996 targa opinions, experiences please

Looking at an 03 w/ manual. 101k miles, new brake pads, tires, will get the rest of the story when I see it tomorrow. But looking for owner user experiences...good, bad, track, targa vs cab maintanence costs, etc. Oh yes...noise...rattles...leaks...

Maintainance should be pretty much the same whether it is a C2, Cab or Targa. They each have a little unique things, but overall the same the Targa top is basicially a big sunroof. The rwar window also opens so it's much more convienant to put stuff in the back. Probably a few more rattles and wind noise than a coupe

I love mine, like that its a little different, dont use the back hatch much but love the larger roof than the regular sunroof. Roof does rattle a little here and there, still wouldnt swap it. i know its v minor and solvable and ill get round to it. my roof is tinted that is great in the aussie summer but silly when you have the roof retracted and cant see out the rear window, so the tint will go and perhaps will buy the darker sun blind kit someone has developed. they look more distinctive in lighter colours especially silver , mine is black and targa 'shape' shows up less, especially with the tinted roof.. had my time again id still go targa best of luck jas

JI, are you tired of your convertible already? Or, just adding to the fold???

I'm past the two Porsches in the garage phase of life. The Cab is very nice but I miss the coupe and manual way of doing things. The targa I'm looking at just popped up and at a price I have to consider. Mileage is 101k and its an 03 with the second generation IMSB...but if I hadn't sold my 03 I'd been in the same boat. God I wish I had paid the extra bucks to get back my 03 and just did the IMS Solution. If this targa lives up to what it could be, then I'll at least be half way back to what I had. As for the mileage...well there are enough cars here on RL to make 100k a walk in the park. I'll drive it tomorrow and know more...and will report back.

Very happy with mine. Yes there's some noises that come uniquely with the Targa, but I use that rear hatch every day and it makes it such a more useful DD. It gets a tad hot in the California summer and I suspect the UV has it's way with the interior quicker, but it's sure nice to wind that roof back, even when it's cold out the heater rises to the occasion. Rear visibility with the roof open is a bit of a pain, not so much basic safety as being able to work out if that car 100 yards back is a cop. I've not yet gone through the routine of deep lubrication that is recommended to keep that roof working smoothly so can't offer advice about how much of a pain that is. My roof certainly now closes slower than when I first bought it and it's time I sucked up to that task.

Love these wheels!

As nice as the examples here look, when I got up close today, the one I was looking at had too many little signs of neglect that the dealer should have addressed long before I showed up. And then there was the fact that the driver's inside carpets and rear seats were soaked with water. We've been having a lot of rain but that should not have effected the targa unless someone left the top and hatch open...or (more likely) the thing is leaking very badly. Whatever the cause, the potential damage to the electronics in those areas was enough to make me walk away. At the same time, I've been driving my cab in the rain and the heavier the better, and inside is dry as a bone. I'm going through the "devil you do know vs the devil you don't know" flip flops.

I use my 03' Targa as a frequent daily driver (trade off with 93' E34 M5). I find the Targa a great car for DD. I will say the greenhouse effect in hot climates can be an issue. Living in Sacramento I opted to replace worn sunshade with Suncoast 'upgraded' version....and I'm so glad I did. Sacramento summers are hot and the upgraded sunshade with tighter weave was worth the investment. http://suncoastparts.com/product/99756240500.html It looks like this one wasn't the right one...but if you do find the right one...pull the trigger! ��

Squeek occasionally? Yes. Rattle or leak? Never. Rarely use the rear hatch. Does give the interior a brighter more open feeling. Doesn't let in all that much air. Mostly just lets the sun fry my thinning head. Would never in a million years coughed up the added $7k a Targa cost over a coupe.

Own a Targa for 3 Years now - always wanted one since i was a little Boy. I am sure the Targa noise is more than the Coupe's - bit more Roof related . However , the biggest pointer to be aware of - once the Roof is fully open, the inside mirror becomes completely useless .

I have had my Targa for over 8 years and have never regretted my purchase. The pros Car feels much brighter and open then a regular coupe Easy to load things in the back of the car by opening the rear glass. Especially golf clubs. The space behind the rear seats is large enough to hold 3 camping chairs. Or a few small gym bags. Without it I wouldn't be able to take my family (of 4) to the beach or weekends away. Car is considerably more unique than a base 996. I don't see many of them at local events etc. You can drive with the roof open when it it would still be too cold to open a convertible Cons The roof does occasionally squeak which requires a bit more maintenance and can be frustrating at times. My sunshade broke once which required a minor repair. Actually it was pretty straightforward and a very cheap fix once someone on this site pointed me to a part number of a repair kit The car is heavier than one without the roof and the weight is up high. Probably has a significant impact at the track. Although I track mine occasionally and it hasn't been a problem It is apparently crazy expensive to fix the roof if it completely breaks. I don't expect that will happen though since I haven't heard any direct reports on targa roof failures anywhere As everyone mentioned, driving with the roof open does restrict visibility a little. But you can still see fine through the back and I don't consider it a significant issue. The bigger issue IMHO is that you can't see the rear spoiler go up when the roof is open

i Have had my 03 Targa for almost 14 years, both of my 996's are perfect, each having over 90K miles per, I had zero issues, other than normal maintenance, etc. The Targa is my Fav, After I upgraded many of the performance aspects, I truly love to drive it, no rattling or dripping, I drive it all year around. I was in my friends 2015 Targa 4S - DAM I loved it, If I didn't have kids, it would be in my garage no doubt.