We’re debt free except for the business truck payment and our old Buick is almost 9 years old. It’s been good to us but the wife is looking to get a new family car. She found one with all the features she wants and she likes the looks. It’s a Ford Bronco Sport Outer Banks. I tested one out today and it had an impressive array of amenities. It drove nicely but nothing to write home about.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the new Bronco? Anything to avoid? Good to go? Something else we should be looking into?


On a related note, she also liked the Plum Crazy Dodge Charger.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: mark123,

If you pull the trigger get the extended warranty and make sure you never do anything to void that warranty.

In my eyes their 5.0L engine is solid but I wouldn’t trust any of the other power plants and would only consider such an option with the addition of one hell of an extended warranty and research on that warranty.

Ford’s smaller engines are problematic to put it lightly.

I don't think the 3cyl EcoBoost has the best reputation, but no firsthand knowledge. Coworker had one & loved it, traded it after a minor accident resulted in rattles. He got a Lincoln Corsair, which is probably the same Escape platform in a tux.
The 2.0 in the Badlands is supposed to be a more solid engine.

My 2.3 in my Explorer has been trouble free. Currently at 41k.

I say do it.
However I am with Stickman get the extended warranty with so many electronics these days they can be worth it.

If you do go Ford contact
Jerry Johnson
Warranty manager for Midwest Ford and Toyota
1-800-530-5789
jerryj@midwestsuperstore.com

No one will be able to beat his extended warranty prices and no one does not need to buy the vehicle at his dealership to buy the extended warranty from him.

I know someone selling theirs due to poor fuel mileage. Never heard any complaints about it though.

I can only speak to the 3.5L EcoBoost, which isn't available on the Bronco. I've never had an issue with mine in the 11 years I've driven this car. The 1.5L EcoBoost in some models of the Bronco must be new, as this is the first I've heard of it. The 2L EcoBoost has been around for a few years, so check for reviews on that particular model.

At your guys age that is not a rig I would consider well suited to fit your needs. It is a nitch rig that many get enamored with for some odd reason.
Obviously only you guys know your needs and have to wrestle that with the fantasy wants and determine what wins out .

Way over priced too.

My experience with Fords has been good.

Had an escape for 10 years problem free and traded it in towards a Mustang Mach E.

They are offering decent deals currently I think.

Thanks, friends. Good info about the engines. It did feel like too small of an engine for the weight of the car.

quote:

Originally posted by PR64:
My experience with Fords has been good.

Had an escape for 10 years problem free and traded it in towards a Mustang Mach E.

They are offering decent deals currently I think.

Apparently the deals ended two days ago. The interest rate from Ford is now 6.49%.

I don't know much about the Bronco Sport but I have had very good luck with Ford vehicles over the years.

I've owned GM cars and trucks, obviously Ford, Toyota and a single Dodge.

The Ford's and Toyota's had the best reliability.

My wife currently drives a 2017 F-150 (5.0 V8 and 6 speed transmission) and my daughter drives a 2015 Explorer.

If I was in the market to buy today I would mainly look at Ford and Toyota.

Ford has some pretty serious Design Issues, they think nothing of saving 5 dollars and have no problem with the service life being cut in half due to that savings. Prime examples are ALL of Ford's V6 engines.


The 3.5 Litre V6 has the water pump placed in the timing chain gallery so that if the water pump stars leaking at the shaft seal that coolant will end up in the engine oil. Now think about this, how long does a water pump last. Being a geezer my experiences indicate they tend to fail at 80-100K miles. If the leak is really bad and you park the car long enough all of the coolant can empty into the oil pan and when you start the engine the opil pump will have a Hydraulic lock that shatters the inner gear. With no oil circulating in the engine you'll have a minute or two before a rod end seizes and destroys the engine. Now of the real kicker. If you are pro-active and decide to have the water pump changed at 80,000 miles it will probably cost between 2500 and 4000 dollars to replace that 40 dollar water pump. Because getting down to removing the front timing cover is not at all easy.

