Base vs Big Bend, what am I really missing?

[B-Dog15]

The only thing I wish my Base had were tinted windows and proximity entry. Everything else would have just been a waste of money to me.

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[Tooold]

Less is more.

 

[Tooold]

Less is more.

If it has sasquatch with all the off road goodies!

 

[moose05]

The only thing I wish my Base had were tinted windows and proximity entry. Everything else would have just been a waste of money to me.

The proximity sensor and leather wrapped steering wheel are the only things I care about from the big bend/mid package. Otherwise I’m all for the base trim. If I could find a base cloth top with sas I could easily be convinced to buy it.

 

[B-Dog15]

The proximity sensor and leather wrapped steering wheel are the only things I care about from the big bend/mid package. Otherwise I’m all for the base trim. If I could find a base cloth top with sas I could easily be convinced to buy it.

What I would like to do is just get a keypad installed to unlock the door. Not quite prox entry but close enough for me.

 

[moose05]

What I would like to do is just get a keypad installed to unlock the door. Not quite prox entry but close enough for me.

Old school ford

 

[Danielsand]

It's interesting for a casual observer (me) to see how we all like Broncos, but can rarely agree on which "package", which "trim", color, tires, usage.....pretty much everything. The only thing we all agree is that driving a Bronco is a unique experience on the road (and off), not quite matched by other makes/models. We like them, right? Otherwise, we wouldn't be here talking about it. Ford definitely nailed it with this design since it appeals to such a diverse group of people.

IF the quality of this Ford product would match the perfectly executed design, and IF the factory/dealer network would have perfectly dialed in after sale support, many of us would get rich on Ford stock. Alas.........

What "triggered" this post from me, is reading up in the thread above one poster saying that SAS package is a waste unless one goes off-road. Well. I, personally, go by "better to have it and not need it, than needing it and not having it" (whatever that might be). I also have a confession to make. I don't like the looks of the Broncos that are not lifted, and on minimum 35" tires. I also don't like them with hard tops. It's not that they are "lacking" something, it's just my personal like/dislike, and I am happy to say that my wife is of the same opinion. Just the other day, we parked ours in the same parking lot (but not close) as another one (stock Badlands), and wife says: "ours looks much nicer, this looks like it's missing something".

Luckily for billions of women out there (and definitely our own), we all have different taste in "beauty", "functionality" (well maybe not the functionality, women all function the same regardless of the looks), colors, and/or "equipment".

 

[mpeugeot]

Headed to see this one tomorrow

https://joecooperfordyukon.com/inventory/New-2025-Ford-Bronco-Big_Bend-1FMEE7BH5SLA83845

Not bad, has the Sasquatch package, but it is sharp looking and the price is decent.

 

[Marc L]

My first post was hugely helpful, thanks to everyone for convincing me to go hardtop vs soft top.

Now I need to decide between Base vs Big Bend (or other package if someone thinks it makes more sense)

The bronco will be garaged and live half of its life with the top off and a Bimini top on. I plan to get the Sasquatch package but I’ll be going aftermarket on wheels because I don’t care for the stock ones.

I like the idea of cloth seats to not burn myself with the sun. Unless somehow the vinyl doesn’t get scorching hot?

I know with the base I’ll miss the proximity sensor for unlocking the doors. Are there other features of the big bend that I won’t be able to live without?

My main use case is road based, I’m not sure that I’ll ever go off-road but I love the look of the lift and bigger tires. Does it make more sense to go OBX and drop Sasquatch to save cost and go with aftermarket wheels, leveling kit, and 33’s (275/70r17)?

Manual or automatic?
With the 7MT and being a pavement princess only the heated seats is required as you are also in the upper midwest.
I asked my wife what she wanted and it was manual transmission, heated seats, and 4-door in that order. None of the other options even remotely interested her. We didn't even go with 4A as she's always driven SUVs where you made a conscious decision you needed 4WD.
The Sas package I thought made it much louder when we test drove one.
We went with hardtop with a softtop option, but in reality given midwestern weather it probably will be full topped 99.9% of the time.

 

[moose05]

Finally had the opportunity to drive some broncos today.

Drove a big bend black diamond Sasquatch with black painted hardtop and a base soft top without Sasquatch.

It’s amazing how loud and rough riding the big bend was compared to the base. I assume it’s all due to tires but it seemed like the hard top was louder in general compared to the soft top. It almost had a wind buffeting sound like a motorcycle helmet.

I also think I prefer the cloth seats, I was quite sweaty from the vinyl and it was only 91° today.

How big of a wheel / tire upgrade can I put on the base with 3.73 gears? Any good all terrain tires that aren’t too loud on the road?

 

[Danielsand]

I asked my wife what she wanted

I prefer when she asks ME that.

 

[Marc L]

I prefer when she asks ME that.

It is her Bronco as I prefer cars. She put 230k on her 2012 XTerra I figured she deserved whatever she wanted.

I am always pleased when she answers questions directly vs. "I don't care" or "Whatever you want" where I know it will lead to future trouble. It took probably 25 years of marriage before I found out how to resolve "What do you want for dinner?" without pain.

 

[Bronco21Maybe]

It took probably 25 years of marriage before I found out how to resolve "What do you want for dinner?" without pain.

Okay, spill the beans!

 

[moose05]

Okay, spill the beans!

“You’ll never guess where I’m taking you for dinner tonight”

Whatever she says is the right answer and you’re shocked she got it first try!

 

[mpeugeot]

Finally had the opportunity to drive some broncos today.

Drove a big bend black diamond Sasquatch with black painted hardtop and a base soft top without Sasquatch.

It’s amazing how loud and rough riding the big bend was compared to the base. I assume it’s all due to tires but it seemed like the hard top was louder in general compared to the soft top. It almost had a wind buffeting sound like a motorcycle helmet.

I also think I prefer the cloth seats, I was quite sweaty from the vinyl and it was only 91° today.

How big of a wheel / tire upgrade can I put on the base with 3.73 gears? Any good all terrain tires that aren’t too loud on the road?

Bad hardtops will sound worse than the soft top. The top needs to be removed, reinstalled, and adjusted as it is reinstalled. It can make a huge difference. A properly installed and adjusted hardtop will sound quieter than the soft top. Also, did it have the sound deadening headliner?

Seat covers can easily address the MGV issue, but I love my cloth seats.

There are plenty of good tires, even my 315/70r17 KO2's are pretty quiet.

You can run 35's on the 3.73 gears, but it will feel a bit gutless (especially without a tune). I would recommend 33's as the max that you "want" to run on the 3.73, but plenty of people will say that I am wrong and 35's are fine. If you run a 35 A/T tire on it, keep the wheel and tire combo as long as light as possible, that will help preserve performance.

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