'03 996 Targa - Newbie questions

All -- I have spent some time going through posts and wanted to complement all the members for the invaluable insight you provide. These are really great forums. I have the p-car bug and was in the market for a slightly used 997 when I came across this: 2003 Targa, 65,000 miles, manual. Asking price is ~$34k. Options: psm, 18' sport classic, aero kit, sport exhausts, heated seats, bose. The good: Test drove the car, (a) everything works the way it should, engine pulls strong, drives fine ; (b) carfax checks out and report also shows that car was maintained at porsche dealer and (c) interior is in solid condition. The bad: (a) Very rough body shape -- heavy road rash and significant accidental scratching on passenger fender; (b) Chipped windshield ; (c) targa visor (the black 'headliner') does not work; (d) will need new tires in 10-20k; (e) rims exhibit road rash. Question to the forum (1) should I even go ahead with a pre purchase inspection (I intend to have formula motorsports in nyc conduct this), or should I just walk? (2) Also I have looked around and will not be able to find a decent extended warranty provider (quotes are in the $4k range, covering essentially only powertrain and transmission). Would forgoing an extended warranty be a big risk? (3) If I were to fix the passenger fender, the problem would be that one part of the car would look 'brand new' whereas the rest would look worn. I am thinking of just living with the serious cosmetic defects, but how will that impact my ability to sell the car in the future? Any insight/feedback/thoughts would be most greatly appreciated!

The car sounds like it has some nice options. The miles are pretty high for a Porsche by some standards; however, they equate to around 15K per year. You are right to be concerned about the paint/bodywork. That is a big concern for any type of "exotic" car. That being said, the price is decent if you can get the body where you want it. Could most of the cosmetic issues be addressed by respraying the bumper and the damaged area and then getting the rest of the body buffed out?

For the body to look top notch, i would have to respray the bumper, both fenders and the hood. for the job to be done well this would cost about $2 to $3K. And the problem with respraying is that if i were to one day sell the car, any decent PPI would pick up the paint thickness difference, and would automatically trigger a red flag for a front end accident. A whole sale dealer told me that it is usually best to minimize repaintings on a car as it generates suspicions.

I'd worry about 18' wheels. Finding tires & getting inside a garage will be more than a little interesting. :-)

I say forget it.There are so many Porsches out there for sale'find a better one, why deal with it?

Mitiko - Welcome to Rennlist. That sounds like a decent price for the Targa. However, teh condition of the paint is disconcerting. You will probably need tires in much less thatn 10k - 20k miles. Expect between 12,000 to 20,000 (at best) on a set of rear tires, depending on the tire composition and your driving habits. BTW - I am selling my 2004 C2 with 45K miles for $44,000. Click on the link in my sig below to see the ad in the classified section. PM me if you have any questions.