Bronco Owners Going Soft?

[FeistyMint]

Seems the OP is viewing the entirety of this diverse group of Bronco fans through his own perspective. Let's celebrate more diversity of views and backgrounds!

I think Ford designed lots of tech and creature comforts in the new Bronco is simply following the demands of the market. You all have no doubt noticed that the pickup trucks of today are vastly different in the equipment and comforts of trucks from the past.

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[Cheshire]

As I spent some time perusing the site this weekend I was taken aback by some things.

To me (as a 47 year old guy) the Bronco harkens back to the rugged individualists like our fathers and grandfathers. A tough as nails ride that could do things unheard of at the time for a commercially produced vehicle.

But are we too modern? Are we too soft?

I see threads complaining about not being able to get air conditioned seats at a certain trim level. Do you think your grandad was worried about cold air blowing up his rear end while he ran his Bronco down to the lake to go fishing? If cold air up the backside is so important then just maybe a vehicle designed to have the top and doors off may not be right for you.

Lots of complaints about vinyl seats being too hot and sweaty. Basically, see the above comments. Some of y'all never rode around on vinyl bench seats in your grandmas old car without air conditioning back in the day and it shows. I can remember peeling myself off the vinyl/pleather seats in an old VW my aunt drove back then. No permanent harm. You too shall survive.

I saw some nit picking about not having built in garage door openers in the visors at some trim levels. Really? Are we really this needy? Is the indignity of having to carry around a garage door opener just going to be a deal breaker? It's possibly the most capable off road vehicle straight off the showroom floor ever produced. . . but we're going to stress no opener. C'mon man.

Complaints about not being able to get a 12 inch screen at some trims abound as well. You're driving a vehicle, not watching netflix. You don't need a giant flat screen planted in the middle of your dash in order to properly operate your rig. Look out the window. See the world around you. Pay attention to the idiots driving around looking at their screen(s) and take evasive action. Stop staring at the thing parked in your dash. It's overkill.

I think some here may be better serviced by getting something like a Land Rover/Range Rover or other luxury SUV. There you can ride around pampered, cold air blowing up your arse, as you push the button to open the garage to park your ride in so it won't dare get dirty. I've owned those. They are great. But they are a FAR cry from their off road/rugged heritage. If that's what you want or need, go get it.

A Bronco is going to be many different things to many different people but the breed/brand is hard and outdoorsy. It's not refinement and luxury. It's rugged and rough around the edges. It is not skinny jeans sipping a latte on the way to spin class . . . it's wearing carharts with some black coffee on the way to spend time in the outdoors on a mountain bike. So behave accordingly.

Just one grumpy old man opinion. Rant is over. Now, get off my lawn. ;-)

I'm older and I hear you. Where the NO screen option? Garage door openers? Total freakin joke! Let's add 360 cameras to 'assist' you. If you need assistance driving, call Uber. I'll take the standard pkg, nothing more! Body colored fenders and roof, no way!

Now, as someone who's live in South Florida and Hawaii, I have to say the vinyl seats make me a sweaty mess. That's fine if I have the A/C cranking, and I will have it. If you live in Montana, vinyl isn't an issue, A/C probably isn't either. That said, who the F needs heated seats n steering wheels? No thanks! The beer opener in the back is probably something we can all agree on, so thankfully it's standard!

I'm surprised how many want the 2.3L. Engine power is like beer, you can never have too much around and someone will use (drink) it. I definitely need the 2.7L and I've had more stickshifts than most, but a good automatic can be appreciated by the most ardent off roaders.

 

[MCG DAWG]

Hard disagree. If I wanted the old one, I’d get an old one. Worse performance, worse gas mileage, harder ride, lack of safety features, low tech, no creature comforts. I’m buying a $40k truck in 2021, I want 2021 creature comforts, safety and ride quality that reflect the price point. If Ford thought like you, they’d be out of business already. Even everything Sync 4 offers along with the auto driver assist packages pale in comparison to the kind of tech in a Tesla and all of the legacy companies are shitting in their pants right now trying to catch up with automation and electrification after over a decade of ignoring it.

I'm old school. I don't want or use Sync 4 stuff. Auto driver assist packages are completely unwanted as well. I'm the driver. I can handle it. Don't want a computer trying to drive it for me.

Had a rental suburban last august and didn't realize it had drivers assist on. Nearly wrecked trying to overcorrect when it objected to me crossing lanes without a blinker on. Couldn't turn all that off quick enough. I do not want in any way a computer making decisions on how to pilot the vehicle. I'm of the Terminator generation. No good can come of it.

