Considering switching to base model instead of Badlands

[lakesinai]

Since you asked, as a lifetime beach driver: NO! The Black Diamond at $37,500 is the best, for the money, beach vehicle with manual trans that you can get with the rear locker. Rear locker necessary for sand driving in that deep, loose sand in Nauset, Provincetown or Sandy Neck.

You can get the Big Bend with the rear locker at $37,915, but you have to add the auto trans. Honestly, having driven all those beaches, growing up in Orleans, i used both manual and auto International Scouts on the beaches, 1960s and 1970s, and auto trans is a better sand vehicle. In the 1990s, i drove full size, auto trans Broncos on the Provincelands beaches (my photo above is 1995 at Race Point, never got stuck for long, But i understand if you want a manual.

Base: You need taller and wider tires, and will have to upgrade the base tires at least with the tallest and widest you can fit, especially without a rear locker. You need a tire big enough that you can deflate down to 15# without hurting the sidewall, or rolling off the rim. That may also mean a wider rim! So you're correct, the Base is cheapest if you're willing to spend $3,000 on a set of wheels and tires. Big tires, rear locker not so important!

Personally, I'd insist on a rear locking differential, which comes standard with the manual BD or can be optioned with the auto trans BB. Personally, now that im living in the Carolinas, I ordered the OBX with auto, rear locker, upgraded transfer case and hitch. Non Sasquatch, because its my daily driver. I drive the OBX beaches and Delaware state beaches, and will take a trip North to Cape Cod once i get it!

Last thought: the Bronco Base with the Sasquatch is $37,500, same as the other two above. But you'll have the noisier tires, a vehicle taller to climb into, and you'll have to give up your manual for an advanced auto transmission & transfer case. BUT, you'll have the best damn beach vehicle on Cape Cod. Its still cheaper than the $50,000 manual Badlands.

I'd love to hear what you end up doing!

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[mpeugeot]

I had considered the Base and Badlands, but the lack of adaptive cruise control on the base and the MGV on the Badlands, began forcing me into a different spec. Initially, I wanted a Base Sasquatch with 2.7 and the Manual Transmission.

The MGV is just not an acceptable interior choice for me here in the Texas heat - I hate getting burned by leather or vinyl. So the Badlands ended up being both more expensive and less appealing. Sure, I'd love to have SBD and a front locker, as well as Baja Mode (for the front camera), but the adaptive cruise control was the primary reason to pick the OBX because I do a lot of freeway miles.

While, I would have considered the Sasquatch with the 2.3 and manual, the lack of a manual transmission Sasquatch forced me to go with a non-sasquatch OBX 2.7 advanced 4x4 Lux package.

 

[DonM]

I did a 4DR Base Sasquatch with the 2.3. I'm cheap. It will go off-road, but we are talking maybe a weekend or two a year! I got the SAS package because I wanted the "best" factory drivetrain parts and the Advanced T-Case, in case I got into four wheeling!!

 

[LSU Jonno]

The more time that goes by without a Bronco in my driveway, the more review videos and such I’ve been watching. I’m surprised how well equipped the base model is for the money. It has LED headlights, keyless start, wireless Apple CarPlay, and basically everything I’d need. I originally went Black Diamond because I wanted MGV, then switched to Badlands for heated seats before the 4/8 deadline. Now I’m considering changing to a base model. I’m going to use the Bronco as a weekend driver around Cape Cod and on the beach, no rock crawling or major offroading in Massachusetts. They allow unibody SUV’s on the beach, so I’m certain the base Bronco would be fine. I’d be saving $17,500 on the purchase price, more than 1/3 of the price.

Things I’d miss:
factory tow package, I’m sure I can add a hitch/wiring for my bike rack and small boat
keyless entry, don’t really need to lock the doors on cape cod
bigger tires, can always add those aftermarket
heated seats, not that big of a deal, may be able to add aftermarket
lockers and sway bar disconnect, don’t need here
steel bumpers and bash plates, probably plenty of take offs available from others upgrading later

Anybody else feeling the same way?

I think you need the mid package to get Wireless Apple Car Play and Android auto, which you cannot get on the base. Mid-pack really carries a ton of useful tech. You are also missing out on the cool new social mapping app that Ford is developing, which looks super cool for off-road newbs like myself.

I'd go Big Bend over base just to grab mid.

Edited to strike wireless AA and AC comment. Looks like that is a standard feature.

 

[Chrism81]

I think you need the mid package to get Wireless Apple Car Play and Android auto, which you cannot get on the base. Mid-pack really carries a ton of useful tech. You are also missing out on the cool new social mapping app that Ford is developing, which looks super cool for off-road newbs like myself.

I'd go Big Bend over base just to grab mid.

wireless car play is on every model. It is a standard feature

 

[dgorsett]

Since you asked, as a lifetime beach driver: NO! The Black Diamond at $37,500 is the best, for the money, beach vehicle with manual trans that you can get with the rear locker. Rear locker necessary for sand driving in that deep, loose sand in Nauset, Provincetown or Sandy Neck.

You can get the Big Bend with the rear locker at $37,915, but you have to add the auto trans. Honestly, having driven all those beaches, growing up in Orleans, i used both manual and auto International Scouts on the beaches, 1960s and 1970s, and auto trans is a better sand vehicle. In the 1990s, i drove full size, auto trans Broncos on the Provincelands beaches (my photo above is 1995 at Race Point, never got stuck for long, But i understand if you want a manual.

Base: You need taller and wider tires, and will have to upgrade the base tires at least with the tallest and widest you can fit, especially without a rear locker. You need a tire big enough that you can deflate down to 15# without hurting the sidewall, or rolling off the rim. That may also mean a wider rim! So you're correct, the Base is cheapest if you're willing to spend $3,000 on a set of wheels and tires. Big tires, rear locker not so important!

