Bronco production update 8/3: More downtime expected weeks of 8/16 and/or 8/23

[UtahLars]

Ford stopped making almost all of its passenger cars so it could focus its full US effort on trucks and SUVs, its meat-and-potatoes.

The Bronco launch is one of the first fruits of this new focused strategy.

Other things that looked good on paper: Pearl Harbor. The Bay of Pigs. Operation Barbarossa.

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[2021badlands bronco bob]

See ya later

We all get it. Your just one of those people that like a slap in the face that’s ok it takes all kinds. We are not judging.

 

[UtahLars]

In all seriousness, if you take a step back, the whole episode suggests there is something deeply amiss at Ford. Yes, they've had their flubs before, but this one - seemingly endless and incurable and accompanied by an absolute disaster of a communication strategy - is one for the record books. To those thinking of shifting their configuration to get a more buildable spec, or buying an F150 or other Ford product - I wonder if they've thought about whether they should be doing business with this company at all. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, if you will.

 

[BroncoBilly17]

How long does it usually take? I don’t have a sticker yet.

7 days is what has been stated, although I had mine 14 days before the blend date (but there was a down week at MAP in that time)

 

[goodnterribles]

We all get it. Your just one of those people that like a slap in the face that’s ok it takes all kinds. We are not judging.

Normally you have to pay extra for that.

 

[BroncoBilly17]

In all seriousness, if you take a step back, the whole episode suggests there is something deeply amiss at Ford. Yes, they've had their flubs before, but this one - seemingly endless and incurable and accompanied by an absolute disaster of a communication strategy - is one for the record books. To those thinking of shifting their configuration to get a more buildable spec, or buying an F150 or other Ford product - I wonder if they've thought about whether they should be doing business with this company at all. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls, if you will.

I said this when I order mine; "God I hope they don't screw up the launch, this thing has the potential to be hugely successful". But sure enough, Ford has screwed this up.

If I was in need of a new truck and was a loyal F-150 guy, and couldn't get exactly what I wanted, I would be more inclined to make concessions on my Ford truck, before going to the competition. But with the Bronco, this was supposed to pull people away from Jeep, and bring new customers into the segment. I had a line on a nicely priced used Raptor, but held off because I wanted a Bronco more. Then I had a chance at a GT350 (my wife said no), but again passed on it for the Bronco. Now even she is saying we should have picked up the Shelby (especially since it has appreciated in price) for some summer fun. I'm sure once I finally get my Bronco, all will be forgotten, but I have to say, this makes it tougher to look my GM friends in the eye, because Ford seems to have sunk to GM level of incompetency.

I have more than a decade working in automotive, and what is going on with this launch is beyond anything I have ever seen. Blaming the Fauci Flu doesn't have any meaning anymore, and we are well past that. The lack of communication is the bigger issue.

 

[HotdogThud]

If I had none of the other constraints, I'd be nuts. Be honest, what are you holding back on? 2.7?

Oh, lol. Nothing actually, it's. 2.3 manual.

 

[Rick Astley]

I don't know what to even say anymore. I hope FORD is monitoring our comments. Even the most patient have got to be getting annoyed. I guess there will be no key FOB attached to this anytime soon. I am also concerned for my Dealer and Salesman.....they only make money when they sell vehicles. My Dealer has only 5 new Fords on their lot.

I dunno. I'm a fairly patient person, and i'm not annoyed at the current Bronco situation.

It is what it is. Not much can be done to change it on a whim.

I've already got 3 cars (some of which actually run!) and learned a long time ago not to count my chickens until they have hatched. The only thing all these delays has changed is that i'll purchase the daily driver out of lease and will drive it until Bronco shows up.

Ford hasn't harmed me. They haven't broken any personal promises to me. They haven't lied to me. They haven't stolen from me. They haven't come after my family. They owe me nothing. I owe them nothing. It's just a business deal.

Ford asked for a refundable $100 deposit to get an order, that has fewer strings attached than a college kid asking their parents for money.

Dispassionately speaking, Ford requested customers to put exactly zero skin in the game, but now people are a little butt-hurt over this. Likely due to their individual financial decisions and poor planning. You know who else has some poor planning right now? Ford. Oooooooo, it stings!

 

[Brandon1282]

Does the dealer have to provide the blend date? The only date I ever got was the build week.

I just happened to be emailing him about final pricing when he sent me the build/blend date. Mine seems to be changing around the same time yours is so perhaps we are both scheduled for 8/11.

 

[lakesinai]

My two cents:

If it were me, I'd cancel remaining hard top production for 2021 4-doors, issue a rebate + incentive to those customers, and shift the 4 door product entirely to soft tops. Focus all Webasto efforts to the 2 door.

While it will piss off a lot of customers, it'll limit the amount of substandard product that's allowed out the factory door and should help to unclog the assembly line.

Good idea. I would have ordered a soft top in the beginning if it weren't for the fact that at the time there was no option for the functionality for a later hard top addition. And I still take a soft top now as long as it was wired for a hardtop

 

[BC Caveman]

Ever the optimist - at least the Bronco will ba a rare breed when it finally does come out, and think of the re sale value forty Years in the future when it is a collector’s year for back in 2021!

 

[RogueSqdn]

I just happened to be emailing him about final pricing when he sent me the build/blend date. Mine seems to be changing around the same time yours is so perhaps we are both scheduled for 8/11.

Well my sales rep and GM were both off work today, so I'll try calling them tomorrow morning to check.

There's a build whiteboard posted on Reddit:

 

[FifthCard]

Man what a Yo-Yo ride. Was told to expect a year 23 so I bought a gently used wrangler then a week later I get a build email for 7/26. No idea how I got picked but the wife has claimed the Jeep and we will have both however, Every time the date gets close the plant shuts down on the week my Bronco is supposed to be built. 7/26 moved to 8/23. Got an email Saturday moved to 8/30 with no explanation and then I come accross this thread. I would almost wager something happens 8/30.

 

[2021badlands bronco bob]

In this thread, today I learned that for my $100 refundable deposit and Ford's tardy manufacturing, they owe each of us about a $5,000 discount on the price of our Broncos.

This is amazing! Now not only can Ford be out ~$8 billion in development, but now they can sell every Bronco at a loss because we had to wait a few months.

Did anyone find out how they are going to be distributing these discounts? Maybe just off of MSRP when we take delivery? I think we should make a poll to encourage Ford to understand that because we've already invested a refundable $100 deposit, they should issue those $5,000 checks directly to us now just so we'll wait*.

*Obviously we won't want to sign any legally binding contracts that we're required to go ahead with the transaction if they give us the $5K checks, what do they think we are? Stupid!(?)

We all know how much you love ford. You will get your brownie badge don’t worry.

 

[BroncoBilly17]

Well my sales rep and GM were both off work today, so I'll try calling them tomorrow morning to check.

There's a build whiteboard posted on Reddit:

So wait, they are building this week? I thought I read production was cancelled this week? Or have they stopped scheduling orders as of this week?

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