 

[cybersal]

As a "Generation Jones" Baby Boomer, I want my Bronco to be as basic as possible. My first car didn't have AC. I've never owned a vehicle with heated seats, heated steering wheel, or a screen. My Escape's cd player hasn't worked for years, but the cassette deck works fine.

When I rent a car, I never use any of the technology, and detest auto stop and autonomous braking. Am hoping the Bronco has a permanent override for these.

I'd say get off of my lawn, but I live in a condo.

 

[Mario3241]

I respect your opinion. There’s a certain romanticism about basic retro minimalist driving and I see the appeal. I’m just saying, if you want this company to exist in the next few decades, you should expect technology galore. That romanticism is niche and slowly going away. The more they can innovate in automation and electrification, the better chance they have of surviving. All the legacy companies were out to lunch while Tesla came in and rolled their sleeves up putting in work. Now they need to catch up. This is like the iPhone coming out when Blackberry and Microsoft were too stubborn to see the threat. The only ones that are still around competing in that space are the ones that saw the potential and blatantly ripped them off and stuck in the race.

 

[Tory Brecht]

As I spent some time perusing the site this weekend I was taken aback by some things.

To me (as a 47 year old guy) the Bronco harkens back to the rugged individualists like our fathers and grandfathers. A tough as nails ride that could do things unheard of at the time for a commercially produced vehicle.

But are we too modern? Are we too soft?

I see threads complaining about not being able to get air conditioned seats at a certain trim level. Do you think your grandad was worried about cold air blowing up his rear end while he ran his Bronco down to the lake to go fishing? If cold air up the backside is so important then just maybe a vehicle designed to have the top and doors off may not be right for you.

Lots of complaints about vinyl seats being too hot and sweaty. Basically, see the above comments. Some of y'all never rode around on vinyl bench seats in your grandmas old car without air conditioning back in the day and it shows. I can remember peeling myself off the vinyl/pleather seats in an old VW my aunt drove back then. No permanent harm. You too shall survive.

I saw some nit picking about not having built in garage door openers in the visors at some trim levels. Really? Are we really this needy? Is the indignity of having to carry around a garage door opener just going to be a deal breaker? It's possibly the most capable off road vehicle straight off the showroom floor ever produced. . . but we're going to stress no opener. C'mon man.

Complaints about not being able to get a 12 inch screen at some trims abound as well. You're driving a vehicle, not watching netflix. You don't need a giant flat screen planted in the middle of your dash in order to properly operate your rig. Look out the window. See the world around you. Pay attention to the idiots driving around looking at their screen(s) and take evasive action. Stop staring at the thing parked in your dash. It's overkill.

I think some here may be better serviced by getting something like a Land Rover/Range Rover or other luxury SUV. There you can ride around pampered, cold air blowing up your arse, as you push the button to open the garage to park your ride in so it won't dare get dirty. I've owned those. They are great. But they are a FAR cry from their off road/rugged heritage. If that's what you want or need, go get it.

A Bronco is going to be many different things to many different people but the breed/brand is hard and outdoorsy. It's not refinement and luxury. It's rugged and rough around the edges. It is not skinny jeans sipping a latte on the way to spin class . . . it's wearing carharts with some black coffee on the way to spend time in the outdoors on a mountain bike. So behave accordingly.

Just one grumpy old man opinion. Rant is over. Now, get off my lawn. ;-)

It’s almost like one of the worlds largest automakers wants to sell a lot of vehicles to many different people, some of whom have different wants and needs out of a vehicle.

?

 

[SamG]

26 years old here.

You are 100% correct - Maybe not so much in the 'This generation is soft' way, but you probably should NOT be looking at a vehicle that is designed to go OFF ROAD and have removable body parts if you want luxury.

Those two things do not go hand in hand. Simply from an engineering perspective let alone all the financials...etc.

Too many karens want Bronco's.
Go buy an F-150 for fucks sake - you are not going to go off road with it anyhow and you want it to tow 8,500lb and have cooled seats...etc. Just buy a pick up. Please.

 

[Aggro]

Now, as someone who's live in South Florida and Hawaii, I have to say the vinyl seats make me a sweaty mess. That's fine if I have the A/C cranking, and I will have it. If you live in Montana, vinyl isn't an issue, A/C probably isn't either.

Gives an example of how some features may or may not affect him because of where he lives.

