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Adogslife · 61-69, M
If you’re not going topless, I’d get a 1958 Edition Land Cruiser. Also, the 4Runner, by January, will be a redesign. Both will off road well. Both are much better daily drivers. Both are very very high in retained value, but you can’t go topless. That’s the single drawback.
So, if you need the ability to go without a top or doors for that matter, I’d still go with a Jeep over the Ford. Ford quality is just a joke in general. It’s just not part of their dna.
Saying a top can leak means it does. Untreated leaks cause mold. Mold removal can easily be a $5,000 tear down. And, are they going to warranty that claim after your factory warranty expires? Or, are they going to deflect and blame you?
Finally, looks so matter. That’s why so many choose the Rubicon. Personally, as a daily driver, that’s a mistake. Lifted, big tires, it just isn’t a good ride. It’s rough. Even the basic Rubicon untouched isn’t something you’ll want to take a 3 hour road trip in.
I have a 2020 Sahara. Off roading has been on the beach, not rocky trails. It does just fine. I got the V6 vs the 4 cyl turbo and both tops - hard and soft. Do not get the sky active roof. It’s a waste.
Fun fun vehicle. Very strong resale. Almost crazy. If we take it to NYC, 3.5-4.5 hours, it becomes uncomfortable.
So, if you need the ability to go without a top or doors for that matter, I’d still go with a Jeep over the Ford. Ford quality is just a joke in general. It’s just not part of their dna.
Saying a top can leak means it does. Untreated leaks cause mold. Mold removal can easily be a $5,000 tear down. And, are they going to warranty that claim after your factory warranty expires? Or, are they going to deflect and blame you?
Finally, looks so matter. That’s why so many choose the Rubicon. Personally, as a daily driver, that’s a mistake. Lifted, big tires, it just isn’t a good ride. It’s rough. Even the basic Rubicon untouched isn’t something you’ll want to take a 3 hour road trip in.
I have a 2020 Sahara. Off roading has been on the beach, not rocky trails. It does just fine. I got the V6 vs the 4 cyl turbo and both tops - hard and soft. Do not get the sky active roof. It’s a waste.
Fun fun vehicle. Very strong resale. Almost crazy. If we take it to NYC, 3.5-4.5 hours, it becomes uncomfortable.
LadyBronte · 56-60, F
@Adogslife
I've driven test driven a lot of SUVs that offer more luxury and are great on the road, but I've found they aren't much fun to drive otherwise. Boring.
Topless? Yes, it is a must. I thought perhaps the panoramic sunroof could offer a wee bit of the same feel, but once I found out they open no wider than a regular sunroof, that hope was dashed completely. While they look pretty and let in a lot of light, they are simply an additional expense for a nearly useless option, in my book.
I'm old school and part of my pleasure in driving comes from a manual transmission and the control it offers. The "paddle shift" *snort* offered on newer models, might allow the operator to run through the gears more quickly than a strictly automatic, but it feels to me like a cheap immitation and a watered down bastardization of actually having control of the drive and the skill it requires to have that control.
As far as looks, I appreciate the older style jeep, but the stiff suspension and narrow wheel base make that impractical as an everyday vehicle. I currently have one and it runs like a beast (in a good way and I'll be keeping it). The ford does offer a wider wheel base, thereby providing a more roomier feel and overall comfort to the cab, while, in my opinion, also giving a..."less bouncy" feel on the road and a smoother overall ride on longer trips.
The tops are a stickler for me. If I were to go with the Jeep, I would opt to have both a hard top and a soft top, for various reasons. I think that option stands for the Bronco as well, but all the hard tops available are aftermarket and not a genuine factory made product - could be the reason for leakage issues and resulting damage, although from what I understand, they are manufactured using Ford's actual specs and plans. They are also too expensive for what you get. So with the Ford, it's going to be one or the other, not both. Soft tops are a safety concern in the city. As a female who travels alone quite frequently, I don't relish the thought of anyone with balls enough to use a knife, slicing through the top while I'm stopped at a downtown stoplight, and hopping in. Unlikely, but possible. Theft in, and of, a soft top is also a concern. Of course, it could happen in a hard top as well, but why make it any easier or quieter than it has to be? The hard top is not without other issues - more cumbersome and heavy to remove and replace, room for storage when not in use, leaks, etc.
