I own an 1996 Bronco XL with a 5.0 302 V8 and a 5spd. I am having second thoughts about my bronco. I bought it used for 6,800$ which was a deal concidering it was from colorado so it was never introduced to road salt so it has no rust, only 80,000 miles (highway), and the entire truck was in perfect condition. It had been in an accident but the damage was minor and was all fixed. It had a new radiator put in it. It is a rare bronco concidering how i heard only 1 out of 200 broncos that were made came with manual transmisions. It had all the power i needed with a 5.0 and i just loved it. Later on when i take my friends out all i heard is how i need more power and how my bronc is weak. At first i thought they were all just jelous! Some still are! But after a while i started to notice all the little problems with the XL. I have a very basic bronco, the most basic you can buy. I have crank windows manual locks, manual mirrors, and vinal floors (no carpet what so ever). Then the problems started. The clutch was wearing out and so was the Hydraulic actuater, brakes, radiator, and the suspention. The new radiator was a genaric radiator installed with plastic boots which wore very small holes in the sides of the radiator. I put stop leak in the radiator and it stopped leaking but all the other problems are still there. I need reasurance. I need someone to tell me that i bought the right truck. I need to know that i can take all their pu$$y little blazers and s-10's. Any feed back would be greatly appricated. Thank you very much

 

Problems happen to all vehicles. Don't sweat it.
As for your friends and their vehicles, screw 'em. If it makes you happy and it is what you want, then what difference does it make. You can build that Bronc into something that theirs will never be. You can crank up the 302 to walk on alot of other vehicles. If it is too basic for you, change it.
I have had new vehicles and let me tell you honestly, I will take my 86 Bronco over most any of them. It is simple, powerful, and paid for. It is all I need.

 

Hang in there! Did you buy the Bronco for yourself or your friends? Kids your age will always "cut down" others. Ford vs. Chevy, any other argument can and will be made. Remember talk is cheap. Only listen to those that can back up their talk, meaning those that REALLY know what they are talking about. I have had a 1985 Bronco, I now have a 1996 Bronco. My 19 year old son just bought a 1992 Bronco with 166,000 miles on it. There are things that go wrong with cars. I had a 1994 BMW 530i, which was a great car, but thing go wrong with age. If you are planning on taking it off road much and in the mud, you will like the vinyl floors. As far as the crank windows, the previous owner of the 1992 my son bought had to replace both electric window motors. Use this car to learn how to work on cars. It is fun to do when you see the results of your repair & you may have learned something.

ENJOY IT!
Mike Babyak

 

and besides. I WISH MY BRONC WAS A CLUTCH!!!! your lucky to find one, when i was searching i just could not fid a bronc that was not the I6 that was a clutch! im only looking to sell my truck becasue i found another bronco that has preatymuch every part in it replaced for only 3000!

 

who cares what your friends think. do you like what you bought?
does your 302 have enough power to go 60 miles per hour?cant legally go much faster.
new clutch and actuator about 1100$ new auto trans about 3200$ hand cranks about 10$ each new power window motors about 100$ not to mention you can shut the windows especially when it rains thats when the power window motors go out. manuel locks great for stretching out your muscles. newbrakes everyone needs these one time or another. what do your friends drive? can they get some in the woods in the back seat comfortably. and its probably paid for. yea i think your friends are jealous.

 

I suggest you find some some tough terrain and play follow the leader with your buddies in the blazers and s-10's. You would be the leader, and they try to keep up. I recently ended up driving my bronco through a consistant 2' of snow, in 2WD! Sure, I lost traction, spun wheels alot, and got hung up turning around in a cul-de-sac, but I got home in the mess. A suburban, durango, and land rover got stuck, and they were in 4WD. My conclusion is that my truck made it, not because it's the latest and greatest, but because it's a bronco! I'm not biased toward chevy, I just like the bronco, it suits my needs and wants perfectly. Your manual hubs will stand the test of time better than autos, your truck will clean up easier, you can comforably seat 5, pull a boat, transport cargo safe from the rain, and perform strongly off-road. And you probably won't be freaking out when you get a tiny scratch or two. I personally am satisfied with the 302, when I punch it, it can move pretty well. So I suggest you stick with it. Once fixed, you will probably get alot of life out of it, just look at the mileage on some of the other users. The bronco also has a history and is unique. It's your truck, and if it suits you who cares what other people think? So fix it up, put some mud tires on it, and see if your buddy's s-10 can follow you through 2 ft of snow up a mountain. Good luck with your repairs and have fun learning about your truck, I know I am.

 

Yep that is one thing i like about the Xl. Less things to go wrong. But 1100$ is still alot of cash. Are you shure its not cheaper?

 

hey i was just rough guessing about the costs of repair. another guess is tha the parts are onle 3 to400$ again this is just a guess. a clean place to work and some tools a good manuel and some ambition you could do every thing yourself. you may have to get a ride in an s-10 or blazer but that will be on the road not in the woods. ( ya know to the parts store)
once its repaired it will pee on them guys in the woods.you can take them to a pay phone to call a tow truck, OH wait you have a bronco to pull them out.

just make sure you work smart so you can enjoy your bronco

 

Be sure to check out my response to your other post about your top.

