Bought my 1989 Ford bronco two XLT in July 2018. Everything under the sheet metal excluding the transmission is brand new and $10,000 later and I would not sell it for twice that much love my Bronco 2 ! Plan to spend another 5000 on a quality paint job! Great little truck for those who know how to drive it! ❤️❤️❤️
Just got my 1st car 3 months ago, its a 2001 Chevy Trailblazer with the 4.2 liter Vortec inline 6 engine... Absolutely love that thing, and it isn't embarrassing in the slightest, although it is a gas hog with 5.5 mpg on average...
I've got an 87 Bronco ii 4x4 XLT manual tranny and the 2.9 V6. My dad bought new in 87 and then my parents gave it to me on my 15th birthday in 1993. It's always been on our family. It was my first and still favorite vehicle. It's been in storage for a number of years now, but I've been thinking about getting it out and cleaning it up and driving it again. I love that thing!
Never knew it was capable of being with a sunroof. Many of the later ones were 2 wheel drive. The engine I have came from a manual 2 wheel drive. It also is a far more reliable vehicle then the S10 Blazer was. Quite frankly the only reason a Bronco II would fall apart is misuse and accidents. S10s on the other hand at this point are rolling wrecks.
Stormcrow Legendary.....100% correct bro....in fact, every Garbage Motors product is a complete piece of shit, I can't believe people actually want to own any of em....
I had the ‘89 2wd with the Mazda 5 speed trans. It was a gem of a truck. It wasn’t reliable for long drives as these engines had main bearing issues but I had that truck for 7 years. I never got it stuck either unlock my friend in his 4wd Jeep. It was also very light and was very enjoyable on a backroad.
The fundamental problem with the S10 is that the 4wd transfer case selector doesn’t use mechanical linkage, but a vacuum actuator that can fail if not properly maintained. The Cherokee is still a great vehicle, but the GM 4.3L Vortec is an underrated motor.
Will Poundstone The Explorer is different compared to the Bronco. Before you can take the Bronco off road with no problem with the Explorer it wasn't as good.
I just bought an '88 Bronco II and I couldn't be more pleased, it is still a sturdy little truck to this day! Also, shoutout to 75-80 Dragway (where they still film Motorweek) in 1984!! Too cool, too bad it's closed now.
@@endrx444 I sold it a while back, but i do miss it all the time. I'd recommend it as a possible hunting vehicle or trail rig depending on the condition it's in.
I had an 88 Bronco II ended up with 300000 miles and was still running when I give it up. Stock with a little bigger tires off road I would climb over rocks and big logs up sandy hills and thought mud. One time I went thought the mud and a Toyota mini truck was stuck he told me not to stop so I stopped and asked if he needed help. He thought I would get stuck too So pulled out then helped get of the mud. Best off road off ever maybe maybe not but the best I ever owned I had a blow out at 65 mph and not even close to rolling over and it was loaded with 4 people and gear.
I have an 88 4x4 Eddie Bauer. Only downfall is the 4 speed automatic in mine...wish I would have waited and got one with the manual tranny. My 84 Bronco 2 had the manual tranny and was much more fun, and seemed unbreakable...unlike the well known A4LD for its failures.
I just bought a really nice 1985 Bronco II Eddie Bauer 5 speed manual trans and love it! You are right though... some of the really nice ones at classic car dealers were $20 to 25 thousand.
@@softenerguy I have owned 2 of them, an 84 and currently an 88, so I can say for certain it rides just fine for a truck that has a short narrow wheelbase.
@@softenerguy Umm I watched the video, I've owned 2 of them, I know how they drive, and I'm telling you they drive just fine. I've got 30+ years experience driving RBV's...
HA HA ! My first truck was a1984 Bronco II. Best 500 bucks I ever spent ! I have owned four of them since. Cheap, Easy to fix, great in the snow, and a fun ride all around. Wish they bring it back. would be awesome.
They can't bring it back without making it just another upside down bathtub lookalike piece of shit like everything else on the road. RIP the 80s uniqueness.
@earnedmystripes Actually I do remember seeing one of these WITH the removable rear windows. I was always a car fanatic and distinctly remember it, it was in 1984 and of all places it was at the Philadelphia Int't Auto Show.
god I wish something like this was still available. they made all the neat stuff in the 80s - bronco II, fiero, samurai and so forth. now everything is unibody, front wheel drive and has to have 4 doors. they're all just slight variations of the same thing whether you buy a car or "crossover" or what they label an SUV. new vehicles are so putridly bland and ridiculously overpriced it makes you want to vomit all over the place. will be a loooooooooooooooooong ass time before I buy another new vehicle.
+chieftp crash tests, cafe standards all that boo-hoo keeps manufactures from making all the fun stuff anymore. Rand D would be so high it'd impossible to make them affordable. But I'm with you.
+chieftp as a mechanic who works.on.diesels.And automobiles of all kinds.I can say that the diesels are cleaner.Then even your four cylinders they use a fluid which cuts down on nox emotions causing it to spit out clean water and oxygen not carbon monoxide like your four cylinders. Yeah mpg that's a plus too the dodge ram.super duty gets about 34 mph city and 42 highway ford gets 33 mpg city and 41 highway Gm brands get around 35 to 46
I remember when these came out. My parents where looking to trade in their 78 LTD station wagon at the time. They test drove one and they where thinking of getting one but didn't. Instead they got a 85 fox body LTD with a v6.
