Tuorbillon

Hello,

I am new member and I am thinking about buying a Meridian Silver 2003 Targa. It's a 2 owner lower mileage (17K mi) car in like new condition. It is all stock. This car is owned by an older gentleman for last 7 years. He has all service records done by the dealer. He is asking $34.9K. It doesn't have many options but it looks and drives like new. Car does have heated seats. Is the asking price reasonable. It seems to me it's a good price. What do you think I should offer? I was very supprised how quick the car is. It pulls in 2nd gear like a race car. I originaly wanted a 996 Turbo but this car is fast enough for me. It's a lot faster than my BMW 330Ci. Roof works great and I didn't hear any rattles even though we drove on some rough country roads. Your input is appriciated.

Doug

street rod

Meridian Metallic is a great color and somewhat rare so that is a plus. Some people have issues with the Targa top but I personally would not let that be a deal breaker if it was well maintained. The car appears to have good records which is important. Very low mileage like this can sometimes be an issue because the car was not driving regularly. Porsche's like to be driven so to me the main thing left to do is get a PPI from a good local Porsche mechanic to make sure there are no unknown issues. If that comes out clean then his 34K asking price is a pretty good starting point, but I would personally try to get this car for around 31-32K. Good luck.

dennis hiip

The new Excellence Porsche Buyers Guide gives a range of $23000-$3000 for '03 Targa. Check prices on kbb.com and NADA also-those sites factor in the mileage.

vange_c4s

hi,
my $0.02. if you really like it. if it passes ppi. if you feel it is worth it. if you will look back at it when you park it. get it. just remember any new (used) car needs proper maintenance.

Tuorbillon

Thanks for the reply's. I am going to go see the car again tomorrow. I will make an offer contingent on the PPI passing. See what happens. I used to have a pristine 1988 Porsche 944s long time ago so I am eager to get another Porsche. I am big BMW fan but can't beat a Porsche for pure sports car tradition and feel.

silotwo

If using Excellence Magazine for market value note that they footnote to add 10% for low mileage.

fasteddie99

He should take $30K.

Doesn't hurt to ask.

rpm's S2

For a 17k 2003 Targa? No.

The problem of course with paying top dollar for a low mile car is that for it to hold it's value, you have to keep the miles low.

There are also some possible concerns, overblown to be sure, about the relative susceptibility of low mileage M96 motors to problems like RMS and IMS failures. Porsches need to be exercised to stay in shape. This car may not have been ridden hard enough.

And don't assume that low miles means less maintenance cost. With 10 years on the clock, the car probably needs tires and a major service. Make sure you figure that in to your negotiation.

Unless you really want a low mileage Targa and are willing to spend the $$ for the privilege, there are probably better cars out there for you.

Tuorbillon

I have looked on Autotrader, Cars.com, Ebay, and craigslist all over the country. Other similar Targa's with more miles had similar or higher asking price. KBB is always high on car estimates and NADA and Edmunds seem to be always low. I don't know if this car will go for $30K. Seller kind of hinted that dealer offered him $32.5K as a trade in. He is buying a new targa.

Hurdigurdiman

My tuppence apenee worth for what its worth is first to find out every little thing on how the car is supposed to work. Has the electricals been interfered with? Read up on the manual for the targa and you will find out what to expect. My experience is the PPI only tells you what they inspect and they can overlook many little things. Better to pay a little 'over the odds' for a perfect car than 'think you are getting a great deal' by paying a lower than usual price when in fact you could be getting a lemon that has been interfered with. From your posting it seems like this is a clean stock car in every way so I would say, Go for it. You might want to consider a 3 year 30000 miles extended warranty when you buy the car so try to knock him down that amount and tell him the reason why. Good luck with the deal.

silotwo

Hurdi makes great points. First do the due diligence - Any Porsche dealer can run the VIN and give you the history of warranty repairs - not service, but warranty work. And think about what you want out of the car, if it is to drive it and enjoy it and the car checks out, don't be afraid to pay for it. With the low miles you can get a good 3rd party warranty for a reasonable amount, just make sure of the warranty details, and again, don't be afraid to pay for a good one. Then buy, drive, and enjoy.

You can pay now or keep reading the posts here and realize that you can pay later, later usually means paying much more though.

If you are considering the car because you think it is an investment, totally different story and probably a really bad idea.

It sounds so far as you might have found a car that has been well cared for and appreciated by the owner - that goes a long way in my opinion.

philooo

The car has low mileage and you will be able to get a decent price on extended warranty.
I wonder if someone can chime in, as to if the extended warranty can cover the Targa top repair.
Still I would buy one just in case, they are much pricier when the mileage gets higher.
We have heard some high repair price on the targa top on this forum.
I would assume that if you live in an area with rough pavement the top will suffer more.
I think the targa is beautiful and the driving feel is fantastic even with top closed
go for it

Tuorbillon

I went to see the car again today. I saw the service records. I offered $32K. Owner wants to wait to see if he can get better offer. He listed it on Autotrader. Here is the link.
http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-s...29530311&Log=0

Scats

I looked for a targa for awhile and nothing this nice was to be found a few months ago. I found a coupe in similar condition / miles and paid a premium for an impeccable example. I wouldn't let a few grand get in the way of making a deal on such a nice targa.

SacTownGuy

No way dealer offered $32,500. NO WAY.

He'll call you within a few days and accept $32k. Don't go up. At least I wouldn't. It's not like there are 50 people calling him to buy it. Don't get anxious... unless you think this is the best car of all time and you can't live without it. Plus, I always ignored the low mileage warnings but I feel different after having IMS failure... so might want one with higher mileage.