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Thank God Ford bit off more than they could chew

josedirte

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Man, I hate to have to make this thread. I 100% get the frustration and disappointment, it’s upsetting to not know when we are getting our rides. But I think that stepping back for a little bit of perspective on this whole thing can help people soothe their minds a little bit. Why are we so upset? It’s because Ford did such a damn good job with designing this rig. They could’ve EASILY taken the Bronco name, thrown it on the Sport, and said “Hey we did better than Chevy with the Blazer didn’t we?” They could’ve done a rebadged Ford Everest too. They could’ve done kind of a mix of an Everest and the Bronco that we got that would be more like a 4Runner.

But they didn’t. They went balls to the wall, and gave us the Bronco that probably 95% of us that are still here wanted. They one upped Jeep, made the roof easier to remove and lighter, and added the middle roof panel. They added Sasquatch on all trims. V6 on all trims. They could’ve done a standard launch over reservations, where dealerships would’ve had literal fistfights over Broncos as soon as they arrived. And right now, Ford is literally paying the price for being a bit too innovative with providing the vehicle we didn’t know we wanted. They have dumped BILLIONS of dollars into Bronco, and so far their return has been a few million dollars in reservations. If there was a way for them to snap their fingers and get everyone their Bronco tomorrow they would do it. But with covid and the absolutely disastrous implications on global supply chains that it’s had, the fact that Broncos are still scheduled to start being built in just over a month shows that they are giving it their all. I’m not sure what people expected Ford to say with their statement today, I think any of us who spend enough time here knew that a lot of things are up in the air right now. Ford has definitely been overly optimistic in their statements previously, and I think they’ve had to come to terms that they just need to be truthful in that they really don’t know when a lot of these Broncos will be built. That’s exactly what today’s statement is, and I can assure you it comes from the heart. Remember that the people at Ford who got this Bronco made are all Bronco enthusiasts themselves, they want their orders too and they’re going to be wheeling right alongside us down the road. So let’s give them a little consideration and understanding for how monumental of a challenge this must be for them.

And I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to repeat it here. How damn lucky are we to even have the opportunity to buy a Bronco? To be born in the best (Or 2nd and 3rd best for our friends North and South of the border 😉) damn country in the world. To have the means to afford a vehicle like this, to have friends and family members that put up with our constant conversations about a vehicle that only exists in our minds. And of course I’m personally thankful for all of you guys to help kill time while working from home and making this 5 year wait breeze by. Bronco wouldn’t exist without this community, and I want to see a community built on having a damn good time, not this reaction. Feel free to roast me or do whatever but I just had to rant a little bit lol.
wow could not finish the thread through the fog of IPA i am pouring into my body but i am sure it sounds really good
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Arkeisios

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Man, I hate to have to make this thread. I 100% get the frustration and disappointment, it’s upsetting to not know when we are getting our rides. But I think that stepping back for a little bit of perspective on this whole thing can help people soothe their minds a little bit. Why are we so upset? It’s because Ford did such a damn good job with designing this rig. They could’ve EASILY taken the Bronco name, thrown it on the Sport, and said “Hey we did better than Chevy with the Blazer didn’t we?” They could’ve done a rebadged Ford Everest too. They could’ve done kind of a mix of an Everest and the Bronco that we got that would be more like a 4Runner.

But they didn’t. They went balls to the wall, and gave us the Bronco that probably 95% of us that are still here wanted. They one upped Jeep, made the roof easier to remove and lighter, and added the middle roof panel. They added Sasquatch on all trims. V6 on all trims. They could’ve done a standard launch over reservations, where dealerships would’ve had literal fistfights over Broncos as soon as they arrived. And right now, Ford is literally paying the price for being a bit too innovative with providing the vehicle we didn’t know we wanted. They have dumped BILLIONS of dollars into Bronco, and so far their return has been a few million dollars in reservations. If there was a way for them to snap their fingers and get everyone their Bronco tomorrow they would do it. But with covid and the absolutely disastrous implications on global supply chains that it’s had, the fact that Broncos are still scheduled to start being built in just over a month shows that they are giving it their all. I’m not sure what people expected Ford to say with their statement today, I think any of us who spend enough time here knew that a lot of things are up in the air right now. Ford has definitely been overly optimistic in their statements previously, and I think they’ve had to come to terms that they just need to be truthful in that they really don’t know when a lot of these Broncos will be built. That’s exactly what today’s statement is, and I can assure you it comes from the heart. Remember that the people at Ford who got this Bronco made are all Bronco enthusiasts themselves, they want their orders too and they’re going to be wheeling right alongside us down the road. So let’s give them a little consideration and understanding for how monumental of a challenge this must be for them.

