Build & Price Update from Ford – Q&A with Bronco Brand Manager

[PSUTE]

I live as rural as it gets here, and feel you, sorta. I think where your loosing the city folk on this argument is if you can post on Bronco6G you can download an owners manual to save for future needs lol.

Agree. Down load as a PDF, lose more limited satellite bandwidth for the month. An ink cartridge and 1/2 ream of paper later, I'll be good to go. Probably need about 1/10th of it, if that, pretty sure I can figure out how to buckle/unbuckle a seat belt with less than 6 pages of instructions. Not going to try to sort it out. Apparently nowadays it is too much to ask that there is a manufacture's reference in the glove box because it's available on the interwebz?

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[Squatch]

Agree. Down load as a PDF, lose more limited satellite bandwidth for the month. An ink cartridge and 1/2 ream of paper later, I'll be good to go. Probably need about 1/10th of it, if that, pretty sure I can figure out how to buckle/unbuckle a seat belt with less than 6 pages of instructions. Not going to try to sort it out. Apparently nowadays it is too much to ask that there is a manufacture's reference in the glove box because it's available on the interwebz?

I was rooting for you guys until this post.

Download it using the dealership WiFi and ask them to print off the service interval page. Done.

Any other questions you may have about operating your Bronco beyond what you can figure out intuitively will be beaten to death on this very forum and likely incorrect in the manual considering Ford's current laissez-faire approach to validating the information they put out.

 

[t3n2and4]

The doors in the back, to me, is a gimmick at best.

Blaming it for the carpet and the tray is dumb. Scrap the doors in the back if it limits features. Why would I want to haul them around with me? Either plan to be doors off or doors on.

I'm not driving around with my doors on and then, all of the sudden, need to take them off and finding myself with no place to put them.

I know some will like the idea but I wonder what percentageof Bronco owners will ever load their doors in there more than once.

That like the mirrors is a ‘differentiator’ where they can see themselves as heroes rescuing the consumer from the tyranny of the competition. When they started making the compromises to build the thing... that’s where some of the crazy came in. The list - of all the things we can do, all the modular components, is independent from how the rest of the build system at Ford is setup apparently.

Jeep has had time to resolve and deal with those conflicts, and Ford hasn’t.

Having run into frustrations in a large company, I can understand some of the difficulty. To the point of everyone pointing it out here, Ford should have recognized this as a Halo product and dealt with the incompatibilities before now.

What we see here is a house divided. There is a faction that wants things to be as they have always been at Ford and there are folks pulling for a rational, understandable Bronco feature set.

I hope they can use our reservations as a wedge to make more sensible choices going forward and make overall better products in the future.

I hope, deeply for that. I am still crushed that the 2.7 BL locks me out of the headliner for the completely half baked winch and other fluff.

If I could see and touch an OBX interior, maybe I’d make do without the disconnect and front locker to pile that on instead. I don’t hate them the way the rest of the group seems to but I’m not in love.

 

[Used2jeep]

Done.

Thank you!

 

[KyTruckPlant]

Some main takeaways:

• Build & Price update coming in March 2021
• Entire price list will be published in January
• Slide out tailgate takes away your on vehicle door storage
• All First Editions will be 2021 model year, unless a late availability top is chosen
• Backs of the seats will be changed for future model years
• Tow package on the First Edition only comes on the 2-Door model
• Dealers will be compensated based on conversion of existing orders with the original person who ordered

0

You can download the pdf version of the manual to your electronic device (examples: cell phone, tablet, laptop....). You don’t need active “data and WiFi” to view the manual.

Actually, I believe that the owner's manual can be accessed on the infotainment screen. No need for an internet connection.

 

[SupremoSombrero]

IDEA: Ford, put the marketing guys on the bench for a moment, and send us an ENGINEER. Let him/her tell us WHY.

If nothing else, just satisfy the swell of curiosity with us. Information is power.

I can almost guarantee that I’d you inform us of the legal/fuel economy/whatever reason behind these things - we’ll be satisfied.

 

[jaruss01]

My take/estimations - Ford needs to cap GVWR at 6000 to stay in the class.

if a 2.7L 4 dr loaded OBX is say 5,000 lbs wet, and a 2.7L 4 dr loaded BL is say 5,200 lbs wet, that leaves you with a 1000 lb payload vs 800 lb.

if you do some digging on how you typically calc payload and ran the math...for a family of four, with a full cargo hold on a road trip... let’s say 200 lb dad, 150 lb mom, and two 100 lb teenagers (give or take smaller kids or add dog) plus 50 lb luggage each, 100 lb misc. that’s 850 lbs. add loaded cargo box at 150 lbs for kids random stuff (I know max cargo box weight is capped off slightly lower per ford, but forget) and you’re at 1,000 lb total payload.

looking at SUVs most safely exceed payload of 1,000 lbs falling around 1,300-1,500 lbs.

