This 1988 Ford Mustang GT is a decent driver that has some mild cosmetic needs but nothing worth losing sleep over. Mileage is average at just under 90,000, but the real victory here is finding a car that remains in stock condition with no rust. This hatchback-body GT looks tidy on stock Pony wheels and the factory bodykit, but the interior and engine bay will need some reconditioning to be considered pristine. Find the Mustang here on eBay with bids just over $5K, no reserve, and the auction concluding tonight.
The interior is probably the biggest let-down, from the crummy aftermarket steering wheel to tired carpet that the seller notes has some staining. The seats are said to be in good shape, but my sense is that left-side thigh bolster is looking a bit compressed. The large, aftermarket shift knob is a turn-off, but easily remedied. The A/C is a question mark as the seller has replaced the accumulator hose but has not charged the system – so while it may no longer leak, it also doesn’t actually function yet, either. The seller has installed a new clutch, various seals/weatherstripping, passenger-side window motor, and more.
The headlights are tired and would benefit from a buff or straight replacement, given how cheap aftermarket lenses have become. The engine bay is definitely in need of a detailing, and both of those cosmetic improvements alone would likely change the way this Mustang appears to internet buyers. Shockingly, it retains a stock, factory airbox – I thought all of those had been tossed out in favor of K&N Cold Air intakes years ago. Despite the tired appearance, the seller says this Mustang is a healthy horse mechanically and that the Flowmaster exhaust is the only change from stock condition.
Overall, this is the kind of Mustang you could enjoy right now, while making some simple cosmetic improvements for it to truly stand out from other stock, preserved examples. Finding a Fox Body that hasn’t been overly modified or simply left to rot is getting harder to pull off, so buying an example that’s had some money spent on it and treated as a nice-day driver is a safe bet, both from a future ROI standpoint and for the immediate gratification factor. With some time spent detailing and perhaps the removal of the window tint, I could see this clean ’88 going for even more money next time around.
Looks like a fun car for the money. I see old rusted out junk mustangs on BF for twice the money.
sweet!!!!
Sold or $5,500. While it is pretty worn inside, there’s a lot o be said for rust-free; the body looks really good. This is a great start for someone who can drive it while freshening it up. I think it was a good buy.
Pony wheels were not stock on the Foxbody Mustang until 1991.
This car would have come stock with the turbine style wheels.
I see consternation at the high prices for certain Mustangs, which now includes some Fox Bodies (specifically, low mileage original condition specimens). But there are still bargains to be had. Here’s an example. Spend maybe a grand or two on parts to spruce this one up, and you have a nice vehicle which you would be proud of and is very easy to live with.
Pity about that Flowmaster mess underneath. The OE exhaust had a very distinctive and glorious note, sad that anyone would elect to remove that and go down a different path.
The car seems to be a bit too modified for my taste.
The original steering wheel is gone along with the tail lights.
It is telling when the seller doesn’t post pictures of an area that was clearly modified, the rear.
You mentioned the exhaust and who knows what else was changed.
I would have avoided this car like the plague.