Am I stupid to buy a Ford Bronco from the 90s?
Me and my sister are going to split the money for purchasing a Bronco. Are parts super expensive to replace? Are they reliable? What is a good mileage to buy a used Bronco at? A specific year you'd recommend? How much should I spend for a decent one (Has no problems, maybe just rust or wear on the interior)? We'd like to spend under $6000. Any tips? Thanks. (Please HAVE SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE ON AUTOMOBILES)
I'd buy a Honda, Camry or Subaru instead. HAVE A MECHANIC CHECK WHATEVER YOU BUY BEFORE YOU PUT ANY MONEY DOWN
The Bronco was mostly an F-150, so parts are common. Out here is the desert they are common & you can get some really nice ones - I'm looking at an '89 right now. For six grand you should be able to get one that looks brand new. They made then thru '95, but the late '80's ones with a carburetor are more popular.
If you have 6000 dollars yes that is a very stupid decision. One Fords like most American cars are not very reliable, two you are buying a car that is over 20 years old already and has the gas ratings of an 18 wheeler. Your parts will easily wear out within a few years assuming they're not already half broken.
With 6000 dollars you can easily purchase a much more recent, safe, and nicer car like an Impala, QX4, or basically anything I swear. This is not a good choice bro, I got my infiniti QX4 for only 3 grand and this baby is still running 7 years later.
I had a 95 Bronco for several years. I traded it in with around 267k miles on it. Aside from the bad fuel economy and how fast they go through brakes and tires, there's really not too much to worry about mechanically speaking.
Things to look for:
-Rust on the bottom of the tailgate ( this is common)
-Rust on the inside or outside of the rear wheel wells
- If you take the top off, make sure you store it on a 100% flat surface. It's fiberglass and it doesn't take much to warp it. Once it's warped and placed back on the Bronco, it will squeak incessantly.
-Make sure the transmission fluid has been changed every 30k miles, this is particularly important if it has an earlier iteration of the E4OD
-If it has as the push button 4WD, make sure it works, the electric motor that engages the transfer case can get gummed up/stuck if 4WD is not engaged on a regular basis
- The 351W is the engine to get. There's not much (if any) real-world fuel economy difference between the 302 and 351W.
"Are parts super expensive to replace? "
No, parts are dirt cheap and easy to come by. The Bronco is mostly mechanically identical to the F-150.
" A specific year you'd recommend?"
95 or 96. The E4OD transmission was updated 1993 and again in 1995. The 1996 is OBD-II compliant which makes troubleshooting easier.
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