Need help deciding what Trim to buy

[StayinStock]

Ok guys, I need some help, I know this is my first post and you probably see these all the time but I'm just trying to zero in on what I want.

I see now that the 24s all come with the bigger screen which was one of my major wants. I'm torn between buying a higher trim or just saving money and going with a Big Bend 2 door with no options. What am I really loosing?

My main purpose will be daily driving with some very moderate off-roading (at the most some fire roads, shallow mud, and beach sand). Can I get away without having lockers and Sasquatch? I plan to mod it over time anyway with a lift and aftermarket wheels. Aside from creature comforts and added complexity is there anything else major I'm sacrificing with a Big Bend? I'm coming from a fully loaded Explorer ST which I'll admit was pretty feature heavy but I feel like alot of the things like adaptive cruise and lane keep I can live without. I rarely used them anyway.

A friend of mine has a 2.7 Wildtrak that I've driven. Is the 2.3 a noticeable difference in power or is it negligible for daily driving and mild off-road? I figure either way coming from a tuned 3.0 its going to feel slower than what I had so I'm prepared for that. Initially my heart was set on a badlands but with the amount of off-roading I'll likely ever do I'm just trying to decide if its worth the extra money. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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[RagnarKon]

Get a Big Bend 2-door with the optional rear-locking axle. That'll give you a ton of off-road capability out of the gate, and also give you the ability to upgrade over time as you see fit.

If you want a little more off-road goodies, Black Diamond 2-door is worth considering. That comes with rear-locking axle standard, and also comes with bash plates, rock rails, steel bumpers, etc.

The 2.3L has plenty of power for everyday driving and off-roading. Of course, the 2.7L has more, but I definitely would not characterize the 2.3L as an "anemic" engine by any stretch of the imagination, and I've been very happy with it on my (much heavier than Big Bend) Badlands Bronco. That said, if you want the 2.7L, it is an available option on the Black Diamond trim.

 

[Ford Motor Company]

Ok guys, I need some help, I know this is my first post and you probably see these all the time but I'm just trying to zero in on what I want.

I see now that the 24s all come with the bigger screen which was one of my major wants. I'm torn between buying a higher trim or just saving money and going with a Big Bend 2 door with no options. What am I really loosing?

My main purpose will be daily driving with some very moderate off-roading (at the most some fire roads, shallow mud, and beach sand). Can I get away without having lockers and Sasquatch? I plan to mod it over time anyway with a lift and aftermarket wheels. Aside from creature comforts and added complexity is there anything else major I'm sacrificing with a Big Bend? I'm coming from a fully loaded Explorer ST which I'll admit was pretty feature heavy but I feel like alot of the things like adaptive cruise and lane keep I can live without. I rarely used them anyway.

A friend of mine has a 2.7 Wildtrak that I've driven. Is the 2.3 a noticeable difference in power or is it negligible for daily driving and mild off-road? I figure either way coming from a tuned 3.0 its going to feel slower than what I had so I'm prepared for that. Initially my heart was set on a badlands but with the amount of off-roading I'll likely ever do I'm just trying to decide if its worth the extra money. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Which ever one you choose we hope you're happy! Thank you for being a part of the Ford family.

 

[[DELETED MEMBER 27901]]

Get a Big Bend 2-door with the optional rear-locking axle. That'll give you a ton of off-road capability out of the gate, and also give you the ability to upgrade over time as you see fit.

Second to the rear locker option. It was $795 on my OBX at the time and has been so nice to have on beach trips. I think it defaults you to the 4.27 axle too in case you want to run bigger tires down the road.

Funny enough I opted for lux pkg OBX when I ordered because a 12" infotainment was a must. Now that they all have it, I may have landed on a BB or BD if I had to start over.

