Glad-To-Be-Here-iator
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? I’m deadass lol
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Unbiased opinions.
- Thread starter Glad-To-Be-Here-iator
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Mr._Bill
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You posted here, so you already know what you want. After three years driving an Overland, I have no interest in a Bronco.
johnparjr
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Love my Mojave wouldn’t see a need for the Bronco and really have never been a ford fan
hjdca
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For me, watching all the Bronco videos online, and then, coming back to the point one year ago that the Bronco can challenge the Wrangler for 4WD supremacy ---- is kind of a joke now.... The Bronco has a long way to go to get the chops of a Wrangler.
Deleted member 28696
I love my Gladiator but it’s had a couple of issues since purchase. The ujoint bushing fell out resulting in having to replace the right axel under warranty. My secondary start stop battery & sensor failed. I’ve recently read that ford is having problems with engine failure on the Bronco. The Gladiator has many options to accessorize which cost ?but stock the gladiator kind of looks unfinished. Jeep wants to weasel out of covering items under warranty anyway they can, like attempting to blame your aftermarket accessories etc. Adding some items not originally purchased on your vehicle is difficult. Want to add a 115v plug later Jeep dealerships can’t or won’t do it. I did it myself but it’s not part of my original VIN. Even with these issues, yes I'd take the Gladiator over the Bronco any day of the week.
Based on the fact that Ford Bronco Engines are suddenly dying I would stay far away until they figure out why.
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Digger 5
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After spending time driving both, I think it's really an apples/oranges comparison.
The truck portion of the the Glad can't be beat by the Bronco. The bronco is more nimble off road but suffers from forward vision. The Bronco square front fenders really block the view.
The Bronco can do many tough trails but the IFS is a bit limiting. That said, I think it's a significantly better on-road ride (both with aftermarket suspensions). The Gladiator has more wind noise than the hard top Bronco. The Bronco FEELS more powerful. They both suffer from a pretty crummy windshield view with too many fat panels robbing your view. Fit and finish are similar but I'd give the Bronco a slight edge.
The Gladiator more easily accepts a 40" tire. Both rigs will spit out diff parts if wheeled hard with those meats but the IFS of the Bronco is sure to go first.
The break-over angle of the Gladiator and long overhang (departure) on the Gladiator guarantees a lot of scraping in Moab (ask me how I know) but the truck feels remarkably stable. You'll find yourself more hung up in the Gladiator but the straight axle still rules off road.
In the end-
If you REALLY are 98% on road (so..what, 300 miles off road) a year, and don't need the truck function (limited as it is) go with the Bronco. If you like the truck function and wheel (hard) a bit more, go with the Gladiator.
The truck portion of the the Glad can't be beat by the Bronco. The bronco is more nimble off road but suffers from forward vision. The Bronco square front fenders really block the view.
The Bronco can do many tough trails but the IFS is a bit limiting. That said, I think it's a significantly better on-road ride (both with aftermarket suspensions). The Gladiator has more wind noise than the hard top Bronco. The Bronco FEELS more powerful. They both suffer from a pretty crummy windshield view with too many fat panels robbing your view. Fit and finish are similar but I'd give the Bronco a slight edge.
The Gladiator more easily accepts a 40" tire. Both rigs will spit out diff parts if wheeled hard with those meats but the IFS of the Bronco is sure to go first.
The break-over angle of the Gladiator and long overhang (departure) on the Gladiator guarantees a lot of scraping in Moab (ask me how I know) but the truck feels remarkably stable. You'll find yourself more hung up in the Gladiator but the straight axle still rules off road.
In the end-
If you REALLY are 98% on road (so..what, 300 miles off road) a year, and don't need the truck function (limited as it is) go with the Bronco. If you like the truck function and wheel (hard) a bit more, go with the Gladiator.
Wolf Island Diver
Well-Known Member
If you want an unbiased opinion on Bronco v Jeep, you should ask the folks at a Toyota 4Runner forum.
I’ve never been a fan of Chrysler/Dodge from a quality standpoint. But I’m willing to buy an FCA product to get a Jeep because I like the platform, it’s quirks and features, culture and modifiability. Jeep people wave at each other. That’s cool to me. 3 of my Jeeps have been supremely reliable, the Willys MB doesn’t count but my 2013 Rubicon was a sand casting lemon. However you won’t find another modern vehicle that more easily modifiable and has a richer subculture surrounding it (no disrespect to Corvette, Mustang and Miata owners, they come close)
I’ve owned several Fords and worked on many more. Ford has always had odd/kludgy engineering, been difficult to work on (compared to most GM and especially Japanese products) and has a history of digging into the parts bin for random crap to save money on their vehicles. That being said, I’d still buy another Ford if they had something I really liked.
I’ve looked at the Bronco in person a few time, and sure enough saw a bunch of oddball crap that screams “typical Ford” to me, like the weird rear soft top that pivots up, the goofy strut on the tailgate, the chintzy, rattletrap hardtop and the cheap feeling plastics. You know when Jeep people call out another vehicle for rattles it’s got a problem.
On the performance side, IFS will always be difficult to modify but it seems the Toyota crowd has settled into a good base of mods to make good overlanding rigs out of Tacos and 4Runners. Ford could have gone with a solid axle but they were more concerned with marketability of the product. Seemingly, only Jeep can still get away with selling a front solid axle vehicle and switching to IFS probably risks revolt.
The Bronco folks want to run with the Jeeps with 37plus size tires and people keep breaking tie rods. I’ve thought about buying a set to keep with me on the trail to help out fellow travelers. The tie rod issue is a hard dealbreaker for me. If you’re not doing any serious off roading or planning on going with bigger than the 35s, they’re less but not completely eliminated liability. Certainly they are a bigger issue than some of the Jeeps weaknesses, like the FAD casting.
