991 Targa GTS - Ran out of excuses...
Discussion
Many 911 purchase stories start with the obligatory "i've always wanted one..." line. My story is no different. Here it goes, or skip the background and go to “The Car” section.
Sowing the Seeds
As a child there must have been something about the shape, the noise and the engine in the back which made 911s seem so exotic and beguiling to me. I remember as a 5 year old in the late 70s, a neighbour having a Beetle which I was also intrigued by. But the 911 was the one.
Wind forwards another 5 or so years and another neighbour had an impossibly cool 911. It was a late 70s 930 Turbo in what I believe is Viper Green metallic. Just like the matchbox car that 10 year old me cherished and that still sits on my desk today:
The owner was quite an interesting character, a rather large Italian guy who wrote romantic novels under a pseudonym. I'd study his car and hang around hoping to hear it start up and drive off. For early 80s North East, this was a rare beast.
Then one day I got my first ride in a 911. It was a mid 80s Carrera. All I remember was the very mechanical noise as it accelerated and the bobbling sensation of the front of the car. The performance was another league................. compared to Dad's 1.3 Sierra.
I joked with mates that I would happily live in a caravan to have a 911 once I was old enough to drive. One day.....................
Delaying the Inevitable
I've saved up many times for a Porsche. Firstly Boxsters, then 996's, but as a naturally cautious guy there's always been a reason why not to do it. I'm too tall to be comfortable in the older stuff. I'd talked myself out of late 90s/early 00s cars due to engine worries (rightly or wrongly). I also had an E46 convertible as my sunny days car that I adored. All good.
And then a few things happened. Mum had died in 2019. Dad died in 2024. Both were in their mid 70s and had premature deaths. I had turned 50. It wasn't a total knee jerk reaction, and I don’t want this to sound like some higher calling, but things like this do make you realise that you need to crack on and do the things you have dreamed of. Experiences, travel or of course, buying a Porsche.
The Search
I love open top cars. The Porsche was going to be used for sunny days and touring. I do, however, prefer the looks of the coupe to the convertible. In my mind, the Targa is the best of both worlds. Open top with the classic silhouette. I also think it's a cool looking thing.
The 991 was my choice. I did look at .1 N/A engined cars as well as .2 Turbo cars. I liked the idea of a last of line N/A engine. The .2 Turbo failure stories (true or not) sealed the deal. So, a 991.1 4S Targa in Sapphire Blue was the goal.
Then up popped the Carmine Red GTS.
The Purchase
Prices were softening a little in 2024 which meant this GTS dropped into my search criteria. I was being quite specific with spec. A lively colour, 14 or 18 way seats for my long legs, BOSE and Sports exhaust. What I hadn't quite appreciated is how much is an extra on a Porsche. Heated seats, cruise control, parking sensors. All things I would want. Luckily, this car had it all and more.
I showed my wife the car online on a Tuesday. The response.......... "yeah, right". She knew I had hankered after a 911 but this was a ridiculous proposition and obviously a joke. This was so over the top and we had never spent anything like this on anything other than a house. I’m not pleading poverty, but I’m just a normal working guy who’s put the effort in and done OK.
However, my wife is always very supportive of my ambitions and trusts that i'm not doing anything risky. She quickly turns to a position of encouraging. It got to the weekend and she asked if I was doing anything about that car. I didn't really want to commit. She asks what is stopping me. Nothing, I had called up about the car and it was good. So? OK, it's a nice day. Let's drive down to the Dealer. If it's there, i'll have a look. If it's gone, it wasn't to be.
As we turn up the Targa is nowhere to be seen. We park up and walk amongst the cars. I spot it in the distance pointing away from us. As I walk towards it I can see the sold lettering on the reverse of the visor price sign. B******s. But then I walk around to the front of it. It was just the sun shining through the actual price. It's available.
The car
Out for a test drive and it’s everything I hoped for. Lovely to drive, great noise and surprisingly quick. Back to the Dealer and deal done. I think the feeling of having thought I had missed out helped my haste. I’ve just bought a 911
The car has a fantastic spec:
Targa 4 GTS PDK in Carmine Red
Full GTS interior pack, 18 way heated seats with memory. BOSE, PDLS+ lights, PASM, reverse camera, cruise, sport chrono, sport exhaust, rain sensing wipers. The other little thing that appealed to the cautious me was 5 bolt wheels rather than centre locks. Centre locks look great but sound like a faff.
