The seller of today’s Nice Price or No Dice Ford 4X4 claims we will find no other “at this quality and at this price.” Let’s decide if those factors add up to a bargain Bronco.
When it comes to performance cars, it seems most of us would like those performances to be more limited than the 173,000 miles exhibited by yesterday’s 2000 BMW M5. According to the seller, that hot 5 Series had almost as much maintenance as miles under its belt, but that wasn’t enough of an enticement to make its $19,495 price tag any more palatable. As a result, it went down in a 79 percent No Dice loss.
In general, the classic car market follows the trends of the used car market as a whole, with values increasing and ebbing over time. Right now, we’re in a bit of a lull, which is great for overly generous holiday gift-givers but bad news for sellers seeking to move the metal.
Hagerty, the classic insurer and a solid source for information about how much one might have to pay for such classics, recently noted five models that have seen significant declines in market value, per the company’s latest Price Guide.
One of those noted was the fifth-generation (1992-1996) Ford Bronco, which, based on most recent sales trends, Hagerty claims has decreased in value by 11 percent. At least the Bronco is in good company, as the other cars facing downward pricing trends include the Maserati Mistral, Ferrari 250GT Coupe, Volkswagen Vanagon, and first-generation Bentley Continental GT.
To be fair to the Bronco, Hagerty notes that buyers are shunning the crappier examples on the market and that sellers are seemingly willing to take less for those as a result. That factor is driving down the entire model range.
This 1994 Ford Bronco XLT appears to be one of the nice ones, as even though it has almost as many miles (171,000) as yesterday’s BMW, it seemingly wears those with little more than a shrug. Like the BMW, this Bronco has had a number of updates and replacements along the way to keep it ticking along. Unlike yesterday’s M5, however, this Ford is as simple as a pimple and shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg to fix should something unexpectedly go wrong.
Part of that simplicity resides under the hood in the form of a 351 Windsor V8. That was the top mill for the Bronco in its final years, and per the factory specs, it makes a solid 210 horsepower and 325 lb-ft of torque. Mated to that is a four-speed AOD Automatic and push button 4WD. Those all should work as required since the ad claims the Bronco is an “absolute dream to drive” and says it has been “mechanically gone through for the new owner.”
Aesthetically, it looks pretty solid as well. The black paint pops (thank goodness it’s not OJ White) and is accented by bright chrome bumpers and polished alloy wheels. In the cabin, the only issues to note are some wonky plastics on the doors and dash, a missing stereo head unit, and a very tired steering wheel cover.
On the plus side, the mouse fur seats appear to be in great condition, and the truck comes with A/C, power windows and locks, and, most importantly, vent wings in the doors. The seller notes that the car is a California native and hence doesn’t suffer from road rot. As a secondary line of defense, the frame has been coated in some sort of protective spray to keep the rust monster at bay. Up top, the truck has a cap over the back end that is technically removable, but that’s a practice that was discouraged by Ford as that cap is where the third brake light and rear-seat shoulder belts reside, making it legally necessary to keep in place.
There shouldn’t be any legal issue registering this Bronco, as it comes with a clean title and current tags. All it would take is the $17,000 the seller asks for that transfer.
What’s your take on this Bronco and that $17,000 asking? Does that feel like a fair deal in what Hagerty says is a down market? Or does that price indicate that the seller didn’t get the message?
You decide!
Los Angeles, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.
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