So if I’m thinking about this right, and the roof rack is the biggest tell on what Ford wants you to strap on the roof, the OBX 2.7 does allow for the rack, and the BL 2.7 does not. That seems to be about the difference of the added weight of a loaded cargo box. And roughly the difference of 800 vs 1000 lb payload.

What’s most telling is the wildtrak and FE which are preconfigured with all that weight, don’t even have the option of choosing a rack. It’s simply not there!! Why? Because it’s not like optioning up the car would trigger the rails being locked out. The car is heavy enough it’s in stock trim that Ford just removed the option of the rack all together.

So if you plan on occasionally using this like an explorer for family road trips, the badlands 2.7 may not be the trim for you. Nor is any trim configured with 2.7 and sas.

sure, the GVWR is an arbitrary number, but if we do find out that we can’t add 1,000 payload to a 2.7 BL I can’t bring myself to get that trim just based on my families safety. If you google other guys asking if it’s okay to exceed GVWR the responses are not very comforting. Could it handle more? Probably. Is Ford capping GVWR to compete with wrangler? Probably. But to strap my family into a tall roofless truck with 1,000 lbs of stuff for a long trip and go against the numbers is not something I’d be comfortable doing.

before you bash me and say well go get an explorer then! Fine. But all Im saying is if you want this truck to serve double duty, for off roading or over landing plus family trips, we may find out we need to be more selective over our build. This could rule out the 2.7 sas 4 dr and potentially the 2.7 BL 4 dr. There’s a reason Ford says there’s a trim for everyone but it sounds like we should be prepared to find out a more extreme build with bigger tires and a lift won’t have enough payload to serve double duty.

That’s my take. So until we know the GVWR numbers I can’t bring myself to getting the BL. I’d rather have the peace of mind on a different build/trim where I pick up more payload.

but let’s allow the numbers to be released and do the talking...

 

[OPBronco Tim]

You showed Ford ! Moving on up I'm 1014 range ?

LOL You do realize the numbers are random and its based on timestamp?
We are "not showing Ford" anything, it does not fit into our timeline as a viable investment, we have plenty of other projects that will benefit from more immediate focus.

 

[OrlandoBroncos]

You don't get it. Please be sure to tell me how simple it is when you need that manual and you don't have access to a digital copy of it. There will come a time when that happens, as I've pointed out in previous posts. Digital only is not a good idea, IMO.

Thanks and happy new year.

Agree. Down load as a PDF, lose more limited satellite bandwidth for the month. An ink cartridge and 1/2 ream of paper later, I'll be good to go. Probably need about 1/10th of it, if that, pretty sure I can figure out how to buckle/unbuckle a seat belt with less than 6 pages of instructions. Not going to try to sort it out. Apparently nowadays it is too much to ask that there is a manufacture's reference in the glove box because it's available on the interwebz?

Three things:

1. These are not movies... they're PDFs. I went and looked at manuals on Ford.com. The F-150 download is 11MB. The Bronco Sport is 7MB. You'll use more bandwidth browsing Bronco6G for an hour. If you want only some of the manual... like say the fuses... Ford.com has an HTML version of every manual that you can browse just the information you need. The Fuse page for the Bronco Sport is 17KB. That's less bandwidth used than viewing this post I'm making right now.

2. If changing a fuse does not allow you to access the rest of the manual on the screen it doesn't matter because the manual doesn't offer any other troubleshooting. You'll need to take it to the dealer to fix at that point. Modern car owner's manuals are not intended for helping people fix problems with the car... they are about operating the radio and how to use the heated seats.

3. Ford.com has a link to buy the printed version of every manual. So if you really need a printed book order it here: http://www.helminc.com/helm/homepage.asp
It's $35 for an F-150 or Bronco Sport manual package. $45 all-in if you include the fancy case to hold it.

 

[Bubbabow]

I am confused by one statement regarding the carpet on the back of the seats. It then says that teh sport has a rubberized rear cargo area. Does this mean that the regular bronco cargo area is carpet I thought pictures i saw it was also rubberized?

