87 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHow many 996 Targa Owners out there?
Leading reported evidence
Replace previous owner told me the roof
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
The previous owner told me the roof was replaced, so it probably has to do with that.
Leading evidence: 'Replace previous owner told me the roof' (no explicit attributable resolution; this is a reported action or suggestion). Across 1 matching discussions, The most frequently discussed action is 'Check engine code' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
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Suggestion
There was a check engine code that was a one-time only event that self corrected itself after a couple of drive cycles.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
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Suggestion
After they fixed the motor mounts I asked them to take it on a more extensive test drive to check it more thoroughly and the CEL never came back on and still has not.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that contain suggestions
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
When I went shopping for a 996 last spring I have to plead ignorance as I was completely unaware that Porsche had re-engineered the Targa and was now using a retractable glass panel.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
After they fixed the motor mounts I asked them to take it on a more extensive test drive to check it more thoroughly and the CEL never came back on and still has not.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
When I went shopping for a 996 last spring I have to plead ignorance as I was completely unaware that Porsche had re-engineered the Targa and was now using a retractable glass panel.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
87 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T074343Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
Growing up in the 60's and 70's I always loved 911's but HATED Targa's. The old style original Targa with the removable panel I thought absolutely ruined the 911's beautiful lines. Not to mention most of them leaked like sieves. When I went shopping for a 996 last spring I have to plead ignorance as I was completely unaware that Porsche had re-engineered the Targa and was now using a retractable glass panel. In my case I wasn't looking for a Targa but the 2002 Targa my local dealer had on his lot was the best looking 996 he had in stock. Mine doesn't squeak much and I wasn't put off by the additional 150 lbs it adds. Looking back on it I'm really glad I went with the Targa, both for the added practicality of the rear opening hatch and also for the exclusivity of know that less than 10% of all 911's produced were Targa's.
Here is mine. PO put on a turbo bumper with those nipples....argh!....removing those will be my next project.
Roof on mine squeaks quite a bit but I do not mind too much since I mostly take it out only on sunny days with roof open. Going in, I wanted a convertible, but somehow I was not crazy about the lines of cabriolet. It so happened that the one I really liked was this targa, I think it was a good compromise.
I do however have a mixed feeling of its look from the back. It reminds me of a Pacer.
Lets have the Targa owners keep this page active and post your pictures. I loved the 1969 911E Targa I bought in 1971 and had to sell in 1973 to get married. I bought and drove only German cars while raising 5 kids and after 34 years and retiring from Kodak, I searched for 1 year for a 996 Targa that was unique. Found this '03 beauty in 2007 (the year the 997 Targa 4 and 4S was introduced). I was not interested in the 4 wheel drive.
Some complain about noise in the top but this is not a hard top and proper maintenance and lub will minimize the situation. I have not driven a cabriolet but would bet they are significantly more noisy.
I enjoy going to PCA events and there can be a hundred 996 and 997 cars and mine, the only Targa.
I will include a picture of the interior that my 911E had. I have never seen another and would not trade my wife to have it back but I sure do wish I still had it.
Rear flat six history:
2003 Targa Full Boxter Red Leather, M-30 Sport Suspension, Sport Exhaust, Short Shifter, Carrera 18" Wheels, Bose...
1969 911E
1966 911 early with Solex
1966 Corvair Corsa Just think what Chevrolet could have done with this without the Camaro!
Is the 10% figure I've heard of how many 996's were Targas accurate?
The Build Guide for a 2002 shows a base Carrera at $67,900 and a base Targa at $75,200. My math shows a $7,300 premium for a Targa roof if that's accurate. I know the 2014 Targa roof commands something like $14,000.
Targa += 1
I don't regret buying the targa for a second. It is definitely a unique look and I have the roof open for ~80% of the time that I drive it. And was fun loading the kids in the back through the roof when they were little :-)
I actually parked next to another black on black Targa just like mine at a gas station once in Culver City, CA one time, really wish I would have snapped a pic. What are the chances of that happening?
PSS9s dropped with about 1" clearance from the tires. H&R spacers 7/15 front/back. X74 sways front & back.
Handling/cornering/ramps - amazing!
Nose does not float any more.
Bonus is the ride is way smoother than stock.
I had mentioned in my OP that I thought Targas accounted for something like 10% of all 911's produced. Over on the 997 forums there is a thread that says in 2008 and 2009 Targa's accounted for only 2.8% and 3.6% of all 911 produced for those years. Maybe my 10% guesstimate was a bit too liberal. I've been doing some searches trying to find Porsche production figures but haven't had much luck.
Here's the production numbers per 'Porsche 996 - The Essential Companion'. Looks like our Targas are more rare than I thought... Highest at 8% in 2002, total 3% of all 996's...
Year___Total___Targas__Percent
1997______14
1998____9,248
1999___28,040
2000___20,979
2001___27,275____63____0.23%
2002___33,013__2,630___7.97%
2003___29,536__1,812___6.13%
2004___23,145___508____2.19%
2005____4,012___129____3.22%
Total__175,262__5,142___2.93%
There is a sun shade on the movable roof over the front seats. It is electric controlled like the targa roof but I only use mine when the sun is directly overhead as the glass blocks most of the heat from your head. I do not have a picture of the shaded roof from the inside and my car is parked for the winter.