Then there is the 2.7 litre V6. What they did was use a rubber/Kevlar timing belt to drive the oil pump. These belts are running in oil and if the engine is very well maintained that timing belt will start showing cracks at 100K miles. As it degrades particles of rubber will get caught in the pickup screen for the oil pump. Which increases the load on the water pump due to having to work against a plugged pickup. At that point it's a horse race which happens first, does the drive belt break up or does enough trash get into the oil pickup to cut off the oil flow. Either way at some point you will have a connecting rod seize and total the engine. As for the cost for replacing the oil pump drive belt, it's another task that requires digging down deep enough to pull the timing cover. In addition because Ford doesn't use a key on the crank snout before you start on the job you'll have ot position the engine at TDC and uses specialty tools to lock every camshaft and the crankshaft into its "timing" position. You will also need a new crank end bolt and the special diamond coated washers that lock the cam drive gears and the oil pump drive wheel together. BTW that cam drive wheel is positioned between the left and right cam drive gears. The drivers side cam drive chain will also have to be removed along with it's tensioners. Cost to replace that belt, probably 2500-4000 dollars.

In regards to the Bronco Ford offers 2 engines for it per my nephew. The base engine is the 2.3 liter ecoboost which is actually a decent engine if you keep it bone stock. Start doing "tunes" and larger turbos at it and it won't last nearly as well as the Stock setup. The second engine offered is the 2.7 twin turbo V6. Which is good for 60,000 miles, so if you lease it for 4 years and turn it in you'll have no problems. If you want to keep it long term then Start saving to change that oil pump drive belt and do that at 80,000 miles.

Finally Whatever you buy do NOT follow the oil change interval listed in the manual. Instead plan on an oil change every 3000-5000 miles.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
At your guys age that is not a rig I would consider well suited to fit your needs. It is a nitch rig that many get enamored with for some odd reason.
Obviously only you guys know your needs and have to wrestle that with the fantasy wants and determine what wins out .

Way over priced too.

I think you are thinking of the other Broncos. The Bronco sport is basically an Escape with a different body.

The other Broncos are on a completely different chassis and are more competitive with the Jeep Wranglers.

quote:

Originally posted by Scooter123:
In regards to the Bronco Ford offers 2 engines for it per my nephew. The base engine is the 2.3 liter ecoboost which is actually a decent engine if you keep it bone stock. Start doing "tunes" and larger turbos at it and it won't last nearly as well as the Stock setup. The second engine offered is the 2.7 twin turbo V6. Which is good for 60,000 miles, so if you lease it for 4 years and turn it in you'll have no problems. If you want to keep it long term then Start saving to change that oil pump drive belt and do that at 80,000 miles.

This car has a 1.5L ecoboost. It’s a 4 cylinder.

Is there something else we should be looking at? I’ve always been a General Motors buyer as my dad worked at the Lordstown plant. I won’t say I’m brand loyal but we’ve never had issues with our Chevy cars.

I believe the 1.5L ecoboost is actually a 3 cylinder engine. Ford recalled over 500,000 of those 1.5L engines for fuel injector failure causing engine fires.
The Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV are two worth considering for a reliable small SUV. The 2021 Forester we had actually had very good interior room for a smaller vehicle. Plenty of leg and headroom.

I'd get a Mazda CX-5 or CX-50, better motor/transmissions.
To me, the Bronco sport looks like the old Subaru Foresters.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
I believe the 1.5L ecoboost is actually a 3 cylinder engine. Ford recalled over 500,000 of those 1.5L engines for fuel injector failure causing engine fires.
The Subaru Forester and Toyota RAV are two worth considering for a reliable small SUV. The 2021 Forester we had actually had very good interior room for a smaller vehicle. Plenty of leg and headroom.

They are inline 4. It’s the 1.6l downsized to avoid the higher tax rate in China. Hooray, Chinese power plant!!

Should we specifically be looking for an engine without a turbo?

Is Toyota still king for reliability? I took a look at the RAV4 and it’s kinda nice.

quote:

Originally posted by mark123:
Should we specifically be looking for an engine without a turbo?

Is Toyota still king for reliability? I took a look at the RAV4 and it’s kinda nice.

I missed the Sport part in your original post. I was thinking just Bronco.
Yes, you should most certainly get a RAV4 over the Bronco Sport.
I also suggest the Hybrid.

Toyotas reign for reliability and their hybrid systems have been around a very long time and are nearly perfected.
Along with a 10 year 150k mile warranty on all hybrid parts.