Dilemma... Badlands order came in, keep my '23 Wildtrak?

[Chritaka]

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I wanted some feedback...

I ordered a My LUX/MIC/TOW/SAS/2.7/Tube Doors loaded Carb Gray Badlands in Feb '22. I've been through all the pros/cons of the Badlands vs the Wildtrak threads, and I nearly changed my BL order to a WT when they got the HOSS 3.0. I was afraid of further complicating my order and my dealer at the time said I'd lose price protection if I change to a Wildtrak back in Sept, when it converted to a '23. It later came out that the cert was attached to the customer, not that specific order, and a trim change didn't matter...

Fast forward a few months to Jan. and I hear nothing from my dealer. I'm hearing rumors of Ford announcing $2500 back for cutting the LUX/MIC/SAS and that if you didn't get built in '23 you'd lose price protection...

I got a call about an abandoned '23 LUX/Leather/Tube doors/safe console Cactus Gray Wildtrak order, build sheet showing $64,690, and got them down to 3k ADM, so @ $67740 (invoice just before price increases). They had $2500 surprise non-negotiable add-ons (Blue Steel/Tint/EasyCare/GPS), but deducted my $2395 cert for price protection. They also did the 96 mo/100000 Ford Protect PremiumCare matching the $100 over deal @ $1989. Out the door, around 74k..

This WT would now have a 3k MSRP increase post the latest price increases and would now be 67,390k, so essentially the ADM I paid.

My Badlands order, that I never thought would get built with all the sins, WAS built the week of March 27, 2023 and just arrived at my dealer! Orig. MSRP was 63205, but now is 67405 after price increases. As mentioned, I already used my $2395 cert, which would have lowered it to 60,810, but I'm not sure yet if the dealer will honor the EFC12360 and EFC12491 announcements. This is still a variable I need to confirm...

I've added onto the WT several Mabett items, KBD fender flares and GOAT rock sliders. Most of these are easily removed and transferable to the BL. I've really enjoyed having the ease of flipping back the soft top, especially on the way home from work, and the road noise isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The GOAT Sport mode is great, though I know it can be added via Forscan. Originally we all thought the Carb Gray looked the best, but now we have the Cactus Gray, the family likes it better!

Usage:

I don't plan to do a ton of rock crawling, but camping, overlanding, mudding, trails and general offroading 25-35% of the time for now. I'd like to get more involved with clubs and back into offroad adventures, now with the family, so that % will likely increase over the next couple years. I don't plan to tow a lot, and nothing more than a bass boat, so the factory tow isn't huge. I want a hardtop for winter, but softy/bimini setup and running the tube doors in the summer.

Planned Mods:

1. I do have a SQR Fab. winch bumper on order, have a 12k winch, and plan to add a rear bumper w/tire carrier (likely LOD).
2. 37's either way and is why I wanted SAS, for the 4.7 gearing.
3. The HOSS 3.0 w/tie rod beefiness slightly edges out the BL stabar disco for my usage IMO. However, the build routs I'd go:
   • Wildtrak - I'd be doing RPG 1.5/1.5" or 2.25/1.5" perch collars w/.5-1" top spacers on the Fox's and buying either an ADV or Anderson hardtop (nicer and likely less problems than OEM). I'd add manual stabar discos for those rare occasions. + 7500-9k
     • Note I'm slightly concerned about the Fox's being able to handle the weight of the front/rear bumpers. So if they can't handle them, I'd need to spend another 4-6k on full coilovers...
   • Badlands - Add tie rod braces, potentially HOSS 3.0 rack/tie rods later (though this seems daunting atm), full adjustable coilovers, soft top/bimini setup for summer. + $6000-8500

I can't really flip the WT for a profit, nor do I want to, but I'd really need to sell it for ~70-72k to get out my trade-in and down payment, but I'd still be losing the last few months of payments and taxes. Also looking at what's on the market, WT's are going for 75-80k in my area, but are mostly MIC and not softies. There are hardly any BL's for sale, but they seem to be going for 65-73k...

