[yetibone]

I had a normally aspirated, '87 model in high school, and a good friend had the supercharged version a few years after graduation. It's a very fun car to drive, got 28-30 mpg, surprisingly easy to work on (from underneath; that's the key), very reliable, couldn't be torn up, or worn out. 7500rpm redline, very comfortable for such a small car, and I'm 6'5".

The supercharged 4A-GZE was about 130something hp, and my 4A-GE was right at 100, so for a 2500lb car, it wasn't a rocketship, but driving Randy's was a blast. The S/C has a magnetic clutch like an AC compressor, with a green light on the tach that let you know when the S/C was engaged. When the light came on, you could really feel, and hear the difference. I bet his would have been lots of fun on the track after getting used to the understeer.

If the price is right, go for it! It's not as fast as the later MkII turbo models, but there weren't as many built either. The 4A engine series was just about as bomb-proof as the old R series, and can reportedly make some ungodly amounts of horsepower when highly modified, so if it stays close to stock, it'll go to about 300k miles before an overhaul.