[Update 7/30] Ready to roll: MAP readies for "full speed" Bronco production as questions loom

[SurfsUp85]

What a time to be alive, right?

As many owners anxiously await word on their "traced" units produced a month (or more) ago, MAP will soon awaken from a week of production downtime and on Monday will mark "full speed" production milestone for 2021 Broncos. And yes, those traced units are being worked through and shipped out as quickly as they can.

It's true, there are still a LOT of rigs parked both at the factory and in satellite staging lots awaiting inspection, and in many cases, roof unit replacement. While quality issues with delivered MIC hardtops from Webasto have been extremely troubling, a somewhat steady of serviceable roof assemblies is still being trucked from Plymouth down to Wayne. I still have serious concerns with the design of the roof and the ability of Webasto to build them correctly, but at this point that's something for the warranty and customer relations folks to figure out.

When MAP fires up the assembly lines again on Monday, they'll be operating with a production schedule of 550 vehicles per shift. While I haven't seen the most current blend target of Bronco to Ranger, I believe it was set to be somewhere between 60/40 and 70/30 favoring Bronco.

Saturdays were set to begin on September 11th, but now appear to be kicking off at least 2 weeks earlier.

While there have been a few one-off issues with delivered units, no other major concerns have presented themselves. The MIC roof appears to be the solo major concern, forcing the reality of production scheduling even further out of line with ordered units. This will inevitably lead to the production of lower trim, soft top, 4 door units in the coming months, as dealers with promised allocation but no buildable units will need to have a deliverable product.

As for my rig, we're 1,250 miles and 4 weeks (yesterday) into ownership and I couldn't be happier. Yes, the hardtop has issues and I have accepted that mine will almost certainly be replaced in its entirety when a more permanent solution is achieved. However, the ease of use for open-air driving is phenomenal, and the NVH while driving top-on is completely livable. I LOVE my truck and I know that you all will too, once they show up.

I'm sorry for those of you who have tagged or messaged me without a response yet, I've been completely buried in requests and I have stepped back a bit from my "connected" time.

More as I learn it.


Q&A



Misalignment of the top when installed or abend in the framing after installation.


Two per day with Saturdays coming online earlier than expected.



I was told to expect normal scheduling to begin next week, but that was 2 weeks ago and the situation still seems fluid.

Great updates

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[Axe]

Holy crap you guys ask this poor guy a lot of questions.

 

[Trueblue2296]

When MAP fires up the assembly lines again on Monday, they'll be operating with a production schedule of 550 vehicles per shift. While I haven't seen the most current blend target of Bronco to Ranger, I believe it was set to be somewhere between 60/40 and 70/30 favoring Bronco.

Saturdays were set to begin on September 11th, but now appear to be kicking off at least 2 weeks earlier.

Yeah thanks for the skate around non answer of the question I had. I read all that but non of that helps. Thanks for trying though.

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Yeah thanks for the skate around non answer of the question I had. I read all that but non of that helps. Thanks for trying though.

Saturday production scheduling appears to begin on the 21st, so your rig will be built by the energetic hands of an OT MAP crew.

 

[Bronc-O]

Yeah thanks for the skate around non answer of the question I had. I read all that but non of that helps. Thanks for trying though.

Note sure how much clearer he could have said it. He gave a specific date and said 2 weeks prior to that.

 

[TxBadlands]

I'd expect to be waiting a while, but it depends largely on what other orders your dealer has.
When they converted your order has little to no impact on your build date. Someone that converted a month after you could get their Bronco before you have a build date, depending on their build and reservation date.

I'm guessing your dealer never told you how many they've been allocated for 21 a and where you fall in the order of their reservations. If there aren't many reservations with your dealer - or if everyone else reserved FEs and WTs with a reservation timestamp around the same time as you or later - then you could see an MY21.

Realistically, you've got a few commodity-limited options in your build, and that's actually a late reservation date. (I know that sounds crazy, but unless you reserved in the first 72 hours, you're basically a late reservation. I'm in the same boat, and I reserved a full month before you.) Unless you just happen to be really lucky and everyone else at your dealer reserved after you or opted to wait for MY22, I'd expect spring or summer of next year.

Personally, I reserved on 7/27 and am hoping to get mine around that same date next year - 2 years after the reservation.

Anyone ever call you a dream killer? Lol jk but I appreciate the honest response. Sincerly.