I'm just curious what y'all would do and your reasons why? Maybe I'm missing a big factor that would sway my decision one way vs the other.

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[AZSky]

Is this a confession?

 

[Eric Det]

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I wanted some feedback...

I ordered a My LUX/MIC/TOW/SAS/2.7/Tube Doors loaded Carb Gray Badlands in Feb '22. I've been through all the pros/cons of the Badlands vs the Wildtrak threads, and I nearly changed my BL order to a WT when they got the HOSS 3.0. I was afraid of further complicating my order and my dealer at the time said I'd lose price protection if I change to a Wildtrak back in Sept, when it converted to a '23. It later came out that the cert was attached to the customer, not that specific order, and a trim change didn't matter...

Fast forward a few months to Jan. and I hear nothing from my dealer. I'm hearing rumors of Ford announcing $2500 back for cutting the LUX/MIC/SAS and that if you didn't get built in '23 you'd lose price protection...

I got a call about an abandoned '23 LUX/Leather/Tube doors/safe console Cactus Gray Wildtrak order, build sheet showing $64,690, and got them down to 3k ADM, so @ $67740 (invoice just before price increases). They had $2500 surprise non-negotiable add-ons (Blue Steel/Tint/EasyCare/GPS), but deducted my $2395 cert for price protection. They also did the 96 mo/100000 Ford Protect PremiumCare matching the $100 over deal @ $1989. Out the door, around 74k..

This WT would now have a 3k MSRP increase post the latest price increases and would now be 67,390k, so essentially the ADM I paid.

My Badlands order, that I never thought would get built with all the sins, WAS built the week of March 27, 2023 and just arrived at my dealer! Orig. MSRP was 63205, but now is 67405 after price increases. As mentioned, I already used my $2395 cert, which would have lowered it to 60,810, but I'm not sure yet if the dealer will honor the EFC12360 and EFC12491 announcements. This is still a variable I need to confirm...

I've added onto the WT several Mabett items, KBD fender flares and GOAT rock sliders. Most of these are easily removed and transferable to the BL. I've really enjoyed having the ease of flipping back the soft top, especially on the way home from work, and the road noise isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The GOAT Sport mode is great, though I know it can be added via Forscan. Originally we all thought the Carb Gray looked the best, but now we have the Cactus Gray, the family likes it better!

Usage:

I don't plan to do a ton of rock crawling, but camping, overlanding, mudding, trails and general offroading 25-35% of the time for now. I'd like to get more involved with clubs and back into offroad adventures, now with the family, so that % will likely increase over the next couple years. I don't plan to tow a lot, and nothing more than a bass boat, so the factory tow isn't huge. I want a hardtop for winter, but softy/bimini setup and running the tube doors in the summer.

Planned Mods:

1. I do have a SQR Fab. winch bumper on order, have a 12k winch, and plan to add a rear bumper w/tire carrier (likely LOD).
2. 37's either way and is why I wanted SAS, for the 4.7 gearing.
3. The HOSS 3.0 w/tie rod beefiness slightly edges out the BL stabar disco for my usage IMO. However, the build routs I'd go:
   • Wildtrak - I'd be doing RPG 1.5/1.5" or 2.25/1.5" perch collars w/.5-1" top spacers on the Fox's and buying either an ADV or Anderson hardtop (nicer and likely less problems than OEM). I'd add manual stabar discos for those rare occasions. + 7500-9k
     • Note I'm slightly concerned about the Fox's being able to handle the weight of the front/rear bumpers. So if they can't handle them, I'd need to spend another 4-6k on full coilovers...
   • Badlands - Add tie rod braces, potentially HOSS 3.0 rack/tie rods later (though this seems daunting atm), full adjustable coilovers, soft top/bimini setup for summer. + $6000-8500

I can't really flip the WT for a profit, nor do I want to, but I'd really need to sell it for ~70-72k to get out my trade-in and down payment, but I'd still be losing the last few months of payments and taxes. Also looking at what's on the market, WT's are going for 75-80k in my area, but are mostly MIC and not softies. There are hardly any BL's for sale, but they seem to be going for 65-73k...

