Here are more details of the original water damage repair:

Work (numbers 3, 8, and 9 added since I first posted this message)
1. removed & reinstalled (a) front sests, (b) both(?*) consoles, (c) front seat belts, (d) rear "lateral trim panels", (e) "flooring"
2. carpet dried
3. alarm trouble shooting
4. replaced "control unit f alarm system"
5. "control unit f. sunroof" removed and reinstalled
6. front lid microswitch removed and reinstalled
7. "On board diagnostic" [this is work code 03350050]
8. "Additional maintenance Drains cleaned" [code 51000299]
9. Repaired water drains [code 50933099]
(*Removing the middle console is listed twice with different units of work, so I suppose this means both the vertical console and the horizontal console.)

Parts (numbers 6, 7 and 8 updated since I first posted this message)
1. battery
2. expansion rivets (6) (99950749740 - this is a little black plastic thing)
3. "fuse brown" (3) [not a good sign, I suppose]
4. "control unit immobiliser central locking system"
5. two key heads
6. "water drain hose behind" (99656220701) [this is part of the rear hatch mechanism (it's a Targa), all the way at the back of the car]
7. "catch electric rear lid" (99756233502) [this is the locking mechanism for the rear hatch, again, all the way at the back of the car]
8. "saeure" (6 pieces/units) (I think this is battery acid - part number seems to be PZ 110)

 

I know how to look up part numbers. Anyone know if there is a way to look up work codes?

 

RS10, mind telling us where you're located at? Are there not abundance of 996 's there? Just wondering why your willing to risk getting a flooded car.

 

There are indeed an abundance of 996s. But not of Targa's. Across all of Europe, Targa's meeting my requirements are extremely rare.

 

Finally got to talk to the guy at the Porsche dealer who repaired the car. What did I learn? It was because of water damage that the battery needed to be replaced. Likewise the rear latch for the hatchback (yes, hatchback - it's a Targa). Seems there was water in both the frunk and the passenger compartment. He claims the car was not flooded, but does not know how the water got inside. Seems to agree a drain was clogged, but doesn't recall which one. Says damage was definitely less than flood damage, and if he liked the car, he'd buy it because they fixed all the water damage. But it even if it were younger, it would not be eligible for a Porsche used car warranty due to the water damage.

Not sure I learned a lot. I was hoping for "it was definitely just rain that got stuck in the car due to a clogged drain, and the battery and latch needed to be replaced due to something else." I can easily imagine some issue with the drains in the Targa mechanicsm could have done for the latch, but the battery? And the opposite is the case for drains in the frunk. Alternately, "we pulled it out of a river" would have simplified my decision making ...

 

Nope. I believe that there is nothing unique about the front of the car because it is a targa. Way too great a chance that the battery went bad because the car went for a dunk.

Keep shopping.

 

The rear latch for the hatchback is pretty high. Rain wouldn't be very likely to impact that. Unless I'm mistaken, it wouldn't be impacted by a plugged drain tube either.

Given all the questions you are asking you know what you should do. You just don't like what that little voice in your head is telling you.

 

The drains built into the Targa mechanism send water down a tube in the C pillars, no? Anyway, that's why I thought clogged roof mechanism could account for the latch.

 

True :-(