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A red 1988 Chrysler LeBaron Premium Convertible with a turbocharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder, a digital gauge cluster and black leather is live at no reserve on Hagerty Marketplace. As of Wednesday, the listing shows a high bid of $1,800 after three bids, and the auction closes Monday, Nov. 16, at 2:55 p.m. ET.
The car nobody saved on purpose
A LeBaron convertible was never supposed to be a keeper. It was a mainstream drop-top at a mainstream price, the sort of car that got driven, aged, and replaced. Production figures compiled on Wikipedia put 1988 LeBaron convertible output at 38,197, so it was hardly rare when new. What makes this one interesting is that it is still around, still red, and still wearing a leather interior and a working digital dash.
How Chrysler got here
Chrysler brought the LeBaron convertible back for 1982 on its front-wheel-drive K-car platform. Old Cars Weekly describes it as the first factory-built domestic convertible since the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado. For 1987 the LeBaron moved to the J-body, with hidden headlamps and a more aerodynamic shape than the boxier early-1980s cars. The 1988 model year continued that generation. The listing copy positions the car as a lower-priced alternative to European luxury convertibles, offering upscale styling and optional turbocharged power.
This LeBaron
The listing describes the car as a 1988 LeBaron Premium finished in red with a black soft top and black leather. It has a turbocharged 2.2-liter inline-four, a three-speed automatic, 15-inch alloy wheels, bucket seats with a center console, simulated woodgrain trim, a power-operated top, power windows and locks, cruise control, and a tilt wheel. Hagerty labels the mileage 47,350 with the abbreviation “TMU,” commonly shorthand for true mileage unknown, so treat the odometer reading as unverified.
The clean CARFAX report, according to the listing, begins in 1987 and shows Michigan and Illinois registrations with some reporting gaps. The seller holds a clean Illinois title and acquired the car in 2025. The number of prior owners is not stated. The car is in Normal, Illinois.
The seller says that under their ownership the car has received new tires, brakes, a valve cover gasket, an alternator and air-conditioning service. In a comment on the listing, the seller says the A/C was converted and serviced with R134a and blows cold. The seller describes the car as “Low-mileage” and says it “runs and drives great.” Those are the seller’s statements, not independently verified.
What to know before bidding
The listing discloses several flaws. The convertible top has some holes that have been repaired; the seller says they are sealed and the top does not leak. The windows work but need adjustment, and there is some wear on interior surfaces. A Kenwood Bluetooth stereo is listed as a modification, while the listing also lists an Infinity AM/FM cassette radio among the included items. The gallery holds 134 photos, and bidders should look through them closely, since Hagerty notes that bidders are responsible for their own due diligence.
Why it deserves a second look
There is a case for this car that has nothing to do with price. It is a snapshot of how Detroit sold fun in the late 1980s: a turbo four, an automatic, a digital dash, a power top and a name that still carried a little luxury. Plenty of enthusiasts dismissed cars like this when they were new. A clean, red example with its original-era equipment is the kind of thing that makes people ask why anyone kept it, and then why they would want to. The $1,800 figure is only the current bid, not a valuation.
The bottom line
If you like overlooked cars that stayed together, this LeBaron belongs on your watch list. See the full gallery and seller comments on the Hagerty Marketplace listing. For more everyday cars that survived, read about a one-owner 2000 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe, a 31,500-mile 1978 Thunderbird Diamond Jubilee, and a one-owner 1997 Mercedes-Benz C280.