The pop-open/lift-out side windows on the beige-and-black truck at 2:06 never actually saw production but there are a few pre-prod trucks that escaped with them. Chevy had a higher take rate with their sliding rear windows on S-10 Blazers but they're still rare, and AMC-Jeep had the most successful rear seat ventilation solution of all - two extra doors with roll-down windows in them.
In 1995, I bought a used 1988 Bronco 2 Eddie Bauer Edition., it had an electronic push-button to switch into 4x4. I had a lot of good times driving that little beast.
I always loved bronco II"s and I know people are like but they have rollover issues! they only have rollover issues for people that don't know how to drive them. I had a bronco II for years and took it off roading and everything else and not once did it ever rollover on me.
I think most of the rollovers had more to do with driver inexperience than anything wrong with the truck. It's not a sports car and you can't drive it like one.
A little factoid for you... most complaints for rollover were from the 2wd version rather than the 4wd version. "The Insurance Institute looked at fatalities in rollover accidents between 1986 and 1990 involving single-vehicle crashes for small pickup trucks and some small utility vehicles. For the rear-wheel-drive Bronco II, it found 3.78 deaths for every 10,000 registered vehicles; the rate for the Samurai was 1.11. The rate for the four-wheel-drive version of the Bronco II was 1.74. About 88 percent of all occupant deaths in either version of the Bronco II occurred in a rollover accident, the highest for any vehicle studied by the Insurance Institute." To me, that would even MORE support the fact that those who bought the 2wd version wanted a tall station wagon, not a truck.
+SteelCity1981 Very true. I miss my 1984 Bronco 2. The previous owner neglected it for too many years so by the time I got it, it was already destined for the scrap yard. I managed to keep it on the road for another couple years but it got to the point where the body was in too badly damaged to continue to operate on public roads so it went to the scrap yard, still running and driving as I drove it 30 miles to the scrap yard :(. My bronco 2 would get around 19mpg in town and 24mpg on the highway consistently...pretty good for a carbureted engine and a 4WD truck.
+Trucker Steve Exactly the problem, people who roll SUVs and trucks in general seem to try and drive them like a sports car then bitch whine and complain when they flip them over.
+William Todd (williamtodd) that's a sad day taking something you loved to the junk yard it's like going to a car version of a funeral :( but the good news is that you can still find bronco II's for sale that are in good condition online esp if they were bought and drove in the southeast or southwest where there isn't hardly any snow. :) I was on the "listing all cars" website the other day looking for either a bronco or a bronco ii to possibly buy and I ran into a nice sum of them in still very good condition, esp the ones I found in florida and AZ.
I was just told I am getting mine back. It was my dads and I love the heck out of it. The engine out of it saved a few lives. Even if I can't get the body titled I can drop the engine into a 3rd body and it can continue. I want to hear that engine so bad.
I don't think I have ever seen one of these in even halfway decent shape. It was refreshing to see what they look like before the years of neglect that you see most have
My current 88 Eddie Bauer Bronco 2 4x4 is in pretty decent shape body wise. The engine needs overhauled as its burning oil pretty bad, but other than that its in pretty dang good shape for being 30 years old. The only bad thing is the A4LD automatic transmissions in these things are pretty notorious for failure so I take it very easy since I spent $2400 having it rebuilt since the previous owner decided pulling it behind his motorhome was a great idea with the hubs locked in.
This vehicle was the predecessor of current Colorado and Tacoma functionality (down-sized 4x4 that provide comfortable drive with off-road capability and cargo space). It was a good off-road truck and a comfortable on-road driver. It was not fast but it was tough. The styling depicted what it was, a tough little brut that could get you and your cargo there with little fuss in a variety of road situations. And it looked so good. Miss it so much.
I had a 1990 Eddie Bauer Bronco II. Loved it. It was just fun to drive. It was slow and handled bad, but I didn't care. It looked great and was fun. The 2.9 V6 was a terrible engine. At 100,000 miles the head gasket let go and that was the end of it.
*I was lucky enough to be a teenager when these things were new and all over the place back then* If you bought used you had your pick at very reasonable prices.*
I still own my 1984 Bronco II, but it doesn't have that 2.8l V6 or C5 transmission, they were replaced with a 5.0l V8 from an Explorer and C5 transmission. The truck is still solid and runs stronger than ever.
Emmanuel Acevedo It would be interesting to know. I had an 84 Bronco 2 and could manage 24mpg on the highway with it but everything was ripped out of the interior, it was a bit lighter weight than normal LOL.
I always really liked these despise the smaller size compared to the earlier Bronco’s & they’re underrated, you don’t see many of them on the road anymore. Although, I think there should’ve been a V8 option for them as the Blazer & Ramcharger had. But they were much better than the Mustang II though, that’s for sure!