Like the others have said, who's truck is it anyway? Besides, your buddies with the S-10's could park under yours and use it for shelter in a storm. Yeah, an S-10 could probably take you off the line. (Little cars in truck's clothing if you ask me, who ever heard of a "truck" that you didn't have to step UP to get in to?)..but what differnece does it make? When you encounter a downed tree on the road down to the lake (or wherever you may go that isn't exactly highway and pavement) you will be climbing OVER it while they are trying to figure out a way around. If you want to street race and prove yourself, the Bronco won't do you much good, but the minute you punch that 4WD button and wander off into the woods to a nice secluded place with your girl...they won't be able to follow and bug you.
Just as an example, I put my 92 XLT down trail 2 and trail 4 in Tellico North Carolina AFTER a heavy rain the week before. I had NO mods whatsoever, (well 31x10.50 tires but thats it). I got through it with minor body damage and the admiration of several early Bronco owners who swore I would never get through given the trouble they were having. The 97 Yukon in our group had to turn back after the first third of trail #4. And it had lockers front an rear. I don't know if all that means much to you but to many it means the same thing we all have come to know about the Bronco....they were built for thirty years and a large percentage of them are still going and going places S-10's and Durangos, Yukons, and Pathfinders have yet to discover.

 

If you start collecting tools & info (a Haynes manual is a GREAT first investment), you'll soon be able to do anything you want to your truck. I had already rebuilt most of my truck before I got a job as a mechanic, and I never had any instruction from anyone, and about the same amount of assistance. My truck looks like a redneck's beater, but it'll do ~90mph whenever I want to and it ALWAYS starts and drives, even when I abuse it. I've towed ~6x its weight (VERY short distance), driven over a cliff (with no damage), rolled it on the interstate (with almost no injury), replaced just about every part on it with junkyard parts, and it's STILL a useful & reliable vehicle. It works hard every day, and plays just as hard when I feel like it WITHOUT having to change tires or anything else. 7 people can ride in seat belts and air conditioning with luggage, and it'll tow a travel trailer at the same time.

See if any of your friends' vehicles can do half of what's on that list, and THEN consider what you've got - a rolling piece of American automotive history that can do everything reasonably well, and many things better than single-purpose vehicles.

 

I've had my '82 Bronco since new, and a lot of other vehicles, including other 4x4s, during that time. I've kept a log of engine changes (6, plus five separate head changes), transmission rebuilds (4), transfer case rebuilds (2) and all the multitude of assorted rebuilds and upgrades that accompany maintaining it in a reasonable style.

From a cost standpoint, I have to view it as a hobby. There's no other way I can justify the time and expense. If you look at the original repair manuals, which I purchased when new, the normal maintenance items alone are a killer when compared to contemporary 4x4s. Most people no longer know what a zerk fitting is.

But, when all is said and done, I still haven't found any other SUV that will take the beating. And I know it inside and out. And virtually every hard and soft part is available for replacement new from ***Truck. And the 460 removes all issues of a 302 or 351 being inadequate. So I keep it.

http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/george_d/index.html

 

wow, a 96xl!
rubber floor mats that are easy to clean after running over the beach and through the pine barrens!
no pw/dl to break down!
no cruise to conk out
no transfer case motor or connectors to break down
no leather to clean
but, a 4x4 for the off roader that will be a classic (in my mind)

first thing not to consider is what someone else says about a material thing like a vehicle; you'll have more to think about in the future than their remarks.

btw, check your oil pan for any signs of rust as well as the rear fender lips

our 96's radiator leaked in same pl. @ 60k miles; I'm still on the OEM's case about it with another complaint letter.

 

"i found another bronco that has preaty much every part in it replaced"

That describes most Broncos on the road...

 

I just bought a 1971 F-100 because it had everything I wanted, manual transmission, manual hubs, manual windows, and I am going to put vinyl or bed-liner on the floor. You got the Bronco I was looking for and could not find in GA!

When I buy a car/mini-van/commuter I buy an XLT - loaded with all the options. Not for my truck that might be stuck up to the bumper or door handles in mud/water/or snow.

You can probably fit 33x9.50 tires on your stock rims without a suspension or body lift. What other trucks (besides Ford) can you do that to?

I use to work at a Chevy service department and have sold S-10s. Believe me, you have the preferred truck.

BTW: Most people do not sell trucks because they are in perfect condition. What you have experienced is normal for buying a used truck for cheap. Always expect to throw $500-$1000 into any used vehicle as soon as you buy it.

FWIW: For a drive-in movie, I would rather be in a full sized Bronco than a Blazer or S-10 .

 

Thanks to everyone who replied. I am reassured with out a dobut i bought the right truck for me. If your ever in minnesota and you see a forest green Bronco pullin a s-10 out of the mud it will be me!