First new Ford...Probably the last Ford

[Karsa]

I’ve got a ‘24 Badlands ( hard top, non sas ) - ZERO issues, it’s been good everywhere doing anything I want it to?!

The drive train has been flawless, hard top was assembled well, and it’s like I always tell people - down the road, whatever road, it’s like Cadillac built a tank, smooth sailing!

It’s definitely a little plasticky in places, but I didn’t buy a high end sedan, with an emphasis on quality of materials and quiet ride - I bought a four wheel drive that I was going to beat the crap out of, and the Bronco has been outstanding in that regard.

The other thing I would say for myself, I have had nothing but an awesome experience at the dealership, from sales to service to parts, so that probably plays into my positive attitude?

Bronco ( and the bronco sport too ) are my first fords and so far I’m satisfied with the sport and crazy happy about the brute!

It’s TOUGH. That’s what’s important to me! I’ve dropped the rear bumper onto rock, dirt and ice shelves. I’ve almost rolled into a creek. I’ve slammed the rock rails onto a rock ledge coming and going, hung the trailing arm up on a boulder and smashed and scraped the skid plates more times than I can count. And put it against a rock wall and a few trees. Rubbing is racing, right?!

I’ll probably go right back to ford next vehicle.

Happy bronco owner.

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[PlayTime]

I'll add some Ford notes to add to the data cloud, be forewarned that I like Ford and visit MI (and yes, Greenfield Village, when I can:

My very first new car in '86, was Ford. My last 3 have been Ford.

2010 mustang convertible, went for 98,000 miles on basic maintenance (and an FRPP suspension) before someone totaled it. They paid the insurance buy-out and even covered the deductible; much respect.
2016 escape 2.0L that I gifted to my step-daughter at 70K miles, it's still going strong, with one cross-country trip under its belt.
2023 outer banks I never could find a manual to buy that year, my timing was bad, but sport mode is OK. 9K miles so far, I'm careful with break-in and maintenance, and the 2.3L is a solid bit of engineering. Minor misalignment on the MIC top that I need to address to reduce wind noise, no leaks at all. Even during this kind of weather:

 

[SkyKing]

I’ve had my 4 door WildTrak for just over two months.

I share your concern on the top. So far mine is good, but it’s early.

As for the interior, I don’t think it’s that bad for what the vehicle is. The interior is supposed to be weatherproof and easy to clean, and I think that’s part of the reason for the materials used.

No issues for me on gaskets or fitment issues.

My Bronco replaced a 2012 BMW X5.

I was expecting more compromises, however I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Even with cabin noise. It’s been much better than I braced myself for.

No rattles or anything. Pretty solid.

I also have a wildtrak. For 6 weeks I had a loaner Big Bend non-Sas soft-top 4-door 2.3. It felt like a very different car - even it most of it was in my head. I think the difference of the Big Bend's cloth seats (which are pretty lame and unattractive cloth by today's standards), few options, small engine, small screen, terrible speakers, small tires made it feel like a different level of car.

But obviously the fit finish and build quality are the same. I had mine rust treated the first week I bought it (live in New England). The company that did it made a very compelling video that reveals how thin and inconsistent the paint is and how inadequately painted the undercarriage is. My bronco was delivered new in late 2021 with lots of surface rust underneath (after sitting at Dirt Mountain for 3 months waiting for a new hard top). I did a review of it here: https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/thre...onco-before-after-with-pics-and-videos.33381/

 

[dpAtlanta]

But it seems like enough people are willing to spend bigger, they might be Ford's target market, not people like me. In that case Ford has less incentive to offer lower cost versions, and 6g will go gentrified.

Good point my friend……!!!!!!

 

[JaxGtc]

My 21 has none of these issues, going strong. Maybe you got a Friday before the long weekend build.

They say never buy the first year of anything. I am starting to wonder if Bronco is the exception. Same here, 60k miles and my '21 is doing fine, absent the right camera on my 360 intermittently going blank.

 

[NirWheels]

At $31k I paid for it new in 2022, I always considered it as a NOS 90s SUV with a modern engine. Fit and finish just like my 92 Miata, and I love it that way, as I don’t need to baby it. I don’t know what people are doing with their tops, but I pressure wash it every couple months and it’s fine. Maybe when you use chemicals you ruin it idk.

