Nicely preserved examples of the Fox-Body Mustang are continuing to grow in popularity, and this 1988 LX Hatchback does appear to be a good one. It is said to be original and unmolested and sports the wonderful little Ford V8 engine under the hood. The Mustang is located in Woodruff, South Carolina, and is listed for sale here on eBay. Bidding has reached $10,800, and at that price, the reserve has been met.

The Mustang is finished in Scarlet Red, and while this is purely personal taste, I think that this is one of the nicest colors that Ford ever applied to a Fox-Body. The paint itself looks to be in really nice condition, while the panels appear to be as straight as an arrow. The owner claims that the Mustang is rust-free, and there are certainly no obvious issues in this area. The original alloy wheels have survived nicely, with no signs of any staining or damage. With the external trim and the glass in a similar condition to the rest of the vehicle’s exterior, it’s pretty hard to find much to be critical of with this car.

I get the impression when I look around this Mustang that it has been someone’s very cherished baby. The reason that I say this is because it is so nicely preserved. I know that it isn’t a terribly old car, but when you look at cars from the 1980s with the sheer quantity of plastic and cloth trim that you received during that time, finding brittle and cracking plastic, along with faded and frayed cloth, is a pretty normal occurrence. We don’t strike any of these issues with the Mustang, with the red interior appearing to be close to faultless. The cloth on the seats is free of tears or fading, while the carpet is free of significant stains or scuffs. The plastic looks really nice, while the rear seat and cargo area look like they have had little use over the past 31-years. There are no aftermarket additions to the Mustang’s interior, but you do receive air conditioning, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, cruise control, and an AM/FM radio/cassette player.

There were two engine choices available to new Mustang buyers in 1988, and the more desirable of these was the 302ci “HO” V8. This fuel-injected unit sent its 225hp to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission. This combination resulted in a car with pretty reasonable levels of performance. It was capable of knocking over 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds, while a ¼ mile was despatched in 14.9 seconds. You only have to compare those sorts of figures to what cars like the Mustang, Trans Am, and the Camaro were producing less than a decade earlier to realize just how fast manufacturers had managed to get their heads around fuel-injection and electronic engine management systems. There were plenty of performance enthusiasts who were grateful for this, and things have only continued to improve to this day. Looking around under the hood of this Mustang reveals an engine bay that presents quite nicely for a car of this age. It isn’t perfect, but it is still neat and tidy. The owner says that the car runs and drives really well and that it has been meticulously maintained since new. If this is true, and the owner’s claim that the Mustang has a genuine 88,000 miles on its odometer can be verified, then this is a car that should have plenty of life left in it yet.

This 1988 Mustang LX is a car that presents nicely, and with the HO engine and manual transmission, it has the most desirable of drive-trains. The Fox-Body Mustangs are an interesting proposition as a collectible, because a few years ago, I made the decision that when I reach retirement age, I would park a V8 example in my workshop because they were an affordable classic. Today, they remain affordable, but values are steadily rising. I suspect that by the time that I am in the market for one, they will probably be out of my reach. With that in mind, now would seem like a good time to consider investing in a 1980s classic.