Pictures from the Dealer:
A week later I take the day off work to go and pick the car up. A lovely sunny day and it’s parked up front with the roof down next to a GT4. Excited is an understatement.
Paperwork done and I head out. Driving through a couple of little towns and catching reflections in shop windows was crazy. It was so surreal to be at the wheel of my 911. The nice thing is they are unmistakably 911s. Looking out between the raised wings, wide arches in the mirrors and that very mechanical sounding engine.
I got it home and did a few local trips out. The great timing was we were heading off to France in a weeks time. A perfect bonding session. More to follow.
Sowing the Seeds
As a child there must have been something about the shape, the noise and the engine in the back which made 911s seem so exotic and beguiling to me. I remember as a 5 year old in the late 70s, a neighbour having a Beetle which I was also intrigued by. But the 911 was the one.
Wind forwards another 5 or so years and another neighbour had an impossibly cool 911. It was a late 70s 930 Turbo in what I believe is Viper Green metallic. Just like the matchbox car that 10 year old me cherished and that still sits on my desk today:
The owner was quite an interesting character, a rather large Italian guy who wrote romantic novels under a pseudonym. I'd study his car and hang around hoping to hear it start up and drive off. For early 80s North East, this was a rare beast.
Then one day I got my first ride in a 911. It was a mid 80s Carrera. All I remember was the very mechanical noise as it accelerated and the bobbling sensation of the front of the car. The performance was another league................. compared to Dad's 1.3 Sierra.
I joked with mates that I would happily live in a caravan to have a 911 once I was old enough to drive. One day.....................
Delaying the Inevitable
I've saved up many times for a Porsche. Firstly Boxsters, then 996's, but as a naturally cautious guy there's always been a reason why not to do it. I'm too tall to be comfortable in the older stuff. I'd talked myself out of late 90s/early 00s cars due to engine worries (rightly or wrongly). I also had an E46 convertible as my sunny days car that I adored. All good.
And then a few things happened. Mum had died in 2019. Dad died in 2024. Both were in their mid 70s and had premature deaths. I had turned 50. It wasn't a total knee jerk reaction, and I don’t want this to sound like some higher calling, but things like this do make you realise that you need to crack on and do the things you have dreamed of. Experiences, travel or of course, buying a Porsche.
The Search
I love open top cars. The Porsche was going to be used for sunny days and touring. I do, however, prefer the looks of the coupe to the convertible. In my mind, the Targa is the best of both worlds. Open top with the classic silhouette. I also think it's a cool looking thing.
The 991 was my choice. I did look at .1 N/A engined cars as well as .2 Turbo cars. I liked the idea of a last of line N/A engine. The .2 Turbo failure stories (true or not) sealed the deal. So, a 991.1 4S Targa in Sapphire Blue was the goal.
Then up popped the Carmine Red GTS.
The Purchase
Prices were softening a little in 2024 which meant this GTS dropped into my search criteria. I was being quite specific with spec. A lively colour, 14 or 18 way seats for my long legs, BOSE and Sports exhaust. What I hadn't quite appreciated is how much is an extra on a Porsche. Heated seats, cruise control, parking sensors. All things I would want. Luckily, this car had it all and more.
I showed my wife the car online on a Tuesday. The response.......... "yeah, right". She knew I had hankered after a 911 but this was a ridiculous proposition and obviously a joke. This was so over the top and we had never spent anything like this on anything other than a house. I’m not pleading poverty, but I’m just a normal working guy who’s put the effort in and done OK.
However, my wife is always very supportive of my ambitions and trusts that i'm not doing anything risky. She quickly turns to a position of encouraging. It got to the weekend and she asked if I was doing anything about that car. I didn't really want to commit. She asks what is stopping me. Nothing, I had called up about the car and it was good. So? OK, it's a nice day. Let's drive down to the Dealer. If it's there, i'll have a look. If it's gone, it wasn't to be.