I'm just curious what y'all would do and your reasons why? Maybe I'm missing a big factor that would sway my decision one way vs the other.

I had the same situation. I kept my 2022 Wiltrak. Ironically, I had a 2022 Wildtrak in Cactus with the soft top. My ordered Wildtrak came in (hard top, Emerald Green with Hoss 3.0).
I kept my soft top in Cactus because we ended up liking the soft top more than the hard top on my wife’s jeep. It is much better than we thought it would be. When I added up a year of payments lost plus the additional cost of payments with the increase in the interest rates over the past year, changing out my Wildtrak to get the one I ordered over the one I bought off the lot was going to cost me about $18,000 (the markup, lost payments and the additional interest). It just wasn’t worth it to me.
Additionally, I already did a bunch of mods and am attached to the one I have.

I know it’s a tough decision. I just had the same dilemma last month.

 

[BigRed13]

Keep what you have and buy your order. Sell one of the family members for more mod money, and the extra space gained when traveling. It’s a no brainer, you’re welcome!

 

[PWillette]

Considering your described possible uses BL w/ bash plates, sway bar disconnect and vinyl floors would better serve your purpose IMO.

 

[Ninjak]

I read through what you have stated. For me:

I would let the dealer sell the BL and I would keep and continue to mod the Wildtrack. The WT as ordered is already very capable. You are not going to be doing rock crawling and such, so the bar disconnect is not a big loss for you. You already have the HOSS 3.0 so that's a step up. Also, you have the LUX package so you are not losing anything there.

With things you already have on order, and things you will do, you will have a very capable rig, and the soft top is not a deal breaker, exp with Anderson's top being out and being a successful mod. I to looked towards these things when I purchased my Bronco, though I was coming from a 2019 Harley Davidson F150, I wanted to have at least the same amenities I had in the Harley, so when I found a BL LUX package, I decided to pull the trigger and I am happy I did.

Keep the WT build it and be happy.

 

[Chritaka]

I read through what you have stated. For me:

I would let the dealer sell the BL and I would keep and continue to mod the Wildtrack. The WT as ordered is already very capable. You are not going to be doing rock crawling and such, so the bar disconnect is not a big loss for you. You already have the HOSS 3.0 so that's a step up. Also, you have the LUX package so you are not losing anything there.

With things you already have on order, and things you will do, you will have a very capable rig, and the soft top is not a deal breaker, exp with Anderson's top being out and being a successful mod. I to looked towards these things when I purchased my Bronco, though I was coming from a 2019 Harley Davidson F150, I wanted to have at least the same amenities I had in the Harley, so when I found a BL LUX package, I decided to pull the trigger and I am happy I did.

Keep the WT build it and be happy.

This is the way I’m leaning, for the same rationale you mentioned.

I appreciate everyone’s feedback so far!

 

[1st 75th ranger]

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I wanted some feedback...

I ordered a My LUX/MIC/TOW/SAS/2.7/Tube Doors loaded Carb Gray Badlands in Feb '22. I've been through all the pros/cons of the Badlands vs the Wildtrak threads, and I nearly changed my BL order to a WT when they got the HOSS 3.0. I was afraid of further complicating my order and my dealer at the time said I'd lose price protection if I change to a Wildtrak back in Sept, when it converted to a '23. It later came out that the cert was attached to the customer, not that specific order, and a trim change didn't matter...

Fast forward a few months to Jan. and I hear nothing from my dealer. I'm hearing rumors of Ford announcing $2500 back for cutting the LUX/MIC/SAS and that if you didn't get built in '23 you'd lose price protection...

I got a call about an abandoned '23 LUX/Leather/Tube doors/safe console Cactus Gray Wildtrak order, build sheet showing $64,690, and got them down to 3k ADM, so @ $67740 (invoice just before price increases). They had $2500 surprise non-negotiable add-ons (Blue Steel/Tint/EasyCare/GPS), but deducted my $2395 cert for price protection. They also did the 96 mo/100000 Ford Protect PremiumCare matching the $100 over deal @ $1989. Out the door, around 74k..

