New poster, long time lurker. Some help please!

[sf jakey]

After years of looking and reading, I am finally registered. I’ve owned a 74 ranger bronco, a 77 sport and a 93. Plus 3 wranglers and a Cj5 and a 7. Current vehicle is a F250 tremor, so I have the truck stuff handled.
I am looking at the bronco seriously again, after lusting for it when it was revealed. Difficulty getting one, ADM, and some quality issues pushed me away. Hard top in particular, and leaks which I noticed on everyone I looked at. Seems like the new hard top is better.
I am looking for a second vehicle, primary vehicle really. I will ill use it for daily around town, ski trips Bay Area to Truckee, which are very frequent, back and forth to the Central Valley weekly for duck hunting during the season, and lots of western flyfishing excursions and some big game hunting, although I have a can am defender for most of that stuff.
I had two TRD off road 4 runners prior, which I found to be ideal vehicles for my use, but I have two daughters and they now have 4Runners. Go figure. I don’t want a hybrid so the land cruiser is out, I don’t like the new 4runner, too focused on a younger demographic. GX550 looks great but they are impossible to get and big price jump. So here I am again Looking at Broncos.
Build will be a Badlands SAS fully loaded up. I want off-road capability and will use it. My only question is to go with the Hoss 3.0 or not.
So my inquiry is, how does the bronco do for these uses? What is it like as a daily driver, and what’s it like on longer road trips? Is the fuel capacity a concern because of reduced range? I don’t care so much about mpg, but stopping every 200-250 miles for fuel is a problem. Especially when in remote areas.
is the new style painted hardtop an improvement? No more cracking or leaking?
I‘m really struggling to find a vehicle that meets my needs anymore. Body on frame SUV, no hybrid,6 cylinder motor, real off road capability with high and low range 4x4, locker(s), decent fuel capacity for range, comfort (including not too noisy), room inside for me, my dog and my gear and maybe another passenger, long term reliability, like 100k or more miles.
Bronco hits a lot of these, but maybe fails on some also.
I have read tons, watched tons of reviews and now want to engage and talk with some real owners. Thanks for the time.

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[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

(Owner: 2022 4DR Badlands/Sas/Hardtop/Lux, now 47K miles. Original GY Territories)
Welcome! You are among friends here.
Daily Drive: superb.
Long trips: Excellent, but rear-seat is a bit cramped for humans. With rear seats down, plus gear + dog, you're probably fine. Or keep them up, cover, and put the dog there.
I have the TrailRax TRMX plus PakRax side units. You could easily put a 4-gal RotoPax on each side. Fill up on cheaper gas in NV.

I have the original SAS, which I've found very adequate for fairly aggressive trails and rockclimbing. There's lots of discussion on the Hoss upgrade -- I figure you've looked at some, Lurker -- so your decision is 1) how aggressive an off-roader you expect to be and 2) whether you'll go for larger tires. If your answers are "yes," then go for it. Most tierod breaks, I gather, are when people put larger wheels on stock SAS.

If you go with the GYs, bear in mind they catch and throw rocks the first 5-10K miles, you'll want good mudflaps. I had rocks which worked their way up through the ply and punctured. Also the sidewalls are thin. So they're not perfect, but they're good compromise for off-road/snow/pavement use.

 

[bassist]

I have a 2024 Badlands Sasquatch

Just did a road trip - 350+ miles each way, and it was fine. Not as good as a Volvo, but it’s better off road than our Volvo was.

Fuel economy is worse than our 4Runner was, but I like the seats better and the performance is far better. Cargo capacity and back seat are comparable from a space perspective.


Range is 350 or so.

Get a recent (2024+) Badlands and you’ll have upgraded steering.

We have the painted hardtop, but too early to say anything versus the other tops.

I have Rokblokz XL Long flaps front and rear and have PPF’d the doors (full door). So far, no issues with rocks besides them hitting my own windshield, but no cracks yet.

 

[MNBigfoot]

..........
I have the original SAS, which I've found very adequate for fairly aggressive trails and rockclimbing. There's lots of discussion on the Hoss upgrade -- I figure you've looked at some, Lurker -- so your decision is 1) how aggressive an off-roader you expect to be and 2) whether you'll go for larger tires. If your answers are "yes," then go for it. Most tierod breaks, I gather, are when people put larger wheels on stock SAS.
....

