sgrisanti

I just purchased a 91 C4 Targa, and it is parked outside 100% of the time. I am an absolute fanatic, and wash it almost daily. Does anyone else own a targa that stays outdoors? Do you have any problem with rust?, and besides the obvious downside of not having a garage, will this affect my Porsche in any other negative way?

My 964 has 27k miles and is in flawless condition.

Curt911

move and get a garage! 2nd choice- at least get a good cover!

Dunasso

The environmental stressers of having an outdoors automobile are the same for all vehicals. Your Porsche is not immune. A really nice cover may protect your finish and interior from the harshness of the sun, but will do nothing for the more vulnerable elemental parts of the car. Such as, brake parts, any aluminum parts, bolts and threads, engine parts, etc.. all these pieces tarnish over time with exposure to the elements. There are other factors to be considred as well, like mold, and mildew of the interior which can go un-noticed because the appearance is not abruptly dramatic and happenes subtly over time.

In no way would I discourage any-one from a dream, but it should have been a priority to have a clean dry place to park a Porsche before buying one. Somewhere besides the yard. Afterall it is a Porsche not a Honda. Sorry, don't to sound harsh.

Duncan

Eric Kessel

Duncan, I have to respectfully disagree. The 964 is no different than any other car. Obviously it is preferable to keep it garaged, but a well maintained regularly driven car, which happens to spend it's time outside will still do better than a garage queen that is only driven once a month when it's nice out. Make sure there are no leaks (keep any roof drains clean, not that the targa has any, but if it does.......), if you drive during the winter where they salt the roads, make sure to clean it frequently, and don't worry about it......... if you bought a 964 targa as a long term investment, then yes, get a nice cover........ but if you intend to drive it regularly, the cover won't help unless you clean the car immediately before putting the cover on........ any dirt under the cover will cause more problems than no cover at all.........
If you haven't guessed yet, I have a 90 C2 Coupe that lives outside, as did the 89 944S2 before it (for the 8 years that I owned it)..... If you have a safe place to park it, keep it clean and don't worry about it.......

Dunasso

Sorry Eric, different strokes for different folks I guess. I drive mine regularly aswell, most days, but not everyday. I think that maybe I have a bit too much respect for the Porsches and it comes through in my responces. However, I don't think that driving a car in the occasional rain, or snow, can compair to making the car live in it. Noneteheless, you are correct, there is no sense in owning a car that you don't drive, but there are some that would tend to argue that point.

Duncan

Flagg

I have to agree with Eric. A garage would be preferred - and help the resale and condition of the car in the long run - BUT - if you don't have a garage, and take care of the car as Eric Outlines, it will do well for quite a long time.

I would hate to be the one to Crush anyone's Dream by saying otherwise........

Flagg

Dunasso

Yea, you guys are right, it was insensative of me to have such a high opinion of Porsches and how they are kept. They're just cars like all the rest and the only true value comes from owning one, reguardless of condition. I think everyone should be able to live there dreams at whatever the cost.

I would like to add that my dream (to own a Porsche) turned out as no peach when I first received the ownership papers, but after a few months of hard work it was truly something that I was proud to own. In short I guess that car set the presedence for my appreciation of my acheivement and sence I've had an over oppinionation of the care needed to have it. Finally, I love Porsches, every nut and bolt, and for that I guess I am sorry.

Duncan

Chris M.

I vote for the garage. I just bought my first house with a garage about a year and a half ago and my Subaru Outback that's been outside all it's life is absolutely hammered (it's a 96). No amount of washing, waxing, etc... will keep it from being harmed from living in the elements all the time. Bird crap, tree droppings, the sun, vandals, the usual rain and snow, morning dew in the summer.....it's impossible to keep a car in good shape. Although I've wanted a Porsche for years I coudln't bring myself to buy one until I had a garage for it.
Just my experience.

c

Dunasso

Thanks for the support Chris and I believe in that logic myself, but for others it's the kart before the horse method that works. Everyone has their own way of getting ahead in life. Unfortunately for me short cuts never really paved the way, I always ended up with potholes. After a while I got tired of dodging them, but for some it is a way of life.


Duncan

SolsburyHill

I too waited until I had bought a house w/ a garage before I pulled the trigger and bought the Porsche. I waited more for security reasons than any other as the car will most likely be parked for extended periods due too job responsibilities

Enjoy it...

Andy Roe

Like the majority of people in London, I have to park my car outside on the driveway. - Most of the houses were built before cars even existed, so few have garages!! I keep it covered up whenever I'm not using it to both sheild it from the birds & the weather, but also from theives. It would have been nice to have somewhere to keep the car inside, but that just wasn't going to happen. I wouldn't want anyone to not buy a 911, just because they would have to keep it outside.

jimq

Its a car for goodness sakes! Cars sometimes have to sit outside. It is nice to have a garage but if you dont buy what you want anyways and use it.

Jay H

Wow... That sounds like my car... Though, I like to have the planets in the right alignment too, no rain in the forecast for about 5 days, slight cloud cover (but not too overcast) and the wind out of the southwest at no more than 5-10 mph before I take my car out...

Different strokes for different folks. Don't bash garage queens either. My car is quite nice too even though it's spent the majority of it's life covered in a garage and at concours events. I enjoy cleaning it as much as some of you guys enjoy driving it at a track event.

Jay
90 964

red911c2

I had a 1990 911 Targa and I kept it outside for approx 1 month (when it was for sale and I had the 1991 911 Coupe in the 1 car garage ) and I also kept it outside during the workday when it was subjected to the typical Florida hot sun and rainy season weather. The only issue I ever had was the occasional wet carpet due to a leaky Targa top. This could have probably been remedied but I learned to live with it!

My opinion is to enjoy the car whether it's parked in a garage or left out in the elements. Porsches are built well and other than a leaky Targa top (which your low mileage Targa may not have) you should not have any problems! Enjoy it!

Pesty

I garage my car when at home. Having said that my car is my only driver so actualy spends most of its life outside anyway. When I go to work I work 12 hour shifts and it takes me an hour each way. so thats 14 hours outside in all weathers.
When Im off work I usualy take the kids to school in it and then leave it out until I pick them up. In fact the only reason I garage it is to keep the frost off it. come sumer I probably wont put it away every night.