The dealership I went with is smaller just outside of Austin. They are who my husband grew up buying trucks from so it felt like a solid plan knowing if I tried to book in Houston, I’d be another number. Not sure how many allocations they have. But I suppose they wouldn’t turn away an order despite allocation in the thoughts some would drop off out of impatience or any other outside factor that could prevent them from keeping their order.

Fingers crossed this all works out but I have a feeling you’re right and I won’t get it until spring or summer 22. I ordered a 4 door badlands, 2.7, MIC, lux, tow. I originally had the dual top option, rock rails and bull bar, but they eliminated those options when I ordered stating those would hold it up significantly.

The last car I ordered, my current car, was a 2018 Jaguar F Pace and had to be towed away with 23 miles on it out of my driveway. Add in hurricane Harvey and you can say I don’t have great luck with ordering cars. My husband has sworn me off from ordering ever again

 

[BroncoBuckaroo]

Nope, not the case.

Ok, so was the Detroit Free Press reporting it wrong or Ford thought about it and backed out?

https://fordauthority.com/2021/07/2...pplier-is-struggling-mightily-to-meet-demand/

 

[Empire]

Thank you so much for the update! My order has been built but on Monday showed "traced units" with an ETA of Aug 12-18 but as of today, traced units is cleared and the ETA shows as N/A. Like you said, probably due to MIC top issues. Just hoping mine ships real soon and that I get it in August and not September. (hopefully get to offroad before the snow flys!)

 

[PREMiERdrum]

Ok, so was the Detroit Free Press reporting it wrong or Ford thought about it and backed out?

https://fordauthority.com/2021/07/2...pplier-is-struggling-mightily-to-meet-demand/

Nobody reported anything wrong.

Is response to the issues, an additional facility was being considered. That facility - as stated in the article you linked - wouldn't be on line until at least 2022 and in any event is likely referencing investment in the new supplier for painted MOD tops beginning in MY23.

So no, there is NOT a second roof facility "ready to roll" to address the current situation.

(And I've a better chance of sprouting wings and identifying as a dragon than Ford handing Webasto cash to open a second facility for them to mismanage. The relationship is toast)

 

[Catmandu]

I think you will like having the standard 33”Badlands tires and overall size/weight of what that entails. I rode in a Badlands with the optional wheels, non sas, in Moab and it was nimble, quick and just a damn fun ride. The swaybar disconnect is also incredible in how it activates and deactivates at around 20mph.

From what I hear, the Bronco was built around 33’s, but the the pros who helped with development said putting on 35’s and suspension from the factory would be great for marketing and sales. The ride in Moab and the revelation that it was originally engineered for 33’s has me very close to removing sas.

Long story short, you made a solid choice lol

I pulled SAS for this very reason. I found the non-SAS Badlands to be very nimble and extremely fun, especially with the manual transmission.

 

[Skydoc]

Someone should really start an aftermarket roof company

They have been doing aftermarket hard tops for jeeps for years. No reason to think bestop or one of the others isn’t already working on it

 

[5280Bronco]

Nobody reported anything wrong.

Is response to the issues, an additional facility was being considered. That facility - as stated in the article you linked - wouldn't be on line until at least 2022 and in any event is likely referencing investment in the new supplier for painted MOD tops beginning in MY23.

So no, there is NOT a second roof facility "ready to roll" to address the current situation.

(And I've a better chance of sprouting wings and identifying as a dragon than Ford handing Webasto cash to open a second facility for them to mismanage. The relationship is toast)

I just hope that the MIC top issues still get resolved even though the relationship is toast. I'm already prepared for a warranty claim once they fix the top on my built unit, but I'm hoping they can just fix it and move forward.

 

[TheWoo]

"When MAP fires up the assembly lines again on Monday, they'll be operating with a production schedule of 550 vehicles per shift. While I haven't seen the most current blend target of Bronco to Ranger, I believe it was set to be somewhere between 60/40 and 70/30 favoring Bronco." By my calculation that's 80,000 BRONCOS built from Monday until they start 2022 production in December. That is in-line with the estimate that FORD said they could/would build for 2021MY. Good news...lets hope it all stays on track and parts keep coming into MAP. Maybe....there is hope.

Your optimism is impressive!

I figure much closer to 55,000, and that's with relatively few interruptions or slow downs giving 16 weeks of full-ish production with 60-65% Bronco ratio before MY22 switchover. Basically 14-15,000 per month.

I also expect there to be slow downs/stoppages for parts constraints - and hopefully not COVID.

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