Beginning MY24, every Badlands and every SAS Bronco has the Hoss 3.0 rack, so he'd only be buying the Fox shocks if opting for 3.0 (costing $2355)

 

[bassist]

Beginning MY24, every Badlands and every SAS Bronco has the Hoss 3.0 rack, so he'd only be buying the Fox shocks if opting for 3.0 (costing $2355)

And as I understand it, the Fox ones are smoother over rough stuff, but don’t have as much travel.

So basically, the question is what type of off-roading. For crawling, the Bilsteins might be better, but for other uses the Fox will be better.

 

[sf jakey]

Had the opportunity to drive the bronco and the new gx back to back. They are more similar than different, obviously the Lexus is more refined. Still not any closer to a decision, but narrowing the field. As for off road, crawling stuff is more important than high speed, although I do spend a fair amount of time on Forrest service roads, so the fox may pay off there

 

[CalvinT]

I was just at the Nevada Off-Roadeo. I drove a Badlands SAS. They had us crawling and doing faster speeds than I was comfortable with over some pretty rough roads. Point was to show the Bronco could do it.

As far as gas mileage goes. I drove my Badlands, 2.3L manual, non SAS, 4 door, from Phoenix to LV. Distance was about 320 miles.

On the way up I had to stop for gas, but I was pushing it. On the way back I drove the speed limit all the way. I didn't have to stop for gas on the return trip. Fill up was 18 gallons. Trip up to LV I got a little over 14 mpg. I got 18 mpg on the return trip. That's according to my fuel slips and calculator.

 

[MayhemMike]

Non Sasquatch. Save money at purchase and for the life of the vehicle. Better mileage, and cheaper replacement tires. You will go everywhere the Sasquatch goes. Does the Sasquatch option look better? Yep but at a cost. Good luck and enjoy your Bronco.

 

[superchar1982]

Can’t comment on long term as I just bought new 3 wks ago, but for pricing, ADM is gone. Even in the bay. I’m in sac and got a ‘24 2dr black diamond with Sasquatch package and manual transmission at employee pricing plus another $3k off. 4 doors and braptors were discounted even more.

I asked about pricing/timing on a custom build and was told they had no info on delivery times and pricing is not locked in at time of order. No mark up, but you pay current price at delivery which could be more if ford raises prices due to tariffs.

 

[dangerfoot]

Non Sasquatch. Save money at purchase and for the life of the vehicle. Better mileage, and cheaper replacement tires. You will go everywhere the Sasquatch goes. Does the Sasquatch option look better? Yep but at a cost. Good luck and enjoy your Bronco.

But that means no factory lockers. Sounds like OP might want them

 

[RoLyMa27]

Beginning MY24, every Badlands and every SAS Bronco has the Hoss 3.0 rack, so he'd only be buying the Fox shocks if opting for 3.0 (costing $2355)

So, If you option HOSS 3.0 you're only getting the Fox Shocks. For $2355 would you be getting a Ford version (reduced capability/durability) vs. off the shelf at around 5K?

 

[dangerfoot]

So, If you option HOSS 3.0 you're only getting the Fox Shocks. For $2355 would you be getting a Ford version (reduced capability/durability) vs. off the shelf at around 5K?

Yeah the factory hoss are designed for minimal load but are apparently well valved and good for what they are. I think they designed them with more speed in mind, hence the rollout on WT starting with 2022.5 iirc.
If OP is fully loading out for hunting and stuff, might benefit from a slightly higher end setup...but might as well try with factory fox and see what he does/doesn't like and go from there.

 

[CitrusBronco]

The new hardtop options look nicer and do not have the cracking issues that anyone has seen.
I’ve seen very little leak complaints and that seems to been hit or miss on if you got a leaking top.
Noise, you can not compare to a fixed roof. If you want quite get the Toyota.
The Bronco top won’t get quieter over time, only worse.

The Bronco is better off-road and the Fox shocks are a great improvement in ride comfort.
Good luck, looks like your test driving both and that’s what’s important in my opinion.

 

[CitrusBronco]

Non Sasquatch. Save money at purchase and for the life of the vehicle. Better mileage, and cheaper replacement tires. You will go everywhere the Sasquatch goes. Does the Sasquatch option look better? Yep but at a cost. Good luck and enjoy your Bronco.

If you’re talking Badlands I completely agree, skip SAS and add your own tires and lift later.
If you’re referring to the other trims, not so much.

 

[sf jakey]

Non Sasquatch. Save money at purchase and for the life of the vehicle. Better mileage, and cheaper replacement tires. You will go everywhere the Sasquatch goes. Does the Sasquatch option look better? Yep but at a cost. Good luck and enjoy your Bronco.

Lockers f/r are the reason for sas.

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