Bronco is a Beautiful Beast. My Dealer Delivered.

[ElJeffe]

We ran into you at the dealer Wednesday night! My wife and I were picking up our Rapid Red. You chatted with my wife.

Yes that was me. I parked next to you. Absolutely love your Bronco in that red color. Congratulations!

I was so excited about mine that I forgot to pick up the wheel lock kit and had to drop back by to get it of my sale guy's desk. My timing was great as you were just getting ready to take possession, I think.

Enjoy driving around in your new Bronco. It's a beaut.

Sponsored

 

[Wide Open Roads]

As my Bronco reservation/order/wait/delivery journey comes to an end, I want to say THANK YOU to all of you in the Bronco6G community. I abandoned the toxic Facebook Bronco forums for this community, and that decision has proven wise. The advice, support, and guidance offered here are amazing. It's fun to share your excitement - and frustrations - around this vehicle that we love. Whether you drive a base Bronco Sport or a First Edition full-size Bronco, this is a family that is great to be a part of. Thanks especially for the Build Process Guide, the Build and Tracking Links, and the build-week spreadsheets. These were vital tools.

On Tuesday 12/21, I took delivery of my 4-door Bronco. My date sequence was:

RESERVED	ORDERED	BUILD SCHEDULED	BLEND	BUILT	SHIPPED	DELIVERED
11/11/2020​	1/23/2021​	11/22​	11/24​	12/1​	12/4​	12/21​

A year, a month, and ten days. What a ride it has been. While I can't count the number of ways that Ford could have managed this process better, in the end I am thrilled with my Bronco, a 4-door Badlands in Area 51 with MGV, 2.7, Lux, Sasquatch, tow package, and a soft top. The background on why I bought a Bronco is here.

MY DEALERSHIP DELIVERED.

When I first placed my reservation, and converted it to an order, I shared about post about a positive experience that I had at my dealership: Autonation Ford of Bellevue, Washington. I went with them because they offered the best price: a "synthesized X-plan" where they calculated a percentage off of MSRP since Ford wasn't offering X-plan. The GM at the dealership, Josh Marshalek, was also excellent with communications. He replied to emails very quickly, and seemed to be as in-the-know about Broncos and the reservation program as anyone.

Many people were suspicious that I'd actually get a discount on the Bronco. That apprehension is based upon the continual stream of ADM nightmares that we read about here. I'm pleased to report that Ford of Bellevue delivered on their promise: I paid nearly $3,000 below MSRP for my Bronco. And every reservation holder that they service will pay no more than MSRP. Yes, they are adding markups to inventory Broncos. But if you reserve and go through the process with them, my experience is that they deliver exactly what they promise. If you're still looking and want to place an order, I give my strongest possible recommendation to Chris Rollman (sales) at Bellevue Ford.

Communication has also been excellent. When Ford signaled that my Bronco had shipped, I messaged Chris to get a freight car number. Many people complain that their sales reps can't, or won't, share that information. Many of them aren't experience enough to retrieve it. Chris responded to me within 10 minutes with not only the rail car number, but a photo of Ford's shipping manifest. I was able to track my Bronco as it crossed the country by rail, which was cool.

I share these positive experience because it pains me to read some of the frustrating behaviors that dealerships are showing to reservation customers, and I want to steer folks toward better dealers. When I met GM Josh on delivery day, and we talked about the horrible dynamics that some Ford dealers are demonstrating, he made a really good point: If you screw a customer out of a few thousand dollars on a car deal, you'll sell them one car at most. If you look at the Bronco as an eventual volume business, and want to establish a lifetime of vehicle purchases, you offer a fair deal and live up to your word so that they come back and buy more cars over time. I couldn't agree more.

It also pays to pick a dealer that'll not only offer MSPR, but is staffed with Bronco enthusiasts. I was able to talk to my salesperson, the sales manager, and the general manager anytime about the Bronco because they all love Broncos and have their own orders in. Who better to buy from than someone that loves what they are selling?

THE BRONCO IS A BEAUTIFUL BEAST.

250 miles in, it is exceeding my expectations in most regards. There are big things, like every time I walk into the garage and see those Sasquatch tires and the profile of the Bronco, I smile and remind myself that it's mine. The 2.7 / 10-speed powertrain is quite powerful; the horsepower and torque combine for a fun drive. My worries about freeway speeds being a struggle were unfounded... I fly along at 70+ perfectly comfortable. The interior feels genuinely spacious compared to my former Wrangler. The 12" display with wireless CarPlay is a joy. Area 51 is a dynamic color and I'm glad I picked it. It ranges from a sky blue under direct sunlight, to a smokey gray-blue under our typical Seattle stormy skies.