And I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to repeat it here. How damn lucky are we to even have the opportunity to buy a Bronco? To be born in the best (Or 2nd and 3rd best for our friends North and South of the border 😉) damn country in the world. To have the means to afford a vehicle like this, to have friends and family members that put up with our constant conversations about a vehicle that only exists in our minds. And of course I’m personally thankful for all of you guys to help kill time while working from home and making this 5 year wait breeze by. Bronco wouldn’t exist without this community, and I want to see a community built on having a damn good time, not this reaction. Feel free to roast me or do whatever but I just had to rant a little bit lol."
Nice to have first world problems like this...
 
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jdogi

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wow could not finish the thread through the fog of IPA i am pouring into my body but i am sure it sounds really good
I'm with ya brother... but just some Lager here.
 

TXNavy

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Eff that. Give me my shit! I didn’t drop $1100 for “we’ll let you know” a year later.

Dont sell shit that you can’t deliver.
Don't give $1100 to a dealership that hasn't had the vehicle on the lot. Ford only required $100 and many dealerships have made that the only requirement.
 

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DaBronCo33

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Don't give $1100 to a dealership that hasn't had the vehicle on the lot. Ford only required $100 and many dealerships have made that the only requirement.
The money is ancillary. All of these issues causing delays shouldn’t be news to Ford. What’s happening now is shady AF. They know much more than they’re letting on and they’re stringing us along. Give me my estimate and let me decide whether or not it’s worth the wait. Don’t play freaking shell games.
 

Rick Astley

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Where does this figure come from? Not questioning it, but I haven't seen any stories about Ford's development costs.
The figures i've seen mentioned by OEM's over the years are at about the $1B mark just for a new chassis.

According to FORBES, it's between $1B-$6B to develop a new model in 2010 dollars. I split that difference and volunteered to remove inflation. Bronco was most likely towards the $6B end of the spectrum, plus inflation.
Obviously my guess is just that, a guess. And they only had to pay to develop the MT transmission for Bronco, the engines and trans were carry-overs aside from that. However, the exotic suspension and driveline would have been massively expensive as there wasn't anything to take that kit from to save on development costs. Then you've got a body-on-frame that includes removable body panels and passing crash testing.

https://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/27/why-does-it-cost-so-much-for-automakers-to-develop-new-models/

Taking all those into considerations the most valid argument any of us can have is how few cup holders there are..... Probably a good thing we aren't in vehicle development, eh?

Ford Bronco Thank God Ford bit off more than they could chew the-homer-inline4[1]
 
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Brongo

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Man, I hate to have to make this thread. I 100% get the frustration and disappointment, it’s upsetting to not know when we are getting our rides. But I think that stepping back for a little bit of perspective on this whole thing can help people soothe their minds a little bit. Why are we so upset? It’s because Ford did such a damn good job with designing this rig. They could’ve EASILY taken the Bronco name, thrown it on the Sport, and said “Hey we did better than Chevy with the Blazer didn’t we?” They could’ve done a rebadged Ford Everest too. They could’ve done kind of a mix of an Everest and the Bronco that we got that would be more like a 4Runner.

But they didn’t. They went balls to the wall, and gave us the Bronco that probably 95% of us that are still here wanted. They one upped Jeep, made the roof easier to remove and lighter, and added the middle roof panel. They added Sasquatch on all trims. V6 on all trims. They could’ve done a standard launch over reservations, where dealerships would’ve had literal fistfights over Broncos as soon as they arrived. And right now, Ford is literally paying the price for being a bit too innovative with providing the vehicle we didn’t know we wanted. They have dumped BILLIONS of dollars into Bronco, and so far their return has been a few million dollars in reservations. If there was a way for them to snap their fingers and get everyone their Bronco tomorrow they would do it. But with covid and the absolutely disastrous implications on global supply chains that it’s had, the fact that Broncos are still scheduled to start being built in just over a month shows that they are giving it their all. I’m not sure what people expected Ford to say with their statement today, I think any of us who spend enough time here knew that a lot of things are up in the air right now. Ford has definitely been overly optimistic in their statements previously, and I think they’ve had to come to terms that they just need to be truthful in that they really don’t know when a lot of these Broncos will be built. That’s exactly what today’s statement is, and I can assure you it comes from the heart. Remember that the people at Ford who got this Bronco made are all Bronco enthusiasts themselves, they want their orders too and they’re going to be wheeling right alongside us down the road. So let’s give them a little consideration and understanding for how monumental of a challenge this must be for them.

