'88 nonturbo is a 7M-GE.... unless it's a 1G-GEU, but i can't imagine anyone ever thinking that would be worth importing.
It's a 22 year old car, expect everything to be wrong... then be happy when only half is.
Seriously though, the most common problem is a blown head gasket followed by rod knock (only when it's been abused, which unfortunately as a cheap sports car, many have been). You should also plan on spending money on suspension components, replacing leaking seals and other general items which suffer from age.
If you're wanting a turbo vehicle in the end I strongly recommend waiting until you find one already equipped with a turbo. The money you'll save by not having to do a swap can be put toward a rebuild and upgrades.