This WT would now have a 3k MSRP increase post the latest price increases and would now be 67,390k, so essentially the ADM I paid.

My Badlands order, that I never thought would get built with all the sins, WAS built the week of March 27, 2023 and just arrived at my dealer! Orig. MSRP was 63205, but now is 67405 after price increases. As mentioned, I already used my $2395 cert, which would have lowered it to 60,810, but I'm not sure yet if the dealer will honor the EFC12360 and EFC12491 announcements. This is still a variable I need to confirm...

I've added onto the WT several Mabett items, KBD fender flares and GOAT rock sliders. Most of these are easily removed and transferable to the BL. I've really enjoyed having the ease of flipping back the soft top, especially on the way home from work, and the road noise isn't as bad as I thought it would be. The GOAT Sport mode is great, though I know it can be added via Forscan. Originally we all thought the Carb Gray looked the best, but now we have the Cactus Gray, the family likes it better!

Usage:

I don't plan to do a ton of rock crawling, but camping, overlanding, mudding, trails and general offroading 25-35% of the time for now. I'd like to get more involved with clubs and back into offroad adventures, now with the family, so that % will likely increase over the next couple years. I don't plan to tow a lot, and nothing more than a bass boat, so the factory tow isn't huge. I want a hardtop for winter, but softy/bimini setup and running the tube doors in the summer.

Planned Mods:

1. I do have a SQR Fab. winch bumper on order, have a 12k winch, and plan to add a rear bumper w/tire carrier (likely LOD).
2. 37's either way and is why I wanted SAS, for the 4.7 gearing.
3. The HOSS 3.0 w/tie rod beefiness slightly edges out the BL stabar disco for my usage IMO. However, the build routs I'd go:
   • Wildtrak - I'd be doing RPG 1.5/1.5" or 2.25/1.5" perch collars w/.5-1" top spacers on the Fox's and buying either an ADV or Anderson hardtop (nicer and likely less problems than OEM). I'd add manual stabar discos for those rare occasions. + 7500-9k
     • Note I'm slightly concerned about the Fox's being able to handle the weight of the front/rear bumpers. So if they can't handle them, I'd need to spend another 4-6k on full coilovers...
   • Badlands - Add tie rod braces, potentially HOSS 3.0 rack/tie rods later (though this seems daunting atm), full adjustable coilovers, soft top/bimini setup for summer. + $6000-8500

I can't really flip the WT for a profit, nor do I want to, but I'd really need to sell it for ~70-72k to get out my trade-in and down payment, but I'd still be losing the last few months of payments and taxes. Also looking at what's on the market, WT's are going for 75-80k in my area, but are mostly MIC and not softies. There are hardly any BL's for sale, but they seem to be going for 65-73k...

I'm just curious what y'all would do and your reasons why? Maybe I'm missing a big factor that would sway my decision one way vs the other.

badlands better off road
wildtrax better at speeds
i have "drivin" both like i stole them on and off road

 

[Strizzo]

keep the wildtrack, sell me your HOSS 3.0 suspension when you upgrade #yourewelcome

 

[Chritaka]

So a new development in this decision...

I was completely upfront with the dealer on the situation and buying the Wildtrak in Jan, since I didn't think my order would be built. I mentioned I'd need to see where final price was on the ordered BL and how much they'd offer on the WT. They seemed ok either way I went. They asked me to send them the documentation, per this thread, and they'd write-up they buyer's order.

Per the buyer's order they're honoring the '23 reorder price, per the EFC12360 and EFC12491 announcements. They're also adding in a $2500 rebate, so -$6700, and it's at $60,705 before taxes/fees/warranties (nothing fishy, fees are $475.84)... They asked me to bring in the WT for appraisal.

So if they offer 65k min for the WT, and I get 6% interest, that would actually save me $50 a month and just over ~9k over the life of the loan... If they offer 67500, that's $93 a month less and ~11.5k saved over the life of the loan.

Anyone's answer change?

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