I find this interesting, they seem to have done every test except the stability cones (even with the cones visible during the braking tests). The Bronco II was known for its stability problems and caused many deaths and costing Ford nearly $3 billion in lawsuits. I wonder why the stability test is missing from this review
You know that Ford paid for this review considering MotorWeek didn't do their typical handling tests and emergency Maneuvers. Ford told them not to because the Bronco 2 had a frightening tendency to tip over even at low cornering speeds. Also usually MW measures stopping distance from 60 mph but this time they measured from 55.
Motor Week did all braking tests from 55 mph in the 80s because the national highway speed limit was 55 mph. They switched to 60 mph braking tests around the same time the nat. highway speed limits became state regulated.
That's the cool thing with the Bronco 2's, they were compact enough you could turn around just about anywhere and take them places where you couldn't take many other vehicles. Did you add the posis? I know they had an option for limited slip rear, so I assume you added the positrac diffs?
My mom had an '86 as well as an '89, both XLT's with two-tone paint and a front bench seat, 2.9L with an automatic and push-button 4x4... she had traded the '86 in on an '89 and then we got rid of the '89 to get a brand new '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee since we needed 4 doors, we've had Jeeps ever since. (:
+Vincent D Well the Bronco 2 and the Jeep both are great vehicles. The early bronco 2's and rangers with the 2.8L V6 engines had some issues related to Ford trying to computerize the carburetor which failed miserably and many diehard RBV fans have circumvented that stupid feedback computer nonsense.
I had a 1988 Bronco II Eddie Bauer Edition with a sunroof and the 2.9L V-6. It was in great shape, reliable (though it topped out at about 90mph), great on gas for a 4*4, and it was a beast off-road! I miss that truck so much. Totalled it going into a power substation at about 55.....
that ones pretty similar to mine!!! i got an 89 II as a first car several years ago, she's going strong! that ditch bounce is so real though, it feels like i accidentally hit the eject button
My father-in-law has a pristine 1984 early production baby bronc that hasn't run in years. It's been sitting patiently waiting for its second lease on life. I think I'm going to make him an offer.
Thanks for posting! My first SUV was a 84 Bronco II. I really do miss my little Bronco II. It was awesome off road and never left me stranded. However it was kind of top heavy and did have the brake locking issue like in the video.
+Trucker Steve Brake locking issue is extremely normal in a vehicle without anti-lock brakes LOL. People seem to have forgotten what it was like to drive like an idiot before all the safety nannies became standard.
I had an 89 Bronco 2 when I was 16 it was my winter vehicle my main vehicle was a muscle car so I always needed something to drive in the winter and the Bronco 2 lasted me four or five years of course it went through about 3 manual transmissions but they were easy change I had it down where I could change a transmission and clutch in about an hour lol I swear they were made of glass
I had bought a 98 Explorer Sport 4x4 2dr and I know it's not a Bronco but basically it's what replaced this Bronco II. It was very similar in styling and options. Was a good truck paid $1600 for it! Left it with my ex girlfriends father when I moved back home due to it most likely not passing an e check where I live. Wound up leasing a brand new 2024 Kia Sportage EX 4wd now it's also very good for what it is! Kia has come along way even copied Ford far as modern designs and technologies.
It is interesting how many comments are made about these vehicles rolling over. I have spent a lot of time driving 2 door wranglers, bronco IIs(three of them)and soon a 61 Scout. Dumbasses roll these vehicles. Idiots who don’t know how to drive them. They handle just fine for what they are/were meant to do.
I had an '89. It was by far the best off-roader I have owned, and I had two Scout Ii's before it. OTOH, it eas downright scary on gravel roads. It felt like somebody else was driving the back end, and he really wanted to be in front. It was also a bit underpowered for highway driving. I had the 5 speed manual. Fifth gear was good only for cruising on flat or downhill. Any uphill at all, or a strong headwind, would require 4th, and a steep uphill would have it in 3rs at full throttle. It would pull a steep upgrade at 70 in third. I wouldn't advise pulling a heavy trailer with one, at least not if you want to reach your destination in the year you started.
I remember when I first saw a Bronco II back in the 80s. I found it attractive in all areas, except the front. I didn't find the grille very attractive. I don't know why.
Back in the day when it was still a truck. Unlike today where you get a luxury car interior, FWD/AWD crossovers, though admittedly the new Bronco is today's version of a truck-like SUV, though not the Bronco Sport. In 1986, my neighbor got a job as a mechanic apprentice at a Ford dealer, so he sold his 1969 Camaro SS and got a brand new Bronco II that he drove for many years. Though I bet he's wishing he kept the '69 Camaro SS, they're worth considerably more than a 1980s Bronco II today.
Hi William - It had limited slip in both differentials and a 3" body lift when I bought it. It's my understanding that a front posi could be ordered from Ford when bought new, but the lift is aftermarket
My best friend had a Bronco ll. It was his first vehicle. One night we were hanging out by the Burger King. Some friends flagged us down and wanted us to follow them. He turned around kinda fast and we did a side wheelie for about 30ft.
In retrospect these Broncos were a lot nicer than their GM and Jeep counterparts. If I could buy good condition one today, I’d definitely go for one of these. Good looking, reasonable quality and nice reliable power train.
