Saw the Bronco in person. Some thoughts and observations.

[dcmdon]

I got a chance to sit in and measure a Bronco in person yesterday at Stoneham Ford in MA. Here are some thoughts and observations.

They had 2 - 4 doors. One was a Badlands on 32s, the other was a Black Diamond Sasquatch.

1) the 12" display is big. and responsive.
2) the interior is relatively narrow compared to the cars we own now. Not bad. But you can definitely feel that its built off a compact/midsized truck and not a full sized truck.

3) the Badlands on 33s looked very nice. It's proportions are very good.
4) I want to know how much the wheel/tire on a Sas weighs? It would not want to change a flat. Though with those tires, id imagine your chances eof getting a flat is pretty slim.

5) My concern with the Bronco was fitting my dog's crate in the back, lengthwise. The cargo area measures ~32" from a closed rear door to the hump at the front of the cargo area. MY dog crate will fit.
6) The MGV was not as nice as I was expecting. It has a brushed almost metallic look to it. I thought it was going to have more of a leather type texture to it. Not a big deal. I'll probably replace with Katzkins saddle leather interior shortly after I buy it.

7) the plastic floor is very nice and is going to be super practical. We have Weather Tech matts in all our current vehicles, so we effectively have a plastic floor now.
8) the Lux sound system sounded "good enough".

9) We will probably use ours with the top up and the doors and side windows off in the summer. (safari mode, the jeep guys call it). The side windows and rear window of the soft top come off very easily.
10) The anti-matter blue was GORGEOUS.

Overall, with my wife and family giving it a thumbs up, I'll probably continue ahead with my reservation as an order when I get the opportunity. It looks cool, will get us off road in NH where we will be moving in a few years, is comfortable enough, is roomy enough.

I'm looking forward to driving it within the month. I'm expecting it to drive better than a Jeep on the road. I drove a couple of jeeps recently and have decided that I may not want to live with the poor on-road manners of the jeep as an everyday driver.

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[Razorbak86]

Stock tires on the Badlands are 33 inches in diameter.

 

[BR0NCO]

I was there yesterday to, they are very nice. As far as the spare goes, it is heavy but manageable. It should be included in your tire rotations so you will get plenty of practice to remove it

 

[Vigor]

I'm looking forward to driving it within the month.

So can you share how you're able to drive it within the month?

 

[dcmdon]

Stock tires on the Badlands are 33 inches in diameter.

Corrected. Thanks.

 

[dcmdon]

So can you share how you're able to drive it within the month?

Multiple dealers have told me they expect their first demo by the end of June. Maybe they are right, maybe they are wrong.

Either way. Sooner rather than later.

 

[Mattwings]

I got a chance to sit in and measure a Bronco in person yesterday at Stoneham Ford in MA. Here are some thoughts and observations.

They had 2 - 4 doors. One was a Badlands on 32s, the other was a Black Diamond Sasquatch.

1) the 12" display is big. and responsive.
2) the interior is relatively narrow compared to the cars we own now. Not bad. But you can definitely feel that its built off a compact/midsized truck and not a full sized truck.

3) the Badlands on 33s looked very nice. It's proportions are very good.
4) I want to know how much the wheel/tire on a Sas weighs? It would not want to change a flat. Though with those tires, id imagine your chances eof getting a flat is pretty slim.

5) My concern with the Bronco was fitting my dog's crate in the back, lengthwise. The cargo area measures ~32" from a closed rear door to the hump at the front of the cargo area. MY dog crate will fit.
6) The MGV was not as nice as I was expecting. It has a brushed almost metallic look to it. I thought it was going to have more of a leather type texture to it. Not a big deal. I'll probably replace with Katzkins saddle leather interior shortly after I buy it.

7) the plastic floor is very nice and is going to be super practical. We have Weather Tech matts in all our current vehicles, so we effectively have a plastic floor now.
8) the Lux sound system sounded "good enough".

9) We will probably use ours with the top up and the doors and side windows off in the summer. (safari mode, the jeep guys call it). The side windows and rear window of the soft top come off very easily.
10) The anti-matter blue was GORGEOUS.

Overall, with my wife and family giving it a thumbs up, I'll probably continue a head with my reservation as an order when I get the opportunity. It looks cool, will get us off road in NH where we will be moving in a few years, is comfortable enough, is roomy enough.

I'm looking forward to driving it within the month. I'm expecting it to drive better than a Jeep on the road. I drove a couple of jeeps recently and have decided that I may not want to live with the poor on-road manners of the jeep as an everyday driver.

Good write up, thanks for sharing. It drives much better than any Jeep I have experienced (I have not been in the newest model, but owned an LJ and tried to buy and JL, but could not deal with the ride/drive trade off of the Jeep anymore). You will be pleased I think.