As we turn up the Targa is nowhere to be seen. We park up and walk amongst the cars. I spot it in the distance pointing away from us. As I walk towards it I can see the sold lettering on the reverse of the visor price sign. B******s. But then I walk around to the front of it. It was just the sun shining through the actual price. It's available.
The car
Out for a test drive and it’s everything I hoped for. Lovely to drive, great noise and surprisingly quick. Back to the Dealer and deal done. I think the feeling of having thought I had missed out helped my haste. I’ve just bought a 911
The car has a fantastic spec:
Targa 4 GTS PDK in Carmine Red
Full GTS interior pack, 18 way heated seats with memory. BOSE, PDLS+ lights, PASM, reverse camera, cruise, sport chrono, sport exhaust, rain sensing wipers. The other little thing that appealed to the cautious me was 5 bolt wheels rather than centre locks. Centre locks look great but sound like a faff.
Pictures from the Dealer:
A week later I take the day off work to go and pick the car up. A lovely sunny day and it’s parked up front with the roof down next to a GT4. Excited is an understatement.
Paperwork done and I head out. Driving through a couple of little towns and catching reflections in shop windows was crazy. It was so surreal to be at the wheel of my 911. The nice thing is they are unmistakably 911s. Looking out between the raised wings, wide arches in the mirrors and that very mechanical sounding engine.
I got it home and did a few local trips out. The great timing was we were heading off to France in a weeks time. A perfect bonding session. More to follow.
Maxus said:
And then a few things happened. Mum had died in 2019. Dad died in 2024. Both were in their mid 70s and had premature deaths. I had turned 50. It wasn't a total knee jerk reaction, and I don’t want this to sound like some higher calling, but things like this do make you realise that you need to crack on and do the things you have dreamed of. Experiences, travel or of course, buying a Porsche.
I did similar at Xmas. In my mid 50s I thought that if I don't do it now I'll be a bit too old in 10 years. A lifetime of working hard and being (relatively) careful with money and I thought it's now or never and so I bought my stunning Lotus Emira V6, new. Most I have spent on a car but James Bond in the Isle of Wight cinema in 1977 in his white Esprit made me do it. 
Thanks to buying it on 24 Dec it hasn't been out much as its been lashing with rain or sub zero ever since but this year I'm planning a Euro trip (prob with a group to start with).
Yep, well done! That looks lovely and right up my street, I'm even not offended by the black wheels (which is rare for me).
I'd be tempted to debadge the back in a 'less is more' type style, but that's just nitpicking.
Cracking car and I'm sure it'll bring you lots of fun along the way.
I'd be tempted to debadge the back in a 'less is more' type style, but that's just nitpicking.
Cracking car and I'm sure it'll bring you lots of fun along the way.
oooh thats a fabulous choice!... I so nearly went there! my own personal journey took me the 981 route despite having that very same green turbo toy(!) decades ago.
991.1 NA... the progress since, isn't really progress imo, not for a proper all-in sports car experience, although to this day I do wonder why a removable panel wouldn't have been 'better' compared to the fully (and impressively) automised solution...
I'd echo opinions on simplifying the rear script, and for me 'silver' wheels would polish off what is in every other way a lovely, lovely car.
991.1 NA... the progress since, isn't really progress imo, not for a proper all-in sports car experience, although to this day I do wonder why a removable panel wouldn't have been 'better' compared to the fully (and impressively) automised solution...
I'd echo opinions on simplifying the rear script, and for me 'silver' wheels would polish off what is in every other way a lovely, lovely car.
Thanks for the comments guys. I agree with them all!
There are a few things that I do want to look at and change - they've all been mentioned bar one!
Wheels - i'm really not a fan of black wheels. They just lose all definition. On this car they do sort of work with the overall colour scheme but still, they will be addressed. I've got a couple of options here.
1. Change these to silver. My concern is these are the Carrera S wheels so will I lose the GTSness of the car?
2. Change to the 991.2 Carrera Sport classic wheels. These do crop up second hand so a possibility
3. Bite the bullet and get what I really want - the 50th Anniversary wheels. this is a c£7k investment though
I like the retro look of 5 spoke Fuchs style on the Targa
Badges - agreed, all far too busy. First thing i normally do to cars is take all the badges off. Not quite so simple on this car. I think I want to keep the Porsche letters. This is mounted too high to be on it's own. Replacing this is a costly job for the badges and the placement template. Another option is to remove all the second line script and replace with 1 badge. 911, GTS or Targa? Probably Targa. I need some inspiration here.
