should i get a bronco?

[griff]

Get a bronco. My wife paid $30000 for her explorer and now its worth $8000 after 5 years. I bought my bronco a couple years ago and could still get all the money I have into it back out. If you buy a bronco and decide to sell it in a couple years you won't owe more than it's worth.

Assuming you want to buy one and haven't driven one yet, the long travel supensions drive reeally nice. You can get them from 2 1/2 to 5 1/2"s. It would be good if you could get someone who knows broncos to go with you when you go looking for one. They would know problem areas to look for, such as a lfted bronco with stock driveshafts, or just plain wore out driveshafts.

Also, if you're over 6' don't get an explorer. I won't ride in my wife's for more than 30 miles. I take my truck on long trips even though it gets 9 mpg.

If you decide not to get a bronco, you might want to look for something other than an explorer. My wife's has been recalled at least 10 times, and has been all-around problematic. Though it has never left us stranded. Niether has my bronco.

 

[dmb2187]

unfortunately i dont know someone who knows alot about bronco's specifically, but i do know a very good mechanic who works at the same place i did this summer (one of those "builds character" jobs...ill only tell if you ask), so i was plannin on having his help alot. i joined this board for a reason though, so i hope yall dont mind if i have questions later on.

now whats this about long travel suspensions? i havent come across that term yet. but i am still new and theres alot left for me to figure out. im assuming there is another type of suspension i should look out for?

all help is appreciated!

 

[dmb2187]

anyone?

 

[paint669]

DMB I cannot even explain to u how similar our situations are. Literally everything that you have said applies exactly to me, except for the fact that I have been searching for over a year for a bronco locally and havent found $hit. email me at paint669@aol.com

 

[griff]

The long travel suspensions just have softer variable rate springs. If I spent $14 on a bronco I would make sure it had them, but that's just me. Unless prerunning baja is at the top of your list of things to do, it's nice to have your bronco ride like a cadallac.

 

[BlueBronco]

You might also try WH's site, I know its propoganda, but they have some nice reads on suspension, before they try to sell you ... um.. suspension systems.

I can't speak to driving bronco's tho i've owned mine 10 years. I'd only ever driven it, prehaps 2 months. Its now undergoing a loving frame up restoration. It will become my after work daily driver, as I get a company truck.

Having said that. My cousin has owned his since 1973, it was his first vehicle. And still his primary vehicle. How many folks can say that?

Good luck... OOh if you hear of a vehicle up in WNC, and come all the way up here to see it... i'd gladly look at it with ya! After all, I come all the way down to charleston to make sure there is still an ocean.

 

[giordano]

Get the bronco, you can't go wrong.

I spent 15 months building my '67 Mustang during high school and realized then that I was a gearhead. Spending that time in the shop with my dad was great. It also was the reason why I bought my '73 Bronco. Dad was going on and on about how great his stock uncut (but rusty) EB went in the bush so when i was looking for a winter driver i found a rusty and uncut EB. At this point I just sold the engine and tranny out of my mustang to afford bronco parts. I'm in my second year of mech. eng. right now and the bronco has always been reliable. I haven't touched the engine since i bought it two years ago but it runs better than anything I've owned so far (351w mustang, 351w pinto...). I never realized how cool a 3 speed on the tree was until people start asking why i've got a clutch pedal for my auto.

It's all about being different... I've had other people with EB's just give me extra parts (like brand new flares) and just say to pay them back eventually.... and that was after just meeting them. Most 4wheel guys respect them and give you a nod as you drive by... the girls call it cute (which is the reason it's stupidly loud now), and it 'wheels like nobody's business. I can't say enough about my bronco... you'll only know when you take the top off for summer (or winter for that matter) and cruse/'wheel to your favourite spot.

Don't forget that as you try to fix stuff you will wreck other stuff. Spend money ($8-10k) on a reliable steed and then drive it. You don't have to figure out exactly what mods you want now, that can (read:will) come after.

 

[giordano]

Oh yeah.. i get about 15mpg with a stock 302 2bbl, 3 speed, 4.10's, and 33s.

 

[fuseman]

I say buy the EB. I've had mine for about a year and wouldn't sell it for any amount of money. I keep telling my wife when I die it's gonna be my casket.

When I first bought my EB I put a new motor in it, and since then I've put many more thousands of dollars into it, but in the long run I'll get it all back out of it. You can't say that about a newer, used truck or car. My dad gave me a bunch of greif about getting my bronco but within a few months he wanted one, again. I keep hearing how I could of bought a new truck for what I've put into mine, but remember this, next year that new truck will be worth LESS and my EB with be worth MORE! And it'll kick the crap out of my old man's 03' FX F150 4x4.