I recently got a 2dr 98 Explorer Sport 4x4 with 121k for $1500, it's also based off the Ranger truck same dashboard, engine, drivetrain ect. After watching this I think my Explorer was meant to be the 2nd Gen Bronco II, as matter of fact my Uncle thought it was a Bronco.
Funny thing to note: the side-windows are impossible to remove in the manner shown on the production model, but the manual for the first two model years still explained the process. The opening rear-window was also only available in 1985. Maybe there were issues with the design being leaky, or it was an anti-theft thing?
I have a 88 bronco ii 2.9 5spd. And love it. It's not drivable atm but it's getting there. I'm looking for the true original quick release latches for my side windows.
30 years ago, we were driving good simple vehicles, a fifth of the price of the ones on the road today. When I think of my income level 20 years ago, I'd have to have a spectrum micrometer to tell the difference between then and now. I may have been making slightly more then! Something is very much amuck with the total cost of goods.
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Even the smaller models could be driven off road, today's broncos are not the off road billy goat of yesterday.
Bought my 1989 Ford bronco two XLT in July 2018. Everything under the sheet metal excluding the transmission is brand new and $10,000 later and I would not sell it for twice that much love my Bronco 2 ! Plan to spend another 5000 on a quality paint job! Great little truck for those who know how to drive it! ❤️❤️❤️
My first car was an 88 XLT, so it will always be my favorite. You will always love your first ride no matter how broke down or embarrassing it was.
Edward Cedillo don't gotta tell me, I had a lime green chevette, I invented embarrassing in that car.
I will never love that POS 84 Ford Tempo I had.... I curse that thing, even now. I hope it is rotting in some junk yard. RIP.... LOL!
Rocking a 89, no power steering, and the tfi module overheats, but I still love it.
Just got my 1st car 3 months ago, its a 2001 Chevy Trailblazer with the 4.2 liter Vortec inline 6 engine... Absolutely love that thing, and it isn't embarrassing in the slightest, although it is a gas hog with 5.5 mpg on average...
I had an 88 XLT...loved it.
I've got an 87 Bronco ii 4x4 XLT manual tranny and the 2.9 V6. My dad bought new in 87 and then my parents gave it to me on my 15th birthday in 1993. It's always been on our family. It was my first and still favorite vehicle. It's been in storage for a number of years now, but I've been thinking about getting it out and cleaning it up and driving it again. I love that thing!
Faux wood grain instrument panel, real chrome metal bumpers, I'm in love 😍
Never knew it was capable of being with a sunroof. Many of the later ones were 2 wheel drive. The engine I have came from a manual 2 wheel drive. It also is a far more reliable vehicle then the S10 Blazer was. Quite frankly the only reason a Bronco II would fall apart is misuse and accidents. S10s on the other hand at this point are rolling wrecks.
Stormcrow Legendary
S10 blazers are just fine...not rolling wrecks. maybe there's a reason the bronco II didn't stick around long.
Stormcrow Legendary.....100% correct bro....in fact, every Garbage Motors product is a complete piece of shit, I can't believe people actually want to own any of em....
They are both heaping piles of ass. My 89 bronco 2 breaks every time I drive it
I had the ‘89 2wd with the Mazda 5 speed trans. It was a gem of a truck. It wasn’t reliable for long drives as these engines had main bearing issues but I had that truck for 7 years. I never got it stuck either unlock my friend in his 4wd Jeep. It was also very light and was very enjoyable on a backroad.
The fundamental problem with the S10 is that the 4wd transfer case selector doesn’t use mechanical linkage, but a vacuum actuator that can fail if not properly maintained.
The Cherokee is still a great vehicle, but the GM 4.3L Vortec is an underrated motor.
Lol no slalom.
TheDriftSetup. fear the rollover 😂
Ford paid them not to do it
kclefthanded 427 really
You wonder why?
Know your limits.
I think its time for a Bronco 3! :) These were EVERYWHERE back in the day, so many people had them!
I hope Ford does bring back the Bronco, I think they have all the right tools to make it and perfect their mistakes.
We do have it, it's called the Explorer.
Will Poundstone
The Explorer is different compared to the Bronco. Before you can take the Bronco off road with no problem with the Explorer it wasn't as good.
David Lopez
You could still try to find a used first-gen Explorer, those were basically stretched BII's with 4 doors.
dapenguin2
Thanks
I just bought an '88 Bronco II and I couldn't be more pleased, it is still a sturdy little truck to this day! Also, shoutout to 75-80 Dragway (where they still film Motorweek) in 1984!! Too cool, too bad it's closed now.
My first car in 1999/2000
I have an 88, 2.9 v6 4x4. Love it to death.
I have the same year and I love mine too.
I have one as well ,maybe it used to be one of yours ???
Do you think it's worth it to buy a non running 88' bronco for 500$
@@endrx444 I sold it a while back, but i do miss it all the time. I'd recommend it as a possible hunting vehicle or trail rig depending on the condition it's in.
I had an '87 Two Tone Blue one with XLT trim when I was in the Air Force. I loved that truck and miss it still.
My dad just gave that same exact one.
i miss both mine i had an xls and xlt those were the days my friend.