 

[jrollo7]

I picked up my 2dr 2024 Big Bend a couple months ago. I thought I saw enough YouTube videos and browsed the forums. I wish I would have read more of these forums in hindsight and relied far less on the YouTube excitement videos. The last ford I had was a 91 probe in high school back around 2001. Since then I have owned Honda, Jeep, Toyota, Subaru, and a couple VWs. Overall they all had some minor quirks or annoyances but nothing prepared me for this Bronco. The last 3 cars I owned were brand new. A Crosstrek, GTI and Tiguan. All looked so nice from the dealership. They ran well and just about everything looked like it hadn't been touched or used yet.

This is just not the case for the bronco, but I'll start with the good.

It is very fun to drive. I even enjoy the engine noise. The steering is perfect. The design of the dash and infotainment is perfect. The overall look and design of the vehicle is fantastic. I love that it has a t-top element that is simple to take down and store. Driving without it is a dream and scratches a bit of that open air itch I've had since selling my motorcycle. The marine grade seats and their design are just right. The seat heaters too! They get to therapeutic levels of hot. And it has a built in subwoofer. Again so many things designed so well!

Another thing I knew going in was that the speakers suck. And they do. But I accepted that going in. I switched them all out with kickers and made some tweaks to the eq, etc and it's actually decent now...As long as you keep it under 40ish mph. You're basically on an airplane going over 70 noise wise.

Now for my issues with this thing.
Im not a fan of the quality and construction of just about everything.
It feels like every day I spot something that just isn't quite right to varying degrees or feels cheap. Everyone has mentioned the plastic inside that is highly prone to scratches. I knew that going in and got canvasback liners for the cargo area plastic, but what I wasn't prepared for was the following..

This is the big one and it has driven me crazy since I noticed it. The top was manufactured in a way that the drivers side sticks out further (isn't flush with the rest of the body)and on the passenger side it is flush and looks correct. It's like they do zero alignment or measurement checks to these things when they leave the factory. I've seen body gap inconsistencies all over but nothing like this. So far no cracks but it does have some of the wavy sheen look I have seen in others. Very light honeycombing pattern as well.

Then I noticed the Drivers side door doesn't close without extra force needed and it just doesn't feel quite right. There's only two doors...and this can't be done right?? The glass annoyingly vibrates when it does latch. (Passenger side operates perfectly)

Then I noticed (and might be related to the above) the hard rubber corner in the front part of of the drivers door (that also channels the glass) has already wore through the rubber weather strip on the receiving side of the door jamb exposing aluminum underneath. My guess is the mold used to make it isn't as accurate in shape as the one used on the passenger side. it has to bend in a weird fashion to close completely. I have seen at least one person post pictures of the same wear shortly after purchase.

There is obviously tons of rubber gaskets and trim in a vehicle like this. Why do they all feel like they will fall apart in a year!? I've seen many vehicles from other manufactures that the rubber weatherstripping and gaskets feel strong and durable. This just doesn't give me a lot of confidence.

Back to the MIC top, im terrified to even clean it, due to people going through 2..3..4?? different replacement tops. I should be able to use detailing products built for plastic trim or sealed paint. Just tell me which it is Ford...or better yet, recommend a product!

Why is there so much surface rust on the underside of a new vehicle? I would expect this much after driving a few midwest winters but im in WA and this thing is 2 months old.

Why am I noticing bolts that look like they were installed with the wrong socket or sloppy use of the socket. The bolts that attach the spare mount are painted but look like crap due to sloppy install. I know they are hidden for the most part, but thats no excuse.

Speaking of paint, there are random little paint chips I spot all over. Mainly near edges. Some I cant even make sense of how it happened.

I also notice areas where I cant tell if a gasket is slightly out of place or not because most things all look a little off or unrefined.

*Edit-This is a very minor gripe in hindsight and my main problems are with qc on assembly*
Again, all of the plastic across the vehicle feels incredibly cheap and squeaks or bends with very little pressure. Numerous times im second guessing if all the clips were installed right from the factory. "why does this piece move like this, but the other side does not" is a frequent question. It's like the vehicle has a good and evil side. pretty much everything on the passenger side aligns and looks right but the driver has all sorts of issues with fit and alignment.