 

[Awnrie69]

So it sounds like you are more in the direction of the bronco??? Have you talked to your parents yet? Keep us informed....

 

[dmb2187]

yeah, im definately leanin towards gettin the eb...but im still workin on tryin to prove to my parents they should let me get it. i mention it to my mom, and she seemed open about it, but like ive said before, she generally always is. its just my dad...and i screwed up last week and got him mad at me, so that didnt help anything. i just have to work for it...i think once i mention it to him and show him what all im willing to do to get it (which i gotta say is just short of killin a man..well, real short, but you get my point), he should be on my side. give me 3 months, and id say id have his ok. now if i can just find one he'd approve of...

in the mean time, im checkin out all the sites i can tryin to get the tech info so i can sound smart when he asks me all his questions.

 

[dmb2187]

a 69 just popped up for sale at a used auto lot around here. i popped in to see it real quick, just cause i had to check it out. im going to go back within the week to give it a more detailed inspection, and try and ask some questions about it. where are key places rust usually pops up that i need to check out? and if there is rust, is there anyway to get rid of it?

 

[dmb2187]

i just realized i said popped twice, in the first two sentences...i dont know why but thats amusing to me...

 

[griff]

if it''s minor rust you can just use rust mort (or a similar product) on it and it will neutralze it as black rust. It its rusted all the way through you have to cut it out and weld new in.

On mine I used rust mort on some stuff that shoud have been cut out, and still have had no problems.

If you're looking to get the most for your money I would avoid the car lots.

 

[dmb2187]

alright everyone, somethings come up...now i know 38's are a little impractical, but with all the tread they still have i should be able to sell them, or if i cant part with them i might just buy some smaller ones myself...but check out the 4th bronco down on page 44 of the old photo gallery...anything it doesnt have that i should be concerned about? anything it does have i should be concerned about? i need the expertise of some people more reliable than myself. thanks

 

[griff]

Have you driven it yet? The detriot locker will make the handling quirky, especially for a new driver. Also, with 4.56 gears it won't do well on the highway. Unless you're buying it with alot of off-roading in mind I would wait for one that's a little more setup for street driving. Maybe 3.73 or 4.10 gears with a newer transmission with overdrive. The n.p.435 is a great transmission, but it feels like your driving a dump truck.
What about a top? Don't you need a top?

I would buy this bronco, but not if it was my only vehicle.

 

[dmb2187]

alright thanks, i guess ill keep looking. is there any particular transmission i should keep an eye out for?

 

[dmb2187]

alright thanks, i guess ill keep looking. is there any particular transmission i should keep an eye out for? and he has a couple tops, but i wont use one for most of summer/spring and around here even part of fall. that brings up a point that my sister mentioned...she doesnt think broncos, or wranglers for that matter, are very safe when they dont have tops on them. what do you think? thanks

 

[rayc]

alright thanks, i guess ill keep looking. is there any particular transmission i should keep an eye out for? and he has a couple tops, but i wont use one for most of summer/spring and around here even part of fall. that brings up a point that my sister mentioned...she doesnt think broncos, or wranglers for that matter, are very safe when they dont have tops on them. what do you think? thanks

As long as you have a good roll bar and are BUCKLED IN you are going to be safe. It is when you decide to be a retard and screw around that is dangerous. Reading your posts, you seem like a smart kid, but in my line of work, I see kids your age get hurt and killed because of poor decision making. Not trying to lecture, but I went to a fatal crash about two months ago where the driver killed his UNBUCKLED 18 year old friend because he was reaching for his weed pipe.....and I'm not kidding.

Just remember, they do not handle like a Honda Civic

 

[critt77matt]

insurance

I am 18 and insurance runs me about $250 every six months. Don't go with too big a tire because they won't insure it. Mine had 33" with 3 1/2" lift no problem to insure. I am also looking, but for a 77, my football #. Yea I am a FAT LINEMAN. I only have !/2 your budget though. I don't like to read, but you can find out how to do any thing if you just read. Like the others said they are easy to work on if you have the tools. I had a lifted 1993 Z71 did the lift my self 6"susp.& 3" body but don't ask me to lift the hood on it. No fear with the bronco as long as you stay with a carb. It seems I read some where a guy with a fuel injected 302 said he was getting close to 20mpg?