jwong1977

Hello, I'm pretty serious about purchasing a 1997 Targa 6 speed. I've confirmed that the clutch, brakes, seals, belts and starter have all been replaced with original parts. The car is at 100k miles so its a driver, the seller is asking 69k for it. However, the targa doesn't work and requires a new roof cable to make it work. It also needs a repair to a minor dent from a license plate bolt hitting the car from the back. The seller mentioned that both items would cost roughly 5k to resolve. It is getting a PPI from a reputable shop on Friday. The Carfax also shows that the car hasn't been in a major collision with a clean title. Since I am unfamiliar with the Targa module, I am a bit shy to pull the trigger on the purchase. Would any Targa owners here be willing to chime in on their experience with the top and if its reasonable to get it repaired? Or will this be an ongoing issue for me? I live in the SF Bay Area, and I haven't found an independent shop willing to work on the targa top yet, though to be fair I've only called two places so far.

The use case for this car will be as a secondary / third car for occasional family trips. I'd like to make use of the Targa top and would be willing to get it fixed if it proves to not be a long term hassle.

Thanks.

fatmike

Targas are wonderful. But, you are very unlikely to find an independent shop that has any experience working on the top. Some folks on this board have experience with the top mechanism - they are fixable, but they are tricky and expensive.

Did the car get hit in the bumper or the sheet metal?

A 100K mile Targa with a non-working roof and needing body work for $69K. Nope. Move along.

/

mike cap

Totally agree with Mike. Car is WAY overpriced.
Not an expert on Targa pricing but I’d say the car is probably 10k overpriced.

grazingcow

I have a targa, it is a wonderful option. As previously stated they can be finicky. I have had to do my own maintenance to mine since nobody nearby is familiar with it. Could my local independent Porsche shop work on it, yes but they said it could get quite expensive. The parts are available and if your handy enough you can DIY. Replacing the cable will require the rear seats to be removed, rear cover behind the seats removed and upper trim. Degree of difficulty is a 9/10 and getting the timing for the correct travel is a PITA. The top works quite well and hasn't been a maintenance issue after having to replace a few bits and pieces that broke. I have documentation on how its done if you need it. Targa's are not highly sought after so the price tag in my opinion is high and agree with Mike & Mike on this one.

jwong1977

Thank you all for your responses. I think I may want to wait for another 993 to come along then. I appreciate the help. I didn't realize that the Targa's were not highly regarded. After calling a few more places, the shops all pointed me in the direction of the dealer to fix the top.

jwong1977

The car was hit in the bumper, the hole is basically from the bolt from one of the front license plate holders in coming into contact with the car from the back.

fatmike

I loved my targa. A dealer...fixing a 993 targa top?...LOL. Basically the shops are telling you they don't want to touch it and sending you away.

If you want the car, I would make an offer for the car provided the seller fix the roof to your satisfaction. For me, a bumper respray is no big deal.

/

jwong1977

I really appreciate your response, and I think the Targa 993 is stunning vehicle, particular the one I was considering was 100% stock in Arctic Silver. But, if the most reputable air cooled Porsche shops in the San Francisco Bay Area are sending me away, its a telltale sign that a Targa is not in my future and I should stick to the coupes. When spending this much money on a car, I'd like to not have to deal with a problem that nobody in my area wants to tackle for me. I know for 993s 70k isn't much money anymore, but at least give me problem that professional mechanics don't want to run and hide from. I could just live with a non operational Targa top, but then whats the point of owning a Targa?

mdude

Targa used to be somewhat less desirable than coupes but not anymore.
At the right price (say, take $6k off an otherwise reasonable transaction price, and the Targa roof doesn't leak, just inoperable), if the rest of the car checks out, there is a case for this car. You just got yourself a pano-roof 993.

OP: I presume you're aware of this (obviously just pointing out a prospect, I'm neutral on this, price-wise it's worth some further discovery):
https://rennlist.com/forums/market/1254461

Watson

More than a decade ago, when I was looking for my first 993, I only wanted a Targa : I thought the side profile looked sleeker than the coupe (no gutter rails, frameless doors) and the idea of a pano-roof was mind-blowing at that time.
I never pulled the trigger and left the 993 dream aside for a couple of years. When I resumed the search several years ago, the prices of all 993 had sky rocketed. But since then, the 991 Targa had been released and I fell in love with the Targa roll-bar so I ruled out the 993 Targa and at the same time, strangely enough, I started to prefer the profile of the 993 coupes vs the 993 Targas - maybe my taste in car got better :-D
I especially love the rear 3/4 view of the 993 coupes, which is sublime to my eyes.

Now, during the recent years, my search for a 993 also led me on the path of some 993 Targas which were good values for money and when I sat in them, I felt that there was so much light inside the cabin even if the glass roof is closed. So a 993 Targa is still a very special 993 on its own - it's not just the one for me ;-)