I have the exact same color combination
I had an 88 Bronco II ended up with 300000 miles and was still running when I give it up. Stock with a little bigger tires off road I would climb over rocks and big logs up sandy hills and thought mud. One time I went thought the mud and a Toyota mini truck was stuck he told me not to stop so I stopped and asked if he needed help. He thought I would get stuck too So pulled out then helped get of the mud. Best off road off ever maybe maybe not but the best I ever owned I had a blow out at 65 mph and not even close to rolling over and it was loaded with 4 people and gear.
I have an 89 4x4. I love it to death.
Tilsen Mulalley me 2 just bought one for $575 Eddie Bauer edition Manuel has 163k miles bought at 158k
I have an 88 4x4 Eddie Bauer. Only downfall is the 4 speed automatic in mine...wish I would have waited and got one with the manual tranny. My 84 Bronco 2 had the manual tranny and was much more fun, and seemed unbreakable...unlike the well known A4LD for its failures.
Did you flip it
Yes it will kill you.
I had an 89 Eddy Bauer. Great SUV i put 398k on it before I traded it off.
These were so cool looking and fun to drive! A clean one today will actually bring good money.
I just bought a really nice 1985 Bronco II Eddie Bauer 5 speed manual trans and love it! You are right though... some of the really nice ones at classic car dealers were $20 to 25 thousand.
I rebuilt plenty of these trucks back in the day but man I still have to say this little bronco II is a lot of fun!
6:34 "The Bronco II has a fine ride on all driving surfaces" LMAO!!!
Just not on washboard roads...on highway it does just fine. Its a truck based SUV, not a luxury sedan, it ain't gonna ride like a Cadillac.
@@wildbill23c Did you even watch the video I referenced at 6:34.
@@softenerguy I have owned 2 of them, an 84 and currently an 88, so I can say for certain it rides just fine for a truck that has a short narrow wheelbase.
@@wildbill23c watch the video at 6:34
@@softenerguy Umm I watched the video, I've owned 2 of them, I know how they drive, and I'm telling you they drive just fine. I've got 30+ years experience driving RBV's...
HA HA ! My first truck was a1984 Bronco II. Best 500 bucks I ever spent ! I have owned four of them since. Cheap, Easy to fix, great in the snow, and a fun ride all around. Wish they bring it back. would be awesome.
They can't bring it back without making it just another upside down bathtub lookalike piece of shit like everything else on the road. RIP the 80s uniqueness.
I have never seen one with removable side windows.I didin't even know that was a option.
pontiachotshot They never released it as an actual option. It was in the owners manual, but not actually an option you could get. nobody knows why.
I would guess it had major leaking issues with that curvature in it.
@earnedmystripes
Actually I do remember seeing one of these WITH the removable rear windows. I was always a car fanatic and distinctly remember it, it was in 1984 and of all places it was at the Philadelphia Int't Auto Show.
A guy on youtube has one. VERY rare option.
god I wish something like this was still available. they made all the neat stuff in the 80s - bronco II, fiero, samurai and so forth. now everything is unibody, front wheel drive and has to have 4 doors. they're all just slight variations of the same thing whether you buy a car or "crossover" or what they label an SUV. new vehicles are so putridly bland and ridiculously overpriced it makes you want to vomit all over the place. will be a loooooooooooooooooong ass time before I buy another new vehicle.
+chieftp crash tests, cafe standards all that boo-hoo keeps manufactures from making all the fun stuff anymore. Rand D would be so high it'd impossible to make them affordable. But I'm with you.
+chieftp as a mechanic who works.on.diesels.And automobiles of all kinds.I can say that the diesels are cleaner.Then even your four cylinders they use a fluid which cuts down on nox emotions causing it to spit out clean water and oxygen not carbon monoxide like your four cylinders. Yeah mpg that's a plus too the dodge ram.super duty gets about 34 mph city and 42 highway ford gets 33 mpg city and 41 highway Gm brands get around 35 to 46
+Chris Wittekind too much obvious what was I talking about?
+leg humper fake mpg stats
The bronco will be returning in 2020
I remember when these came out. My parents where looking to trade in their 78 LTD station wagon at the time. They test drove one and they where thinking of getting one but didn't. Instead they got a 85 fox body LTD with a v6.
The pop-open/lift-out side windows on the beige-and-black truck at 2:06 never actually saw production but there are a few pre-prod trucks that escaped with them. Chevy had a higher take rate with their sliding rear windows on S-10 Blazers but they're still rare, and AMC-Jeep had the most successful rear seat ventilation solution of all - two extra doors with roll-down windows in them.
I had an 88 Eddie Bauer edition. You put the back seats down and you have an unbelievable amount of cargo space. I miss it.
seeing one of these on the road today is like seeing a unicorn !
In 1995, I bought a used 1988 Bronco 2 Eddie Bauer Edition., it had an electronic push-button to switch into 4x4. I had a lot of good times driving that little beast.
Really cool truck in its day! Test drove a 1987 model with my dad when I was a kid. Love 80's cars!
I'm with you chieftp I wish small SUVs would make a come back again
You got your wish. They're here no in droves.
