How I saved £40,000 - 991.1 Targa 4S
Discussion
I tested a used 991.1 Targa 4S today with the idea I could P/ex my 2014 Cayman 981 2.7 PDK.
I've never been a 911 fan boy but had a bee in my bonnet about open top motoring for the three warm sunny days a year we get.
I've had convertibles before E46 325ci; E46 330ci; E-class 350 over 15 years but switched to the Cayman over a Boxster as the Cayman looks great and the 981 Boxster not so.
The Targa with its dramatic roof operation appealed as it's not too open to the world, roof off...
https://youtu.be/I-C1NKNBAhs
The 991.1 Targa I drove is a 2014 model too. Great condition. I'd read and watched the reviews saying the wind buffeting at speed and rattling roof were the weak points. This one had SC; PSE; PASM; 14-ways (these last two same as my 981) and every option I'd want. Sitting in it I was immediately at home, it's the same cockpit as my 981.
Set off with roof off, felt very similar suspension-wise to my 981, found a small open stretch and I could feel the extra power, 395BHP vs. my 275. Along some winding country roads, again not much different, no chance of using that power.
I couldn't hear any exhaust note at all, nothing, maybe it's the wind noise? Pressed the PSE button, absolutely no change, no sound at all from the exhausts whereas my non-PSE 981 would be making a racket, foot down, with its roof up. Well, it's always up, it's a coupe! It must be the wind I thought. I'll try it with the roof back on in a bit.
The expected buffeting wasn't too bad and with the windows down a few inches, a fix I'd read about, was fine. Same at 70MPH when driven at a steady pace. Well, when I say "fine" that's fine for someone used to open top driving.
Then onto a dual carriageway and blasted past the traffic. Stopped in a lay-by and put the roof on. Off I went again, nope, still no exhaust note with PSE on. I switched between on/off PSE and... nothing, no exhaust sound, zilch. However, returning on the dual carriageway roof up there was a constant drone from the exhaust, identical whether PSE was on or off. At that point I decided I couldn't live with that awful noise. My 981, when cruising, is perfectly drone-less but this was awful. I can only imagine that a new to Porsche buyer might accept this as normal, or not notice it. I certainly did.
Rattles-wise, nothing from the roof, on or off, but an annoying driver's door rattle which I could stop by pressing my elbow into the door. Possibly an easy fix, or not.
In conclusion the 991.1 Targa is a lovely looking car and the roof a work of art. If you want something special, a "look at me" car, it's fine. But the "must have" PSE is a pain in the ears when cruising, due to the droning.
I could look for one without PSE of course, but driving home swiftly in my lowly 981C I revelled in the exhaust and mechanical sounds, its perfect balance and lightness, and the ability to wring so much more out of its engine than the more powerful Targa's. Then I thought back to 2015 when I'd decided on the base 981 engine over the S. Similar reasons back then. I should have known better.
A useful test which has got the Targa bug out of my system and made me realise, as many say, that the Cayman is the better driver's car, at least for me. I'll be keeping my £40k trade up money for now.
I've never been a 911 fan boy but had a bee in my bonnet about open top motoring for the three warm sunny days a year we get.
I've had convertibles before E46 325ci; E46 330ci; E-class 350 over 15 years but switched to the Cayman over a Boxster as the Cayman looks great and the 981 Boxster not so.
The Targa with its dramatic roof operation appealed as it's not too open to the world, roof off...
https://youtu.be/I-C1NKNBAhs
The 991.1 Targa I drove is a 2014 model too. Great condition. I'd read and watched the reviews saying the wind buffeting at speed and rattling roof were the weak points. This one had SC; PSE; PASM; 14-ways (these last two same as my 981) and every option I'd want. Sitting in it I was immediately at home, it's the same cockpit as my 981.
Set off with roof off, felt very similar suspension-wise to my 981, found a small open stretch and I could feel the extra power, 395BHP vs. my 275. Along some winding country roads, again not much different, no chance of using that power.
I couldn't hear any exhaust note at all, nothing, maybe it's the wind noise? Pressed the PSE button, absolutely no change, no sound at all from the exhausts whereas my non-PSE 981 would be making a racket, foot down, with its roof up. Well, it's always up, it's a coupe! It must be the wind I thought. I'll try it with the roof back on in a bit.
