NoDoorsNoProblem
Well-Known Member
I keep holding out hope for a 4xe 3.6 or a 5.7 gladiator. The pentastar is kind of a dog on these heavy trucks but it's reliable and cheap to fix.
Two different 2.7s exploded...twice on me in less than 3 years before the warranty went on my f150 I don't trust it farther than I can kick it.
I read the 12-page thread on here "Anyone else really happy with their Pentastar?" which convinced me to go with that in my gladiator. In that thread, there was a long post by a member talking about how there are some problems that have popped up with the engine that are widely known....because the Pentastar is in EVERYTHING FCA makes where they need a V6. Just because of the sheer number of them, there are some widely documented problems. Aren't the Ecoboosts the same way? Especially the 2.7, that engine has become the default engine in the F150 since 2015 and sells more than any other engine in the truck, and the 3.5 is going into its second decade of use. Plus its used in a ton of other applications across the Ford/Lincoln lineup. Definitely not defending the ease of working on them, I've heard they are extremely labor intensive, especially for turbo work, which is why techs hate them. (but also, that's more labor hours and $$ to bank...wouldn't they love that?). But I wouldn't say they are horrible...there are tons of 200k+ 2.7s and 3.5 ecos out there, just check the forums.But,
- The EcoBust engines have had a HORRIBLE track record for dependability. You can stop in any Ford garage in the country and ask the technicians what they work on daily and they'll all say "EcoBoosts". I know because I've done it.
- Jeeps have had wash-out floors longer than we've been alive, and the seats are "water resistant". Would vinyl be nice? Maybe for some folks, but leather is nicer so Jeep went that way instead.
- Those fenders are easy to steal. Can be robbed in seconds. I don't see it as an advantage.
- Frameless doors are great when new, but as the years go by they always become a PITA. Won't seal properly, motors fail sooner due to how they have to get used EVERY time you open or close the door, door seals get torn, etc.
- I'd rather pay the money for GOOD 35 inch tires than the ultra-flimsy 35s that Ford uses as OE equipment. Did you see how lightweight those Goodyears are? There's a reason for that...
I see the Bronco as a brand new attempt at a Jeep clone, and I see the Jeep as the product of making a convertible 4x4 every single year for many decades and learning what works and what doesn't.
And I'm not talking about the little plastic pieces that are easy to steal, there should definitely be a lock or a bolt or something to discourage that. I'm talking about the whole sheet metal quarter panels/fenders around all 4 wheel wells. Those come out in under an hour with a ratchet wrench and sockets, nothing else. Check out the 2 door concept they did for virtual SEMA last fall where they swapped out for high clearance fenders, its pretty rad.
And yeah, they could have done way better with tire selection. The Goodyears are super soft and chunk super easily. They should have gone with BFG KO2s and skipped the "need to have something with an MT label"
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