Questions from a cluless guy who just wants to buy a new Bronco

[tock13]

I appreciate all the advice, helps me walk back off the ledge. I do think the insanity around these things will slowly fade, so good idea on hanging tight to see how the next few months play out. I like the idea too of contacting dealers outside my area and sending a wish list too, I would be willing to take a road trip for a good vehicle.

I bought a new Mazda here a few months ago and I shopped around and this whole industry ADM thing really lets you see a dealers true colors. I got the Mazda for MSRP from a decent dealer but I had a jeep salesperson tell me straight up it was Jeep that made them add the markup and they didn't want to it. When I called BS on it he said "I can prove it" and fumbled around on his phone a bit till he decided I needed to know how special the '4 wheel drive' stickers on the Willys were and he changed subjects real quick. Its a sad time for people just wanting to be treated fair. There are good dealers for sure but there seems to be a lot more that seem shady.

anyway I do appreciate all the feedback.

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[Donkeygyrl]

If it was easy everyone would do it.

 

[WranglerArctic]

The $100 down in July 2020 was best thing ever!
Wish VW would do that with the electric bus.
The Mrs. and I would both plop down the dough this time... at diff dealers and flip one of course.
it's the new thing right?

 

[P52Ranch]

Your local dealer is giving you the facts. Until Ford gets a handle on how many carryover orders they have they aren’t going to start taking new orders.

Back when Ford thought prices were fairly stable they loved bragging to the financial community about the 200,000 orders they had. Now those undelivered 2021 orders hang like a $2,975 albatross around their neck. In 2023, Ford is going to manage the order banks to avoid that From happening again.

When they do open order banks it wouldn’t surprise me if they differentiate between 2 door orders and 4 door orders. Ford did this between the hybrid Maverick and the EcoBoost Maverick.

Are you committed to your local dealer or willing to shop around? One thing to consider is the dealer allocation model. Bronco allocations favor large dealers with lots of sales. Dealers aren’t going to share what their allocation is and their backlog of Bronco orders especially before you order. You could get stuck in a long slow checkout line or you could get in a fast moving line that gets you a Bronco quick depending in the dealer you choose.

 

[Rwhite692]

I also wasn't a reservation-holder, and had no order on the books. I wanted Ford to get some vehicles out in circulation, and wanted to drive one myself (on and off road) first. After deciding that I wanted one, and selling one of my other vehicles privately, I looked all over the country for a bronco with the equipment that I wanted. Most wanted way over MSRP. I wound up finding exactly what I wanted, at a dealer local to me. The person who had ordered it, did so 15 months ago (!), it arrived at the dealer on 9/21 and he didn't complete the deal. Dealer wanted 5K over MSRP, which, if I build the same vehicle and options as a 23 on Ford's site, comes out to $4,450 more. That was fine for me. Ask yourself how much your time is worth. I went through the whole ordering and waiting process when I got my Hellcat back in 2015....wasn't willing to do that again. Also, with the interest rates being what they are, buyer activity at dealerships is WAY down from what it was six months or even two months ago.... I suspect that we will see more dealers selling the units that they have at MSRP and maybe below, before too long.

 

[kevin.gt]

There are dealerships with allocation that have no more reservations. Since they can’t take new customer orders, I assume we’ll see dealer stock units show up and eventually adm should come down. I doubt many will be 2 door though.

 

[3G & 6G]

Hang tight and watch the local market. Things are changing quickly. There are a LOT of Broncos for sale in this part of the country, and many are dropping prices as vehicles sit unsold. I would imagine it is the same where you are. A few months ago a Bronco would sit for a couple days before being sold, but now they are sitting much longer. I have watched 2 specific BD listings drop $3k and $4k in the last week. Both have been listed for over a month.

Wholesale prices are dropping as well, and a dealer would much rather retail a unit than wholesale. They know (almost) exactly what they will get for a wholesale price, and would much rather sell it to you than wholesale it.

The problem with the Bronco market is that it has been so over-inflated for so long that we still have a long way to go with price reductions to get to where they aren't insanely over-priced.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

And unfortunately you probably just barely missed the boat on not being able to order. If you had ordered any time before last March, you would likely have reordered for 2023 by now like most of us and been enjoying the fiasco from this side.

 

[broncohopeful]

Be prepared to wait, and wait...

 

[mpeugeot]

Newbie here and I have to admit I am totally 100% confused on the whole bronco buying process. I have searched and searched and don't see a simple explanation on it all. Hope someone can make it a lot more clear.

So what is the simple grade school explanation on ordering a damn bronco for a normal mortal with no reservation, no being on any build list or any other list. Is it sour grapes I will never be able to order the Bronco I want? I am stuck bending over the ADM barrel and taking it like a man? Which sadly I am contemplating doing any day...so save me! It is all so damn annoying. I just want my 2dr efffing bronco!!!!!

I test drove a few plain jane wrangler sports and a couple 4 dr non SAS broncos (Big Bend & OBX) and for my blind eye the bronco is a superior daily driver and I don't rock crawl or do heavy 4x4 stuff so I want to go the bronco route.