Steering wheel - This hasn't been mentioned. I wasn't a fan of the multifunction wheel. It's nice enough to hold onto but the PDK buttons are poor and it doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the Sport Design wheel. However, I have found that I do use the multifunction buttons all the time. If I was to replace it i'd lose this and have to install an additional stalk. I'd then also need to use the dashboard knob to adjust stereo volume. Sounds like a small thing but i'm forever adjusting the volume listening to the iPOD.
I will also get the Zunnsport Grilles. Those front radiators are so vulnerable.
There are a few things that I do want to look at and change - they've all been mentioned bar one!
Wheels - i'm really not a fan of black wheels. They just lose all definition. On this car they do sort of work with the overall colour scheme but still, they will be addressed. I've got a couple of options here.
1. Change these to silver. My concern is these are the Carrera S wheels so will I lose the GTSness of the car?
2. Change to the 991.2 Carrera Sport classic wheels. These do crop up second hand so a possibility
3. Bite the bullet and get what I really want - the 50th Anniversary wheels. this is a c£7k investment though
I like the retro look of 5 spoke Fuchs style on the Targa
Badges - agreed, all far too busy. First thing i normally do to cars is take all the badges off. Not quite so simple on this car. I think I want to keep the Porsche letters. This is mounted too high to be on it's own. Replacing this is a costly job for the badges and the placement template. Another option is to remove all the second line script and replace with 1 badge. 911, GTS or Targa? Probably Targa. I need some inspiration here.
Steering wheel - This hasn't been mentioned. I wasn't a fan of the multifunction wheel. It's nice enough to hold onto but the PDK buttons are poor and it doesn't look anywhere near as nice as the Sport Design wheel. However, I have found that I do use the multifunction buttons all the time. If I was to replace it i'd lose this and have to install an additional stalk. I'd then also need to use the dashboard knob to adjust stereo volume. Sounds like a small thing but i'm forever adjusting the volume listening to the iPOD.
I will also get the Zunnsport Grilles. Those front radiators are so vulnerable.
Looks great, but then again I love a Carmine Red GTS so I might be a bit biased.
With regards the wheels, I've kept mine black but every so often I get tempted to get them sprayed silver; maybe one day.
Could it be this car? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6e0_l-wdHk&t=...
If you have a look at his other videos, he changed his wheels to silver so you can see what it would look like if you do go for a new look.
With regards the wheels, I've kept mine black but every so often I get tempted to get them sprayed silver; maybe one day.
Could it be this car? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6e0_l-wdHk&t=...
If you have a look at his other videos, he changed his wheels to silver so you can see what it would look like if you do go for a new look.
Kiernan said:
Looks great, but then again I love a Carmine Red GTS so I might be a bit biased.
With regards the wheels, I've kept mine black but every so often I get tempted to get them sprayed silver; maybe one day.
Could it be this car? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6e0_l-wdHk&t=...
If you have a look at his other videos, he changed his wheels to silver so you can see what it would look like if you do go for a new look.
Haha, yes, it is that car. A fellow Geordie as well. I'd studied his videos meticulously when thinking about Targas. With regards the wheels, I've kept mine black but every so often I get tempted to get them sprayed silver; maybe one day.
Could it be this car? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6e0_l-wdHk&t=...
If you have a look at his other videos, he changed his wheels to silver so you can see what it would look like if you do go for a new look.
When I saw my car for sale, the mix of 5 bolt wheels and multifunction wheel gave me a hunch it was this car. When I got the reg it confirmed it. I did like the style of wheel he put on. So much better IMO. I do now skip over the launch control bits of his video though
If you have the CL wheels, these look superb in silver.
resolve10 said:
I hope to be writing the same post as you in 10-15 years!
Lovely car. Your wife sounds great, good for her giving you the nudge to do it.
Cheers, and good luck to you. it's worth the wait and the dreaming and research is part of the fun.Lovely car. Your wife sounds great, good for her giving you the nudge to do it.
My wife would say if it wasn't for her "giving me the nudge" i'd still be single, living at my parents house and driving my 1986 Vauxhall Cavalier.
