This is a serious topic... seriously!

[Bradley]

Let me tell you a story... In about 1995 I had my 1980 Bronco and my friend just bought some new GM...... truck. After listening to him for a while and debating on our "trucks", I went to the back of my Bronco, got a hammer and said something like, "Let's see how tough your truck is" and then I took the hammer and hit the hood of my Bronco! Sure, I didn't wind up but it got hit hard and I didn't even break the paint! I handed the hammer to my "friend" and said "your turn". So the dumb ass said "okay" and then hit my Bronco again! Okay, LOL, that was a good one. (I then tried to grab the hammer and he took off... gotta admit, he got me there.)

But the point is I'm spending a lot of cash on this truck and I DO NOT want to be seen as some Mall Crawler but I don't want to beat the crap out of it when I go digging. A 15 or 20-year-old stock '80s Bronco is a lot easy to beat the hell out of than a new truck. This is serious. When I ordered mine the sales manager at Ford asked me if I was going to "beat the hell" out of a new truck and I was like... yeah! He replied, "There aren't many people willing to do that" and of course I said, "Then why the hell buy one?"

Regardless, how do I not join the Mall Crawlers while taking care of this expensive purchase? Sure, I can run it through a giant mud hole every few days, or take it into the farmland, but does anyone have something that says, "yeah, your Hummer hauls nothing but groceries but my Bronco just happens to be clean today"? I think this is a serious topic. Honest. I haven't had a new Bronco ever, and in the last 25 years I've been building (Ferrari-destroying) Mustangs, so I need some help here. But if you have a question about a 289/302 and how to go 10.99 in a $10,000 Mustang, hit me up.

Thanks Ford bros.

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[indio22]

Well you face the dilemma - everything you own, in some way owns you. And a new Bronco can own you to the tune of 40k plus! Hence why my old $1400 CJ-5 was so much fun. Dent it, park it in bad area, paint it with house paint, drill holes ... who cares. I'm not sure how to get the same freedom from some 40k+ vehicle.

 

[Mattwings]

Moderation and don't sweat it if it gets a ding or two. I have used all my vehicles, including my current $54K F150 as a truck, moderate off road trails, towing toys, hunting, running construction supplies etc.... Each one has had a ding or two, just don't be crazy.

 

[Hey19]

In the end it's just stuff and doesn't matter. Enjoy it the way you want to enjoy it and don't look back. Cool thing is, minor cosmetic rock rash can be dealt with by the easily replaceable fenders and quarters.

 

[PaBronco]

They sell beaters for a reason. I can not bring myself to beat on a new vehicle.

Bought a Sammy years ago for $500 to beat on. That little thing would go anywhere, but nowhere I would want to take a new vehicle.

Your choice, have fun

 

[pan-y-cerveza]

You're worried it will look like a mall crawler if you take care of it?

Run it however you want. Run it hard off road all weekend, clean it up on Sunday afternoon, and don't worry about how others perceive you and your Bronco.

 

[FTBronco9]

Let me tell you a story... In about 1995 I had my 1980 Bronco and my friend just bought some new GM...... truck. After listening to him for a while and debating on our "trucks", I went to the back of my Bronco, got a hammer and said something like, "Let's see how tough your truck is" and then I took the hammer and hit the hood of my Bronco! Sure, I didn't wind up but it got hit hard and I didn't even break the paint! I handed the hammer to my "friend" and said "your turn". So the dumb ass said "okay" and then hit my Bronco again! Okay, LOL, that was a good one. (I then tried to grab the hammer and he took off... gotta admit, he got me there.)

But the point is I'm spending a lot of cash on this truck and I DO NOT want to be seen as some Mall Crawler but I don't want to beat the crap out of it when I go digging. A 15 or 20-year-old stock '80s Bronco is a lot easy to beat the hell out of than a new truck. This is serious. When I ordered mine the sales manager at Ford asked me if I was going to "beat the hell" out of a new truck and I was like... yeah! He replied, "There aren't many people willing to do that" and of course I said, "Then why the hell buy one?"

Regardless, how do I not join the Mall Crawlers while taking care of this expensive purchase? Sure, I can run it through a giant mud hole every few days, or take it into the farmland, but does anyone have something that says, "yeah, your Hummer hauls nothing but groceries but my Bronco just happens to be clean today"? I think this is a serious topic. Honest. I haven't had a new Bronco ever, and in the last 25 years I've been building (Ferrari-destroying) Mustangs, so I need some help here. But if you have a question about a 289/302 and how to go 10.99 in a $10,000 Mustang, hit me up.

Thanks Ford bros.

It sounds like the issue you have is that you care what people will think when they see you in your bronco. People that you don’t know and/or people you do know. Personally, I couldn’t care less what people might think of how I use my cars. We call those people haters where I come from. Just be happy that you can afford to buy one and enjoy it.

 

[North7]

So if you don't want to look like a poser, you might just be a poser.

On the other hand, why should I care about what people think about what I drive, its for my pleasure, not theirs.

 

[Jackattack]

Let me tell you a story... In about 1995 I had my 1980 Bronco and my friend just bought some new GM...... truck. After listening to him for a while and debating on our "trucks", I went to the back of my Bronco, got a hammer and said something like, "Let's see how tough your truck is" and then I took the hammer and hit the hood of my Bronco! Sure, I didn't wind up but it got hit hard and I didn't even break the paint! I handed the hammer to my "friend" and said "your turn". So the dumb ass said "okay" and then hit my Bronco again! Okay, LOL, that was a good one. (I then tried to grab the hammer and he took off... gotta admit, he got me there.)