There are little things that I wasn't expecting that I also appreciate a lot. While I knew I wanted MGV for several reasons, I'm impressed with how comfortable it is, and how durable is appears to be. The overhead aux switches are little works of art: their lighting changes color when activated, the throw is easy even with gloved hands, and the click is satisfying. I don't even have any accessories wired in yet, but I already love the switches. The soft top has seen driving downpours already, and has been completely dry inside. For all of Ford's hard top woes, I'm very impressed with the soft top. There is definitely more road noise on the freeway, but I'll gladly enjoy a winter with the soft top and order a hard top once the kinks are worked out (got my 220,000 point to put toward it). The trail sights are becoming a signature part of my driving experience already. Never mind that I'm not yet using them as tie-downs are branch diverters, they give the view out of the windshield a prominence that you just don't get with many new vehicles anymore.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is as true with the new Bronco as with anything. In my case, this is the perfect blend of classic lines from the original Bronco, updated with a modern vehicle platform, electronics, and driving experience. It's exactly what I'd hoped for.

THAT'S ME HONKING!

My dealer warned me that people will stop to ask questions about the Bronco. Stoplights will turn into conversation points. I'll get honked at and thumbs-up from people who are seeing a new Bronco for the first time, might own one themselves, or hope to one day own one. He was right. In the first two days of driving it, I've been chased down in traffic by people curios about it, held up in parking lots as people admire it. So many people have stories of Broncos from long ago.

I hope that continues. I hope the community here grows into a healthy Bronco community in real life. I promise to do my part. Today, I caught up to an Area 51 Bronco Sport on the highway, and honked at the driver. An older gent, he was caught off guard and was about to get angry at being honked at, but when he looked over and saw my Bronco, his face lit up and he laughed and honked back.

There are endless reasons to be divided these days. Politicians thrive on dividing us at ever turn. It's nice to have a vehicle and a brand than can unite us. If you're still waiting for yours, please keep the faith. It's worth it in the end. When you climb in and drive off the dealer's lot, the memories of months of waiting and confused messages will melt away with each mile.

Drive safe, and thank you again to the strong community here.

Jeff

Congratulations. Looks great! You're going to have a ton of fun with this!

 

[22greenfordbronco]

I'm happy for you! I really am.... but the jealous side me is wondering why I'm still waiting for mine when I reserved on 7/14 (yours being 11/11) and virtually I ordered the same build:

Badlands/SAS/carb gray/MGV/2.7/High/tow/soft top

Ugh... but congrats! Maybe I'll get mine one day.

Yep! Total ! I’m not mad at anyone who reserved a Bronco and got it first, it’s not their fault. But with every post, it further represents how poorly Ford has botched this experiment for its customers. Sadly, @Ford Motor Company doesn’t care.

 

[Sweetooth710]

Enjoyed your heartfelt write-up. I have basically the same build and color minus the lux and appreciate your photo under the Seattle sky. It looks fantastic in overcast and we have plenty of those days, as you know.

I’m at my other home in florida atm and ordered mine here. Only issue is I ordered 2 that both happens to be scheduled for the same week. Ultimately I’m deciding between Egreen and A51

Florida is great for the top down experience but the PNW an amazing place to own such a capable vehicle. Can’t wait to drive mine back to Seattle and hit the trails, hopefully in March.

Merry Xmas and enjoy Sr!

 

[ElJeffe]

Only issue is I ordered 2 that both happens to be scheduled for the same week. Ultimately I’m deciding between Egreen and A51

Florida is great for the top down experience but the PNW an amazing place to own such a capable vehicle. Can’t wait to drive mine back to Seattle and hit the trails, hopefully in March.

Choosing between colors is a great problem to have. Both are beautiful IMO.

It looks like snow is inbound this weekend here in Seattle, so I got the Bronco just in time to put it to some slippery-GOAT-mode tests.

Enjoy the Holiday,
Jeff

 

[Noco]

I’m curious about how you got the 220,000 points. I thought that was for WT and FE models only. I got the Badlands, LUX, Sasquatch, and originally ordered the MIC top, but switched to soft top when Ford sent out the request for volunteers. I only got the 42,000 points for my purchase. I can’t wait to order a MIC top, the soft top is way too loud for phone calls.

 

[t3n2and4]

I’m really glad they did right by you.

 

[NeoS281]

Congrats @ElJeffe! I think I saw your rig parked out front the Bellevue store the other day. I also took delivery of my CG 2-door a couple mos ago. I concur that Chris Rollman and Josh Marshalek are top notch and were easy to work with. I look forward to seeing your rig on the road.

