealer demo or loaner vehicle it had 1,300 miles on it. They listed it for sale with $11,000 chopped off the sticker price. I looked it over no signs of any wear was clean underneath ect bought it for the listed price. I haven't had any issues to date. I would have had to get a lower trim lower option truck if I demanded new never driven no miles. Beggers cant be choosers so I accepted truck had been drive by who knows who doing what ect ect ...

I got a beater 05 Pontiac Sunfire 98k miles spent first two years of its life as rental car. Its fine drives great has only needed maintenance to date.

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