Crash tests - Jeep has always been lacking in that area. Too top heavy, too narrow, and poor safety measures in general, and those with larger, higher set, tires are even worse. Ford Bronco fares much better in that arena, beating Jeep by a mile! At least that is something.
Jeep has so many issues going on right now, the main being door corrosion, and tranmission issues. And we all know a Jeep can nickle and dime to death on a normal day until you get the bugs worked out. Ford is not without its own set of issues either. Tranmission noises, electrical gremlins.
The gas mileage is comparable in one to another, which is to say, as expected, neither is great.
Now that I'm seriously researching pros and cons, along with making comparisons, it is frustrating.
I can't even order what I'd actually like to have as the packages both Ford and Jeep offer, don't suit my actual wants without opting for the top-of-the-line $90k to $100k (which is ridiculous and not going to happen) editions. I'd be paying for a lot of things I don't want or care about in order to get the few things I do. So I'm going to have to "just settle" for the lesser of the two evils at some point.
I realize in the next few years, finding what I want will only get worse. They will phase out manual trans all together at some point, except on specialty sports and racing type vehicles. It is nearly an obsolete option now.
And hey, thanks for your input! I know your background and realize your knowledge and recommendations stem from years of experience.
I've driven test driven a lot of SUVs that offer more luxury and are great on the road, but I've found they aren't much fun to drive otherwise. Boring.
Topless? Yes, it is a must. I thought perhaps the panoramic sunroof could offer a wee bit of the same feel, but once I found out they open no wider than a regular sunroof, that hope was dashed completely. While they look pretty and let in a lot of light, they are simply an additional expense for a nearly useless option, in my book.
I'm old school and part of my pleasure in driving comes from a manual transmission and the control it offers. The "paddle shift" *snort* offered on newer models, might allow the operator to run through the gears more quickly than a strictly automatic, but it feels to me like a cheap immitation and a watered down bastardization of actually having control of the drive and the skill it requires to have that control.
As far as looks, I appreciate the older style jeep, but the stiff suspension and narrow wheel base make that impractical as an everyday vehicle. I currently have one and it runs like a beast (in a good way and I'll be keeping it). The ford does offer a wider wheel base, thereby providing a more roomier feel and overall comfort to the cab, while, in my opinion, also giving a..."less bouncy" feel on the road and a smoother overall ride on longer trips.
The tops are a stickler for me. If I were to go with the Jeep, I would opt to have both a hard top and a soft top, for various reasons. I think that option stands for the Bronco as well, but all the hard tops available are aftermarket and not a genuine factory made product - could be the reason for leakage issues and resulting damage, although from what I understand, they are manufactured using Ford's actual specs and plans. They are also too expensive for what you get. So with the Ford, it's going to be one or the other, not both. Soft tops are a safety concern in the city. As a female who travels alone quite frequently, I don't relish the thought of anyone with balls enough to use a knife, slicing through the top while I'm stopped at a downtown stoplight, and hopping in. Unlikely, but possible. Theft in, and of, a soft top is also a concern. Of course, it could happen in a hard top as well, but why make it any easier or quieter than it has to be? The hard top is not without other issues - more cumbersome and heavy to remove and replace, room for storage when not in use, leaks, etc.
Crash tests - Jeep has always been lacking in that area. Too top heavy, too narrow, and poor safety measures in general, and those with larger, higher set, tires are even worse. Ford Bronco fares much better in that arena, beating Jeep by a mile! At least that is something.
Jeep has so many issues going on right now, the main being door corrosion, and tranmission issues. And we all know a Jeep can nickle and dime to death on a normal day until you get the bugs worked out. Ford is not without its own set of issues either. Tranmission noises, electrical gremlins.
The gas mileage is comparable in one to another, which is to say, as expected, neither is great.
Now that I'm seriously researching pros and cons, along with making comparisons, it is frustrating.
I can't even order what I'd actually like to have as the packages both Ford and Jeep offer, don't suit my actual wants without opting for the top-of-the-line $90k to $100k (which is ridiculous and not going to happen) editions. I'd be paying for a lot of things I don't want or care about in order to get the few things I do. So I'm going to have to "just settle" for the lesser of the two evils at some point.
I realize in the next few years, finding what I want will only get worse. They will phase out manual trans all together at some point, except on specialty sports and racing type vehicles. It is nearly an obsolete option now.
And hey, thanks for your input! I know your background and realize your knowledge and recommendations stem from years of experience.
This message was deleted by its author.
