3000 miles in…good, bad and the ugly

[indio22]

Think there is a big market with thoughts of keeping one, and flipping another reservation to your point.

Even when all of the current reservations are delivered (my est. is 140K), there is likely still a ton of demand for a Bronco; it'll be cool for a while and attractive for those who want something other than a Wrangler even if they have no intent to wheel it.

"If" Ford can get these redesigned tops right, think they can crank out both the Broncos and Wabasto can the tops rather quickly. Still a long time from today, but when they start rolling, they'll be rolling quickly.

Overall demand vs. the entire car market may be as you suspect with fuel economy "matters to non-wheelers, poseurs, trendies" more, but that's the majority of the buying market, so that demand will drop off quickly.

I feel like Ford via their early reservation PR scheme, has effectively created two classes of customers. And if I'm laying out 30k+ for a Bronco (rather than some refundable $100 reservation), I will not be treated as a second class customer by Ford.

A mistake Ford made was to have a reservation system requiring essentially no skin in the game, and with apparently no expiration date. I mean what, the second class customers have already or will put in orders, and then hang out as the first class customers whip out second (or third or fourth) early reservations, sitting behind those dudes, and possibly paying extra to help subsidize their lower cost Broncos? I don't think so, lol. Thank god for Jeep JL.

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[WhiteMamba]

I agreed, the JLU soft top windows are extremely easy to put on (5min task), I was told the JK are more difficult. As for the Bronco, I think it is more difficult than the JLU. I was at my dealership, and asked if I can do a test drive with the top up. It took us close to 20min, because one of the side windows isn't reaching far enough to slide into the seam. With that being said, I think it has to do with doing it in a cold morning.

Damn shrinkage..

 

[indio22]

Damn shrinkage..

 

[redone17]

It’s nice to hear everyone’s opinions. I have to disagree about the soft top. I like it a lot. It’s quick, easy and fun. I personally like it best with the 3 windows out and the top in the first open position.

 

[88to21bronco]

These soft tops just keep sounding worse and worse, and now Ford is pushing for people to switch to them! Bad press for MIC tops, bad press for soft tops. They can't win! Sorry to the folks who switched to the soft top, I would rather wait for a MIC fix.

Everyone has a right to their opinion for sure, but I have a Cactus Gray BB 4dr soft top as well, am 5000 miles in, and my experience is just the opposite. The soft top is relatively quiet, and I have the rear windows in and out down to a science...it takes maybe 5 minutes to put them in. The versatility of the top is its true selling point.

Rear visibility is a joke anyway in a vehicle like this, so that's no issue to me.

In the end, I wouldn't make a decision about your order or form a judgment on the soft top design until you experienced it first hand. There are plenty of mannequins popping up to test drive.

 

[MadMan4BamaNATL]

I feel like Ford via their early reservation PR scheme, has effectively created two classes of customers. And if I'm laying out 30k+ for a Bronco (rather than some refundable $100 reservation), I will not be treated as a second class customer by Ford.

A mistake Ford made was to have a reservation system requiring essentially no skin in the game, and with apparently no expiration date. I mean what, the second class customers have already or will put in orders, and then hang out as the first class customers whip out second (or third or fourth) early reservations, sitting behind those dudes, and possibly paying extra to help subsidize their lower cost Broncos? I don't think so, lol. Thank god for Jeep JL.

That's a good point with some long term consequences.

For example, my Bronco is fairly loaded (BL, Squatch), yet I'm watching a ton of cheaper strip builds be sold to Tom and Dick down the street while I just eat it. Long term may be that this is my first, last, and only Ford product ever. Maybe one day I'll defect to Jeep since the customer experience I've had frankly sucks, and I'm coming from the luxury ranks of BMW where they bend over backwards for whatever I've asked for through multiple purchases. I don't expect that from Ford, but this is just ridiculous to be honest.

Add to that, I'm a wheeler and enthusiast, not for Ford, but for vehicles and off roading. Other thing is that Ford has just opened the door for many more to get back into this market, as no one could screw this up more than Ford with the exception of the shit show known as the pansy assed new Defender. Nissan and whoever else won't make that same mistake.

Off roading isn't going to stay popular for long, but camping will and the hierarchy of needs to camp in comfort "and" style will make the market for vehicles that are rugged continue to grow.

Ford is walking itself into a dangerous position with no prior example to learn from being in such a position, then pissing it all away through incompetence and indifference towards it's most valuable and profitable customers.

 

[Brownie]

Love my soft top. It's not noisy to me at all. Yes it does block the rear view....I use my mirrors. On and off after a few times became quicker and easier.

 

[De Brus]

Everyone has a right to their opinion for sure, but I have a Cactus Gray BB 4dr soft top as well, and my experience is just the opposite. The soft top is relatively quiet, and I have the rear windows in and out down to a science...it takes maybe 5 minutes to put them in. The versatility of the top is its true selling point.

Rear visibility is a joke anyway in a vehicle like this, so that's no issue to me.

In the end, I wouldn't make a decision about your order or form a judgment on the soft top design until you experienced it first hand. There are plenty of mannequins popping up to test drive.

