Base vs Big Bend

[BFizzy]

Big items missing from the base and big bend are skid plates and steel bumpers. I will say I didn't place as much value on them till my first trip out wheeling. If your on a budget Black Diamond starts adding a lot of value.

Adds hundreds of pounds which is why I didn’t want a black Diamond. I wish I lived in Moab or Sedona, but I don’t.

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[PSUTE]

Basesquatch is the biggest bang for the buck, adding the modular bumper give you skid plates...

 

[Havoc1]

How much off roading do you plan on doing?

That's the real question here

For your price the BD is perfect for a DD and weekend warrior. I'll post my window sticker here so you can get an idea of what exactly you get with the BD (MY22.5 pricing). The wheel and tire package looks SO much better in person.

And for people worried about heat...
Tint.
Your.
Windows.

There's also this amazing thing that you can throw in the windshield to block the sun too. The windshield is small enough that tint will help a lot by itself.


Don't mind the dirt, I was playing in Utah.

View attachment windowsticker.pdf

 

[airishfan]

I would not be going off the prices you see on the B&P right now because you can bank that 2023 prices well go up so you might want to add a other 1000 to 2000 .

 

[GrayEagleRider]

How much off roading do you plan on doing?

That's the real question here

For your price the BD is perfect for a DD and weekend warrior. I'll post my window sticker here so you can get an idea of what exactly you get with the BD (MY22.5 pricing). The wheel and tire package looks SO much better in person.

And for people worried about heat...
Tint.
Your.
Windows.

There's also this amazing thing that you can throw in the windshield to block the sun too. The windshield is small enough that tint will help a lot by itself.


Don't mind the dirt, I was playing in Utah.

View attachment windowsticker.pdf

Probably not a lot of off roading, although there are multiple ORV parks within a couple hours so I don’t want to regret no getting at least a rear locker.

Nice looking rig. The optional BD wheels are starting to grow on me.

The dealer I’m working with says the MY23 pricing should be out soon. Interested to see what changes to price, options, and colors there are.

 

[dingle87]

BaseSas is the cheat code if you plan heavy off road use, unless you absolutely need 7 pin tow capability. Then BD, for me, is the best option. My long term plan would be BD, tow, then add take off Sas suspension.

 

[maade48]

For your price I would definitely go BD.

Base or bb you need new tires so...why not just go BD

I went BD with Modular bumper, Mid package and a couple other things. Came in just over 45k.... and I'm happy with my choice. But we will see once it gets here

 

[dgorsett]

Um... The starting difference is $4485, not 2700.

For that $4.5k you get a leather wrapped steering wheel, and tinted glass on the Hardtop. You also get 17" wheels instead of 16". The tires are slightly better, but either way, they are typical garbage factory tires.

That's basically it. Plus the ability to add more packages/upgrades.

So, if you really want a rear locker, you have to pay $4500 plus another $800. I really want a rear locker. But, while I really wanted a rear locker, I don't want it bad enough to pay $5300.

The other reason to buy a BB instead of a Base is if you want a manual transmission on a 4-door. Ford hides the 4-door stick behind the trim wall of the BB.

Note: if you are looking at a 4-door, then the Build you own Bronco price is somewhat misleading, as the 4-door base forces you to get the Automatic, and the BB defaults to Manual. If you add the Automagic transmission back onto the BB you end up right at the same $4500 or so difference.

The BD on the other hand, gives you a lot of cool stuff. (like the rear locker) and has IMHO the best looking wheels. But, it forces you to get MGV seats instead of cloth, and for me that was a complete non-starter. Way to hot for Phoenix. I sat in one at the Drive a Bronco event, and it was uncomfortably hot in April. Sure to fry one's flesh when it gets to 116 or so in summer.

All good logic. A BD fit my use best but I REALLY did not want MGV, so I went with a BB with the locker, got my favorite wheels and grille, added skid plates and am living with the barely adequate tires for now. A few grand less than a BD.