 

[G1D1UP]

My two cents... actually one cent now with inflation. Go balls out and get a trim level that you DON'T need and CAN'T afford! Treat yourself and throw caution to the wind. You only spin for a few years on this big blue marble, so get an obnoxious, overly-priced, fat juicy Bronco with Sasquatch, 2.7, LUX package, etc.... the kind of ridiculous car statement that makes fragile, soccer moms grab thier small children by the hand and walk them to the other side of the street when they see you coming. Bronco life is about adventure and you left, "thinking efficiently" long ago in the rear view if you are considering a gas chugging SUV like the Bronc as a daily driver. I own a WT. Do I need it? NO! Did I want it? F- YEAH! Lock and Load and pull that trigger!

 

[Tdub0527]

I’m on my second Bronco and both of them are 2.3s. If you told me they were a 6 cylinder I would believe you. You can always get the Ford tune if you want more power.

Going from no lockers in my Big Bend to front and rear lockers in my Badlands was amazing. If you don’t off road much or see yourself doing more of it in the future I think just rear locker would be fine. You’ll be happy you have it and not need it versus mad you don’t have it and need it. Plus it’s one more fun button on the dash.

If you order custom I think the Big Bend with the locker would be a great option. If you’re looking for a deal off the lot I’d go Black Diamond because they already have the locker whereas that would be hard to find on a big bend on the lot. Also the skid plates are a nice addition so the BD has the edge there. Also the BD comes with A/T tires while the BB is more road tires.

For your use case I don’t think you need Sasquatch at all.

 

[mpeugeot]

Which ever one you choose we hope you're happy! Thank you for being a part of the Ford family.

Wow, great advice. LMFAO @Ford Motor Company

If you are fine with the mid-package, I would say that there are two sweet spots in the Bronco lineup that will result in the best residual value and give you the most capable vehicle.

Those 2 options are the Badlands non-Sasquatch and the Heritage edition with the mid-package. The Black Diamond 2.7 comes in 3rd with the 2.7 and the rear locker is standard. I really like the advanced transfer case and the 2.7 engine, these are not something that you can easily add after the purchase (as far as I know). The 2.3 is plenty capable and benefits significantly from the Ford Performance Tune. So, for me, the 2.3 is not a deal breaker.

 

[SmallCrawler]

You mentioned that you anticipate doing easy to moderate off road adventures and want to modify your Bronco later with aftermarket lift and wheels. My advice would be to get those things from the factory with the Sasquatch package, preferably with the Badlands trim. That way your "mods" will be covered under warranty, and you'll be prepared when you learn that often times, the so-called easy or moderate trails frequently aren't so easy or moderate. Weather changes, washouts, unplanned side trips, wrong turns, etc... it can get sporty in the blink of an eye.

 

[beetle]

I have a 2.3L, I haven't noticed any sluggishness on the vehicle, plenty of power, even the base model has 4x4 capability. Everyone who has commented up to this point all have really good advice that I would have taken if I was going to buy a new one. I'd just add that buying a used one would save you some dough and you might get all you want for a lower price like I did.

 

[BigFootie]

You can still order a 2 door Heritage for 24. The best bang for the buck in my opinion provided you like the more retro look. The downside is it only comes with cloth seats. For me that was a plus, for many, I know they prefer to have seats they can stick too.

 

[DriveAllNight]

Usually posts like this have it narrowed down between 2 trims, not all of them

Putting off road goodies aside until a vehicle baseline is established.

First questions you need to answer.. budget
What can you spend?
What do you really want to spend?
How much does a vehicle mean to you as far as taking away funds that could be used somewhere else.

Lease or buying?
Short term ownership vs long term?
Then...

If its your daily - What does that look like? 20 minutes a day commuting or 2 hours a day?
What creature comforts would matter when driving distances?
More adjustable seat positions to get comfy?
Would the leather/power seats make living with your vehicle a significant difference?
Do you prefer onboard Navigation compared to phone?
Are you married? Dual climate control may be worth it.
... bla bla bla, you get the idea.

The point is, if it's your daily, think of it as a regular car first, and what options make life easier, and can you afford them.

After that's established, then comes the fun stuff. Off road goodies and tops.
Don't under estimate what you need and want with the roof.

