Moab Ride Along – Why I was disappointed

[BroncoAZ]

How was the power on the 2.3L?

My Passat TDI 6MT had the hill start assist. Once I was used to having it I loved the feature. When I sold the car to my buddy he kept complaiming about the car stalling on him, like it wouldn’t go no matter how much power he gave it. i explained the feature to him and all was good. Automatic restart sounds awesome for wheelin.

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[Razorbak86]

So what magic has Ford done to the Bronco suspension to achieve this?

There are some VERY informative threads about the Bronco suspension system right here on the forum... Oh wait!

 

[Rick Astley]

That experience is a right of passage when learning to drive an MT. One of my most vivid memories of learning to drive is stalling my dad's VW van in heavy traffic while trying to downshift on the drive up to the Eisenhower tunnel. With the Bronco, you'll lose a lot of that. A quick depress of the clutch, the engine starts back up, and you are on your way.

Bronco will be my only manual car with a synchronized 1st gear out of the fleet. That in itself will take a while to get used to. Not that there is a lot of shifting with 3 on the tree, but it's always an adventure wind down the revs up to a light in 2nd and get that sweet, sweet feeling of mechanical harmony when you can engage 1st without a small roll-back..... A 24" clutch pedal travel will make actually rolling in the forward direction challenging. Unless you're pointed down a hill, of course.

Bronco should be a bonnie and a joy as most modern manual transmissions are.

 

[Broncomputer]

I had hill assist in my GTI.

It's a cool feature, but I didn't need it too often on the street. I could see it being way more useful off road.

But I'm more interested in the stall assist because I've never heard of it in other vehicles.

Again, I could see it more useful off road, rather than on.

 

[MaverickMan]

Nice review! I am curious about how the hill assist affect burnouts and launches. I learned a long time ago that the best way to avoid stalling on take off is to always treat the first couple seconds like a race. Its to the point that its how I naturally clutch out. Back when I was truckin you definitely couldnt be stalling your rig at the truck stops especially since I was usually driving a lil 22ft box truck.

I've never really had a need for for anything like a hill assist except on a long steep climb with electronic BBD carbed jeep.

The starting of the engine would be interesting with the clutch engagement though. I have never driven a modern keyless vehicle. And most of my older vehicles have abandoned their keys and taken up switches for starting duties. So say you are parked, chilling like a getaway driver for a bank robbery. But you want to save gas and listen to the radio. Can the ignition be on with the motor off and as soon as you stab the clutch it cranks over so you can rev up and make a quick getaway? Not that I am robbing any banks but it is an option incase I end up with $700 payments for 7 years.

 

[Efthreeoh]

I ordered MT too and I didn't know these nanny features existed, I'm really curious if there are any more.

Also, Im curious with these modern MT, can you still do mechanical stuff like push start etc?

I'm sure a MY' 21 MT vehicle and be push started, why wouldn't it be possible. I have a '05, '06, and '08, all which can be push started. You just have to have the ignition on.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Nice review! I am curious about how the hill assist affect burnouts and launches. I learned a long time ago that the best way to avoid stalling on take off is to always treat the first couple seconds like a race. Its to the point that its how I naturally clutch out. Back when I was truckin you definitely couldnt be stalling your rig at the truck stops especially since I was usually driving a lil 22ft box truck.

I've never really had a need for for anything like a hill assist except on a long steep climb with electronic BBD carbed jeep.

The starting of the engine would be interesting with the clutch engagement though. I have never driven a modern keyless vehicle. And most of my older vehicles have abandoned their keys and taken up switches for starting duties. So say you are parked, chilling like a getaway driver for a bank robbery. But you want to save gas and listen to the radio. Can the ignition be on with the motor off and as soon as you stab the clutch it cranks over so you can rev up and make a quick getaway? Not that I am robbing any banks but it is an option incase I end up with $700 payments for 7 years.

Eh, most modern cars keep the car powered for about 10 minutes after the engine is turned off. So if you don't open the door, you can listen to the radio while your accomplices are robbing the bank. Once the door is opened, the battery is shut off and you have to retrigger the ignition. BTW, most cars for the past 15 years or so with keyed ignitions just signal the ECU to turn the starter motor (just like the fancy pushbutton ignition systems).

 

[swooshdave]

I suspect it was like if you’d gone 200mph in a Bugatti. “Was that it?”

 

[Deleted member 3063]

I'm sure a MY' 21 MT vehicle and be push started, why wouldn't it be possible. I have a '05, '06, and '08, all which can be push started. You just have to have the ignition on.

Yep, ignition on. You press start, foot on the brake before they push you. Not to be confused with the button push for Acc power, foot off brake.

 

[MaverickMan]

Eh, most modern cars have the car powered for about 10 minutes after the engine is turned off. So if you don't open the door, you can listen to the radio while your accomplices are robbing the bank. Once the door is opened, the battery is shut off and you have to retrigger the ignition. BTW, most cars for the past 15 years or so with keyed ignitions just signal the ECU to turn the starter motor (just like the fancy pushbutton ignition systems).

Yeah driving a modern car is really going to be a huge letdown for me in so many ways. I have a feeling that it will take away almost everything I feel in my soul while driving. But I guess thats the real price I will have to pay to have that beautiful chassis and body work. I guess I can always gut it in 15 years and put a 514 with a might demon and hei ignition, put a T18 and gear vendors OD with a atlas behind it. One can dream.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Yeah driving a modern car is really going to be a huge letdown for me in so many ways. I have a feeling that it will take away almost everything I feel in my soul while driving. But I guess thats the real price I will have to pay to have that beautiful chassis and body work. I guess I can always gut it in 15 years and put a 514 with a might demon and hei ignition, put a T18 and gear vendors OD with a atlas behind it. One can dream.

So I've tried to go back in time to buy cars, which in the original era I drove them, I thought they were a great drive, only to find out that compared to a modern car, they drive like ass. Then again the newest vehicle I have is 2009, so...

 

[Brichan]

Part of this perspective about the somewhat non impressive ride, was the area where these rides were given wasn’t really a great taste of what Moab has to offer. The rock climbing section was pretty lame. On a real Moab trail, I think the impression would have been much stronger. I like your positive attitude though about it just being because the car and driver were so good

 

[MaverickMan]

So I've tried to go back in time to buy cars, which in the original era I drove them, I thought they were a great drive, only to find out that compared to a modern car, they drive like ass. Then again the newest vehicle I have is 2009, so...

Im going the other direction. I have only ridden in newer car a few times and driven them even less. I havent been spoiled yet or had my senses dulled to every subtle change in dynamic that is necessary to keep a jalopy on the road.

 

[Efthreeoh]

Im going the other direction. I have only ridden in newer car a few times and driven them even less. I havent been spoiled yet or had my senses dulled to every subtle change in dynamic that is necessary to keep a jalopy on the road.

I'm well past 50 years old. I drove "jalopies" when they were new. Once you learn it, it's like riding a bike, you never forget. Old skool is good with me, but I like modern stuff too (just not too modern )

 

[NotaVegetarian]

Still I need to sit in one, and drive it for myself.

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