Ford Bronco buyers are frustrated after another delay was announced. The SUVs are waiting on hard-top rooves from an external manufacturer. There are some rumors online stirring up misplaced frustrations, making a bad situation worse. Buyers aren’t powerless. There are some things they can do to get more information, estimate their build date or even move it up.

Bronco owners are weary after non-stop delay announcements

It’s beginning to feel like Ford announces a new Bronco delivery delay every week. The bad news seems to come by land, air, and sea. Buyers have received phone calls, emails, and even some late-night registered letters with disappointing messages. 

Ford’s initial goal of a Spring 2021 delivery proved to be too ambitious. Ford announced that Summer 2021 would be the earliest any models would roll off the production line. Shortly after the first Broncos hit the street, hard-top owners got the news that their production wouldn’t be possible until 2022. 

Many owners will have to wait until 2023 for their orders

Just a few weeks after the announcement of the 2022 delivery estimate, these same buyers took another blow. In July 2021, Ford sent a dreaded Friday email to customers explaining that several hard-top models would not be delivered until 2023. With this news, a slew of customer frustrations exploded. 

Buyers put down a $100 deposit to reserve a Bronco. In January, they visited their local dealerships and put down a much larger, non-refundable deposit. These buyers are invested, and emotions are running high.

Some buyer frustrations are misplaced

Dealerships have received showroom stock of 2021 hard-top Broncos, while some day one buyers won’t get their SUV for another year and a half. The Ford Off-Rodeo experience received hard-top stock leaving some buyers feeling passed over. Some of these models do not have VINs and will never be sold to the public. 

These early production models lie somewhere between a prototype and a production car ready for public sale. They’re the first models built before any bugs had been worked out. The hard-tops they’re made with are also early examples that could be rife with imperfections and quirks. Buyers aren’t missing out on these non-street-legal models. 

Buyers do have some valid complaints about the automaker and how it’s currently handling this catastrophe. Ford continues to take orders for hard-top models that can’t be built until 2023. Many feel the automaker should close orders until production catches up to demands. 

What can Bronco buyers if their order was delayed?

A Bronco owner can do an essential thing if their order has been pushed back: call their dealership. Bronco deliveries will be spread out across North America. Every dealership knows how many Broncos it will be allotted each year. 

Once an owner builds a relationship with their dealer, they can ask where they sit on the allotment list. Buyers in the top 25% may see their vehicles produced by the end of August. Those with lower places on the list may want to consider this alternative option. 

Ford has offered Bronco owners with build dates starting in September a way to get their Bronco faster. These buyers can switch to a soft-top model (which will be delivered sooner) and receive a complimentary hard-top conversion kit. This kit includes wiring and tubing used to install a hard-top and rear wiper. 

The latest Bronco delay is frustrating buyers, but they have options to get their delivery sooner. With some detective work and clever workarounds, some may not have to wait until 2023. Some buyers will just have to wait it out.