Jeep owners - why are you excited about the new Bronco?

[dave91gt]

We have three Wranglers. A YJ, TJ, and JLU.
The YJ I bought last month to fix and flip. Last remnants of the CJ heritage. 258 6cyl, GM steering column, and Ford ignition. It’s currently “naked” in the garage. It’s lifted 4”.
The TJ is my wife’s favorite. It’s lifted 4” also. This one stays forever.
The JLU is lifted with a Mopar lift and 315’s and is my wife’s DD. Just turned 22k and it’s plagued with the wandering steering (no change after the lift), and lots of electronic bugs. Half the time when you start it, the radio and all dash buttons are unresponsive. We have always been a Ford family with the Wranglers being toys. The JLU for its flaws, it otherwise very fun to drive. But the steering wander is there and really discouraging for such an expensive vehicle.

Why I (we) are excited
1. Ford powertrain- we’ve had several ecoboosts and they really deliver the torque. The 3.6 in the Jeep isn’t bad. Just have to wind it up to get power down
2. Steering- self explanatory. Jeep is still trying to get this squared away. I’m a SFA fan but for my wife’s driving purposes the IFS is perfect.
3. Ford electronics- the above mentioned issues aren’t just ours. Several friends have the issues.
4. Sasquatch- lots of great content that is engineered from the factory. On our Wrangler, getting 315’s on there with a warranty still didn’t get me lockers, swaybar disconnects, proper gearing, etc. We aren’t hardcore off-roaders. But- we like them lifted some and a bigger tire. Getting that from the factory is a big plus. The 3.42’s in the Wrangler we have is manageable with the 8 speed. But 8th gear is now a pipe dream. Not enough gear or torque to pull that tire size at interstate speeds in WV in 8th.
5. The freedom of top modularity that is shared with the Jeep. Hopefully Ford can design drainage so you don’t get soaked opening the door with it raining. It’s like a faucet blast on the wrangler.
6. Safety- Ford looks to be much better with rear seat safety. Airbags if I recall aren’t available on the rear for the wrangler
7. That huge touchscreen! We will enjoy the TJ for simplicity. But the Bronco can have some tech for daily driving

But above all else I like having another option besides the Wrangler. The Bronco will make the Jeep better- and vise versa. I truly bleed Ford blue but really enjoy the ruggedness and uniqueness of the Wrangler. I have never been as excited for a new vehicle. Ford actually went into this niche wide open. Seeing them back it up in Moab, on the Rubicon, etc is awesome. They are getting their own data before they are thrown at all the journalists for various reviews.

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[qnet]

As a former Jeep JK owner, I've been wanting to get back into this type of vehicle. My plan was to get another Wrangler, and I didn't give the Bronco much thought, because I wasn't sure when Ford would release it.

My first SUV was a 96 Ford Explorer sport. I really enjoyed it, but had wanted a Jeep Wrangler way back, when I was in the military and much younger.

Without rambling too much, I'll just say I really like the look of the Bronco and had been intrigued by the original for awhile. Ford did a really good job with the styling, and I really hope it lives up to all the hype.

I like that it has an IFS because it will be a nicer ride, and I've actually experienced the death wobble. I didn't know what a death wobble was until I read this forum, and knew it happened to me.
I remember making a sudden sharp turn - in my JK - to avoid something in the road, and it scared the crap out if me. Death wobble is definitely an accurate description LOL.

The Bronco - including the base model - also comes with a lot of stuff standard that my Jeep didn't have.

 

[STJonesin4]

Hate to break it to you but the Bronco will (unfortunately) be wildly popular among soccer mom's as well.

You're more than likely correct - there just won't be a million of them on the road for a few years.

 

[Dirty Bronco]

1. Transmission and engine. I owned a JK and have driven JLs. The engine is adequate but lacks the power I desire.
2. IFS.... my driving is 99% pavement and 1% off-road. I don’t have the money to pay to get my vehicle repaired from off-road incidents. For the off-roading I do, the IFS should be fine.
3. It’s a Ford and not a FCA product. American made...
4. The sync 4.0. I’ve had Bluetooth and pairing issues with the Uconnect.
5. The door hinges aren’t on the outside. On the Jeep, the hinges are the first to rust and always leave water stains on the vehicle.
6. Ability to store the doors in the back.

