Got a buddy looking for a targa..

Helping a buddy find a car and found this ad on cl. And was wondering if this was a decent deal. What is teachart and does it really cost $15k? Is a k40 radar detector something special? i've never heard of the company before. I do know of valentine, cobra. Thanks. http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/pts/3102543395.html

Quotes source post: 9639998

I sure would bite! Targa's are so hard to come by w low miles.

Possibly a nice car. Worth checking in to. Also worth researching the cost to repair/replace the targa mechanism... definitely something to have an expert inspect before purchase!

That's a steep price and I wouldn't pay a premium for a targa. Certainly has a bunch of nice add ons though. Gotta love the techart equipment.

I like the targa. They are nice cars. The TechArt kit is nice, and it appears to be tastefully done. The K40 radar detector is a fairly common brand used for permanent installations. I don't think they are as good as a V1 or others, but I don't think they are bad. The issue that you have with this seller is that he has obviously put lots of cash into upgrading this car, and it's obvious that he's personally attached. While it was very expensive for him, that doesn't necessarily translate to extra value when selling, or at least not to the value that the seller believes it should. Additionally, KBB is notorious for coming in high with estimated values. A few other "watch outs": I would bet that this car hasn't had the fluids (including oil) changed according to the recommended schedule. It sounds to me like he's following the mileage schedule and not the time schedule. For cars that aren't driven regularly, it's important to change the fluids based on time. He believes that this car won't need maintenance until 60,000 miles. At an average of 3,800 miles per year, he's wrong! At that rate, it would be nearly 6 years and 22,000 miles before he changed the oil, which is clearly not what Porsche recommends. Just because a car sits in the garage it doesn't mean it's perfect or that it has been maintained properly. Note that he had the 30,000 mile maintenance done at 36,000 miles. If he drives it less than 4,000 miles per year, then he was almost 2 years late with the service! If you look at the equipment on this car, it's pretty basic. It has the Advanced Technic package, and not much else. If you go to www.edmunds.com and price this car in "outstanding" condition for a private party sale, it appraises at $26,877. If you add in some additional cash for the upgrades, it still comes in short of $35K in my mind. I think it's overpriced. If your friend is really interested in it, I'd get a very thorough PPI, check the records carefully, and make an offer somewhere below $35K. If the seller won't budge, then I'd look for another car. That's my two cents worth!

I emailed the seller and brought up stuff you all did (maintenance) and got a response. Seller says he has all documentation that oil was changed every year at the porsche dealer and brakes fluid flushed every two years regardless of mileage. I offered $27k and his response was he could have his shop bring the car back to stock and sell the car at that price. He mentioned that the techart is just not the body kit but also the exhaust and suspension. I didn't even know they made an exhaust or suspension or is this guy pulling my leg. I was talking to my buddy looking at the car and told him I thought maybe $33-33.5k seemed reasonable. I'm sure the lower price would be nice but also mentioned that everyone usually will go and mod the car once they have it, let it be an exhaust and wheels. Based on the seller, its already done and he wouldn't have to pay labor on stuff he decided to add on.

Quotes source post: 9640183

This Well said.

Interesting that his ad says: "This does not take into account the over $20k customizations", but when it really comes down to it, his price does take this into account. It's good to hear that he can document the service. This would be important to me. What it all comes down to is whether your friend puts the same value on the mods as the seller does. If your friend is okay with all that stuff, he sees the value in it and the PPI checks out, then maybe he should buy it. Personally, I still think it's overpriced.

The general rule is that non-OEM mods add zero value to a car. Some might even argue that not having stock equipment might lower the value. If your friend was planning on installing a techart kit anyways (20k sounds steep), then he might be the exception to the rule. However, if you didn't even know what the kit was - I doubt that was his plan. That being said, 35k is WAY more than I spent for my 02 soCal cab about a year ago. Even if the market has improved, 27k is a solid offer. Ben

Quotes source post: 9641107

I think that really depends on where you live. Here in St Louis it would absolutely sell at a low 30's number mark where the "ideal car" is a one owner w full documention and very low miles. With regard to all the mods - Just be certain they are what you want. I wanted as close to stock as it can be. Then add on the Targa. It just my opinion tho

With the nationwide price transparency offered by the Internet, regional market fluctuations are disappearing. Paying $35K for a 2002 targa is too much no matter where you live. That being said, it may very well sell at that price. A Porsche purchase is often based more on emotion than logic, and people sometimes overpay as a result.

The price seems high to me, but again if it is what your friend is looking for and he can't find a better example is overpaying a few thousand the worst thing in the world? Although for that price he should have had the IMS upgraded! That adds more value to me than the other mods. The K-40 is not a very good detector! I have one in my 996 and my 12 yr old cheep cobra has better range! The only advantage is it is built in. I would be more willing to pay that price if it were all stock, had the IMS upgrade and full service history.

Is it a buyers' market or a sellers' market? If he can't find a better example, then the seller has a greater chance of getting his price - if not from you, then from the next guy who has is mind set on a Targa. Two years ago, that was me. I found cars that I thought were overpriced and they were sold out from under me before I could even make an offer. But the Canadian market is different than SoCal.

i dont see a body kit, i just see the TA side skirts

Quotes source post: 9641674

Well said. I don't live anywhere close to SoCal, but I did buy a car there. It only cost me an extra 400 bucks to fly down and drive it back one weekend. The only regional price difference I would be willing to pay for anymore is based on weather. Give me a car that's rust free over one that's not.