I try not to hold that against her though
Edited by Maxus on Wednesday 19th February 13:00
A smart wheel, is a smart wheel, I wouldn't personally be put off by the fact it may appear on a 'lesser' spec model.
The Fuchs style is a perfect fit for the targa and I would be equally pleased with either of the options you've put up tbh. Having the Classic may impart some 'feelgood' and I'm certainly not averse to spending daft sums on small details either
but those Carrera wheels look beautiful to me.
The rear badging comes off relatively easily. A body shop did mine with ease removing "Porsche" and centring "Spyder"
But yeah, having just "Porsche" centralised on the back there would look really smart, harking back to older 911s and leaving the targa script to the B-pillar hoop and actually by having the contrasting hoop the fact it is a targa needs no script at all...
I've no useful input on the steering wheel, mine's a manual car and has no buttons at all. Just how I personally like it. My daily car has a wheel festooned with tech and buttons and options... and I use them all regularly...so really that's a super personal situation for what works for you (like the other bits to be fair)
The Fuchs style is a perfect fit for the targa and I would be equally pleased with either of the options you've put up tbh. Having the Classic may impart some 'feelgood' and I'm certainly not averse to spending daft sums on small details either
but those Carrera wheels look beautiful to me.The rear badging comes off relatively easily. A body shop did mine with ease removing "Porsche" and centring "Spyder"
But yeah, having just "Porsche" centralised on the back there would look really smart, harking back to older 911s and leaving the targa script to the B-pillar hoop and actually by having the contrasting hoop the fact it is a targa needs no script at all...
I've no useful input on the steering wheel, mine's a manual car and has no buttons at all. Just how I personally like it. My daily car has a wheel festooned with tech and buttons and options... and I use them all regularly...so really that's a super personal situation for what works for you (like the other bits to be fair)
Maxus said:
Many 911 purchase stories start with the obligatory "i've always wanted one..." line. My story is no different. Here it goes, or skip the background and go to “The Car” section.
Sowing the Seeds
As a child there must have been something about the shape, the noise and the engine in the back which made 911s seem so exotic and beguiling to me. I remember as a 5 year old in the late 70s, a neighbour having a Beetle which I was also intrigued by. But the 911 was the one.
Wind forwards another 5 or so years and another neighbour had an impossibly cool 911. It was a late 70s 930 Turbo in what I believe is Viper Green metallic. Just like the matchbox car that 10 year old me cherished and that still sits on my desk today:
The owner was quite an interesting character, a rather large Italian guy who wrote romantic novels under a pseudonym. I'd study his car and hang around hoping to hear it start up and drive off. For early 80s North East, this was a rare beast.
Then one day I got my first ride in a 911. It was a mid 80s Carrera. All I remember was the very mechanical noise as it accelerated and the bobbling sensation of the front of the car. The performance was another league................. compared to Dad's 1.3 Sierra.
I joked with mates that I would happily live in a caravan to have a 911 once I was old enough to drive. One day.....................
Delaying the Inevitable
I've saved up many times for a Porsche. Firstly Boxsters, then 996's, but as a naturally cautious guy there's always been a reason why not to do it. I'm too tall to be comfortable in the older stuff. I'd talked myself out of late 90s/early 00s cars due to engine worries (rightly or wrongly). I also had an E46 convertible as my sunny days car that I adored. All good.
And then a few things happened. Mum had died in 2019. Dad died in 2024. Both were in their mid 70s and had premature deaths. I had turned 50. It wasn't a total knee jerk reaction, and I don’t want this to sound like some higher calling, but things like this do make you realise that you need to crack on and do the things you have dreamed of. Experiences, travel or of course, buying a Porsche.
The Search
I love open top cars. The Porsche was going to be used for sunny days and touring. I do, however, prefer the looks of the coupe to the convertible. In my mind, the Targa is the best of both worlds. Open top with the classic silhouette. I also think it's a cool looking thing.
The 991 was my choice. I did look at .1 N/A engined cars as well as .2 Turbo cars. I liked the idea of a last of line N/A engine. The .2 Turbo failure stories (true or not) sealed the deal. So, a 991.1 4S Targa in Sapphire Blue was the goal.
