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Test Drive Thread 2.3 Manual Soft Top Black Diamond 4 door

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Wildtrak
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Drove the 2.3 Black Diamond today. Super easy to drive. Nice and smooth manual transmission and easy clutch. Drove in a heavy rain, and the top was well sealed and quieter than expected for me. The base radio stereo was fine, and loud enough with the top up. I will prefer the B&O system with the sub, but I'd be okay with the standard system.

More excited for my truck whenever it gets here after driving this one! I may change to the manual. Waiting and enjoying the other cars I have now.

My dealer was very kind and said that I could drive this one for a couple of days sometime when one of our other cars is in for maintenance. I have been a good client and bought 2 new cars from them so far this year, and may buy more. I am firmly in the camp that there are good car dealers. There are many dealers will treat you right when you are straight with them. If you don't get the price you want, move on.
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RagnarKon

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Nice! Good to hear.

2.3L feel okay with the manual transmission??

I drove a 2.3L Outer Banks and a 2.7L Wildtrak. I could definitely notice a difference between the two, and honestly the 2.3L Outer Banks felt super underpowered unless the turbo was running… but I’m hoping that’s largely due to the 3.73 drive ratio. (BD has a 4.46 ratio iirc)

Assuming they offer a Sasquatch package with a manual transmission for MY2022—which they said they would, but with all of the delays who knows—then 4dr Black Diamond w/ Sas will likely be my build. But if not I’ll likely order something very similar to what you drove.
 

HPNQ420

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Nice! Good to hear.

2.3L feel okay with the manual transmission??

I drove a 2.3L Outer Banks and a 2.7L Wildtrak. I could definitely notice a difference between the two, and honestly the 2.3L Outer Banks felt super underpowered unless the turbo was running… but I’m hoping that’s largely due to the 3.73 drive ratio. (BD has a 4.46 ratio iirc)
All MT Broncos come with 4.46 except for the BL, which comes with 4.70.

It's a given that the smaller engine is going to need to be on boost in order to make power. The 1.8 TSI in my Golf Alltrack is the same way. The joy of the manual is you can make sure you are on boost when you need it, and shift for economy when you don't.
 

RagnarKon

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All MT Broncos come with 4.46 except for the BL, which comes with 4.70.
Yeah the two Broncos I drove were both automatic.

Obviously given that these are vehicles ship with factory turbos you would expect that the vehicles would need it. And I’ll fully admit that comparing the 2.3L Outer Banks 3.73 to the 2.7L Wildtrak 4.70 is kind of a silly comparison. But it really felt like I had to lean into the throttle of the Outer Banks and wait for the turbo to spin up to get it to go.

So was just curious what the experience was like with a manual on a different drive ratio.
 
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Wildtrak
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Nice! Good to hear.

2.3L feel okay with the manual transmission??

I drove a 2.3L Outer Banks and a 2.7L Wildtrak. I could definitely notice a difference between the two, and honestly the 2.3L Outer Banks felt super underpowered unless the turbo was running… but I’m hoping that’s largely due to the 3.73 drive ratio. (BD has a 4.46 ratio iirc)

Assuming they offer a Sasquatch package with a manual transmission for MY2022—which they said they would, but with all of the delays who knows—then 4dr Black Diamond w/ Sas will likely be my build. But if not I’ll likely order something very similar to what you drove.
This was non Sas. The engine and transmission felt great. It is not a speed machine. It has enough power for me to keep up with traffic. We did not go on the highway. I do not believe the gearing would change my feeling one way or another for in town driving. I do think the gearing will change slow off road performance or highway cruise and passing performance.

Next time, I will take it longer and to more locations. I will post with detail and photos in a couple of weeks.
 

HPNQ420

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Yeah the two Broncos I drove were both automatic...

...So was just curious what the experience was like with a manual on a different drive ratio.
OK, that clears things up quite a bit. I figure the 2.3 with 32's and the 3.73 would be a dog. Probably invented to help with CAFE standards.
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