All the best!

 

[ElJeffe]

I’m curious about how you got the 220,000 points. I thought that was for WT and FE models only. I got the Badlands, LUX, Sasquatch, and originally ordered the MIC top, but switched to soft top when Ford sent out the request for volunteers. I only got the 42,000 points for my purchase. I can’t wait to order a MIC top, the soft top is way too loud for phone calls.

This is a good question, and there is a definitive thread about it here. The short answer is:

• 20,000 points that Ford awarded for goodwill given the delays
• 200,000 points awarded to any order that was changed from a dual-top or painted top to soft top, and takes delivery in 2021. (here's the email).

I still have 42,000 points inbound for the new car purchase. These will aggregate to cover much of the expense of a hard top next fall for my Bronco.

Jeff

 

[ElJeffe]

Congrats @ElJeffe! I think I saw your rig parked out front the Bellevue store the other day. I also took delivery of my CG 2-door a couple mos ago. I concur that Chris Rollman and Josh Marshalek are top notch and were easy to work with. I look forward to seeing your rig on the road.

All the best!

Your build is awesome. I need the 4-door for hauling dogs and gear, but down the road when life is simpler, a 2-door in CG will be in my garage. In fact, if Ford does an EV Bronco, I'd add one of those in your spec above. Nice choice, @NeoS281!

 

[Wanted33]

Congratulations Jeff, it's a beauty. After the horror stories some have reported it's good to hear about a positive ordering experience. Enjoy the ride sir.

 

[BroncoWar1]

As my Bronco reservation/order/wait/delivery journey comes to an end, I want to say THANK YOU to all of you in the Bronco6G community. I abandoned the toxic Facebook Bronco forums for this community, and that decision has proven wise. The advice, support, and guidance offered here are amazing. It's fun to share your excitement - and frustrations - around this vehicle that we love. Whether you drive a base Bronco Sport or a First Edition full-size Bronco, this is a family that is great to be a part of. Thanks especially for the Build Process Guide, the Build and Tracking Links, and the build-week spreadsheets. These were vital tools.

On Tuesday 12/21, I took delivery of my 4-door Bronco. My date sequence was:

RESERVED	ORDERED	BUILD SCHEDULED	BLEND	BUILT	SHIPPED	DELIVERED
11/11/2020​	1/23/2021​	11/22​	11/24​	12/1​	12/4​	12/21​

A year, a month, and ten days. What a ride it has been. While I can't count the number of ways that Ford could have managed this process better, in the end I am thrilled with my Bronco, a 4-door Badlands in Area 51 with MGV, 2.7, Lux, Sasquatch, tow package, and a soft top. The background on why I bought a Bronco is here.

MY DEALERSHIP DELIVERED.

When I first placed my reservation, and converted it to an order, I shared about post about a positive experience that I had at my dealership: Autonation Ford of Bellevue, Washington. I went with them because they offered the best price: a "synthesized X-plan" where they calculated a percentage off of MSRP since Ford wasn't offering X-plan. The GM at the dealership, Josh Marshalek, was also excellent with communications. He replied to emails very quickly, and seemed to be as in-the-know about Broncos and the reservation program as anyone.

Many people were suspicious that I'd actually get a discount on the Bronco. That apprehension is based upon the continual stream of ADM nightmares that we read about here. I'm pleased to report that Ford of Bellevue delivered on their promise: I paid nearly $3,000 below MSRP for my Bronco. And every reservation holder that they service will pay no more than MSRP. Yes, they are adding markups to inventory Broncos. But if you reserve and go through the process with them, my experience is that they deliver exactly what they promise. If you're still looking and want to place an order, I give my strongest possible recommendation to Chris Rollman (sales) at Bellevue Ford.

Communication has also been excellent. When Ford signaled that my Bronco had shipped, I messaged Chris to get a freight car number. Many people complain that their sales reps can't, or won't, share that information. Many of them aren't experience enough to retrieve it. Chris responded to me within 10 minutes with not only the rail car number, but a photo of Ford's shipping manifest. I was able to track my Bronco as it crossed the country by rail, which was cool.

I share these positive experience because it pains me to read some of the frustrating behaviors that dealerships are showing to reservation customers, and I want to steer folks toward better dealers. When I met GM Josh on delivery day, and we talked about the horrible dynamics that some Ford dealers are demonstrating, he made a really good point: If you screw a customer out of a few thousand dollars on a car deal, you'll sell them one car at most. If you look at the Bronco as an eventual volume business, and want to establish a lifetime of vehicle purchases, you offer a fair deal and live up to your word so that they come back and buy more cars over time. I couldn't agree more.

