1988 Ford Bronco Eddie Bauer review from North America
"The real thing"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Serpentine belt. Alternator. Tensioner. Throttle cable. Cruise control. Window washer motor. Radio. A/C. Cruise control. Headliner. Driver seat. Paint.
The alternator was failing two weeks after purchase around 110,000 miles. As I was changing it, the serpentine belt needed replacing and the tensioner was in disrepair. All replaced, and remarkably inexpensive and easy to repair.
The throttle cable needed graphite lubricant and a cleaning, and a cruise control module was inexpensive and easy to obtain at my local salvage yard.
The A/C unit I plan on overhauling sometime in the upcoming two to three months, as I need a compressor and electrical connectors.
The headliner and seats can be re upholstered with relative ease and expense. As for the paint, I plan on stripping away the cracked and peeled clear coat/paint and painting it a metallic silver.
General comments?
Excellent low end grunt. Wonderful turning radius. Starts right up at the turn of the key. I'm 6'3 and I fit in this vehicle. I feel safe and secure, and can see well in front and back of me.
INCREDIBLY easy to work on. Parts are sometimes bolted on a bit tight or tend to get rusted on -- so bruising will tend to be a common trend when working on this horse.
Loud, brutish and HUNGRY. Guzzles fuel at the rate of 10 - 13 MPG, maybe less on a typical L.A. traffic jam. This vehicle is literally unstoppable in the snow with snow tires and it's 4X4 system. Mud or a 24" stream are but a cakewalk for this beast.
Engine runs COLD even while going up the mountains towards Big Bear or Angeles Crest during a 100 degree day.
Transmission shifts are smooth, yet I wish FORD MOTOR CO. would have had the forethought to equip this monster with a 4 speed, like they did with their other Broncos and various F-series pick ups. Not so much for fuel economy, but the 3 speed tends to hunt for gears a bit when going up a steep grade.
I like the short wheelbase on this Bronco, but BE FOREWARNED, it takes some getting used to, not at low speeds but at the highway speeds.
I'm completely satisfied with this vehicle. I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a no excuses REAL SUV.
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|
| Fun, wish it was more reliable! |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1988 |
| Year of manufacture | 1987 |
| First year of ownership | 2009 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2009 |
| Engine and transmission | 5.8L 351c.i. Automatic |
| Performance marks | 8 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 8 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 4 / 10 |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 110000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 115000 miles |
| Previous car | BMW 5 Series |
| Date of Entry | 13th July, 2009 |