I knew I'd be miserable without a Hardtop in the winter, what I under estimated was how much I didn't want to remove the panels everyday in the summer to get the convertible I always wanted. I really wish I had bought/ordered both from the start. But I found a new soft top on Facebook and couldn't be happier.
So really think about how you are going to use it.

Drive modes - for me, 4 Auto was a must, heavy rains, snow, whatever. There is no limited slip on Broncos, and 4 high is not a really great option in dicey weather conditions, at least not the way I drive.

Which brings us to lockers for any type of offroad surfaces. You can do it in the aftermarket, but not as cheap.

To Sasquach or not, engine size, rims, tire size, on and on. Make each choice separately and then put it together.

Bottom line, forget about trims, list your needs to not be unhappy about your purchase. Then a list of extras that are nice but not needed.
Ignore the features that come with but you don't want.

Then build and price a couple of trims with your must haves, and see which comes in the most cost effective and maybe get some of the not needed extras.

You can easily option a lower cost trim level to exceed the cost of the next trim level that started off higher to begin with.

It should all come into focus and be clear which Bronco to get.

 

[mpeugeot]

You can still order a 2 door Heritage for 24. The best bang for the buck in my opinion provided you like the more retro look. The downside is it only comes with cloth seats. For me that was a plus, for many, I know they prefer to have seats they can stick too.

That’s what Katskin is for...

 

[mpeugeot]

Usually posts like this have it narrowed down between 2 trims, not all of them

Putting off road goodies aside until a vehicle baseline is established.

First questions you need to answer.. budget
What can you spend?
What do you really want to spend?
How much does a vehicle mean to you as far as taking away funds that could be used somewhere else.

Lease or buying?
Short term ownership vs long term?
Then...

If its your daily - What does that look like? 20 minutes a day commuting or 2 hours a day?
What creature comforts would matter when driving distances?
More adjustable seat positions to get comfy?
Would the leather/power seats make living with your vehicle a significant difference?
Do you prefer onboard Navigation compared to phone?
Are you married? Dual climate control may be worth it.
... bla bla bla, you get the idea.

The point is, if it's your daily, think of it as a regular car first, and what options make life easier, and can you afford them.

After that's established, then comes the fun stuff. Off road goodies and tops.
Don't under estimate what you need and want with the roof.

I knew I'd be miserable without a Hardtop in the winter, what I under estimated was how much I didn't want to remove the panels everyday in the summer to get the convertible I always wanted. I really wish I had bought/ordered both from the start. But I found a new soft top on Facebook and couldn't be happier.
So really think about how you are going to use it.

Drive modes - for me, 4 Auto was a must, heavy rains, snow, whatever. There is no limited slip on Broncos, and 4 high is not a really great option in dicey weather conditions, at least not the way I drive.

Which brings us to lockers for any type of offroad surfaces. You can do it in the aftermarket, but not as cheap.

To Sasquach or not, engine size, rims, tire size, on and on. Make each choice separately and then put it together.

Bottom line, forget about trims, list your needs to not be unhappy about your purchase. Then a list of extras that are nice but not needed.
Ignore the features that come with but you don't want.

Then build and price a couple of trims with your must haves, and see which comes in the most cost effective and maybe get some of the not needed extras.

You can easily option a lower cost trim level to exceed the cost of the next trim level that started off higher to begin with.

It should all come into focus and be clear which Bronco to get.

@Ford Motor Company is that you?

Great advice!

 

[MNBigfoot]

No matter what you want the rear locker, if not for the locker, simply for the gearing alone. If the mid package is a must (it's not), then compare the pricing against the HE (the bargain sas bronco, which has the Mid-Package standard)
Know that BB take-off wheels/tire sets go for $300-400 and HE take-off might bring you $1800.

The HE would give you the stronger axles/rack, gearing for 35's, A4wd, front locker, lift, wider flares, improved shocks (some may argue differently), and a Mod top as apposed to the mic. ..... while not voiding your warranty.

 

[dgorsett]

If initial cost is the #1 factor=BB with locker
If you want a little more capability out of the box=BD
If you want optimal cost/benefit=non Sasquatch Badlands
Current sleeper for good value with cool factor=Heritage

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