That said, who the F needs heated seats n steering wheels? No thanks!

Features that he doesn't need = features that NO ONE needs. What about Bronco owners that live in North Dakota? They don't get to have something to combat the elements like you do? Some people...

 

[EJHF150]

Am I getting softer? YES!

I'm 47, grew up out in the country and remember not having A/C in our house. We spent most of the time that we were awake outside. Why, because we had motorcycles and snowmobiles. We learned simple maintenance and would change our own oil before we were 10 years old. We were taught how to do it and were expected to take care things ourselves. I would equate that to the previous generation having horses and taking care of them.

I had a 65 Willys Jeep for a while along side my last Wrangler (a 2013 JKU Sahara). The 65 Willys was a basic as it gets. It was fun to have on short trips, but honestly, that was it. The 2013 Jeep was so different than the 1965 model, I could hardly call the 2013 a REAL Jeep. Now, my 2020 Rubicon Recon has pretty much everything you can put on a vehicle (except, not offered, cooling seats that I wish it had) and I enjoy it. While I enjoy the basics of my Jeep (I rarely have the top up/on or the doors on) when it's 100 outside like it is today, I take my Explorer... So yeah, I'm getting soft and I'm ok with it. I also have the central air set at 68 now days...

Just my free $0.02

 

[Funkdoobiest]

As I spent some time perusing the site this weekend I was taken aback by some things.

To me (as a 47 year old guy) the Bronco harkens back to the rugged individualists like our fathers and grandfathers. A tough as nails ride that could do things unheard of at the time for a commercially produced vehicle.

But are we too modern? Are we too soft?

I see threads complaining about not being able to get air conditioned seats at a certain trim level. Do you think your grandad was worried about cold air blowing up his rear end while he ran his Bronco down to the lake to go fishing? If cold air up the backside is so important then just maybe a vehicle designed to have the top and doors off may not be right for you.

Lots of complaints about vinyl seats being too hot and sweaty. Basically, see the above comments. Some of y'all never rode around on vinyl bench seats in your grandmas old car without air conditioning back in the day and it shows. I can remember peeling myself off the vinyl/pleather seats in an old VW my aunt drove back then. No permanent harm. You too shall survive.

I saw some nit picking about not having built in garage door openers in the visors at some trim levels. Really? Are we really this needy? Is the indignity of having to carry around a garage door opener just going to be a deal breaker? It's possibly the most capable off road vehicle straight off the showroom floor ever produced. . . but we're going to stress no opener. C'mon man.

Complaints about not being able to get a 12 inch screen at some trims abound as well. You're driving a vehicle, not watching netflix. You don't need a giant flat screen planted in the middle of your dash in order to properly operate your rig. Look out the window. See the world around you. Pay attention to the idiots driving around looking at their screen(s) and take evasive action. Stop staring at the thing parked in your dash. It's overkill.

I think some here may be better serviced by getting something like a Land Rover/Range Rover or other luxury SUV. There you can ride around pampered, cold air blowing up your arse, as you push the button to open the garage to park your ride in so it won't dare get dirty. I've owned those. They are great. But they are a FAR cry from their off road/rugged heritage. If that's what you want or need, go get it.

A Bronco is going to be many different things to many different people but the breed/brand is hard and outdoorsy. It's not refinement and luxury. It's rugged and rough around the edges. It is not skinny jeans sipping a latte on the way to spin class . . . it's wearing carharts with some black coffee on the way to spend time in the outdoors on a mountain bike. So behave accordingly.

Just one grumpy old man opinion. Rant is over. Now, get off my lawn. ;-)

These amenities are standard and desirable these days. No ones going soft, these things are just expected now. The only way I wouldn't care about these luxuries is if I could mine completely void of any computers and gizmos that are going to malfunction in a few years.

 

[Tory Brecht]

I am going from a 2017 BMW M4 to a Wildtrak. Don’t call me soft, this is roughing it!

 

[QuitPlayinWithYourDingy]

Anyone else hate how their house has indoor plumbing, heat, electricity, central air, or even a goddamn garage?!? I mean, I remember back in the day the roofs were made of mud, walls out of sticks, and the shitter was a hut in the back where all you had was a bucket and some old newspaper. Worked then and it'll work now.

On-grid living Sally's..

/s

 

[leBRONCOjames]

Y'all crazy for wanting to pay more for less

 

[Rickycardo]

If I wanted a purely utilitarian vehicle I'd buy a deuce and a half.

 

[lowmpg]

The year, is 2020.

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