Why Are Used Toyota Supras So Expensive?(Explained)
A friend of mine once spoke bitterly about how costly a used Toyota Supra is. This turbocharged sports car is without a doubt in a class of its own.
Is it that this supercar does not devalue? Toyota Supras do depreciate with time.
So, why then should used Toyota Supras be so expensive? You are sure to find out what makes a used Toyota Supra expensive in this article.
The rarity and high performance of a Toyota Supra make it so expensive even when it is a used model. It was the dream car of kids in the 20th century. However, these kids could not get their dream car, but they kept the dream alive, thereby retaining and increasing the vehicle’s value.
Reasons why Toyota Supras Are so Expensive
The reasons why Toyota Supras are so expensive are as follows;
- The incredible strength of the car
- The scarcity of Toyota Supra
- Value of vehicle and
- The image of the car
#1. The Incredible Strength of The Car
A Toyota Supra has all it takes to be called a solid vehicle. This Japanese monster car is relatively strong.
The engine surpasses all other models of sports cars built alongside this track beast. A Toyota Supra runs beyond the interval an average Supra owner would love to use.
Being a solid car does not necessarily mean it does not get damaged. It can crash or develop a fault at any point in time.
It is about the incredible horsepower it possesses and can maintain for a long time.
#2. The Scarcity of Toyota Supra
In economics, we call something the law of demand and supply. The law states that “ when demand increases and there is a low supply, the price also increases. It is one of the reasons why Toyota Supras are so expensive.
#3. Value of The Vehicle
As I earlier mentioned, the Toyota Supra is in a class of its own. It deserves the value placed on its name. It is because of the high performance of the vehicle.
From the 80s to the early 20s, Supra still retained its value. The fourth-generation Supra has the most expensive resale value.
The MK4 model of Supra in the 20th century was sold for about 40,000 USD, while the GR model was around 30,000 USD. It was indeed an expensive brand of Toyota.
The same MK4 and GR models of Toyota have inflated by 20,000 over the years. An MK4 is $60,000 while a GR is $50,000.
So the Toyota Supra model was an expensive drive and still holds its value even more in the present generation.
#4. The Image of the Car
The Toyota Supra has built an unforgettable image in the past years, since its inception in 1978. Younger people have eyes on this turbo-powered ride but can not afford it.
So they saw it as a vehicle that is used by the rich. That is how the image of this classy sports automobile began and continued.
Then the production of the fast and furious movie skyrocketed this vehicle to a whole new level. This movie brought the car back to the eyes of the public and made the Toyota Supra expensive.
Even some say that the parts of Supras are expensive hence it is an expensive car.
You may read our post to know whether the Toyota Supra Parts are Expensive or not?
Why is Old Supras so Expensive?
Old Supras are expensive basically because of their rarity and image. For example, a 20th-century Supra sold at a jaw-dropping value of 121,000 USD at auction.
It went this high because it is the only Supra of its kind to maintain the original feature that makes it worth the buy.
Another instance is the case of a similar 20th-century Supra used by Paul Walker in the original fast and furious movie in 2001. This time, the car sold for 185,000 USD.
Again, the cost is mouth-watering and staggering compared to the previous auction.
It is where the image comes to play. And for the record, the fast and furious inspired auction of the Toyota Supra model is not original.
But, unlike the first auction that retained its original features, this one has some modifications to boost its speed.
There are still other reasons why a Toyota Supra can be expensive, just as listed in the subtopic before this.
But when you want to specify, the car’s age, rarity, and image are the reasons that make an old Toyota Supra expensive.
You can also know why Are Toyota Supra Parts Expensive?
Are Supras Expensive to Fix?
Yes, a Toyota Supra is expensive to fix depending on the damage sustained.
However, on average, it costs roughly 5,000 USD to repair and maintain a Supra within a space of ten (10) years. Therefore, it makes the annual repair cost 400 USD.
Although, when compared with other Toyota models, the cost of fixing is more. That is understandable given the build and rating of this Toyota model.
Any damage would cost a fortune to fix. So the way you handle your supra tells how expensive it will be to fix.
The fifth-generation Supra is more expensive than other brands of Toyota Supra. The 2020 sports car is a hybrid version manufactured collaboratively by Toyota and BMW.
And as we already know, BMW is an expensive brand of vehicle.
This collaboration has made the repair a bit more expensive than other generations of Supra. The first years of using a Supra are less expensive to fix and maintain.
Within this period, it is less prone to damage. However, as time goes on, you will have to spend more.
Why Are Old Supras so Fast?
Old Toyota Supras are so fast because of their incredible build. The engine is built with a turbo inline cylinder and has a direct 2.6-liter inline six-cylinder design.
These kinds of engines are designed much stronger and simple. And it has an incredible 110 horsepower.
This is for the oldest build of Supras. As time went on, there were improvements. The horsepower and the turbo inline cylinder engine were modified.
Old Supras have four (4) builds that have five-speed manual transmission. But the fourth build has both automatic and manual speed transmission.
The second build of a Supra has an additional 35 horsepower added to the 110 horsepower of the previous build. Also, the turbo inline cylinder engine has a 0.2-liter upgrade.
The 0.2-liter turbo upgrade is translational to the third and fourth build.
However, the horsepower of the third build of Supra is 200 which is a 55+ the older one. Then the fourth build contains 320 horsepower.
A 120 horsepower was added to the 200 making it better than most mustangs.
The mustang has a better and bigger engine. Ordinarily, it is supposed to make it faster than a Supra.
The advantage old Supras have over the mustang is the weight relative to their horsepower.
Supra has a better power compared to the ratio of the weight. Therefore, it makes it faster than the mustang.
The fourth-generation Supra showed much potential in its speed with the upgrades made for the fast and furious movie. The modern-day Supra A90 is the pinnacle of this sports car.
It has a six (6) cylinder liter turbocharged inline engine.
Aside from the engine, it has an eight-speed automatic transmission and 335 horsepower.
People are finding it difficult to accept that BMW worked with Toyota to ensure the production of the Supra A90.
Nevertheless, old Supras are still in the track class and are doing great.
Also Read: Can Toyota Unlock My Car Remotely?
Conclusion
The Toyota Supra is a hero of Toyota brand of sports and classy cars. This Japanese-made vehicle has built itself a standard that holds till now.
It is this reason that makes a used Toyota Supra expensive. Moreover, the demand for the fourth-generation Supra has also increased.
Therefore, the law of demand and supply will make it expensive.