And I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to repeat it here. How damn lucky are we to even have the opportunity to buy a Bronco? To be born in the best (Or 2nd and 3rd best for our friends North and South of the border 😉) damn country in the world. To have the means to afford a vehicle like this, to have friends and family members that put up with our constant conversations about a vehicle that only exists in our minds. And of course I’m personally thankful for all of you guys to help kill time while working from home and making this 5 year wait breeze by. Bronco wouldn’t exist without this community, and I want to see a community built on having a damn good time, not this reaction. Feel free to roast me or do whatever but I just had to rant a little bit lol.
Everyone is complaining about Ford’s terrible communication through this whole process and I totally get it.

Here’s an example: You can still reserve a 2021 on their web site (even after today’s email) with a message that states Summer 2021 delivery. Get ready for NEW disgruntled members B6G!
 

The Dmv

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Man, I hate to have to make this thread. I 100% get the frustration and disappointment, it’s upsetting to not know when we are getting our rides. But I think that stepping back for a little bit of perspective on this whole thing can help people soothe their minds a little bit. Why are we so upset? It’s because Ford did such a damn good job with designing this rig. They could’ve EASILY taken the Bronco name, thrown it on the Sport, and said “Hey we did better than Chevy with the Blazer didn’t we?” They could’ve done a rebadged Ford Everest too. They could’ve done kind of a mix of an Everest and the Bronco that we got that would be more like a 4Runner.

But they didn’t. They went balls to the wall, and gave us the Bronco that probably 95% of us that are still here wanted. They one upped Jeep, made the roof easier to remove and lighter, and added the middle roof panel. They added Sasquatch on all trims. V6 on all trims. They could’ve done a standard launch over reservations, where dealerships would’ve had literal fistfights over Broncos as soon as they arrived. And right now, Ford is literally paying the price for being a bit too innovative with providing the vehicle we didn’t know we wanted. They have dumped BILLIONS of dollars into Bronco, and so far their return has been a few million dollars in reservations. If there was a way for them to snap their fingers and get everyone their Bronco tomorrow they would do it. But with covid and the absolutely disastrous implications on global supply chains that it’s had, the fact that Broncos are still scheduled to start being built in just over a month shows that they are giving it their all. I’m not sure what people expected Ford to say with their statement today, I think any of us who spend enough time here knew that a lot of things are up in the air right now. Ford has definitely been overly optimistic in their statements previously, and I think they’ve had to come to terms that they just need to be truthful in that they really don’t know when a lot of these Broncos will be built. That’s exactly what today’s statement is, and I can assure you it comes from the heart. Remember that the people at Ford who got this Bronco made are all Bronco enthusiasts themselves, they want their orders too and they’re going to be wheeling right alongside us down the road. So let’s give them a little consideration and understanding for how monumental of a challenge this must be for them.

And I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to repeat it here. How damn lucky are we to even have the opportunity to buy a Bronco? To be born in the best (Or 2nd and 3rd best for our friends North and South of the border 😉) damn country in the world. To have the means to afford a vehicle like this, to have friends and family members that put up with our constant conversations about a vehicle that only exists in our minds. And of course I’m personally thankful for all of you guys to help kill time while working from home and making this 5 year wait breeze by. Bronco wouldn’t exist without this community, and I want to see a community built on having a damn good time, not this reaction. Feel free to roast me or do whatever but I just had to rant a little bit lol.
You know what that email lacked, again...an apology. How about a simple “Sorry” from Ford?

I agree with most of what you said, but I’m not letting Ford off the hook for their awful communication. Why make us wait till the end of May, when we all hoped for something remotely substantial, to totally cop out and tell us “Oops, soooorry (but not really ’cause we don’t say that), you shouldn’t have gotten greedy and ordered a car with a roof. P.S. now we sent that May email we promised, you're welcome”
 

DaBronCo33

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Let’s stop with the BS that they were surprised by the pandemic. The pandemic for full swing for 5 months when they launched. Nobody forced them to launch in July. They could have waited and let things play out and got their ducks in a row. But no, they got greedy when they saw all the demand and got themselves over their skis.