I understand this isn't an Audi or Lexus, and maybe im just not used to Ford or what those owners expect quality wise, but I guess im just tired of finding these build quality easter eggs daily with my brand new vehicle. I know the argument its designed to be dirty and get scratches etc but I should be the one that makes that happen. It shouldn't be built like crap because its "going to get dirty and busted up eventually anyway".

I want to emphasize, I do in general love the vehicle from a driving and design standpoint. I dont want this to sound like I hate everything about it. I just dont understand how so many QC details are let through.

Understood.

 

[ThunderFlash]

Maybe when you use chemicals you ruin it idk.

I don't think it's just people causing their own grief with the tops, but they could be doing something to aggregate the root problem. There is some form of design flaw or unstable manufacturing process at work on the MIC tops. The MIC top issues famously halted delivery of the original production vehicles directly from the factory. They seem to have gotten the MIC top halfway sorted, but people continue to periodically have the same or at least similar issues on '22, '23, and '24s that plagued the original 2021 production vehicles. It's something to keep an eye out for as the truck ages.

 

[mike8675309]

The roof comes off. Fit and finish will never be even close to perfect.
Paint chips on a new vehicle? Didn't you inspect it before accepting it at the dealer? There shouldn't be paint chips. All panels and the interior are robotically painted completely. There shouldn't be chips unless it's used.

Ford dealers have a chip protect system that puts clear wrap in specific areas to reduce chips, like the door handles, the door edges, the lower door, various places that you might want since you are particular. Maybe a complete wrap?

If you have bad rubber trim pieces or alignment pieces, you can have the dealer take a look and replace any. Same with the doors, if they are not working or fitting properly, they can adjust both the doors and the windows in the doors.

 

[PrepVet]

I've owned many Ford's. Some new, some used. I have to go along with some of the other posters. Did you drive it before you bought it? Also, this is a Ford, they are know for poor quality. That said I have had far more annoyances with my new Bronco than I have had with any other car before. BUT it comes down to it being a Ford. The interior quality and materials are cheap. The interior design is slapdash. The electronics are "quirky." The fit and finish is sometimes. The exterior design is a win but the engineering feels rushed. I have chalked up some of that to buying new in the first model year. But Ford has done little to address much of it in the 4 years since. It all didn't bother me "too much" as I bought out the car at the end of my lease.

 

[Bayman]

I have not shared any of your experiences and I have been far less impressed with the value per dollar of VW.

 

[Heritage Bruce]

Maybe you should trade it in for a Waaaaaabulance!

 

[Rosc78]

At $31k I paid for it new in 2022, I always considered it as a NOS 90s SUV with a modern engine. Fit and finish just like my 92 Miata, and I love it that way, as I don’t need to baby it. I don’t know what people are doing with their tops, but I pressure wash it every couple months and it’s fine. Maybe when you use chemicals you ruin it idk.

24 Big Bend 2 door--no problems of any type--20,000 miles with about 6,000 of that dirt / forest service roads. Could not be happier

 

[Marc L]

We've NEVER owned an American car so our '24 Big Bend 7MT is our first.
We've owned Japanese made Honda, Nissan, and Toyota along with American made versions of other Japanese cars. We've owned a pair of VWs from Mexico.
Overall the interior and exterior of this is comparable.
Human factor and ergonomics with the Bronco are reasonable with the only exception the parking brake location/operation. Otherwise very intuitive.
Clutch and shifting is very good and comfortable, which we were quite surprised about.
We only have 11k miles so reliability is an unknown, but it can't be worse than our VWs.
Nothing about our first 5 months of ownership would stop us from buying another Ford.

 

[buck_6G]

Hard to take these rants. Didn’t you look and test drive the thing first?

I‘ve owned many Fords and have had very good luck with them. Everyone has an opinion.

Why is it hard? Nobody's making you read it, but they do benefit those on the fence about buying. I read a lot of them leading up to delivery of my Badlands, and they helped me to set my expectations correctly. For some, rants like this help them to decide a Bronco isn't right for them.

I agree with the pushback on test driving first. The hard top and other issues aren't as easy to spot when you're taking a test drive, and are distracted with several other considerations that seem more pressing in the moment.

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