eBay Find of the Week: 17,000-mile 1988 Toyota Supra

1988 Toyota Supra

Don’t get confused. This week’s eBay find is NOT the rip-snorting near-supercar fourth-generation Toyota Supra Turbo. This car will probably never star in an action movie about street racers, and it’s unlikely to get much attention from speed fans. However, the third-gen Supra (1986–92) was considered quite a looker in its day, and it was a smooth and sophisticated performer.

Unlike previous-generation Supras, this version was a complete break from its Celica sibling. That model concurrently moved to a new front-wheel-drive platform with rounded looks distinct from this larger rear-wheel-drive showroom-mate. Previous models differed mainly in trim as well under the hood with six-cylinder engines in the Supra versus the Celica’s four.

Likewise, the Mark 3 Supra wasn’t a sports car in the true sense. These were large touring cars that weighed more than 3500 pounds. While the 200-horsepower inline six-cylinder engine sounded powerful in the day, this was a lot of road-hugging weight to overcome. There was a turbo option with 230 hp and an extra 50 lb-ft of torque (246 vs. 196), as well, which could be easily identified by its standard rear wing.

This week’s find lacks that spoiler and the turbo, but it caught our attention for its claimed 17,000 original miles, clean cosmetics, and original unmodified condition. If you watch this space regularly, you know that these time capsules float our proverbial boats. So while this isn’t the most desirable Supra for Toyota fans, it has an automatic transmission to add the final nail in the coffin for collectible 1980s Japanese coupes, it also shouldn’t cost a ton to buy.

With six days left in the auction, this no-reserve listing is already bid to just over $4000 and Hagerty’s Valuation Tools indicates an average (#3) value of around $6500. This should be interesting to watch. Will low miles overcome the automatic transmission when it comes to the selling price of this Supra?