Bronco Owners Going Soft?

[Ddtcm81]

As I spent some time perusing the site this weekend I was taken aback by some things.

To me (as a 47 year old guy) the Bronco harkens back to the rugged individualists like our fathers and grandfathers. A tough as nails ride that could do things unheard of at the time for a commercially produced vehicle.

But are we too modern? Are we too soft?

I see threads complaining about not being able to get air conditioned seats at a certain trim level. Do you think your grandad was worried about cold air blowing up his rear end while he ran his Bronco down to the lake to go fishing? If cold air up the backside is so important then just maybe a vehicle designed to have the top and doors off may not be right for you.

Lots of complaints about vinyl seats being too hot and sweaty. Basically, see the above comments. Some of y'all never rode around on vinyl bench seats in your grandmas old car without air conditioning back in the day and it shows. I can remember peeling myself off the vinyl/pleather seats in an old VW my aunt drove back then. No permanent harm. You too shall survive.

I saw some nit picking about not having built in garage door openers in the visors at some trim levels. Really? Are we really this needy? Is the indignity of having to carry around a garage door opener just going to be a deal breaker? It's possibly the most capable off road vehicle straight off the showroom floor ever produced. . . but we're going to stress no opener. C'mon man.

Complaints about not being able to get a 12 inch screen at some trims abound as well. You're driving a vehicle, not watching netflix. You don't need a giant flat screen planted in the middle of your dash in order to properly operate your rig. Look out the window. See the world around you. Pay attention to the idiots driving around looking at their screen(s) and take evasive action. Stop staring at the thing parked in your dash. It's overkill.

I think some here may be better serviced by getting something like a Land Rover/Range Rover or other luxury SUV. There you can ride around pampered, cold air blowing up your arse, as you push the button to open the garage to park your ride in so it won't dare get dirty. I've owned those. They are great. But they are a FAR cry from their off road/rugged heritage. If that's what you want or need, go get it.

A Bronco is going to be many different things to many different people but the breed/brand is hard and outdoorsy. It's not refinement and luxury. It's rugged and rough around the edges. It is not skinny jeans sipping a latte on the way to spin class . . . it's wearing carharts with some black coffee on the way to spend time in the outdoors on a mountain bike. So behave accordingly.

Just one grumpy old man opinion. Rant is over. Now, get off my lawn. ;-)

I am going to be that guy today. For one, Ford Motor Company does not make products based on if people have become "too soft". The word is capitalism and it is a great thing we have in America. The only thing you have correct in this post is the fact that America is so soft that you have to base how tough you are off of what Vehicle you drive (what a joke). An A/c in a seat doesn't make you "soft or not". The WWII Generation thinks the OIF and OEF gen is "soft" because of molle, box-fed weapons, and light weight rifles (that weight more than their M1), yet the newest generation is carrying more wait that any grunt in history. "to soft" is subjective to say the very least, and I would not let a generation that allowed for FDR's implementation of the New Deal, and a Generation that created the housing bubble and stock market crash in the early 2000's pass any type of judgment on if people are "too soft" or not.

Sponsored

 

[KyTruckPlant]

I went into this Bronco thing knowing this will likely be the last new vehicle I buy for myself. I buy one drive it 15 or 20 years, so I had intended to get the FE with every bell and whistle possible.

On the way to work this morning, driving my lowest of all trims possible '05 mustang, listening to AM radio with the windows open (a/c hasn't worked in a year, and I don't much care), I decided I don't need no stinking tech.

All I want is a 2D BL, no options

 

[Heffe66413]

As I spent some time perusing the site this weekend I was taken aback by some things.

To me (as a 47 year old guy) the Bronco harkens back to the rugged individualists like our fathers and grandfathers. A tough as nails ride that could do things unheard of at the time for a commercially produced vehicle.

But are we too modern? Are we too soft?

I see threads complaining about not being able to get air conditioned seats at a certain trim level. Do you think your grandad was worried about cold air blowing up his rear end while he ran his Bronco down to the lake to go fishing? If cold air up the backside is so important then just maybe a vehicle designed to have the top and doors off may not be right for you.

Lots of complaints about vinyl seats being too hot and sweaty. Basically, see the above comments. Some of y'all never rode around on vinyl bench seats in your grandmas old car without air conditioning back in the day and it shows. I can remember peeling myself off the vinyl/pleather seats in an old VW my aunt drove back then. No permanent harm. You too shall survive.

I saw some nit picking about not having built in garage door openers in the visors at some trim levels. Really? Are we really this needy? Is the indignity of having to carry around a garage door opener just going to be a deal breaker? It's possibly the most capable off road vehicle straight off the showroom floor ever produced. . . but we're going to stress no opener. C'mon man.

Complaints about not being able to get a 12 inch screen at some trims abound as well. You're driving a vehicle, not watching netflix. You don't need a giant flat screen planted in the middle of your dash in order to properly operate your rig. Look out the window. See the world around you. Pay attention to the idiots driving around looking at their screen(s) and take evasive action. Stop staring at the thing parked in your dash. It's overkill.

I think some here may be better serviced by getting something like a Land Rover/Range Rover or other luxury SUV. There you can ride around pampered, cold air blowing up your arse, as you push the button to open the garage to park your ride in so it won't dare get dirty. I've owned those. They are great. But they are a FAR cry from their off road/rugged heritage. If that's what you want or need, go get it.

A Bronco is going to be many different things to many different people but the breed/brand is hard and outdoorsy. It's not refinement and luxury. It's rugged and rough around the edges. It is not skinny jeans sipping a latte on the way to spin class . . . it's wearing carharts with some black coffee on the way to spend time in the outdoors on a mountain bike. So behave accordingly.