Jeep/Bestop has basically perfected the soft top. The freedom panels on the JK leaked more. The 2 tops on the Bronco, suck. They’re starting from square 1 and Ford has a poor track record for fixing major design flaws. I’m rather impressed at how Jeep has improved the platform with the JL.
I also don’t like the high wasted, high hood design. It’s form over function. It looks really good but the Jeep has superior visibility and less potential for body damage off road. I personally like the sacrificial fender flares of Jeeps.
Having owned late model Fords, I not really sold on the ecoboost engines. On a Focus, yes but not on their SUVs/Trucks. I don’t like the Pentastar either, but I like it more than the ecoboosts.
My gut reaction is that if I was dead set against a Jeep, I’d buy a 4Runner over a Bronco. If you’ve got to run big meats, might as well go back to Jeep for now. Maybe that will change. I’m happy to see the the Bronco however because the competition will force action on the part of Jeep and maybe even Toyota or Nissan or GM.
I’ve never been a fan of Chrysler/Dodge from a quality standpoint. But I’m willing to buy an FCA product to get a Jeep because I like the platform, it’s quirks and features, culture and modifiability. Jeep people wave at each other. That’s cool to me. 3 of my Jeeps have been supremely reliable, the Willys MB doesn’t count but my 2013 Rubicon was a sand casting lemon. However you won’t find another modern vehicle that more easily modifiable and has a richer subculture surrounding it (no disrespect to Corvette, Mustang and Miata owners, they come close)
I’ve owned several Fords and worked on many more. Ford has always had odd/kludgy engineering, been difficult to work on (compared to most GM and especially Japanese products) and has a history of digging into the parts bin for random crap to save money on their vehicles. That being said, I’d still buy another Ford if they had something I really liked.
I’ve looked at the Bronco in person a few time, and sure enough saw a bunch of oddball crap that screams “typical Ford” to me, like the weird rear soft top that pivots up, the goofy strut on the tailgate, the chintzy, rattletrap hardtop and the cheap feeling plastics. You know when Jeep people call out another vehicle for rattles it’s got a problem.
On the performance side, IFS will always be difficult to modify but it seems the Toyota crowd has settled into a good base of mods to make good overlanding rigs out of Tacos and 4Runners. Ford could have gone with a solid axle but they were more concerned with marketability of the product. Seemingly, only Jeep can still get away with selling a front solid axle vehicle and switching to IFS probably risks revolt.
The Bronco folks want to run with the Jeeps with 37plus size tires and people keep breaking tie rods. I’ve thought about buying a set to keep with me on the trail to help out fellow travelers. The tie rod issue is a hard dealbreaker for me. If you’re not doing any serious off roading or planning on going with bigger than the 35s, they’re less but not completely eliminated liability. Certainly they are a bigger issue than some of the Jeeps weaknesses, like the FAD casting.
Jeep/Bestop has basically perfected the soft top. The freedom panels on the JK leaked more. The 2 tops on the Bronco, suck. They’re starting from square 1 and Ford has a poor track record for fixing major design flaws. I’m rather impressed at how Jeep has improved the platform with the JL.
I also don’t like the high wasted, high hood design. It’s form over function. It looks really good but the Jeep has superior visibility and less potential for body damage off road. I personally like the sacrificial fender flares of Jeeps.
Having owned late model Fords, I not really sold on the ecoboost engines. On a Focus, yes but not on their SUVs/Trucks. I don’t like the Pentastar either, but I like it more than the ecoboosts.
My gut reaction is that if I was dead set against a Jeep, I’d buy a 4Runner over a Bronco. If you’ve got to run big meats, might as well go back to Jeep for now. Maybe that will change. I’m happy to see the the Bronco however because the competition will force action on the part of Jeep and maybe even Toyota or Nissan or GM.
JLMOPARMAN
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I’m headed to the Beef forums to ask if they’d buy ground hamburger or chicken.
Koolcarguy
Well-Known Member
I would take my Gladiator sport diesel, my Gladiator Rubi diesel, or even my wifes Tuscadero Rubi JL diesel over a new Bronco don't care for there look and apparently not capable off road seems every time we go wheelin we're pulling someone in our group in a new bronco out? To be ? honest i would take my Jk over a new Bronco if we're going offroad everytime!
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AzGladius
Well-Known Member
I test drove a Big Bend with the intention of possibly buying the one I test drove. After taking the Wife for a spin in it, she HATED it. Soft top was noisy and unrefined, the weird little hinge forward hatch area thing was annoying coming from Wranglers. For 62k, they failed to include cup holders and vents for the back seat occupants. It drove and rode decent, but it felt obese compared to the two Mojaves I tested before finally centering on the Mojave. Now seeing all of the 2.7l EB motors taking a crap, I am certain I made a wise choice.
firemedic2714
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I'm sure I'm not the first to say this, but one is a light duty pickup and the other is an SUV. Not a great comparison.
MPMB
Well-Known Member
If I didn't need & want a truck:
Right now? JT all the way.
Launch version? JT
2nd/3rd/4th vehicle choice? Bronco
NightFog
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IMO,the Broncos are fugly
NachoRuby
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I definitely cross shopped both, along with a Tacoma and a Wrangler. I didn't really car too much about the pickup part, though it's nice. I just wanted an off-road vehicle with a manual. I didn't want to wait on a bronco, and I didn't like the interior. I didn't like the interior or the drive of the Tacoma. I like the interior and the drive of the gladiator, and for some reason, just didn't want another Wrangler at the time (already done that before).
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