I always loved bronco II"s and I know people are like but they have rollover issues! they only have rollover issues for people that don't know how to drive them. I had a bronco II for years and took it off roading and everything else and not once did it ever rollover on me.
I think most of the rollovers had more to do with driver inexperience than anything wrong with the truck. It's not a sports car and you can't drive it like one.
A little factoid for you... most complaints for rollover were from the 2wd version rather than the 4wd version. "The Insurance Institute looked at fatalities in rollover accidents between 1986 and 1990 involving single-vehicle crashes for small pickup trucks and some small utility vehicles. For the rear-wheel-drive Bronco II, it found 3.78 deaths for every 10,000 registered vehicles; the rate for the Samurai was 1.11. The rate for the four-wheel-drive version of the Bronco II was 1.74. About 88 percent of all occupant deaths in either version of the Bronco II occurred in a rollover accident, the highest for any vehicle studied by the Insurance Institute." To me, that would even MORE support the fact that those who bought the 2wd version wanted a tall station wagon, not a truck.
+SteelCity1981 Very true. I miss my 1984 Bronco 2. The previous owner neglected it for too many years so by the time I got it, it was already destined for the scrap yard. I managed to keep it on the road for another couple years but it got to the point where the body was in too badly damaged to continue to operate on public roads so it went to the scrap yard, still running and driving as I drove it 30 miles to the scrap yard :(.
My bronco 2 would get around 19mpg in town and 24mpg on the highway consistently...pretty good for a carbureted engine and a 4WD truck.
+Trucker Steve Exactly the problem, people who roll SUVs and trucks in general seem to try and drive them like a sports car then bitch whine and complain when they flip them over.
+William Todd (williamtodd) that's a sad day taking something you loved to the junk yard it's like going to a car version of a funeral :( but the good news is that you can still find bronco II's for sale that are in good condition online esp if they were bought and drove in the southeast or southwest where there isn't hardly any snow. :) I was on the "listing all cars" website the other day looking for either a bronco or a bronco ii to possibly buy and I ran into a nice sum of them in still very good condition, esp the ones I found in florida and AZ.
I was just told I am getting mine back. It was my dads and I love the heck out of it. The engine out of it saved a few lives. Even if I can't get the body titled I can drop the engine into a 3rd body and it can continue. I want to hear that engine so bad.
I don't think I have ever seen one of these in even halfway decent shape. It was refreshing to see what they look like before the years of neglect that you see most have
My current 88 Eddie Bauer Bronco 2 4x4 is in pretty decent shape body wise. The engine needs overhauled as its burning oil pretty bad, but other than that its in pretty dang good shape for being 30 years old. The only bad thing is the A4LD automatic transmissions in these things are pretty notorious for failure so I take it very easy since I spent $2400 having it rebuilt since the previous owner decided pulling it behind his motorhome was a great idea with the hubs locked in.
This design is beautiful, I want one !
must of felt like a king to have one of those in 84, the time of 84 Olympics may have been the peak of society as a whole.
This vehicle was the predecessor of current Colorado and Tacoma functionality (down-sized 4x4 that provide comfortable drive with off-road capability and cargo space). It was a good off-road truck and a comfortable on-road driver. It was not fast but it was tough. The styling depicted what it was, a tough little brut that could get you and your cargo there with little fuss in a variety of road situations. And it looked so good. Miss it so much.
My uncle owned an 84' with the two-tone red and beige. Flipped it 11 years later in 1995
I had a 1990 Eddie Bauer Bronco II. Loved it. It was just fun to drive. It was slow and handled bad, but I didn't care. It looked great and was fun. The 2.9 V6 was a terrible engine. At 100,000 miles the head gasket let go and that was the end of it.
Had an 86 B2 in high-school and I absolutely loved it, wish I still had it
*I was lucky enough to be a teenager when these things were new and all over the place back then* If you bought used you had your pick at very reasonable prices.*
These vintage clips are cool 😎
I still own my 1984 Bronco II, but it doesn't have that 2.8l V6 or C5 transmission, they were replaced with a 5.0l V8 from an Explorer and C5 transmission. The truck is still solid and runs stronger than ever.
Do you track your fuel economy at all, curious as to what you get with the V8 transplant.
I never really did track it, but from experience I'd say it was a big improvement over the 2.8L V6. I run a Holley 350 carb.
Emmanuel Acevedo It would be interesting to know. I had an 84 Bronco 2 and could manage 24mpg on the highway with it but everything was ripped out of the interior, it was a bit lighter weight than normal LOL.
Nice vehicle for the time.
When 7 inches of ground clearance was considered a good number. Very nice interior for the 80s
I always really liked these despise the smaller size compared to the earlier Bronco’s & they’re underrated, you don’t see many of them on the road anymore. Although, I think there should’ve been a V8 option for them as the Blazer & Ramcharger had. But they were much better than the Mustang II though, that’s for sure!
I own 2 BII's, both 84's and V6's. Auto and 5 speed manual.