Then up popped the Carmine Red GTS.
The Purchase
Prices were softening a little in 2024 which meant this GTS dropped into my search criteria. I was being quite specific with spec. A lively colour, 14 or 18 way seats for my long legs, BOSE and Sports exhaust. What I hadn't quite appreciated is how much is an extra on a Porsche. Heated seats, cruise control, parking sensors. All things I would want. Luckily, this car had it all and more.
I showed my wife the car online on a Tuesday. The response.......... "yeah, right". She knew I had hankered after a 911 but this was a ridiculous proposition and obviously a joke. This was so over the top and we had never spent anything like this on anything other than a house. I’m not pleading poverty, but I’m just a normal working guy who’s put the effort in and done OK.
However, my wife is always very supportive of my ambitions and trusts that i'm not doing anything risky. She quickly turns to a position of encouraging. It got to the weekend and she asked if I was doing anything about that car. I didn't really want to commit. She asks what is stopping me. Nothing, I had called up about the car and it was good. So? OK, it's a nice day. Let's drive down to the Dealer. If it's there, i'll have a look. If it's gone, it wasn't to be.
As we turn up the Targa is nowhere to be seen. We park up and walk amongst the cars. I spot it in the distance pointing away from us. As I walk towards it I can see the sold lettering on the reverse of the visor price sign. B******s. But then I walk around to the front of it. It was just the sun shining through the actual price. It's available.
The car
Out for a test drive and it’s everything I hoped for. Lovely to drive, great noise and surprisingly quick. Back to the Dealer and deal done. I think the feeling of having thought I had missed out helped my haste. I’ve just bought a 911
The car has a fantastic spec:
Targa 4 GTS PDK in Carmine Red
Full GTS interior pack, 18 way heated seats with memory. BOSE, PDLS+ lights, PASM, reverse camera, cruise, sport chrono, sport exhaust, rain sensing wipers. The other little thing that appealed to the cautious me was 5 bolt wheels rather than centre locks. Centre locks look great but sound like a faff.
Pictures from the Dealer:
A week later I take the day off work to go and pick the car up. A lovely sunny day and it’s parked up front with the roof down next to a GT4. Excited is an understatement.
Paperwork done and I head out. Driving through a couple of little towns and catching reflections in shop windows was crazy. It was so surreal to be at the wheel of my 911. The nice thing is they are unmistakably 911s. Looking out between the raised wings, wide arches in the mirrors and that very mechanical sounding engine.
I got it home and did a few local trips out. The great timing was we were heading off to France in a weeks time. A perfect bonding session. More to follow.
Looks great, I have any eye on one of these....Sowing the Seeds
As a child there must have been something about the shape, the noise and the engine in the back which made 911s seem so exotic and beguiling to me. I remember as a 5 year old in the late 70s, a neighbour having a Beetle which I was also intrigued by. But the 911 was the one.
Wind forwards another 5 or so years and another neighbour had an impossibly cool 911. It was a late 70s 930 Turbo in what I believe is Viper Green metallic. Just like the matchbox car that 10 year old me cherished and that still sits on my desk today:
The owner was quite an interesting character, a rather large Italian guy who wrote romantic novels under a pseudonym. I'd study his car and hang around hoping to hear it start up and drive off. For early 80s North East, this was a rare beast.
Then one day I got my first ride in a 911. It was a mid 80s Carrera. All I remember was the very mechanical noise as it accelerated and the bobbling sensation of the front of the car. The performance was another league................. compared to Dad's 1.3 Sierra.
I joked with mates that I would happily live in a caravan to have a 911 once I was old enough to drive. One day.....................
Delaying the Inevitable
I've saved up many times for a Porsche. Firstly Boxsters, then 996's, but as a naturally cautious guy there's always been a reason why not to do it. I'm too tall to be comfortable in the older stuff. I'd talked myself out of late 90s/early 00s cars due to engine worries (rightly or wrongly). I also had an E46 convertible as my sunny days car that I adored. All good.
And then a few things happened. Mum had died in 2019. Dad died in 2024. Both were in their mid 70s and had premature deaths. I had turned 50. It wasn't a total knee jerk reaction, and I don’t want this to sound like some higher calling, but things like this do make you realise that you need to crack on and do the things you have dreamed of. Experiences, travel or of course, buying a Porsche.