Just one grumpy old man opinion. Rant is over. Now, get off my lawn. ;-)

I’m not 20 anymore- in fact I’m over 60. I still ride snowmobile with the younger ones and take risks that I probably should not take. But that being said- I am at a point in my life that I can afford a great vehicle- and so that is what I want in Bronco.

 

[Bronc-O]

If these options were available in the 60’s and 70’s and our grandfathers and dads could afford it, would they have passed on them? I can survive in a house without air conditioning but do I want to when I can get it and afford it.

Previous generations made the most of it because they didn’t have other options.

BTW - I am older than you and can be a curmudgeon at times as well. I respect the greatest generation like no other.

It's funny how everything seemed so much better in those days then now even though we didn't have any of today's tech. The greatest thing for me was my parents got an extension phone for my room and I put a cord on it long enough to sit on the front porch with my friends and make calls. That was high tech.

 

[gentlemanbronco]

As I spent some time perusing the site this weekend I was taken aback by some things.

To me (as a 47 year old guy) the Bronco harkens back to the rugged individualists like our fathers and grandfathers. A tough as nails ride that could do things unheard of at the time for a commercially produced vehicle.

But are we too modern? Are we too soft?

I see threads complaining about not being able to get air conditioned seats at a certain trim level. Do you think your grandad was worried about cold air blowing up his rear end while he ran his Bronco down to the lake to go fishing? If cold air up the backside is so important then just maybe a vehicle designed to have the top and doors off may not be right for you.

Lots of complaints about vinyl seats being too hot and sweaty. Basically, see the above comments. Some of y'all never rode around on vinyl bench seats in your grandmas old car without air conditioning back in the day and it shows. I can remember peeling myself off the vinyl/pleather seats in an old VW my aunt drove back then. No permanent harm. You too shall survive.

I saw some nit picking about not having built in garage door openers in the visors at some trim levels. Really? Are we really this needy? Is the indignity of having to carry around a garage door opener just going to be a deal breaker? It's possibly the most capable off road vehicle straight off the showroom floor ever produced. . . but we're going to stress no opener. C'mon man.

Complaints about not being able to get a 12 inch screen at some trims abound as well. You're driving a vehicle, not watching netflix. You don't need a giant flat screen planted in the middle of your dash in order to properly operate your rig. Look out the window. See the world around you. Pay attention to the idiots driving around looking at their screen(s) and take evasive action. Stop staring at the thing parked in your dash. It's overkill.

I think some here may be better serviced by getting something like a Land Rover/Range Rover or other luxury SUV. There you can ride around pampered, cold air blowing up your arse, as you push the button to open the garage to park your ride in so it won't dare get dirty. I've owned those. They are great. But they are a FAR cry from their off road/rugged heritage. If that's what you want or need, go get it.

A Bronco is going to be many different things to many different people but the breed/brand is hard and outdoorsy. It's not refinement and luxury. It's rugged and rough around the edges. It is not skinny jeans sipping a latte on the way to spin class . . . it's wearing carharts with some black coffee on the way to spend time in the outdoors on a mountain bike. So behave accordingly.

Just one grumpy old man opinion. Rant is over. Now, get off my lawn. ;-)

Preach!
no need to apologize, you hit the nail on the head.
Even dual zone AC is a bit much for a bronco, let alone a 12 inch screen with 360 degree cameras and a primo sound system.

 

[mikeandmiki]

How are you all posting on this forum? A computer, tablet, or phone, right? Softies all of you. You use tech to knock tech.

 

[NM_21Bronco]

If you have a definition of what being a "big, strong, tough, manly, burly" man is, you probably have your own issues. I provide for my family and love my kids, so that's good enough for me. You won't see me building log cabins with my bare hands or shouting my alpha manliness from the rooftops.

Sure, I don't NEED air conditioning by why the hell not if its an option. I dont NEED a Bronco, but luckily I have the money and can afford everything I want. What an awful post.

Rant is over.

 

[Bronc-O]

If you have a definition of what being a "big, strong, tough, manly, burly" man is, you probably have your own issues. I provide for my family and love my kids, so that's good enough for me. You won't see me building log cabins with my bare hands or shouting my alpha manliness from the rooftops.

Sure, I don't NEED air conditioning by why the hell not if its an option. I dont NEED a Bronco, but luckily I have the money and can afford everything I want. What an awful post.

Rant is over.

You can sum it up in one word, Sasquatch.

 

[Broncomputer]

Going "soft" is progress.

That's what previous generations work and fight for.

I don't think there's any previous generation that wants their kids to have it worse than them.

You can still have "character" and resilience with technology added into our lives.

We're not dumber or soft or lazy than our generation before....we're different, and using our intelligence for other things. We should be lucky that we don't have to die or get injured as much as previous generations.

We're on this forum because we're buying a 40k vehicle. We could all choose to buy an 88' Jeep Grand Cherokee and call it a day...but we don't because of the advancement of technology, and that may include things like air cooled seats or under seat lighting (which I don't think the Bronco has, though I could be wrong.)

 

[Toccoa]

 

[EvlNvrDys]

Come on @JAGSarge , what's wrong with a little bit of anarchy!!



Hell I don't even remember what thread I came into, just wanted to add a little fuel to the fire!!

And for the rest of you... Play Nice dammit!!

 

[EvlNvrDys]

I figured as much. The things I must do to "Fly UNDER the radar" ?

Sponsored