I find this interesting, they seem to have done every test except the stability cones (even with the cones visible during the braking tests). The Bronco II was known for its stability problems and caused many deaths and costing Ford nearly $3 billion in lawsuits. I wonder why the stability test is missing from this review
You know that Ford paid for this review considering MotorWeek didn't do their typical handling tests and emergency Maneuvers. Ford told them not to because the Bronco 2 had a frightening tendency to tip over even at low cornering speeds. Also usually MW measures stopping distance from 60 mph but this time they measured from 55.
Motor Week did all braking tests from 55 mph in the 80s because the national highway speed limit was 55 mph. They switched to 60 mph braking tests around the same time the nat. highway speed limits became state regulated.
Probably true about the handling test. As they were know to roll over. More a dozen people lost their lives in this model
I've had my 84 for 9 years. With posi in both ends, I can go just about anywhere and it turns on a dime
That's the cool thing with the Bronco 2's, they were compact enough you could turn around just about anywhere and take them places where you couldn't take many other vehicles.
Did you add the posis? I know they had an option for limited slip rear, so I assume you added the positrac diffs?
Ford never used posi
Love the shorts.
Haha. I can't imagine those ever being in style
If only they had made a removable top version. This would’ve been a classic.
Dad's was a 84 dark green Eddie Bauer. Sold it at 70,000 miles in 2000 , now worth double what he paid in late 80s.
Damn, cars have come a long way in terms of safety, performance and efficiency.
I love that little truckster! Too bad ford shy away from that little truck!
Anibal Babilonia people were wanting 4 doors in their smaller suvs. The Bronco 2 replacement Explorer was a much more useful vehicle for a family.
Had an 87 with the 5 spd . Put 540.000 miles on it and gave it to a buddy with the original clutch . Some great back country adventures .
This was my first car I got when I was 16, I'm 32 now, this car was exactly what I wanted it to be
I've owned two 88 BII's loved them so much!
My first vehicle was an ‘86 Ford Ranger XLT 4x4 4 speed with Overdrive with the 2.9L V6. Had 280k miles and was tough as hell. Really miss that truck!
My mom had an '86 as well as an '89, both XLT's with two-tone paint and a front bench seat, 2.9L with an automatic and push-button 4x4... she had traded the '86 in on an '89 and then we got rid of the '89 to get a brand new '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee since we needed 4 doors, we've had Jeeps ever since. (:
+Vincent D Well the Bronco 2 and the Jeep both are great vehicles. The early bronco 2's and rangers with the 2.8L V6 engines had some issues related to Ford trying to computerize the carburetor which failed miserably and many diehard RBV fans have circumvented that stupid feedback computer nonsense.
Was there a fullsize bronco review? I would greatly like to see that if possible.
These trucks are older than I am, but they look super cool, and I am thinking about buying one
Love these Retro Reviews and thanks for posting them. Do you have any reviews of the 1989 to 1994 Nissan Maxima, preferably the SE trim?
I'd like to see that also.
liebo76 That would be awesome! My parents had one when I was little.
I had a 90 SE and loved it, but really wanted the 92-94 SE with the 24V DOHC engine. Still the best looking Maxima to date in my opinion.
I agree! It was truly a 4 door sports car then...unlike today.
Shame it had a problem keeping 4 wheels on the ground.
I had a 1988 Bronco II Eddie Bauer Edition with a sunroof and the 2.9L V-6. It was in great shape, reliable (though it topped out at about 90mph), great on gas for a 4*4, and it was a beast off-road! I miss that truck so much. Totalled it going into a power substation at about 55.....
Dang glad you’re OK!
I wouldn't even feel safe at 75 in those as they were prone to roll overs. A dozen or more people lost their lives in this vehicle.
I was wrong Ford paid out $128 million on 334 wrongful death lawsuits
Love my bronco II...
I believe this to be the true Gen 2 Bronco. The small frame with big power output is what makes a Bronco A Bronco.
that ones pretty similar to mine!!! i got an 89 II as a first car several years ago, she's going strong! that ditch bounce is so real though, it feels like i accidentally hit the eject button
My father-in-law has a pristine 1984 early production baby bronc that hasn't run in years. It's been sitting patiently waiting for its second lease on life. I think I'm going to make him an offer.
Thanks for posting! My first SUV was a 84 Bronco II. I really do miss my little Bronco II. It was awesome off road and never left me stranded. However it was kind of top heavy and did have the brake locking issue like in the video.
+Trucker Steve Brake locking issue is extremely normal in a vehicle without anti-lock brakes LOL. People seem to have forgotten what it was like to drive like an idiot before all the safety nannies became standard.
6:35 “It has a fine ride on all driving surfaces”
Bronco proceeds to buck like a rodeo bull.
The Bronco II was pure genius. I my 88 Bronco II Eddie Bauer everyday... :(
I had an 89 Bronco 2 when I was 16 it was my winter vehicle my main vehicle was a muscle car so I always needed something to drive in the winter and the Bronco 2 lasted me four or five years of course it went through about 3 manual transmissions but they were easy change I had it down where I could change a transmission and clutch in about an hour lol I swear they were made of glass
I had one. Loved it. Didnt always love me though.
