Starting my search for a 996 to replace my beloved, but old 968. Looks like a 2002 or 2003 is in my price range (woo-hoo!!!!). I figured on buying a coupe, but have always been interested in the Targa - both for the roof and the 'hatchback.' My car will be an occasional daily driver and very occasionally a DE car, but only for fun.

So I'm interested in Targa feedback - HVAC challenges, rattling, mechanics, efficiency of the shade, and handling compromises (if any).

 

Does...."I love the looks" count as feedback?

Lots of people here will chime in, good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for!

 

RPM - Im right with you - for me my targa search is driven by the Uniqueness of the 968, which I love. ..so thanks for starting this thread.

 

I looked very hard at Targas. I love them. If there had been a "Targa 4" or "Targa 4S" variant of the 996 I would have purchased one.

 

+1
Cool looking car.

 

love mine. there are some squeaks with extreme temps but i haven't had any major issues. love cranking that roof open. you are right about the hatchback too.

 

I've had my Targa for a handful of years, love it, no regrets.
While the roof won't replace a cab, it still does give you a great open air experience with the pluses of a fixed roof.
The hatch feature is very handy.
In the cold with the roof closed, it can rattle a bit going over broken pavement, but my Targa is a summer car and I almost never drive it w/o the roof being open.
HVAC works great, even with the roof open. Heater and heated seats work great in the cooler temps. Sunscreen is effective, along with the tint of the glass, but I never use it.
... and it is just as amenable to mods as any other "p"
Couple of shots of mine ... lowered on pss9's and with GT3 skirts. Apolgies for the big pics, not great at this stuff.

 

That car looks phenominal.
I too love the looks of the 996 targa, 997 targa not as much.

 

I'm content with the Targa that I've had for about a year. When I was in the market for a 996, I was torn between a Targa and a 40th Anniv Pcar. The final decision was that I preferred the open air feel of the Targa as opposed to the extra horsepower of the X51.

I have no regrets about the decision that I made. I'd do a Targa again. As far as the heat is concerned, on those really hot 100*+ days I've found that leaving the window and the top cracked open just a bit keeps the interior from getting too hot and the a/c cools down the interior in just a few minutes. The truth is that on those days all cars get hot...even the ones with solid roofs.

The only problem with buying a used Targa is finding one. If you look at Porsche's production stats they don't make many Targas each year. I would guess that Targa 996s were something like 5% of the 996 production, so that finding a nice clean previously loved Targa takes a fair amount of patience.

Good luck on your quest.

 

Great feeback! TX summers are a lot like NC summers and one concern was heat soak sitting in a parking lot. Cold weather rattles is another - but probably not avoidable and worth the trade-off.

Shamus - I think you hit the nail on the head. The 968 is such a unique Porsche that I guess I am looking for something a little off-beat, less common.