Tip: don’t launch in the middle of a pandemic and then try to play victim. Don’t piss on consumers and tell them it’s raining.
 

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HotdogThud

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OP isn't wrong, we're still lucky, we won't care when it shows up.

It was mentioned in the thread the other day with the Rachel Maddow clip about the f150 lightning, that the F150 has been the best selling vehicle in the US for 44 *years*.

44 YEARS.

How can the company that's so good at that, so royally fall on their face with this one. It's infuriating knowing that they're capable of getting it so so right, and just fucking up at literally every turn

Oh well, I just wanna go play in the dirt.
 

indio22

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Man, I hate to have to make this thread. I 100% get the frustration and disappointment, it’s upsetting to not know when we are getting our rides. But I think that stepping back for a little bit of perspective on this whole thing can help people soothe their minds a little bit. Why are we so upset? It’s because Ford did such a damn good job with designing this rig. They could’ve EASILY taken the Bronco name, thrown it on the Sport, and said “Hey we did better than Chevy with the Blazer didn’t we?” They could’ve done a rebadged Ford Everest too. They could’ve done kind of a mix of an Everest and the Bronco that we got that would be more like a 4Runner.

But they didn’t. They went balls to the wall, and gave us the Bronco that probably 95% of us that are still here wanted. They one upped Jeep, made the roof easier to remove and lighter, and added the middle roof panel. They added Sasquatch on all trims. V6 on all trims. They could’ve done a standard launch over reservations, where dealerships would’ve had literal fistfights over Broncos as soon as they arrived. And right now, Ford is literally paying the price for being a bit too innovative with providing the vehicle we didn’t know we wanted. They have dumped BILLIONS of dollars into Bronco, and so far their return has been a few million dollars in reservations. If there was a way for them to snap their fingers and get everyone their Bronco tomorrow they would do it. But with covid and the absolutely disastrous implications on global supply chains that it’s had, the fact that Broncos are still scheduled to start being built in just over a month shows that they are giving it their all. I’m not sure what people expected Ford to say with their statement today, I think any of us who spend enough time here knew that a lot of things are up in the air right now. Ford has definitely been overly optimistic in their statements previously, and I think they’ve had to come to terms that they just need to be truthful in that they really don’t know when a lot of these Broncos will be built. That’s exactly what today’s statement is, and I can assure you it comes from the heart. Remember that the people at Ford who got this Bronco made are all Bronco enthusiasts themselves, they want their orders too and they’re going to be wheeling right alongside us down the road. So let’s give them a little consideration and understanding for how monumental of a challenge this must be for them.

And I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to repeat it here. How damn lucky are we to even have the opportunity to buy a Bronco? To be born in the best (Or 2nd and 3rd best for our friends North and South of the border 😉) damn country in the world. To have the means to afford a vehicle like this, to have friends and family members that put up with our constant conversations about a vehicle that only exists in our minds. And of course I’m personally thankful for all of you guys to help kill time while working from home and making this 5 year wait breeze by. Bronco wouldn’t exist without this community, and I want to see a community built on having a damn good time, not this reaction. Feel free to roast me or do whatever but I just had to rant a little bit lol.
THE GOOD:
Totally with you on the design Ford delivered. I saw the new Bronco at a showing last month, and it's pretty much everything I could have hoped for. The top comes off! The doors come off! It's a rugged 4x4 putting the utility back in sport, and having style with substance. As I wrote here after seeing the new Bronco in person, Ford hit it out of the park. I want the best for the Bronco, hope its a wild success, for the buyers and all those involved at Ford who had a hand in getting this vehicle offered.

THE BAD:
I don't like how long Ford has taken to offer the Bronco. It's my biggest gripe. I'm not just talking about last year with COVID and all. It's been 44 years since the last EB rolled off the assembly line. And 19 years since the concept Bronco. That's a long time to be out of the game. Ball dropped Ford. I'm not one of these people who think they will live forever, so who cares about passage of time. Come on already Ford and offer a real Bronco for sale.

THE UGLY:
Screw reservations. I hate reservations. If the reservation system collapses or people jump the so called line - great. Maybe it will help put a fork in the idea of reserving a vehicle purchase a year out. Ridiculous. Did I mention that I hate reservations? ;)
 

NotApplicable

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Ehhh, supply chain constraints are real. Hyundai can’t even keep Santa Fe’s on the lot. I think it has less to do with “going balls to the wall” and more to do with “everyone is screwed.”
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