Back for more education...Tell why I shouldn't pull the trigger...

I'm still looking for a gently used Pcar. I didn't buy the 40th Anniv car because I just couldn't get past the negative aspects of the transmission being replaced on it when that car was a couple of years old. Nobody could tell me why that had to happen and my fertile imagination conjured up a car that had be thrashed. Maybe it's fine, but not the bet that I wanted to place. So, I moved on. The current contender is an '04 Targa...one owner...lease return. At the expiration of the lease, the prior owner took it to the dealership to have it CPO'd and buy it back. He wound up buying a new car instead. The good points...car still has 8 months of original factory warranty remaining and the dealership will CPO the car so that it has an extra 24 months of warranty. Optionwise, the car has Sport Classic wheels, power seat package, heated seats, Bi-Xenon headlights, and stability management. The dealership will sell it to me for $42k. The bad points...it has 39k miles on the odometer (a few more than I would like, but not likely a big deal) and it will cost me $1,400 for a truck ride for the car from where it is to where I am. The carfax is clean. I have a copy of the Maintenance History and there is a bunch of nitnoid stuff...like replacing the battery, replacing the washer solvent tank and replacing a cap on one of the headlight washers. Nothing that indicates that the car may have been abused. In fact, it looks more like the prior owner took care of the car and kept up with all of the details. So...my question is: Is there something systemically wrong with Targas that I should avoid this car at all costs?

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Sounds like a great price and I wouldn't care about the $39K mileage. Save yourself $1400 by getting a one way ticket and drive it back... best way to start your love affair with your new car!

Targas are great cars.... however, they are a niche market. They cost more and only a selected people will buy them. They are heavier than the regular carrera and are prone to creaks. I like the fact that you have an easy access to the rear (hatchback)... Ive heard of some leak issues, but not much. I for one would rather have a coupe or a convertible... They are somewhat rare... and the ownership of owning one might cause a stir in a local get together. GL with your share.

I see no reason not to buy it. There is nothing wrong with Targas. I wish my coupe had a hatch back. CPO warranty is great peace of mind. Do it. Do it now.

The fact that the previous owner wanted to keep the car but in the end took a new one is a very good sign. It shows he was maintaining the car to keep it. With a CPO car you really have little to worry about while it is under warranty. As for the TARGA, that is a personal opinion. Some people like them and some don't. You will have a rare car though.

39K miles, no sweat. Your CPO will add 50,000 miles to the factory 50,000 for a total of 100,000 and add 24 months to the 8 months of remaining factory warranty. So.... you can drive 1,905 miles per month (22,860 per year) and reach your 100,000 mile limit at the same the CPO expires 32 months from now. Buy it and drive it like you stole it!

I would have a ppi on for body repairs/damage other than that car sounds great. Targas rattle more and not as clean line from side view. go get it and drive it home! also, have you spoken with previous owner? if not you should to confirm story with him...more than one car dealer has told a fib about previous ownership.

Go for it. If you've never owned a glass top car, you might think twice though. Not for me, and I'm a cab guy, but I just don't really want to cook in the hot sun like that. But some of the comments above are quite true - small market, if resale is not an issue, and you truly want a targa, and this one has the options/colors you like, it sounds reasonable. Transport should cost less, depending on your distance to the dealer, but I agree with Dutchie...get a one way ticket and drive it home. Good luck!

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Or you can drive it 1,905 miles per year and reach your 100,000 mile limit in 32 years - or around 30 years after your CPO expires.

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Phil... Phil.... Phil! You forgot to mention that he will also have to replace 16 sulfated batteries during that 32 year span. Let's see.... at Holbart's price and assuming 4.0% inflation.... carry the 1 .... that comes to $ 4,364.90 in batteries. But, because of the low miles, I am sure he will get an additionoal $1,500 for it when he sells it in 2040.

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wow.... then a $60 trickly charger is the best investment one can make.

As posted above, drive it home, if you can. I flew one way to Colorado Springs with a cashiers check, bought it, and drove mine home over a long weekend - 3 days using two overnight stops. One of the most fun trips I had in my car since I've owned it 18 months. I chose smaller highways instead of the interstate.

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Make that a $120 OEM Porsche trickle charger - with my history with batteries, I'm taking no chances on generic equipment.

I think that mileage is about perfect. Not driven more than a normal car, but it hasn't been sitting either. If you like the Targa and the PPI is clean, then pull the trigger.

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...and on top of that Phil has a special number to the manufacturer of OEM batteries [phone removed] (1-800-ITS-PHIL)

I pulled the trigger this afternoon. A wire transfer next week will get her paid for and then the excruciating wait for the delivery van. About the glass roof...I actually prefer the glass roof. I like being able to see the sky when I drive. I probably neglected to say that I've driven Vettes for the last 15 years and the ones that weren't verts were coupes with a plexiglass top. Also, because of my experience driving Vettes, I've learned to ignore creaks in the top and the body. The fact that the Targa is heavier doesn't really bother me. My track days are long gone. I just like a nice car for a decent road trip. Speaking of road trips, this car is in a suburb of Detroit and I live in a suburb between Dallas and Fort Worth...about 1,200 miles one way. The intimidating factor is the weather. Detroit just has too many snow flurries at the moment for me to relish that road trip. A couple of years ago I bought a Vette from a dealership that was about 50 miles north of Milwaukee. The wifely-unit and flew up there to drive the car back. 14 degrees with a -5 degree windchill was the afternoon high. And that's when I learned the value of heated seats. The advantage to me of the slightly used Pcar is that I can afford the car as a second car and keep my Vette. To buy a new Pcar I'd have to sell the Vette to maintain the same level of dollars devoted to ride. I'm good for about 8k to 10k a year for miles on my car. (4k to/from the office and 4k for road trips) When I have two, that equates to about 4k/year per car. So resale tends to be not much of an issue since the cars tend to be low mileage when I turn them. My current car (an '07 Vette) wil be 2 y/o in February and has almost 4,800 on the odometer. This car with 39k today, probably won't have 50k on the odometer for another 2.5 years. As for trickle chargers...I already have one. A Vette can eat all of the charge out of a battery in about 30 days if not driven. (ask me how I know...) And my experience is that with current technology batteries, if they are ever discharged completely you may as well replace 'em. They're just never right after that deep discharge. So, when she gets here I'll get some pics and get them posted. Thanks again.

Don, Good for you ! I am in Lewisville. Where are you located?

I had an 04 Targa (as well as a 993 Targa) and though its rare, I still love the concept. Enjoy it!

congrats... pics or ban! Welcome to RL!

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Over in Arlington, where life is easy, but the traffic's getting worse.