The Search
I love open top cars. The Porsche was going to be used for sunny days and touring. I do, however, prefer the looks of the coupe to the convertible. In my mind, the Targa is the best of both worlds. Open top with the classic silhouette. I also think it's a cool looking thing.
The 991 was my choice. I did look at .1 N/A engined cars as well as .2 Turbo cars. I liked the idea of a last of line N/A engine. The .2 Turbo failure stories (true or not) sealed the deal. So, a 991.1 4S Targa in Sapphire Blue was the goal.
Then up popped the Carmine Red GTS.
The Purchase
Prices were softening a little in 2024 which meant this GTS dropped into my search criteria. I was being quite specific with spec. A lively colour, 14 or 18 way seats for my long legs, BOSE and Sports exhaust. What I hadn't quite appreciated is how much is an extra on a Porsche. Heated seats, cruise control, parking sensors. All things I would want. Luckily, this car had it all and more.
I showed my wife the car online on a Tuesday. The response.......... "yeah, right". She knew I had hankered after a 911 but this was a ridiculous proposition and obviously a joke. This was so over the top and we had never spent anything like this on anything other than a house. I’m not pleading poverty, but I’m just a normal working guy who’s put the effort in and done OK.
However, my wife is always very supportive of my ambitions and trusts that i'm not doing anything risky. She quickly turns to a position of encouraging. It got to the weekend and she asked if I was doing anything about that car. I didn't really want to commit. She asks what is stopping me. Nothing, I had called up about the car and it was good. So? OK, it's a nice day. Let's drive down to the Dealer. If it's there, i'll have a look. If it's gone, it wasn't to be.
As we turn up the Targa is nowhere to be seen. We park up and walk amongst the cars. I spot it in the distance pointing away from us. As I walk towards it I can see the sold lettering on the reverse of the visor price sign. B******s. But then I walk around to the front of it. It was just the sun shining through the actual price. It's available.
The car
Out for a test drive and it’s everything I hoped for. Lovely to drive, great noise and surprisingly quick. Back to the Dealer and deal done. I think the feeling of having thought I had missed out helped my haste. I’ve just bought a 911
The car has a fantastic spec:
Targa 4 GTS PDK in Carmine Red
Full GTS interior pack, 18 way heated seats with memory. BOSE, PDLS+ lights, PASM, reverse camera, cruise, sport chrono, sport exhaust, rain sensing wipers. The other little thing that appealed to the cautious me was 5 bolt wheels rather than centre locks. Centre locks look great but sound like a faff.
Pictures from the Dealer:
A week later I take the day off work to go and pick the car up. A lovely sunny day and it’s parked up front with the roof down next to a GT4. Excited is an understatement.
Paperwork done and I head out. Driving through a couple of little towns and catching reflections in shop windows was crazy. It was so surreal to be at the wheel of my 911. The nice thing is they are unmistakably 911s. Looking out between the raised wings, wide arches in the mirrors and that very mechanical sounding engine.
I got it home and did a few local trips out. The great timing was we were heading off to France in a weeks time. A perfect bonding session. More to follow.
I remember Cridfords. I've tried to buy cars from them before and was always told on the phone 'Don't come down expecting a test drive, go to a main dealer and come back and buy from us!" Good to see they have changed their ways, it always put me off as I couldn't ever buy any car without driving it first!
Maxus my journey was almost identical to yours but I had a e93 M3 instead 
Just hit a significant age milestone, it was now or never. Wife was very supportive and encouraged me to do it. I got a 992 Targa 4S, was hankering for a GTS but the 992s just didn't make sense price wise. Shark blue with a grey interior, well optioned as it was a Porsche management car.
Haven't gotten to drive it much yet as it's deep winter here in Canada and it's on performance tyres so i just get to admire it in the garage
Just hit a significant age milestone, it was now or never. Wife was very supportive and encouraged me to do it. I got a 992 Targa 4S, was hankering for a GTS but the 992s just didn't make sense price wise. Shark blue with a grey interior, well optioned as it was a Porsche management car.
Haven't gotten to drive it much yet as it's deep winter here in Canada and it's on performance tyres so i just get to admire it in the garage
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