Regardless of whether or not I personally have to make the decision, if I had to, I wouldn't want the soft top based on appearance alone. I'm all for convenience and could deal with road noise, but I could never be happy with how it looks. I really think Ford dropped the ball here, especially when they are competing with the wrangler who has a great looking soft top. How they allowed the rear side windows to remain sloppy looking is beyond me.

 

[88to21bronco]

Regardless of whether or not I personally have to make the decision, if I had to, I wouldn't want the soft top based on appearance alone. I'm all for convenience and could deal with road noise, but I could never be happy with how it looks. I really think Ford dropped the ball here, especially when they are competing with the wrangler who has a great looking soft top. How they allowed the rear side windows to remain sloppy looking is beyond me.

This has been mentioned before, but I think the design is for ease of installation/removal. If it were pulled tight, it would be a bugger to get in and out.

Again, personally I have no issue with the top's appearance. But to each their own.

 

[calgecko]

Hilarious with people posting MPG when they drive 80 and 90MpH
It probably doesn't matter much to Americans who pay what, $2.75 a gallon and think thats a lot, but you use FOUR times more fuel every time you double your speed...
Doesn't matter if it's 25/50MPH or 100/200MPH.... 4X as much.

but that's 'real world' mileage, and I appreciate that. nobody I know consistently drives 60-65 mph on the highway and only uses ¼ throttle - those are the examples of "22mpg" we might see.. but that's not realistic.

My ZR2 Bison (which is pretty comparable to the Bronco from a capability standpoint - front and rear lockers, full skid plates, 31" tires, etc) is just about to hit 10k miles (I bought it in December), and my overall mileage right now is 16.1 mpg, that's with a mix of off-road, city, highway, normal driving (75-80mph on the highway, as well as some stretches where I was trying to get the best possible MPG)... so 18mpg is pretty darn good in my eyes.

And for reference, gas is almost $5 a gallon for 91 octane right now (I saw $4.98 yesterday for 91 and I recently paid $4.39 for 87 octane.

 

[uniqueusername]

I recently test drove a BD SASQ with soft top. Not at all what I expected. The soft was up so I can not speak to other configurations, but there was no drama with noise or visibility, none. Most of the drive was approximately 60 mph. Easy conversation noise level.

Test drove a BD softie last weekend. Once I was in it, I couldn’t tell it was a softie. 20-30 minutes at 80 mph on the interstate. Made less noise than the Thule crossbars I added to my Renegade.

I think people on the internet just want something to bitch about.

Test drive made it easier to stomach the switch to a softie.

 

[Daktari]

I just want easy open roof and no panels to deal with. The larger panel you can't store in the car, so if you're out and it gets cold or starts to rain you're out of luck. Could not care less about the side windows, actually adds a bit to the retro look of the whole rig.
I can leave here on a hot day and go to the coast where it might be cold and foggy, I can just button up in a min. Can't do that with a panel in the garage.
I'll test drive one soon, but judging from many comments here made by Wrangler owners the soft top seems just fine with moderate and expected road noise levels.

Ideally I want a MIC in back back and two row sunrider softy in front, I'd bet aftermarket will make that for me eventually. But for now I'll be happily sporting my wrinkly windows :-D

 

[MayhemMike]

I audibly laughed at this. $2.75 a gallon? I'd jerk someone off to pay this little. I think I got gas at $4.75 yesterday. I'm just lucky I only buy 3 gallons to fill up. If my Bronco ever gets here, I'm in for a world of pain.

$2.85 in NC, and $3.05 in Md.

 

[Lilj4425]

I disagree with the OP’s notion on the soft top. I test drove one and didn’t have any problems hearing or talking.

2.75 a gallon? I wish some I saw pushing over 5 for premium

It’s around $2.85 here in South Carolina.

 

[MayhemMike]

That's a good point with some long term consequences.

For example, my Bronco is fairly loaded (BL, Squatch), yet I'm watching a ton of cheaper strip builds be sold to Tom and Dick down the street while I just eat it. Long term may be that this is my first, last, and only Ford product ever. Maybe one day I'll defect to Jeep since the customer experience I've had frankly sucks, and I'm coming from the luxury ranks of BMW where they bend over backwards for whatever I've asked for through multiple purchases. I don't expect that from Ford, but this is just ridiculous to be honest.

Add to that, I'm a wheeler and enthusiast, not for Ford, but for vehicles and off roading. Other thing is that Ford has just opened the door for many more to get back into this market, as no one could screw this up more than Ford with the exception of the shit show known as the pansy assed new Defender. Nissan and whoever else won't make that same mistake.

Off roading isn't going to stay popular for long, but camping will and the hierarchy of needs to camp in comfort "and" style will make the market for vehicles that are rugged continue to grow.

Ford is walking itself into a dangerous position with no prior example to learn from being in such a position, then pissing it all away through incompetence and indifference towards it's most valuable and profitable customers.

Well stated. Everyday I ask myself, “ so what exactly did my $100 reservation get me?”

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