mdkrp

Hi all-
I would like to hear some thoughts from folks who have extensively driven both of these as I am trying to sort out which one.
I have had a C2S cab and absolutely loved it but am intrigued with the lines of the new Targa and was thinking maybe I would go down that route but still not sure.
Unfortunately, I have not had any direct driving experience in the Targa but hopefully will be able to do so soon.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
thx

drmatara

go for the CAB...

hinckley

I had had both a 996 and 997 Targa. These were both the "big sunroof" Targas and I really loved them (although they were not for everyone). But when I was deciding on my 991 GTS, I opted for the Cab instead for a few reasons.

First, like a lot of us, I think that the Targa is the best looking of the 991s when the top is down. However, there are a few practical issues with the Targa that I couldn't get past. The Targa has a lot of wind buffeting inside at speed. The Cab - with its absolutely brilliant integrated wind block - is amazingly quiet. Also, the Targa top cannot be moved at speed, and because the top extends beyond the rear of the car, it cannot be moved if you're close to a wall or other obstruction. My parking situation is such that I back my car up against a wall. So every night, I'd need to back in part way, stop, put the Targa top up, then continue all the way to the wall. I'd have to repeat the stutter step process in the other direction every morning. With the Cab, I put the top up or down as I'm pulling away or as I'm pulling in. It's much more practical.

Add to that the complete openness of the Cab, and my decision was easy. Now I'm now totally hooked on the Cab - or as Larry would call it, my hairdresser's car!

911sccab

I love convertibles... have a '66 Mercury Cyclone GT, '83 911SC Cabriolet, and an '85 Mustang GT and they're all ragtops. Perhaps that's why I never considered a newer 911 Cabriolet. But when the Targa came out I was ready to put a limb or two on Ebay to raise cash quick! The top takes 21 seconds to lower. I can't do it while I'm moving and I've never needed to raise or lower a top while moving in 20+ continuious years of convertibling. The car is a caccoon with the windows up and 98% of a convertible with the top open and windows down... but it doesn't trash my bride's hair like the convertibles do. I can't call it a compromise because I haven't given up anything. I get the convertibles but I'm happy we got a Targa!

bernpep

Yes , Targa all the way. More secure and you only need less than 15 inches clearance to open the top. Who doesn't have 15 inches. Really!
Only 19 seconds to open. NO blind spots as in cab either. Very quiet with top up. Unless you have driven one you should'nt comment on buffeting. Virtually none until 60+ mph. A real joy & a looker to boot!

Jeff Jones

Personally it was the Targa that pulled me back to Porsche and I think the Targa 991 is the nicest looking 911 to come along in a very long time. I had an older cab and felt the lines of the car were overly compromised. Less of an issue with the new cabs but still a factor for me. The fact that they seem to be more rare, at least around Seattle, is a nice bonus. And that freaking top is just too cool. At least until it breaks

hinckley

Me! And probably a few others who live in the middle of a cramped northeastern city.

I've obviously driven a Cab more than a Targa, but I've tested the Targa twice and to me, there's considerably more buffeting in the Targa. I could be facetious and say "thankfully none of us drive our Porsches over 60", but instead I'll wonder out loud why Porsche couldn't design an integrated wind block for the Targa (as they did with the Cab) to reduce buffeting for those of us who do occasionally venture over 60 mph.


Well, we do agree on that. It is a looker. Best of the 991 generation imo.

woodrow

991 GTS COUPE WITH SUNROOF (MANUAL)

911sccab

There is a pop up wind deflector, you know that, right?

bernpep

Dis you know that the targa uses the same 2 motors as the cab to raise & lower the top? Looks to be very reliable. You want to see complicated, my wife's M3 cab with folding hardtop is nuts compared to targa.

Jeff Jones

My comment on reliability was really more in jest than anything. However, my first Porsche was a 78 SC Targa (occasional leak) and my most recent was an 87 M491 Cab where the power top required a little bit of help to open and close and the latching motors had to be replaced. I'm sure modern technology has improved both of these areas and truth be told I doubt that I'll have this car for 20 years. I tell myself that I will with every car I buy and so far my failure rate is 100%

hinckley

I think so . . . you mean the one at the windshield header, right?

I think noise issues in most open top cars come from wind entering the cabin and buffeting around inside. Although I'm sure that the windshield deflector helps, it's the pop-up wind block behind the seats that really does the job. The 991 Cab's integrated, electrically deploying wind block is one of the things that really sold me on the model. I don't think any other car has that, and I do wonder why something similar could not have been engineered into the Targa.

Larry Cable

+1!

Noah Fect

This is the sort of thing you don't appreciate until you own a car that can raise or lower the top in ~10 seconds at up to 30 MPH. Then you won't want to live without it.

Larry Cable

+1 too hot, starting to rain, need to take a phone call, just press the button and 13secs later ... voila the top is up and closed!