 

[Boxer4]

I’m just happy to find out that I can now put my gloves in the glove box since the manual is now only available as digital version. I suppose those mid evil metal mesh ones may put me over the weight limit.

Just announced-Glove Box is Late Availability

 

[BigFootie]

I am confused by one statement regarding the carpet on the back of the seats. It then says that teh sport has a rubberized rear cargo area. Does this mean that the regular bronco cargo area is carpet I thought pictures i saw it was also rubberized?

No, just the back of the seats. Hence, all the complaining.

 

[Boxer4]

Nice that they've finally offered some substantive explanation for the carpet on the back of the seats. While I may not like it, I can understand the issue.

Don't understand the reason roof rails on a Sasquatch should be a 22 option. What's different between now and then?

Still not buying some of this GVWR nonsense for certain options. I get that the B&P may need to make certain assumptions to make things easier on the programming side. But telling me I cannot get my Bronco with a sound-deadening headliner or PPF because of weight restrictions, but I can get it with Sasquatch and a winch is just lazy at best and total BS at worst.

Carpet on the seat back and cargo area-I think it's cost cutting above all. The MSRP is so close on these models that Ford needed shave off cost.

 

[SupremoSombrero]

My take/estimations - Ford needs to cap GVWR at 6000 to stay in the class.

if a 2.7L 4 dr loaded OBX is say 5,000 lbs wet, and a 2.7L 4 dr loaded BL is say 5,200 lbs wet, that leaves you with a 1000 lb payload vs 800 lb.

if you do some digging on how you typically calc payload and ran the math...for a family of four, with a full cargo hold on a road trip... let’s say 200 lb dad, 150 lb mom, and two 100 lb teenagers (give or take smaller kids or add dog) plus 50 lb luggage each, 100 lb misc. that’s 850 lbs. add loaded cargo box at 150 lbs for kids random stuff (I know max cargo box weight is capped off slightly lower per ford, but forget) and you’re at 1,000 lb total payload.

looking at SUVs most safely exceed payload of 1,000 lbs falling around 1,300-1,500 lbs.

So if I’m thinking about this right, and the roof rack is the biggest tell on what Ford wants you to strap on the roof, the OBX 2.7 does allow for the rack, and the BL 2.7 does not. That seems to be about the difference of the added weight of a loaded cargo box. And roughly the difference of 800 vs 1000 lb payload.

So if you plan on occasionally using this like an explorer for family road trips, the badlands 2.7 may not be the trim for you.

sure, the GVWR is an arbitrary number, but if we do find out that we can’t add 1,000 payload to a 2.7 BL I can’t bring myself to get that trim just based on my families safety. If you google other guys asking if it’s okay to exceed GVWR the responses are not very comforting. Could it handle more? Probably. Is Ford capping GVWR to compete with wrangler? Probably. But to strap my family into a tall roofless truck with 1,000 lbs of stuff for a long trip and go against the numbers is not something I’d be comfortable doing.

before you bash me and say well go get an explorer then! Fine. But all Im saying is if you want this truck to serve double duty, for off roading or over landing plus family trips, we may find out we need to be more selective over our build. This could rule out the 2.7 sas 4 dr and potentially the 2.7 BL 4 dr. There’s a reason Ford says there’s a trim for everyone but it sounds like we should be prepared to find out a more extreme build with bigger tires and a lift won’t have enough payload to serve double duty.

That’s my take. So until we know the GVWR numbers I can’t bring myself to getting the BL. I’d rather have the peace of mind I’ve a different build/trim where I pick up more payload.

but let’s allow the numbers to be released and do the talking...

Very intelligent analysis!!!! That analysis/information should have come from Ford.

 

[Southern Girl]

I live as rural as it gets here, and feel you, sorta. I think where your loosing the city folk on this argument is if you can post on Bronco6G you can download an owners manual to save for future needs lol.

Spoken like someone with reliable internet service. After years and years of having literally no phone service or connectivity (and contacting representatives, having ATT laugh at us) we finally have fixed wireless. There is a data cap on that, also. 300 GB per month to be exact. I know how much (roughly) different types of downloads, streaming, etc take up on my GB. If you do not have a strong enough up/down stream, how the ^%& do you think these folks are going to download stuff? You have no clue what this is like. We are not all technologically equal in this country, by far.

Florida just started a new official government office to try to cover rural areas with broadband. We are the 3rd largest state and we still aren't covered! Stop acting like everyone has what you have regarding internet capability. Most people I know have SATELLITE internet. The worst ever. So be shush, please.

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