The expected buffeting wasn't too bad and with the windows down a few inches, a fix I'd read about, was fine. Same at 70MPH when driven at a steady pace. Well, when I say "fine" that's fine for someone used to open top driving.
Then onto a dual carriageway and blasted past the traffic. Stopped in a lay-by and put the roof on. Off I went again, nope, still no exhaust note with PSE on. I switched between on/off PSE and... nothing, no exhaust sound, zilch. However, returning on the dual carriageway roof up there was a constant drone from the exhaust, identical whether PSE was on or off. At that point I decided I couldn't live with that awful noise. My 981, when cruising, is perfectly drone-less but this was awful. I can only imagine that a new to Porsche buyer might accept this as normal, or not notice it. I certainly did.
Rattles-wise, nothing from the roof, on or off, but an annoying driver's door rattle which I could stop by pressing my elbow into the door. Possibly an easy fix, or not.
In conclusion the 991.1 Targa is a lovely looking car and the roof a work of art. If you want something special, a "look at me" car, it's fine. But the "must have" PSE is a pain in the ears when cruising, due to the droning.
I could look for one without PSE of course, but driving home swiftly in my lowly 981C I revelled in the exhaust and mechanical sounds, its perfect balance and lightness, and the ability to wring so much more out of its engine than the more powerful Targa's. Then I thought back to 2015 when I'd decided on the base 981 engine over the S. Similar reasons back then. I should have known better.
A useful test which has got the Targa bug out of my system and made me realise, as many say, that the Cayman is the better driver's car, at least for me. I'll be keeping my £40k trade up money for now.
Edited by DJMC on Saturday 4th April 23:11
Cayman/Boxster platform, midship engine mounted - for the street, easier to drive. Get in, start her up and fly around corners like you re a driving God.
911 s are different - you have to learn the car, the driving dynamics, the sound, the heritage. They re harder to drive and get especially on a short test drive. Most don t get them, so they say the mid engined cars are better, faster, etc.
For me, no car drives like a 2wd 911. I get the mid engined cars, I ve had one, but they re way off in my view.
Heads Porsche wins, tails Porsche wins. There s a car in their line for all.
911 s are different - you have to learn the car, the driving dynamics, the sound, the heritage. They re harder to drive and get especially on a short test drive. Most don t get them, so they say the mid engined cars are better, faster, etc.
For me, no car drives like a 2wd 911. I get the mid engined cars, I ve had one, but they re way off in my view.
Heads Porsche wins, tails Porsche wins. There s a car in their line for all.
2.7 986/7/1 boxsters and caymans are some the best cars Porsche have ever made. With the engine right behind your ears you get great intake and engine noise often missing in a 911 so easy to understand how the OP feels. If you get 911s they are also quite special themselves but in a different way to the mid engine cars. I would say a targa is unlikely to float your boat if you like the purity of a base cayman 981. Maybe try a base Carrera next and see what you think. That or a GT3 
maz8062 said:
Cayman/Boxster platform, midship engine mounted - for the street, easier to drive. Get in, start her up and fly around corners like you re a driving God.
911 s are different - you have to learn the car, the driving dynamics, the sound, the heritage. They re harder to drive and get especially on a short test drive. Most don t get them, so they say the mid engined cars are better, faster, etc.
For me, no car drives like a 2wd 911. I get the mid engined cars, I ve had one, but they re way off in my view.
Heads Porsche wins, tails Porsche wins. There s a car in their line for all.
I totally agree with this. I grew up admiring the 993 then finally got a chance to drive a 987 and a 996 C4S. I was expecting it to blow my mind but it didn't. Instead these cars just fit like a glove. I found I could just get in it and drive without learning them. All the controls and weights were just perfect and positioned in the right places.911 s are different - you have to learn the car, the driving dynamics, the sound, the heritage. They re harder to drive and get especially on a short test drive. Most don t get them, so they say the mid engined cars are better, faster, etc.
For me, no car drives like a 2wd 911. I get the mid engined cars, I ve had one, but they re way off in my view.
Heads Porsche wins, tails Porsche wins. There s a car in their line for all.
The 987 just felt so efficient at going fast, so balanced, so neutral. Then I had the chance to drive a C4S many years later and loved it. I wasn't driving on the limit but you could feel the weight of the rear end moving and the car felt alive (and that was 4WD). I just loved that feeling.
The 981 is my favourite Boxster. It has the most balanced shape and profile of them all and best sounding engine but I would take a 993 or a 996 over this
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