The strange thing is, it’s been a while since you’ve seen a First generation Ford Escort on the road. Ford may have built many of them, but it certainly hasn’t built any that will last. That’s why this 1989 Ford Escort LX Hatchback is so exciting. Now for sale on Cars & Bid, it’s not just running and driving. It really looks like it’s in excellent condition.
Why the previous owner worked so hard to keep a Ford Escort in near showroom condition, we don’t know. But we appreciate the fact that they did. With less than 43,000 miles on the odometer, that works out to about 1,200 miles a year, although the listing says the original owner donated it to a charity at some point, so it could have been driven more often and simply sat still for a while.
37But even if it hasn’t been driven for a while, it will certainly be cleaned up. Its Wild Strawberry Pearl Metallic paint color looks absolutely amazing and it pairs well with the red interior. Not everyone will be a fan of the red-on-red combination, but those who do will love it.
At the same time, though, it’s still just a 30+ year old front-wheel drive Ford. Its 1.9-liter inline-four makes just 90 horsepower and 106 lb-ft of torque. Even when paired with a five-speed manual transmission rather than an automatic, it will still overspeed. On a car with more charm, that would be less of an issue, but we’re not sure “80s Ford Escort” and “glamor” belong in the same sentence.
Photo: Cars & Bid
The good news is, the listing says it’s been kept in California for life, so it doesn’t rust as badly as other places might. But even so, it’s hard to imagine that the final price will be particularly high. And yet, no matter which special person wins this award, we’re sure they’ll love it.
Photo: Cars & Bid
