1988 Ford Bronco XLT

- California SUV
- Two Tone Paint
- Red Cloth Interior
- 5.0L V8
- 4x4
- Clean CarFax
- Rust Free

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1988 Ford Bronco XLT on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the SUV due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 135 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, and a link to its accident and damage-free Carfax history, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

“The 1988 Ford Bronco XLT Was a Surprisingly Good Truck” – Motor Week Review headline, 1988

“Back in 1988, MotorWeek found the Bronco XLT to be a surprisingly comfortable, nice handling daily-driver despite its aging, utilitarian platform. The 1988 Bronco wasn't a full-on luxury off-roader like the contemporary Range Rover, but it was better than its US and Japanese 4x4 competition. MotorWeek was impressed with the Bronco's optional 5.0-liter V8, its rear-wheel ABS brakes, and its stable handling. Watching this tall, heavy 4x4 on a slalom course is funny, but its steering feel, and controlled body roll were praised. It was also good off-road, and MotorWeek liked the fact that locking wheel hubs came standard. The Bronco XLT's red velour interior was nice too…. Back seat space was tiny, though that did mean the Bronco had a big trunk.”

Offered here is a 1988 Ford Bronco XLT in three-tone silver, pewter, and gray over red. Affectionately referred to by enthusiasts as the “Bricknose,” these fourth-generation Broncos (as the MotorWeek reviewer noted) offered comfort and off-road capability in good measure. This California-owned truck's odometer shows 93,090 miles, or fewer than 2,900 miles per-year on average since new.

The Bronco's exterior three-tone (silver, pewter, and dark gray) color scheme is attractive and well-maintained. The darker pewter color graces the hood and cab, the remainder of the sheet metal is silver, while the fiberglass cargo-area roof is dark gray. A red “finishing” tape stripe is in place wherever any two of the colors meet. The paint finish is excellent across the entire truck with good gloss and no damage to the paint or sheet metal. An air-deflector is mounted to the top-front of the hood. There is no body rust. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) Chrome bumpers, grille, West-Coast-style side mirrors, door handles, body-side trim all show excellent gloss and no damage, with only very light patina from age and use, notably on the door handles. The XLT-specific brushed-metal tailgate trim is perfect. All cabin glass and lighting lenses are clear and free of cracks. All factory badging—including the Ford blue-oval emblems front and rear, ”Bronco XLT” emblems on the sides, and “4x4” badge below the front grille—is properly in place. A white “Ford Bronco” vinyl cover on the black rear spare-tire (mounted on the swing-away carrier) shows the bucking-bronco logo. Aftermarket 5-angled-spoke wheels are mounted with Dominator® Radial T/D outline-white-letter all-season tires.

The Bronco's red interior is as well-maintained as the exterior. Red, carpet-trimmed, XLT door panels are attractive and free of wear; power-window controls are located here. Original red carpeting is installed in the cabin and the rear cargo area, and the condition throughout is excellent with no damage. Seat upholstery on the split-bench front and removable (and foldable) rear bench seat is a very attractive red velour in a vertically pleated design. Very light wear is present on the driver's seat, but there are no rips or tears; other seating surfaces are pristine. A black, multi-function, Ford-oval-logo-branded steering wheel frames a red dashboard enhanced with the upmarket XLT woodgrain trim. The shift lever for the automatic transmission is mounted on the steering column. Instrumentation includes the large speedometer and tachometer with smaller engine-monitoring gauges; this full instrumentation was an XLT feature. The original radio and heating-ventilation-air-conditioning controls remain mounted. Four-wheel-drive controls are electronic and mounted on the dash.

Under the hood, the truck's 5-liter Ford V8 is entirely stock. All engine and component surfaces are original, and there are no obvious modifications to the powerplant. The entire engine bay is clean without being excessively detailed. Hoses and wiring are properly routed. Viewed from below, the chassis is complete, straight, and free of damage. The metal plate protecting the transfer case remains mounted.

The Bronco's original data and identification tags remain mounted. The full complement of original owner's literature is included in the sale.

While the more than 135 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '88 Bronco XLT in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

The heritage of Ford's Bronco line is being rightly celebrated by the company with the launch of the new, smaller Broncos. Still, the earlier, full-size versions—like this handsome '88 XLT—actually delivered more cargo space than the newer SUVs. More than that, they captured the go-everywhere appeal that helped create an entirely new automotive category. No wonder they were a favorite of the mythical character, “John Bronco” (search his name on YouTube). And as he might've said, “Dude... They're not making 'em like this anymore.”