u/ActiveWar617

I should likely be negotiating for a purchase of a new Bronco on Tuesday. I’m trying to get them to send me an itemized copy of the sticker, taxes, and fees, and suggested in my email that I might be more inclined to purchase extras if I knew my baseline OTD walking in. Sales rep agreed to do so, but I’ve yet to see it. He did email me to let me know the car had arrived (sourced a specific one from a different dealership with the features I wanted, for a small deposit). I responded thankfully, but politely asked again to see something by Monday, ahead of me showing up. So hopefully I’ll have some itemized fees to look at and prepare to dispute if necessary.

Here was my thought: I’m not expecting a ton of wiggle room, because Employee Pricing is on and it’s already $4K under MSRP. My understanding is that a manufacturer will reimburse a dealership for the losses, at least in some significant part, which I’ll only bring up if they cry poor about the extraneous fees getting knocked off or adjusted.

What I want to say to the sales manager is: “I’ve done an unimaginable amount of research, not just on the car, but on the car sales business itself. One of my best friends sells for Mercedes. I have the inside scoop. The guy who walked out of here before me was probably a sucker; so will be the lady coming in after me. But I’m not. I know the fees that are legit, which ones are fluffed up, and which ones are bullshit. I’m a salesman, too; it’s a game of averages. You’ll win big with those other two people, but I’m just not the one. Now, I know you’re not in the business of taking losses, and I don’t want to rob you blind. I’m not even haggling the sticker because that’s more than fair. But what makes the front of my pants get tighter is VALUE. And you’re a salesman. So let’s cut through the BS. Give me the “ahhhhhh, ok, well-played, you got us” schedule of fees….and then sell me something instead. I can afford the fees; I just don’t want to pay more than I need to. So let’s hack all the fluff, and instead, let’s make it by selling me a Bimini top or a spare tire cover or something. I might not buy those otherwise, so here’s your chance. You’ll get to your number, and I’ll feel like I got bang for my buck, instead of a bunch of stupid fees for nonsense.”

I don’t know, do you think that would get anywhere? If not, I’d maybe talk about selling me an extended warranty instead, IF they cut the fluff.

Went to the dealership today for a test drive. No complaints. I’m thinking I might forgo the Sasquatch package; it’s overkill for me, I think. I can get a lift aftermarket if I want it, which was the main draw for Sasquatch, more so than capability to climb over large rocks. I’m gonna be dealing with sand, gravel, and mud, mostly, so I think I can get by without it.

Anyway….here’s what I’m looking at: with the current employee pricing promo, MSRP is like $52,500. Brand new ‘26 Outer Banks, hard top,Black Appearance package, Lux accessory package. I paid $500 to bring it from another dealership. OTD isn’t settled yet because I haven’t told them I’m going full cash payment yet. I’d estimate it’s gonna be about $56K with sales tax. I wasn’t gonna go too crazy haggling over fees, unless we’re talking dumb services I don’t need or could do myself.

I haven’t purchased a car in well over a decade, so I’m not really used to this, nor do I really have a reliable calibration for “normal.” Money’s not a huge issue for me, but obviously I don’t like to burn it for nothing either. What do you all think? Overheard the sales manager telling my rep “That’s a STEAL!”….but I also wouldn’t put it past them to do that on purpose, lmao

Keep it really REALLY real with me. Big money on the line, haha.

What’s holding me back from an unbridled Bronco (no pun intended😝) purchase, besides needing to actually test drive one and see if the capability-over-comfort style is really for me, are reliability concerns. This would be my daily driver. And I drive A LOT.

Currently, I am making 1-2 round trips of about 500 miles per week. I’m dual-caretaking on opposite sides of the state, and one of them, my dad, is 94, so as much as I hope he lives to 120, that side of it would very likely end during my ownership of the next car I buy, and then my travel would drop drastically, maybe 10K miles per year or less. But it’s 25-30K these days.

But for now, this is the reality, a new car can’t be pushed off any longer, and I really love (for now) the IDEA of the Bronco. And my old man would be covering a big chunk of the cost. All future car purchases will be solely from my own pocket, so I’m measuring if this is the time to roll the dice, or to be practical, get a 4Runner, and have better resale value later on. I’ll be able to afford it either way, but I still of course consider it.

So for those who daily drive one: how is it holding up for you? Being in the cross-state caretaking situation, not getting here or there is simply not an option. I got here on a misfiring engine this past trip, lmao (somehow has righted itself too). So I can’t be having the Check Engine light coming on or getting weird rattles or troublesome fluid leaks in those first 50K miles, which will be accumulated in the two first years, if my dad makes it as long as I hope.

I want the fun and the aesthetics enough to deal with some inefficiencies or drawbacks, but what I can’t have is a car that’s in the shop for anything beyond routine maintenance with any regularity.

I know I’m asking a Bronco Fan Club, haha, but what’s the real deal on the quality and reliability, in your experience? I’d probably get 2024 or maybe even a new one. I’m aware of the 2.7L engine troubles and would opt for a 2.3L.

Thanks!!!