 

[Peter561]

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE My Jeep!
My wife and I built this 07 up from a stock rig
New motor, new transmission, true 4" lift
4 front bumpers, 5 rear bumpers, 4 aftermarket hoods


We spend a lot of time on this pup...

but we both agreed the pro's outweigh the con's on breaking up with the Jeep...


J-ust
E-mpty
E-very
P-ocket

has gotten enough of our money...lol

It's time for economy with an even more badass look

we took a measuring tape to it yesterday

The Badlands will be a LOT wider body wise than the jeep, more interior space ( we are switching to the 2-door, from the 4-door JK) the length is almost the same

We love the idea of not having a leaky roof ( or at least we hope it won't leak...lol)
single bolt door removal
easy storage
I think just a better AC system is what sealed it for me...lol


if it wasn't for the extra insurance and reg fees and a general lack of parking...lol, we would keep both... that would be awesome!!

 

[jimmy234]

- I do like the look, but I still like the look of my JL. Kind of a dead heat there, but that's not a bad thing.
- I love how the doors come as half doors straight from the factory. Lighter and easier to take off/put on, too.
- The GOAT mode software will most likely be better in the snow than my JL's 4wheel-or-nothing transfer case. (I don't have the 4x4 auto option.)
- The 2-door Bronco is looking like it may have a bit more storage than a 2-door jeep. The specs show a bit more length, so hopefully. Could be wrong, we'll see. I've always wanted to own a 2-door vehicle, so this could be my chance.
- I don't know if I'm gonna go for it yet, but the sasquatch package from the factory is really cool.
- As someone who has had his JL flooded a few times now, the waterproof material option for the interior is looking attractive lol

 

[unfortunate]

Can I leave the OBD tool at home now?

Can I leave the OBD tool at home now?

Yes you can... Jeeps has the key three turn trick to get codes without it.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

Not a Jeep owner, but competitions breeds better vehicles. Jeep is already hinting hard about a Hemi option. Competition within automotive segments is very good for us the consumers.

 

[frinesi2]

What do you mean by "Jeep" owners?

I've had three ZJs and I love them to bits and I'm excited for the Bronco to be the much-improved spiritual successor to my Grand Cherokees.

 

[DonsBronc]

when Jeeps were Jeeps
304 V8 manual trans

 

[ChrisKz]

I had three Jeeps, a CJ5, a 2012 JK and a 2019 JL. I like them all but at 6'3" I have not fit comfortably in any. Any over 6' can have problems with the overhead roll bar right over the front seats. I was so happy to see there wasn't one in the Bronco.
Also the Bronco is so much better looking. It should have significantly better steering and ride. Since I'm not into serious off roading I'm fine without solid front axel.

My last 3 Wranglers were a '13 JK hard top, '09 JKU soft top & '15 JKU hard top. I'm 6'4" and never had any issues with head clearance. The big problem I had was line of sight. When I look straight out, the top of the windshield frame obstructs my view. Most times approaching a red light I either need to stay way back so I can see the light, crane my neck or if I'm lucky, watch the reflection of the light off my hood. I'm hoping I don't have similar issues in the Bronco. It wouldn't be a deal breaker but I'd feel a lot better if it wasn't a concern.

 

[Bronc-OH]

Offroad capability while driving like a modern vehicle on the highway.... Wranglers suck on the highway.

 

[dgorsett]

I've owned 4 Jeeps from 1945 to 2005 and 4 Broncos from 1966 to 1990 and the Broncos have been superior to the Jeeps by all metrics, on and off road (well the 2005 LJ Rubi is superior to the 66 Bronco on road, but just barely).

 

[Wanted33]

We wanted to wait for the Bronco, but were ready to play so we decided to buy a Jeep in the interim. That turned out to be a good idea. As long as it gonna take to actually get a new Bronco on a dealers lot that I can actually touch the Jeep will be 3 years old. I do enjoy the Jeep, and it's been a good one so far. But I still want a Bronco, and if all goes well I'll own one when the chance presents itself.

 

[elmystico]

Are any Jeep owners excited about the soft top option? I rarely see them, like almost never. Pretty sure I wouldn’t want one, but if there is a big upside let’s hear it.

I went looking for a pic of the Bronco 2-door with a soft top, but haven't found one. Lots of 4-door examples. Is the 2-door going to allow for a soft-top? I'm sure it will come aftermarket eventually. But I was hoping Ford would offer it for the 2-doors from the beginning.

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