I had bought a 98 Explorer Sport 4x4 2dr and I know it's not a Bronco but basically it's what replaced this Bronco II. It was very similar in styling and options. Was a good truck paid $1600 for it! Left it with my ex girlfriends father when I moved back home due to it most likely not passing an e check where I live. Wound up leasing a brand new 2024 Kia Sportage EX 4wd now it's also very good for what it is! Kia has come along way even copied Ford far as modern designs and technologies.
It is interesting how many comments are made about these vehicles rolling over. I have spent a lot of time driving 2 door wranglers, bronco IIs(three of them)and soon a 61 Scout. Dumbasses roll these vehicles. Idiots who don’t know how to drive them. They handle just fine for what they are/were meant to do.
I had an '89. It was by far the best off-roader I have owned, and I had two Scout Ii's before it. OTOH, it eas downright scary on gravel roads. It felt like somebody else was driving the back end, and he really wanted to be in front. It was also a bit underpowered for highway driving. I had the 5 speed manual. Fifth gear was good only for cruising on flat or downhill. Any uphill at all, or a strong headwind, would require 4th, and a steep uphill would have it in 3rs at full throttle. It would pull a steep upgrade at 70 in third. I wouldn't advise pulling a heavy trailer with one, at least not if you want to reach your destination in the year you started.
I had paid $ 15,400 in 1984. I had the push bar, footstool with light. Tricolor band on the sides, rear bumper in walking feet
I remember when I first saw a Bronco II back in the 80s. I found it attractive in all areas, except the front. I didn't find the grille very attractive. I don't know why.
Back in the day when it was still a truck. Unlike today where you get a luxury car interior, FWD/AWD crossovers, though admittedly the new Bronco is today's version of a truck-like SUV, though not the Bronco Sport. In 1986, my neighbor got a job as a mechanic apprentice at a Ford dealer, so he sold his 1969 Camaro SS and got a brand new Bronco II that he drove for many years. Though I bet he's wishing he kept the '69 Camaro SS, they're worth considerably more than a 1980s Bronco II today.
Hi William - It had limited slip in both differentials and a 3" body lift when I bought it. It's my understanding that a front posi could be ordered from Ford when bought new, but the lift is aftermarket
yes. I ordered my 84 with limited slip front & rear. It came with a dana 44 up font
That was extremely rare to see limited slip in the front end.
I think that's an international scout at the 1:34 mark? nice!
The Ford Bronco 2 was a good little 4x4 but it got replaced by Ford Explorer in the early 90's ( cue the Jurassic Park music lol 😁)
I’ve got an ‘84. To me, it’s sexy.
Many a good time shared in one of these.
My best friend had a Bronco ll. It was his first vehicle. One night we were hanging out by the Burger King. Some friends flagged us down and wanted us to follow them. He turned around kinda fast and we did a side wheelie for about 30ft.
6:35 " it has a fine ride on all surfaces" as they show passengers getting whiplash😆.
The only real and true Bronco that Ford ever built.
115 HP, even then it was a joke. I'm a Ford guy and couldn't imagine owning this.
Bronco II: Electric Boogaloo
In retrospect these Broncos were a lot nicer than their GM and Jeep counterparts. If I could buy good condition one today, I’d definitely go for one of these. Good looking, reasonable quality and nice reliable power train.
The Bronco did not handle like a Jeep Cherokee but more like a CJ7. Ford should have made that clear to the public.
I recently got a 2dr 98 Explorer Sport 4x4 with 121k for $1500, it's also based off the Ranger truck same dashboard, engine, drivetrain ect. After watching this I think my Explorer was meant to be the 2nd Gen Bronco II, as matter of fact my Uncle thought it was a Bronco.
never knew they had ones with the side windows removable that s amazing. first vehicle i ever owned, now i just bought one to have as project
That interior is so fancy......I wouldn't want to get it dirty.
115 horsepower on a V6? Wow, we have come a long way!
The Bronco II, while not beautiful, is a great vehicle that has actually aged very well.
It's one of my favorite looking vehicles ever.
Around 2008 paid $750 for an 88 4x4 manual Bronco 2 with 3" body lift. I can't believe how expensive they are now!
I would kill for that truck. Man.
I would like to see the retro review of the fullsize Bronco.
My mom had an 85 Bronco in that same burnt red color.
Funny thing to note: the side-windows are impossible to remove in the manner shown on the production model, but the manual for the first two model years still explained the process. The opening rear-window was also only available in 1985.
Maybe there were issues with the design being leaky, or it was an anti-theft thing?
They keep the opening rear window up until the redesign in 89 I have an 88 that has it from the factory
I wanted to see it do the slalom course! Were the drivers skeptical about doing that in this vehicle given the narrow width & high roofline?
I had 2 1988s-a 2wd auto & a 4wd 5 s pd. Both great vehicles.
I have a 88 bronco ii 2.9 5spd. And love it. It's not drivable atm but it's getting there. I'm looking for the true original quick release latches for my side windows.
30 years ago, we were driving good simple vehicles, a fifth of the price of the ones on the road today. When I think of my income level 20 years ago, I'd have to have a spectrum micrometer to tell the difference between then and now. I may have been making slightly more then! Something is very much amuck with the total cost of goods.
climbthatmountain yep go try to buy a new diesel 3500 pickup from any manufacturer. Price of a small house