Personally, I'd insist on a rear locking differential, which comes standard with the manual BD or can be optioned with the auto trans BB. Personally, now that im living in the Carolinas, I ordered the OBX with auto, rear locker, upgraded transfer case and hitch. Non Sasquatch, because its my daily driver. I drive the OBX beaches and Delaware state beaches, and will take a trip North to Cape Cod once i get it!

Last thought: the Bronco Base with the Sasquatch is $37,500, same as the other two above. But you'll have the noisier tires, a vehicle taller to climb into, and you'll have to give up your manual for an advanced auto transmission & transfer case. BUT, you'll have the best damn beach vehicle on Cape Cod. Its still cheaper than the $50,000 manual Badlands.

I'd love to hear what you end up doing!

All good info, but I believe you can get the rear locker on a manual Big Bend, it will have the 4.46 ratio.

 

[ATHIKER]

The more time that goes by without a Bronco in my driveway, the more review videos and such I’ve been watching. I’m surprised how well equipped the base model is for the money. It has LED headlights, keyless start, wireless Apple CarPlay, and basically everything I’d need. I originally went Black Diamond because I wanted MGV, then switched to Badlands for heated seats before the 4/8 deadline. Now I’m considering changing to a base model. I’m going to use the Bronco as a weekend driver around Cape Cod and on the beach, no rock crawling or major offroading in Massachusetts. They allow unibody SUV’s on the beach, so I’m certain the base Bronco would be fine. I’d be saving $17,500 on the purchase price, more than 1/3 of the price.

Things I’d miss:
factory tow package, I’m sure I can add a hitch/wiring for my bike rack and small boat
keyless entry, don’t really need to lock the doors on cape cod
bigger tires, can always add those aftermarket
heated seats, not that big of a deal, may be able to add aftermarket
lockers and sway bar disconnect, don’t need here
steel bumpers and bash plates, probably plenty of take offs available from others upgrading later

Anybody else feeling the same way?

that's my build, white, 2dr, mt, added just the modular front bumper and roof rails

 

[NotaVegetarian]

It would make a good start for future modifications.

 

[Sapper5]

Interesting insight - glad I found this thread. I'm a local Mass guy in the same predicament. I was completely sold on black diamond and now having second thoughts on reducing to base.

I've never had a rear locker in either my ranger or 1st gen Explorer and never felt I needed it, especially in the north country logging roads where the majority of my off-roading takes place during hunting season. When I've been beach driving in my 5 speed ranger on the cape ( 31" AT tires, 4.10 gears) I've never gotten ' stuck' but I was definitely in 4 Low and it wasn't as easy as it usually is up north on gravel road. I concur that auto would have probably been better over sand, but I would take the manual over auto on logging roads all day.

Now you have me thinking; what's more advantageous for sand - rear locker or auto?

Main reasons considering base over black diamond -
Smaller rim size (I prefer small rim/ taller sidewall for off roading)
Gas mileage ( this will be a DD, and I've never been anywhere hairy enough to need hundreds of pounds of steel armor)
cloth interior ( I think this will last longer than MGV)
I'm a purist ( closest thing to the original )

Main reasons considering Black diamond
Better color options ( Big deal for me)
rear locker
vinyl floors/ wash out feature

 

[lakesinai]

All good info, but I believe you can get the rear locker on a manual Big Bend, it will have the 4.46 ratio.

If thats true, that would give bigger tires and locker. I couldn't make it happen when I tried

 

[dgorsett]

If thats true, that would give bigger tires and locker. I couldn't make it happen when I tried

Not my build, but I went to the B&P added no options but the 4.46 locker (with 2.3 and 7 spd) and it worked.

 

[Brichan]

The more time that goes by without a Bronco in my driveway, the more review videos and such I’ve been watching. I’m surprised how well equipped the base model is for the money. It has LED headlights, keyless start, wireless Apple CarPlay, and basically everything I’d need. I originally went Black Diamond because I wanted MGV, then switched to Badlands for heated seats before the 4/8 deadline. Now I’m considering changing to a base model. I’m going to use the Bronco as a weekend driver around Cape Cod and on the beach, no rock crawling or major offroading in Massachusetts. They allow unibody SUV’s on the beach, so I’m certain the base Bronco would be fine. I’d be saving $17,500 on the purchase price, more than 1/3 of the price.

Things I’d miss:
factory tow package, I’m sure I can add a hitch/wiring for my bike rack and small boat
keyless entry, don’t really need to lock the doors on cape cod
bigger tires, can always add those aftermarket
heated seats, not that big of a deal, may be able to add aftermarket
lockers and sway bar disconnect, don’t need here
steel bumpers and bash plates, probably plenty of take offs available from others upgrading later

Anybody else feeling the same way?

I originally went Black Diamond because I wanted MGV, then switched to Badlands for heated seats

Black Diamond supports Mid Package that comes with heated seats. I think that is still best value for what you want and comes with the MGV.

 

[dgorsett]

Objectively Base vs BL is really the only choice. Base is an amazing value, Squatched or not. Badlands, Squatched or not, gives you everything anyone could want, for an extra $17K.

That said, I went a totally different direction!

 

[AZshot]

I started with a Big Bend with standard everything but the modular hard top and locking differential. Under $40K, I don't need cameras and upgraded stereo and a lift with big tires for $20K more.

 

[NoDoorsNoProblem]

I've always been leaning towards BD/BL for the washout interior. I thought about dropping down to basesquatch, and asked my Jeep buddy about it. He is a big proponent of MGV/washout, he apparently has issues with his JK all the time. He does run doors and roof off a lof of the time like I plan on, so this may be a different use case if you never take those off. But here you go, for what its worth.

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