 

[Ecobeast]

I'm in the same boat. I have a 2-door base with 2.7/auto on order for $35K, but already have a set of 33" Badlands take-offs in the garage. I, too, am trying to find a way to get lower gears and a locker. Going by MY22.5 prices, a base Sasquatch would run me $41,870, a Big Bend with locker $41,360, and a Black Diamond $43, 035.

I wouldn’t worry about it for a second with 33” tires. This size has been used heavily on the Ranger with 3.73 gears. It seems pretty universally accepted in that crowd that the truck is very driveable and acceleration is still great even with the 2.3.

With C load range tires being a thing in 33” sizes, you can get a good balance of weight and durability without having to run LT E tires that weigh a ton. If you are going to run 35” tires gears could be a consideration.

 

[dgorsett]

Big Bend comes with P rated P255/75R17 tires stock.

P rated tires are soft squishy junk and will puncture on twigs, small rocks, or a stray cholla spine.

They are also Bridgestone/Firestones.

BD comes with actual LT rated General Grabbers.

Asking 'cause I respect your opinion: Both BB and BD tires are 115 load rated, shouldn't they perform about the same load and puncture wise? I've usually run load range E (121) tires on my 4x4's mostly for puncture resistance and sidewall strength. Lately , due to some folks adamant anti E feelings on the forum, I considering sticking with Load Range C 115's...Thoughts?

 

[Havoc1]

Probably not a lot of off roading, although there are multiple ORV parks within a couple hours so I don’t want to regret no getting at least a rear locker.

Nice looking rig. The optional BD wheels are starting to grow on me.

The dealer I’m working with says the MY23 pricing should be out soon. Interested to see what changes to price, options, and colors there are.

Yea man, plus the general grabbers it comes with would work great on the east cost for you (on or off road). I'm debating on switching to toyo A/T's like I have on my truck, or just wait til it's time to replace the tires. They're only $250 a piece on Amazon.

At the moment I'm getting 19.5mpg, you would get better with a trim that comes with regular street tires but it doesn't sound like you really care about that since you're contemplating on the SAS package.

 

[AZ_Liberty]

Asking 'cause I respect your opinion: Both BB and BD tires are 115 load rated, shouldn't they perform about the same load and puncture wise? I've usually run load range E (121) tires on my 4x4's mostly for puncture resistance and sidewall strength. Lately , due to some folks adamant anti E feelings on the forum, I considering sticking with Load Range C 115's...Thoughts?

Load range yes, puncture wise no. It's all about the number of plies. I have had so many tires punctured by twigs before I switched to LT tires on the Expy. I actually think one of my tires has had a nail in it for around 4 months now, and I keep forgetting to have it patched (but it's holding air just fine)

I will probably go with a C rated Cooper. The big problem with C rated tires is there is almost no selection. So, for every C rated tire you have about 80 E rated.

I don't have a problem with E-rated tires. If they made an E-rated that fit the Mustang I'd put E-rated on it.

 

[GrayEagleRider]

Taking a close look at the BD now. The 19.5 mpg is pretty good for that level of capacity, and always a factor in my book. A BD with 33 KO2s is all I really need. Just a lot of value in a base Sasquatch is why I’m considering it.

 

[H - 2 CHARLIE]

A base sasquatch is for me when I'm ready to order . Not sure the MPG differ any which way with either motor ... in the 4 door . After a year or so get the westin bumper .

 

[mpeugeot]

So, just to put moderate off-roading in perspective with my otherwise stock OBX on 33.5" M/T tires, look at the pictures of the first real off-road trail I took with it. It is crazy capable, I didn't use the lockers, forgot to air down the tires.

This was right next to the spillway starting at 2007' and dropping down to about 1850-1900 in a very short distance. I was in excess of 25 degrees on the trail both up and down (I don't know if I ever broke 30), still that was my first time with it off-road.

This was incredibly steep and I did need for my girl to get out and spot me, but the Bronco was 100% able to manage it.

I will try to find the uphill stuff I did as well. Which I did use the rear locker on, but the advanced 4x4 rear locker equipped Bronco is a beast.

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