Discussion
From a quick rifle through the classifieds here and Autotrader two jump out - £18,500 for a 53,000 mile Targa and £13,999 for a 106,000 mile example of the same car.
Both look pretty tidy, both have a full service history - which would you test drive on the weekend if you could only drive one?
Both look pretty tidy, both have a full service history - which would you test drive on the weekend if you could only drive one?
The car I made an offer on today was a 1999 manual 2wd coupe in Lapis blue, sports seats, sports exhaust, 64,000 miles but unfortunately no stamp in the service book since 2012, and a further four year gap in the history before that. I offered £14,500 contingent on a full (including bore-scope) report from Parr's, but he knocked me straight back.
That's the type of car I am looking for, but as I said - Targa has always been a guilty desire. But not if they are rubbish! I've not driven a Targa.
That's the type of car I am looking for, but as I said - Targa has always been a guilty desire. But not if they are rubbish! I've not driven a Targa.
I've driven the coupe, I liked it - I'm concerned that a convertible or convertible variant such as the Targa would flex a lot and, much as you say the Tip ruins a fine gerabox I worry that the flex would ruin a fine chassis.
Or I could simply be parroting Car Magazine "wisdom", and the Targa and/or convertible is actually more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Or I could simply be parroting Car Magazine "wisdom", and the Targa and/or convertible is actually more fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Jimmy P - not quite - the service history looks like this:
8,384, 2000, AFN
15,482, 2001, AFN
23,854, 2002, AFN
30,000, 2003, Porsche West London
Four year gap
36,059, 2007, Porsche Colchester
38,486, 2008, Addspeed
44,120, 2009, Coverdale Mercedes
48,812, 2010, "Porsche Specialist"
54,100, 2012, Mortimors
It's on 64,000 miles today.
According to the owner (a nice chap who I have no reason to doubt) he got an oil change in 2014, but he didn't get the book stamped.
Of course, that might also be what happened between 2003 - 2007, but it's a bit of a concern.
Based on that, and that it needed four new tyres, I thought my offer of £14,500 (contingent on Parr's full inspection) was fair.
8,384, 2000, AFN
15,482, 2001, AFN
23,854, 2002, AFN
30,000, 2003, Porsche West London
Four year gap
36,059, 2007, Porsche Colchester
38,486, 2008, Addspeed
44,120, 2009, Coverdale Mercedes
48,812, 2010, "Porsche Specialist"
54,100, 2012, Mortimors
It's on 64,000 miles today.
According to the owner (a nice chap who I have no reason to doubt) he got an oil change in 2014, but he didn't get the book stamped.
Of course, that might also be what happened between 2003 - 2007, but it's a bit of a concern.
Based on that, and that it needed four new tyres, I thought my offer of £14,500 (contingent on Parr's full inspection) was fair.
Edited by Dammit on Tuesday 20th September 10:31
Magic919 said:
Unless you've driven a lot of 996 coupes, I suspect the Targa would feel fine. Nobody complains of chassis flex. Some complain the roof is noisy over bumps, leaks water or fails to operate correctly.
I think the rear window opens, so easier to drop a road bike in. You can get them in a coupe, but not as simple.
Just coming back to this - have you succeeded in putting a road bike in the back of a coupe, and if so what size frame?I think the rear window opens, so easier to drop a road bike in. You can get them in a coupe, but not as simple.
Here's where I am now: I realised that I'd set a specific target in my head which was an amber-indicator 3.4, manual coupe with low miles in dark blue with a tan interior.
The problem is that I'd likely then treat it as a classic and pootle round in it.
So I'm now evaluating mid-mileage 996.2 manual coupe's as there's a lot more of them, they're cheaper, and I'd feel much more comfortable about using it on the track every other weekend.
The one I am currently looking at is £14,000, manual coupe with sports seats, and earlier this year had a clutch/IMS/RMS. It's on 90,000 miles, and is dark blue with a grey interior. All work was done by Autofarm, and they've looked after it for the last three years. Confirmation to come, but it's either 2002 or 2003.
The problem is that I'd likely then treat it as a classic and pootle round in it.
So I'm now evaluating mid-mileage 996.2 manual coupe's as there's a lot more of them, they're cheaper, and I'd feel much more comfortable about using it on the track every other weekend.
The one I am currently looking at is £14,000, manual coupe with sports seats, and earlier this year had a clutch/IMS/RMS. It's on 90,000 miles, and is dark blue with a grey interior. All work was done by Autofarm, and they've looked after it for the last three years. Confirmation to come, but it's either 2002 or 2003.
I just spent lunchtime driving round Regents park in an early 996 convertible - amber indicator car.
Now of course we didn't reach the outer limits of the chassis at 25mph round the park, but there were no squeaks or rattles, and critically you can't see the back end when you're driving it.
I might get this as my first foray into Porsche ownership.
Can anyone recommend a Porsche specialist to check the car over who is in or near London?
Now of course we didn't reach the outer limits of the chassis at 25mph round the park, but there were no squeaks or rattles, and critically you can't see the back end when you're driving it.
I might get this as my first foray into Porsche ownership.
Can anyone recommend a Porsche specialist to check the car over who is in or near London?
Ok, the car is going into Kensington Autocare today - I did a bit of checking and they seem to know their onions.
It's on 61,000 miles now, and the original owner ticked a few options boxes on the order form:
C26 South African market vehicle
139 Seat heating, left
340 Seat heating, right
197 Stronger battery
220 LSD
222 Traction control ASR AntriebsSchlupfRegelung
224 Traction control ABD Automatic Braking Differential
288 Headlamp washer
326 Cassette-radio Becker Porsche CR-21 ROW
375 Two way electical sports seat, left
376 Two way electical sports seat, right
421 Front cassette compartment
426 Three spoke steering wheel
441 Radio preparation
446 Wheel caps with coloured Porsche crest
454 Automatic speed control
490 Sound system, MY2002-> Sound system Harmann analog
551 Wind deflector
563 Side airbags
567 Top tinted windscreen
573 Automatic air conditioning
692 6-disc CD changer Becker Porsche CDC-3
936 Leather rear seats
981 Leather dashboard and door panels
983 leather front seats
As long as the inspection gives it a clean bill of health I hope to finish the paperwork and transfer the money tomorrow.
It's on 61,000 miles now, and the original owner ticked a few options boxes on the order form:
C26 South African market vehicle
139 Seat heating, left
340 Seat heating, right
197 Stronger battery
220 LSD
222 Traction control ASR AntriebsSchlupfRegelung
224 Traction control ABD Automatic Braking Differential
288 Headlamp washer
326 Cassette-radio Becker Porsche CR-21 ROW
375 Two way electical sports seat, left
376 Two way electical sports seat, right
421 Front cassette compartment
426 Three spoke steering wheel
441 Radio preparation
446 Wheel caps with coloured Porsche crest
454 Automatic speed control
490 Sound system, MY2002-> Sound system Harmann analog
551 Wind deflector
563 Side airbags
567 Top tinted windscreen
573 Automatic air conditioning
692 6-disc CD changer Becker Porsche CDC-3
936 Leather rear seats
981 Leather dashboard and door panels
983 leather front seats
As long as the inspection gives it a clean bill of health I hope to finish the paperwork and transfer the money tomorrow.
A little puzzled by the mix of options on the car - it's got ASR and ABD (both parts of what I think came to be called PSM), as well as an LSD - in my admittedly very small store of knowledge I thought that it was generally an either or, not both an electronic and a mechanical traction control system?
Happy to be told that I'm dead wrong.
Happy to be told that I'm dead wrong.
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