It also pays to pick a dealer that'll not only offer MSPR, but is staffed with Bronco enthusiasts. I was able to talk to my salesperson, the sales manager, and the general manager anytime about the Bronco because they all love Broncos and have their own orders in. Who better to buy from than someone that loves what they are selling?

THE BRONCO IS A BEAUTIFUL BEAST.

250 miles in, it is exceeding my expectations in most regards. There are big things, like every time I walk into the garage and see those Sasquatch tires and the profile of the Bronco, I smile and remind myself that it's mine. The 2.7 / 10-speed powertrain is quite powerful; the horsepower and torque combine for a fun drive. My worries about freeway speeds being a struggle were unfounded... I fly along at 70+ perfectly comfortable. The interior feels genuinely spacious compared to my former Wrangler. The 12" display with wireless CarPlay is a joy. Area 51 is a dynamic color and I'm glad I picked it. It ranges from a sky blue under direct sunlight, to a smokey gray-blue under our typical Seattle stormy skies.

There are little things that I wasn't expecting that I also appreciate a lot. While I knew I wanted MGV for several reasons, I'm impressed with how comfortable it is, and how durable is appears to be. The overhead aux switches are little works of art: their lighting changes color when activated, the throw is easy even with gloved hands, and the click is satisfying. I don't even have any accessories wired in yet, but I already love the switches. The soft top has seen driving downpours already, and has been completely dry inside. For all of Ford's hard top woes, I'm very impressed with the soft top. There is definitely more road noise on the freeway, but I'll gladly enjoy a winter with the soft top and order a hard top once the kinks are worked out (got my 220,000 point to put toward it). The trail sights are becoming a signature part of my driving experience already. Never mind that I'm not yet using them as tie-downs are branch diverters, they give the view out of the windshield a prominence that you just don't get with many new vehicles anymore.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder," is as true with the new Bronco as with anything. In my case, this is the perfect blend of classic lines from the original Bronco, updated with a modern vehicle platform, electronics, and driving experience. It's exactly what I'd hoped for.

THAT'S ME HONKING!

My dealer warned me that people will stop to ask questions about the Bronco. Stoplights will turn into conversation points. I'll get honked at and thumbs-up from people who are seeing a new Bronco for the first time, might own one themselves, or hope to one day own one. He was right. In the first two days of driving it, I've been chased down in traffic by people curios about it, held up in parking lots as people admire it. So many people have stories of Broncos from long ago.

I hope that continues. I hope the community here grows into a healthy Bronco community in real life. I promise to do my part. Today, I caught up to an Area 51 Bronco Sport on the highway, and honked at the driver. An older gent, he was caught off guard and was about to get angry at being honked at, but when he looked over and saw my Bronco, his face lit up and he laughed and honked back.

There are endless reasons to be divided these days. Politicians thrive on dividing us at ever turn. It's nice to have a vehicle and a brand than can unite us. If you're still waiting for yours, please keep the faith. It's worth it in the end. When you climb in and drive off the dealer's lot, the memories of months of waiting and confused messages will melt away with each mile.

Drive safe, and thank you again to the strong community here.

Jeff

Congratulations on your new Bronco! Its great to hear about such a positive experience with your Dealer. Enjoy it and Merry Christmas!!

 

[Sweetooth710]

Choosing between colors is a great problem to have. Both are beautiful IMO.

It looks like snow is inbound this weekend here in Seattle, so I got the Bronco just in time to put it to some slippery-GOAT-mode tests.

Enjoy the Holiday,
Jeff

I heard! I have fond memories of the blizzard a couple years ago. I live downtown and got a call from the police a car slid down an icy hill into mine. Be safe and prepare for the total shutdown and I learned Seattle & snow don’t mix well

Choosing between colors is a great problem to have. Both are beautiful IMO.

It looks like snow is inbound this weekend here in Seattle, so I got the Bronco just in time to put it to some slippery-GOAT-mode tests.

Enjoy the Holiday,
Jeff

Yes, great problem but the purpose of ordering 2 was to help me decide (thinking one would arrive before the other) on the color as I keep going back and forth. Now the plot has thickened!

I have fond memories of the storm a couple years ago-got a call from the cops my car was “in an accident” and I was confused because I hadn’t driven in a few days. I live downtown so I walked a couple blocks to find that a Subaru slid down an icy hill into my car.

But perfect weather for some holiday bronco fun! Be safe on the city streets, as I found out that Seattle & snow can be tricky. Haha

Best!

AJ

 

[_jeff]

I completely agree on the community aspect and focusing on the things that unite us. Congratulations!

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