A MkIV doesn’t have to be pristine to command a mighty price, and this one is proof.
It’s been a while since an online auction has caused such a stir. Car sites write about ’em all the time—ours included—but this 1993 Toyota Supra with 388,000 miles has proven to be particularly polarizing. It’s a survivor in every sense of the word with a rusty hatch and leaky power steering to show for its decades of driving. Still, that didn’t stop someone from spending $49,500 on it today.
Despite its signs of wear and tear, the high-mileage ‘Yota sold on Friday is a much more coveted spec. It has the fixed hardtop and a six-speed manual, which instantly up its enthusiast cred. It also has a list of modifications that includes a twin power ignition module and camshaft gears from HKS as well as a Greddy cat-back exhaust. You just know it has an aftermarket blow-off valve, too.
The Supra surely would have sold for more if it were stock, but I don’t think resale value was ever a concern. It was a single-owner car until the seller acquired it to perform basic maintenance and repairs before listing it again. The person who drove it off the lot clearly loved it and they customized it as they saw fit. And really, who can blame them? Are we in any spot to criticize the paint respray when they owned it for another 20 years or so afterward?
You can make the argument that a new Supra is less expensive, and you’d be right. We’re probably better off categorizing that as something totally different, though, as few folks are cross-shopping the two. And while the sale price was higher than the original MSRP, our dollar isn’t worth the same as it was 30 years ago. Hate to break it to ya.
Back-and-forth bids in the closing minutes drove the price up $750 after an offer of $48,750 was placed Thursday afternoon. It was almost surprising to see the hammer drop with the price below $50,000. Still, commenters congratulated the buyer and the seller at the end with one even saying it was “a steal.”
I won’t die on a hill and say this used-and-abused Toyota is worth the money. I know I wouldn’t pay that much but then again, I don’t have that much. In the end, someone bought a car they obviously wanted and the seller has to be happy all the same. The most we can do is shake our heads and nod at the screen.
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