Man, in my 60 years on this rock I never EVER in my wildest dreams would have thought it would be so hard to buy a vehicle.

So, if you are not a serious off-roader, then you have some more options to get a Bronco without paying an arm and a leg. I recently heard from a member here that he was able to score a 2 door Badlands non-sasquatch for MSRP... How? It was a manual transmission.

If you are able to find a Bronco 2.3 2 door without the locker or the advanced 4x4 transfer case, then you are much more likely to be able to negotiate a better deal on it.

Same goes for "used" sub-1000 mile Broncos in the same way. The 2021's that have not moved are just about to be past their expiration date when 2023s are on the lot.

I would encourage you to search within a reasonable distance for Broncos starting with the 1FMDE5A VIN numbers, these will be 2 door Broncos without the advanced 4x4 transfer case and without the sasquatch package. If you want to limit your search further, 1FMDE5AH will further limit your search to 2 door Broncos with the 2.3 engine only, without the sasquatch package, and without the advanced 4x4 transfer case.

These are less desirable models, and as such you can use that knowledge to make a better deal. Dealers know that 2 door, non-sasquatch, 2.3, without the advanced 4x4 transfer case are less desirable too. Manual transmission vehicles are also harder to move. Act as if you value the additional capabilities (whether for off-roading or resale value). Negotiate from a position strength by educating yourself on the features and capabilities. If it's a lux package, you can dismiss the value of the B&O sound system (because it uses crappy speakers) and your lack of need for the adaptive cruise. It is hard to dismiss the value of the high or mid packages. If it has leather, you wanted cloth, if it has cloth, you wanted leather. etc.

The beauty is that the "less desirable" models are not less desirable for you. They are still extremely capable and cool vehicles.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Your shopping experience for the Mazda is an example of what's going on for the entire industry and the Bronco shortage is the same for every highly desirable vehicle from the Vette to the F150 Lightning and vehicles such as the Maverick and the Bronco have more demand then the ability to produce too. And every other desirable vehicle.

MY23 will be the third year in a row with production way below demand (entire industry), I don't see things cooling off as fast or as much as some are predicting. Regionally there will be differences, but three model years and counting of limited production is going to take a few years to catch up once production get's back to full speed.

That's going to effect the used car market along with a lack of lease returns supplying the used car market, for the next 3-6 years (3 year leases in '21 v today's leases)

 

[AZ_Liberty]

So, at this stage, you order a Bronco like any other Ford vehicle:

- You wait until retail order banks are open.
- Go to a dealer that you distrust the least.
- Order your Ford.

Only difference is on a Bronco it will take 4-12 months instead of 6-8 weeks if you ordered a Mustang or an Explorer.

Note that: 1) we don't know when Ford will open the order bank. and 2) we don't know for how long. On Maverick, Ford closed the order bank after 4 days.

Edit to add: My Bronco was lost in the Phoenix Rail yard for almost a month. I did a full US search to see if any 2-door Base stick-shifts were available, and found 2 in the entire country. It's easy to find a 4-door soft top on a lot. Finding a 2-door is still very challenging.

 

[Oneand0]

Aren’t used prices coming down some on the Broncos? I’m guessing with interest rates rising and the inflation, people will be less willing to buy these used ones at a premium will eventually stop.

Oh and order one. Keep all options open.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Go to a dealer that you distrust the least.

gotta love the distrust the least, instead of trust the most.

AND, I'm sure that was on purpose.

 

[Broncosally]

Newbie here and I have to admit I am totally 100% confused on the whole bronco buying process. I have searched and searched and don't see a simple explanation on it all. Hope someone can make it a lot more clear.

I talked to our local Ford dealer and they told me last spring....wait till August 15 and we can get your order in for the one you want. I visited them in August and they told me "sorry, Ford closed the order banks until October". Its October and no dice on ordering. They say..."just print out what you want and I will stick it in my drawer till the banks open". Oh...and when will that be? "really don't know". cripes. seriously.

I honestly am not sure how this all works. I have been reading this forum and anything Bronco related I can find in a rather scary obsessive fashion since this vehicle was announced. I stupidly missed putting my $100 down long ago and it is a total mystery on how to...or I even can order something. Dealers in my area seem to be more clueless than I am.

So what is the simple grade school explanation on ordering a damn bronco for a normal mortal with no reservation, no being on any build list or any other list. Is it sour grapes I will never be able to order the Bronco I want? I am stuck bending over the ADM barrel and taking it like a man? Which sadly I am contemplating doing any day...so save me! It is all so damn annoying. I just want my 2dr efffing bronco!!!!!

I test drove a few plain jane wrangler sports and a couple 4 dr non SAS broncos (Big Bend & OBX) and for my blind eye the bronco is a superior daily driver and I don't rock crawl or do heavy 4x4 stuff so I want to go the bronco route.

I seriously feel for all the folks waiting, and waiting, and waiting...so I dont want to come across as the a-hole wanting to cut in line...I just would love to have a tad bit of a clearer idea if I could ever get one of these before they take my license away for being too old to drive.

Man, in my 60 years on this rock I never EVER in my wildest dreams would have thought it would be so hard to buy a vehicle.

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