Supra Success Story: Young Enthusiast Finds His Dream Car on ClassicCars.com

The Toyota Supra name is revered (dare we say, even sacred?) in the realm of import sports cars. For generations, it has captivated purists and tuners alike as one of the best-balanced and most engaging cars in the marketplace. Back in December 2022, I featured a Pick of the Day about a 1987 Supra listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Florida.

Almost a year and a half later, I received a direct message on Instagram from the individual who ended up buying that car. It said, “Hi, I wanted to reach out because I ended up with one of the cars you made a Pick of the Day about.” Naturally, I had to know more! And by the way, this wasn’t the first time I had received such a message. In 2022, I wrote a story about a 2002 Chevrolet Camaro that found its new home via one of our stories.

I took the opportunity to have a Q&A session with Skyler about his pride and joy. The car itself stood out to me from the beginning due to its well-preserved condition. Turns out, Skyler was equally drawn to it. And one thing unique about Skyler is that is fits into a young demographic, at only 20 years old. Here is our dialogue:

What is your first name and where do you live?

I’m Skyler, and I’m a 20-year-old currently living in Southwest Florida.

As a young enthusiast of classic cars, what is your favorite thing about the hobby?

There are many things I enjoy about the car enthusiast hobby. There’s nothing like getting back to basics when it comes to cars, something about older cars provides a much more raw and enjoyable experience behind the wheel. There are a lot of car events in my area, and many people that I’ve met through owning this car that I would have never met otherwise, people who’ve become some of my greatest friends. My favorite thing though is when my car brings people back in time. Almost every time I take out the Supra, someone tells me a new story about how they knew someone, or had one at some point, and every single time they all say the same thing: Keep That Car. It brings me a feeling that is unmatched, I have become one of the people keeping the past alive, and I am all for it.

Had you been looking for a Mark III Supra for a while, or did this car come up unexpectedly?

The Mark III Supra came completely unexpectedly, but I am glad that I found it. A lot of people got their love for the Supra from the movie Fast and Furious, or from growing up desiring them, but my story is completely from the left field. Growing up, the only two car things I knew of were video games, like “Test Drive,” and that I loved my dad’s supercharged BMW E36. Growing up with my dad driving me around in that E36 had given me the desire to learn how to drive a manual, it looked thrilling, and sounded even better.

I had voiced to my friend Trey that I wanted an E36 since I found it cool. He realized that I knew nothing about cars, and suggested that I look into different ones before making a decision like that so suddenly. After a few hours of looking up cars with him, I realized that I wanted a Mk3 Supra, specifically a pre-facelift, I looked up ‘1987 Supra’, and an article appeared as one of the first results. “Pick of the Day: 1987 Toyota Supra, A rare unmodified Supra” By Tyson Hugie.

After reading through the article, I realized the car was being sold by a couple that lived FIVE MINUTES AWAY FROM ME!

I had never seen anything like it, the sleek design, those sharp bodylines and that retro stance, the popup headlights, the Burgundy interior, this thing was screaming 80s at me. My interest got the better of me, and next thing you know, I was off to give it a visit. My whole perspective of the car world had changed that day. It literally sent a chill up my spine when it rounded the corner into the parking lot. This was the car, and I knew it.

What most attracted you to this particular car?

I knew that I had wanted an older car, preferably with an inline and a five-speed transmission, and the A70 provided both. It’s also my favorite year of the A70, a pre-facelift, and the first year turbo model from 1987. The A70’s exterior and interior went through many changes over its time in production, but something about the 87’s design really speaks to me. It paved the way for what the Supra became known for, a sports car with a turbocharged inline-six.

I also feel that it is a good balance, it’s sleek but not too flashy, it knows what it is and delivers. It’s low to the ground, retro, and provides a raw driving experience with no tablet screens or unreasonable amounts of technology. It also has a spare tire, four seats (which has come in handy more than once) and a pretty big trunk, the A70 is an enjoyable sports car with daily benefits.

My favorite thing about this car though is the sound, it is genuinely a time capsule, and the HKS exhaust and cold air intake I slapped on to allow that turbocharged inline-six to sing. Every time I start that thing up it brings a smile to my face, and every time I park it, you already know I end up looking back at it.

I noticed you are involved in a local Supra club. How is the enthusiast community in your area?

The enthusiast community in Southwest Florida is very enjoyable, there are plenty of car events and clubs in the area. To name a few: Cars and Coffee 239, 239 Millennial Car Show, Wawa Meets, Southwest Florida Car Club, and many more. My first car meet that I went to was hosted by Southwest Florida Car Club, and from that day on I realized just how uncommon this car really was. It had caught everyone by surprise, to them it was like they were looking at a ghost. I’ve become known as ‘the white Mk3 Supra kid’ and I am all for it.

I actually founded the local Supra club located here (Supras of SWFL), and we will occasionally cruise to car meets together, or host car meets ourselves. We are currently 33 Supras strong, and still growing. I’ve made many new friends along the way, and the environment is calm and positive. The area is known for having many people who are retired, and the cars that they bring out never disappoint, I’ve seen cars here that I thought I’d never see once in a lifetime.

How many miles have you added to the car since you bought it?

I’ve added 10,000 miles to the car myself, and I plan to keep driving it. I’ll typically drive it 2-3 times a week.

What future plans do you have for the vehicle?

I want to keep it as original as I feel fit, there will be absolutely no body modifications, that extremely comfy burgundy interior is also staying. I feel that the car speaks for itself, so improving the handling and getting it in tip top shape have been my two main priorities.

This car has been needing a lot of love, I ended up getting it for $15 grand, and I’ve already sunk about 5 grand more into it. There will definitely be more maintenance and more parts that need to be replaced, but I am doing my best to keep it alive and well. I’d be okay with owning this for the rest of my life.