 

[dcmdon]

Did you get a chance to actually drive one? Or just ride in one?

If so, I'd be interested in more details about driving it.

 

[North7]

I was there yesterday to, they are very nice. As far as the spare goes, it is heavy but manageable. It should be included in your tire rotations so you will get plenty of practice to remove it

When muscle is not enough...

@JHawk A trailer hitch mounted game hoist or crane could be adapted for spare use or used as the basis for a custom built one.

Truck Hitch Game Hoist

MaxxHaul Hitch Mounted Crane

 

[Razorbak86]

When muscle is not enough...

 

[Raptor911]

The raptor beadlock wheel and tire size are identical to the SAS and on the raptor they weigh roughly 100 pounds. Lifting a 100 pound wheel and tire is not too bad but trying to lift it and precisely line up the wheel bolts is a different story. And when you can’t bare the weight anymore and slip just ever so slightly you will scratch the barrel against the brake dust shield. Grrrrr!

 

[North7]

Yeah, some of the people that ordered saquatch as they thought it looked cool with 35" tires are in for a surprise, they may need a new card.

 

[dcmdon]

Yeah, some of the people that ordered saquatch as they thought it looked cool with 35" tires are in for a suprise, they may need a new card.

What makes you think the AAA guy will have any more luck.

My wife and I both do strength training regularly. Whenever we encounter something heavy, we have an ongoing joke where we look at each other and say "Good thing we work out". ha. I guess its funnier between the 2 of us.

With respect to lining up the bolts. One trick that works is to make fine adjustments with the jack so that the lugs are exactly the height of the holes. Then you just have to line up the holes, but you don't have to actually lift the tire.

I don't bother with this because I can easily lift the wheel on our cars with normal sized wheels. But my wife has used this when she changed a tire.

Don

p.s. Only a millennial / Gen Z'er who never learned to change a tire would call AAA to change a tire. I can get it swapped in under 15 minutes. Why would I wait for someone else to do it as long as I'm physically capable.

I also keep a couple of clean white towels and a pair of nitrile gloves in the spare tire area in case I have to change it while I'm dressed in business attire.

 

[Jdc]

I got a chance to sit in and measure a Bronco in person yesterday at Stoneham Ford in MA. Here are some thoughts and observations.

They had 2 - 4 doors. One was a Badlands on 32s, the other was a Black Diamond Sasquatch.

1) the 12" display is big. and responsive.
2) the interior is relatively narrow compared to the cars we own now. Not bad. But you can definitely feel that its built off a compact/midsized truck and not a full sized truck.

3) the Badlands on 32s looked very nice. It's proportions are very good.
4) I want to know how much the wheel/tire on a Sas weighs? It would not want to change a flat. Though with those tires, id imagine your chances eof getting a flat is pretty slim.

5) My concern with the Bronco was fitting my dog's crate in the back, lengthwise. The cargo area measures ~32" from a closed rear door to the hump at the front of the cargo area. MY dog crate will fit.
6) The MGV was not as nice as I was expecting. It has a brushed almost metallic look to it. I thought it was going to have more of a leather type texture to it. Not a big deal. I'll probably replace with Katzkins saddle leather interior shortly after I buy it.

7) the plastic floor is very nice and is going to be super practical. We have Weather Tech matts in all our current vehicles, so we effectively have a plastic floor now.
8) the Lux sound system sounded "good enough".

9) We will probably use ours with the top up and the doors and side windows off in the summer. (safari mode, the jeep guys call it). The side windows and rear window of the soft top come off very easily.
10) The anti-matter blue was GORGEOUS.

Overall, with my wife and family giving it a thumbs up, I'll probably continue a head with my reservation as an order when I get the opportunity. It looks cool, will get us off road in NH where we will be moving in a few years, is comfortable enough, is roomy enough.

I'm looking forward to driving it within the month. I'm expecting it to drive better than a Jeep on the road. I drove a couple of jeeps recently and have decided that I may not want to live with the poor on-road manners of the jeep as an everyday driver.

I was at that showing. I might be an outlier but I was less impressed with AMB then I thought I'd be. I have cactus gray on order but I was getting ready to switch to AMB, now I'm sticking with CG. I also thought the interior was better than some had mentioned but that's an opinion and expectations thing. I remember thinking "this thing feels more solid than I expected" but I also don't have any reason why I expected less

 

[Theherofails]

The narrow aspect of the vehicle is something I keep stressing to people. It’s a big vehicle, but not too wide.

Go sit in a Ford Ranger and you’ll be pretty close to a Bronco. It’s no F150.

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