Buying a classic car where you can be confident that you won’t be handing over a stack of cash for mechanical work in the near future is always a good thing. That seems to be the case with this 1991 Ford Mustang LX Hatchback. The current owner has had its engine and transmission rebuilt, which means that there is the potential for countless miles of trouble-free motoring. He has decided that the time has come to part with the Ford, so he has listed it for sale here on eBay. It is located in Miramar, Florida, and the bidding is sitting at $5,133. The reserve is met, so someone will soon be hitting the road in this mighty Mustang.

The owner describes the Mustang as looking good “from 10 feet away.” When you examine the supplied photos, it becomes apparent why he says that. The Titanium Frost paint is consistent across the entire vehicle, but it has lost its gloss. I’m not sure whether it would respond to buffing and polishing, but my instincts tell me not to bet the house on it. I suspect that a repaint will probably be on the cards, but I also believe it would be well worth the effort and cost. Look beyond the paint, and you find a Fox-Body with a lot of potential. The panels show no evidence of significant dings or dents, and there are no signs of rust. The panel gaps are consistent, which suggests that the Ford has not suffered any past accident damage. The plastic trim and the glass are excellent, while the alloy wheels are free from curb strike and staining. The owner does encourage interested parties to inspect the Mustang, which suggests that he has nothing to hide.

When I look at the Mustang’s interior, I find it hard to believe that I am looking at a 30-year-old car with 125,000 miles on the clock. Some of the Black plastic, particularly on the top of the dash, is showing some discoloring. The rest of the interior looks striking. There is no appreciable wear on the heavily-bolstered front seat edges, while the carpet is spotless. The rest of the upholstery and trim are in good order, and I even think that the discoloring on the top of the dash could be addressed without resorting to replacement. The original radio has made way for a CD player, but this doesn’t work. Similarly, the Mustang was ordered with air conditioning, but this doesn’t blow cold. This may be a case of the system requiring a recharge, so the potential is there for it to be a simple fix. This car also comes equipped with a driver’s airbag, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, and cruise control.

After more than a decade of buyers being faced with wheezing and asthmatic Mustangs rolling off the production line, the later Fox-Bodies started to bring respectable performance to the table. This is a perfect example because what we find under the hood is the original fuel-injected 5.0-liter “HO” V8, which is backed by a 5-speed Borg-Warner T-5 manual transmission. With only 3,036lbs to shift, this 225hp V8 should be capable of propelling the Mustang through the ¼ mile in 14.8 seconds. It is here that we find what is probably this Mustang’s strongest selling point. The V8 has been treated to a full rebuild, and the car has only accumulated around 10,000 miles since the work was completed. The T-5 transmission has come in for the same treatment, which means that any of the potentially expensive mechanical work has been tackled by the current owner. This work hasn’t proven to be futile because the owner says that the engine sounds fantastic. It runs well, is very fast, while the transmission and clutch function perfectly.

If someone is looking for a classic car ready to be driven and enjoyed immediately, this 1991 Mustang LX Hatchback has a lot to commend it. Fox-Body Mustangs are continuing to perform strongly in the market, and apart from the rebuilt drivetrain, this one does have another ace up its sleeve. This is an LX, and while it offers comparable performance to the GT, it should command a lower price in the market. That means that there is a chance that the bidding won’t go far beyond where it sits at the time of writing. The vehicle isn’t perfect, but none of its needs appear to be urgent, and it still looks tidy. The fact that the buyer won’t need to spend a fortune on the drivetrain is a huge bonus, and given the bulletproof nature of these V8s, it shouldn’t need to be touched for years. If the bidding does remain at around its current level, treating the Mustang to a repaint should be possible while staying financially viable. The owner encourages interested people to inspect this classic, and if I were in the market right now, I would be tempted to take him up on that offer.