If there’s one thing we can generally count on in the automotive world, it’s that folks tend to gravitate toward the vehicles they grew up coveting later in life. Many of us aspired to own certain models when we were young, but simply lacked the resources to actually do so – but when we get older and begin making more money, that dream oftentimes becomes a reality. This particular phenomenon certainly applies to the Fox Body Ford Mustang market, as the folks from Generation X are helping to keep that segment red hot these days, it seems.
The latest version of the Hagerty Price Guide reveals that while the overall collector car market has been a bit flat as of late, there are certain models that continue to gain value at a rapid pace – including the Fox Body Ford Mustang, which was produced from the 1979-1993 model years. Fox Body values have grown by 15 percent on average in recent months, though it largely remains an affordable and attainable target, given the fact that 2.5 million units were produced over that timespan.
“Just about anyone from the era has a 5.0 Mustang story, or knew someone who had one,” Hagerty said of this phenomenon. “It’s no shock that as Gen X enthusiasts gradually take over market share, these cars increase in visibility. Fox-body Mustangs are as important to Gen X as the original Mustang was been to their parents’ generation, so it’s only natural that values eventually rise to match them. They are cars to watch closely over the next few years.”
None of this comes as a huge surprise to anyone that was around during the Fox Body’s heyday, and in fact, the Mustang, in general, previously ranked as the third most satisfying vehicle among Gen X’ers in a study from Consumer Reports. Thus, while values have increased quite a lot lately, perhaps it’s time to get in on the market before they increase too much, which is currently the case with the once-unloved and largely ignored Bronco II.
Comments
Poor GenX. If this is the vehicle that they idolize from their younger years, I feel really sorry for them.
,,, couldn’t agree more. I bought my first new car with a/c.. a 1986 Mustang 2 door non-hatch. Took 37 minutes just to get onto the freeway. Schwinns would pass me in the mountains. IMO, still one of the top uglies of all time.
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I mean, it’s better than the mid-late 70s mustangs, the 80’s brought a small performance renaissance even if it wasn’t what it used to be or what it is now
The Camaro IROC-Z was/is the car to have from the late 80s, IMHO.
I’ve owned my 7 Up ’90 convertible since new. I wanted an original 35 years ago but either couldn’t afford a mint one or didn’t have time to restore one. What I wound up with was a dependable, indestructible car that was quick in its day, still sounds great and gets thumbs up where ever it’s driven. It’s easy to work on with tons of mods available. Don’t like the style? Too bad for you. As the article says, a lot of people identify with the car.