John
Sorry, I thought we were talking about the rear window. Sunshade for the glass roof above the driver, I almost wish it blocked more of the sun, I find it gets a little warm in the targa sometimes. Also a bit hard to see out of the rear with the glass roof retracted.
And here's a pic of when I put some new gas springs in the rear glass hatch. I found a company that will make a pair of replacements for $18 (vs $250/each for OEM springs), even have the electrical connectors for the rear defroster.
Worked with Lou at Lift Support Depot:
Lift Supports Depot Customer Service <[email removed]>
A couple notes during installation:
1. The electrical connectors are not soldered on, just have to pull hard to get them off the spring
2. To get the springs to fit, I attached the bottom end first, then pushed hard to compress and slipped the top end on as it decompressed (a bit tricky)
-Chris
Are you retracting the shade before you retract the glass roof? I know when I originally would just retract the glass with the shade still in place and couldn't see a thing. With the shade folded first, vision out the back is better.
Yeah, I retract the shade when retracting the roof. The portion of the top which houses the shade blocks the lower portion of my rear view, and the fact that the previous owner tinted the rear window (double tint through the retracted roof) makes it tough to see out of the rear.
Here is mine!
The roof opening feels substantially larger than a sunroof, and I love that, unlike a convertible, the cabin feels pretty warm with the roof retracted even in chilly (by socal standards) weather.
In spite of Targas commanding a $6-$7k premium over Coupes at time of purchase usually very little of that premium shows up in most pricing guides. Most price guides also don't account for most of the extremely costly extra's our cars may have come equipped with either. clearbook.com is a site that rectifies at least some of that. When I plugged the numbers in for my Targa vs. an identically equipped coupe I got $25,302 vs. $23,289. When choosing options for some reason it offers items for Targa that were not available on the Coupe and vice versa but I made them as close to identical to each other as possible. As you can see clearbook.com gives the Targa a $2,000 premium over the Coupe. Plugging in the numbers on the NADA site I only got a premium of roughly $500 for the Targa roof.
Hi 996 Targa owners,
Let me introduce mine, completely standard, a 2002 MY Targa, without any mods. So far anyway. I bought it a few months ago and I want to get intimate with it first. Here below are a few pics.
Fabrice
Isn't there yet a DIY fix on this forum about it. I managed to sort out the squeaks on my brother's 997 Targa and my 996 Targa with silicon lubricant at the rights places. I can make a post on oit if you're interested.
Fab
Thanks. Yes please make a post. I can use the information.
The previous owner told me the roof was replaced, so it probably has to do with that. Does not bother me too much though, but I will take any suggestion.
I have a creak that seems to be coming from the lower corner of the rear window hatch. Does anyone know if we can apply the same TSB for windshield creaks to our back window where they shove rubber roping into the gap next to the window? Looks like the window has the same gap, but I was a bit worried it might be a water channel.
Thanks,
Chris
And here's the interior resplendent in boxster red. I hope this is no harder than black and grey to maintain. There are a few parts that could do with a touch up, such as around the ignition key so any tips welcome.
Just purchased this weekend. 2003 Targa in Arctic Silver Metallic with Black Leather. Many thanks to Rennlister GNAT for helping do a pre-purchase inspection on this car and to IMA Motorwerke in Chantilly for the same. Kind of scary agreeing to buy a car sight unseen but these guys really helped! Car drove beautifully from Chantilly back to Greensboro.
Nice Targas - I see I am in good company
"
@Desmo900rider - is that seal grey? Looks mean with those wheels
@David M - did they pick up much on the PPI - car looks great with dark windows.
As another Targa owner, I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it out to help look at the car! It looks great. Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the Targa club.
The motor mounts were shot and a couple of light bulbs were out. I had them correct those two items. There was a check engine code that was a one-time only event that self corrected itself after a couple of drive cycles. After they fixed the motor mounts I asked them to take it on a more extensive test drive to check it more thoroughly and the CEL never came back on and still has not. They thought it was a good car and really liked the Bilstein PSS10 suspension that a PO had installed. It does handle very nicely!
Missing my 2004 Targa!
waiting for my rebuild to be done from 3.6 to 4.0! Haven�t had it since April and should have it back in the middle of December, can�t wait!
Just picked up mine this week. I wanted a 987 (as you can tell from my user name) but then found out I can fit golf clubs in this car. It is a 2002, manual with 67,000 miles with service records from new. Needs a good detailing but very fun to drive.
Just bought an 03 Targa – my first venture outside of the Porsche air-cooled world.
What I liked: Orient Red, manual, 2-owners (first kept it until 2021/32,500 miles, and with lots of service records all from dealer where bought new) 36,500 miles now (20K of which are on larger IMS bearing, “AT” replacement motor), X76 flared rocker panels, 18” Carrera 5-spoke wheels, heated/power seats, PCCM+, Fister Mod…and a Targa.
What I didn’t like: that I waited this long to jump into 996 ownership.
Not in my possession yet, and no decent pics to share. Hopefully I’ll be correcting both of these items soon, along with a list of other things that I’m sure will have me seeking plenty of advice. Can’t wait!
Here's mine! I have creaky noises from the targa roof and hatch, but the bright cabin and open air feeling when the roof is open more than compensates.