But the point is I'm spending a lot of cash on this truck and I DO NOT want to be seen as some Mall Crawler but I don't want to beat the crap out of it when I go digging. A 15 or 20-year-old stock '80s Bronco is a lot easy to beat the hell out of than a new truck. This is serious. When I ordered mine the sales manager at Ford asked me if I was going to "beat the hell" out of a new truck and I was like... yeah! He replied, "There aren't many people willing to do that" and of course I said, "Then why the hell buy one?"

Regardless, how do I not join the Mall Crawlers while taking care of this expensive purchase? Sure, I can run it through a giant mud hole every few days, or take it into the farmland, but does anyone have something that says, "yeah, your Hummer hauls nothing but groceries but my Bronco just happens to be clean today"? I think this is a serious topic. Honest. I haven't had a new Bronco ever, and in the last 25 years I've been building (Ferrari-destroying) Mustangs, so I need some help here. But if you have a question about a 289/302 and how to go 10.99 in a $10,000 Mustang, hit me up.

Thanks Ford bros.

Let me tell you a story... In about 1995 I had my 1980 Bronco and my friend just bought some new GM...... truck. After listening to him for a while and debating on our "trucks", I went to the back of my Bronco, got a hammer and said something like, "Let's see how tough your truck is" and then I took the hammer and hit the hood of my Bronco! Sure, I didn't wind up but it got hit hard and I didn't even break the paint! I handed the hammer to my "friend" and said "your turn". So the dumb ass said "okay" and then hit my Bronco again! Okay, LOL, that was a good one. (I then tried to grab the hammer and he took off... gotta admit, he got me there.)

But the point is I'm spending a lot of cash on this truck and I DO NOT want to be seen as some Mall Crawler but I don't want to beat the crap out of it when I go digging. A 15 or 20-year-old stock '80s Bronco is a lot easy to beat the hell out of than a new truck. This is serious. When I ordered mine the sales manager at Ford asked me if I was going to "beat the hell" out of a new truck and I was like... yeah! He replied, "There aren't many people willing to do that" and of course I said, "Then why the hell buy one?"

Regardless, how do I not join the Mall Crawlers while taking care of this expensive purchase? Sure, I can run it through a giant mud hole every few days, or take it into the farmland, but does anyone have something that says, "yeah, your Hummer hauls nothing but groceries but my Bronco just happens to be clean today"? I think this is a serious topic. Honest. I haven't had a new Bronco ever, and in the last 25 years I've been building (Ferrari-destroying) Mustangs, so I need some help here. But if you have a question about a 289/302 and how to go 10.99 in a $10,000 Mustang, hit me up.

Thanks Ford bros.

I was thinking about this too. Im aware there's more that can be torn up than just the cosmetic fenders and quarter panels. But my idea was...
Sense the quarter panels are bolted in, you could swap them with custom made offroad panels. Like some tesla truck looking steel that just bolts on in the same spot. Wont look great and may have to wait a while or fabricate yourself but this will keep the outside of the bronco looking prestine while still being able to beat it up. Until you start breaking mechanical parts of course!

 

[Roach]

It’s a fun thought experiment. I guess what I’d say is that the best you can hope for is that each (inevitable) mark and ding comes with a good memory...or at least a funny story.

Scrapes in your beautiful paint job from the brush on the trail while taking the family camping? Badge of honor. Note: Your hammer story could fall into this category

Dent in the quarter panel because you were distracted by a text while pulling in the garage and hit the damn trash can? Choke yourself.

Totally agree with the “It’s just stuff” mentality though. FIDO. (F It. Drive On)

 

[MCG DAWG]

I've got a $$$ F-250 Lariat supercrew in the driveway that's paid for. First year I had it I put small dents in 2 quarterpanels, ripped the plastic top off the tailgate, got some paint on it, busted out a window that had to be replaced, and generally abused the hell out of it simply USING it. I continue to do so. It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'.

I don't buy vehicles for me to keep pretty and look at. They are a tool. I don't baby them and they bear the scars of this utiliztation.

My Bronco is going to be my second vehicle and will not be babied either. While I won't be doing hard core off roading I will be using it to hunt/camp and won't hesitate to use it to haul stuff back and forth from Lowes/Home Depot, throw the dog it in it, etc. It's going to get dirty. It's going to get scratched and dented. . . . and I don't care. That's what it is for. It's not going to be a garage queen, car show quality, ceramic coated comb your hair in the finish Bronco. As you note that's not its heritage.

 

[Rubisquatch]

Put a few scratches on your wheels. Any off roader will look at your rig and look at the wheels/rims and if you have no rock rash they know you don’t wheel it.

 

[Lakelife36]

Let me tell you a story... I'd never heard the term "mall crawler" until I joined this group, and frankly it's silly. It sounds almost as ridiculous as the chrome-plated shovel on that H3 looks. This truck checks a lot of boxes and if someone is using it for a different purpose than you are then it doesn't mean that they're using it wrong. It's all subjective, and the right thing for you is different than the right thing for someone else.

Have fun with it, take enough care of it that it won't rust out prematurely, and don't what worry about what others think. You bought it for you, not for them.

 

[RG7]

Still struggling to grasp what the point of this thread is.

 

[Rogues Gambit]

This is definitely super cereal here

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