If I were to go with this car I would be getting it in automatic due to the traffic in my area as well as caring less to drive manual everyday as the car would be a daily driver (and I'm lazy). I would be getting an 07/08; is the tiptronic a good transmission? I just sold my e60 M5 and I really don't know what the tranny is like on these cars...any info would be appreciated.

thanks

 

I have a 2008 C4 tip and I love it. I hear that the new pdk tranny is to die for, but the Porsche tip suits me fine. It seems much more robust than other auto trannies I've had and with the learning function, it responds very well in most situations.

On another note, I've been thinking of selling mine, if you're interested I can send you the details. I saw a 2007 turbo listed for sale here that I'd love to get my hands on.

Either way good luck with your search.

 

Don't do it !!!! That's my opinion for so many reasons . I will write the list .

1) The targa is the car that is so rare that it's priced near Turbo territory . No one wants to buy it when you sell it and when you go to buy the car you end up paying more than its worth .

2) Tiptronic is awful compared to the PDK . Again you will pay more to have less.
Tiptronic is an automatic transmission and PDK is a sophisticated double clutch with automatic use capability if needed in gridlock traffic and efficient shift ability better than manual when performance driving. It is the ideal "auto-manual".

I can write more ..
3) Targa is not a coupe . It's also not a cab . It's in limbo. Coupe owners shy away and so do Cab owners . That's one more reason along with Tip that you will never sell it .
4) Both Targa and C4 (08) cost as much as an 09 PDK C2S.
5) 09 at the same price is the better buy.
6) even a AWD Turbo is the better buy over the Targa. But PDK even squashes that idea.

I can write more if needed.

2009 is the year to look at cars if PDK is a must .
If too expensive -- better to wait than buy a car that will end up not being as good and costing almost as much in the long term.

 

I couldnt disagree with you more. The Targa is a fantastic Porsche. Its the best of both worlds. Especially if you live in difficult climates. Its great in the in winter as you still get that open feeling of a convertable, and equally great in the summer, when it gets too hot for the top to be down. Driving with the roof open, windows doen is very close to a top down feeling. I for one hate the look of the little" baby bump" on the back of the convertable. As for resale, The Targa continues to be a rare model. Do a search and see how many come up. Esp in the color/options you want. As soon as they pop up on EBAY or the Porsche Pre- Owned web site they quickly sell...

 

sorta in the same boat as you - I've an '08 M5 and it's got SMG - WHICH I LOVE (it's gotten a bad rap by those too lazy to "learn" it !) - am guessing it's sorta like Porsche's tiptronic (?). I don't intend on giving up the M5 but am toying (pun) with getting a 2s or 4s - would wait until I can afford one with PDK because of all the good publicity

I've owned 2 ragtops and although I like the look with the top down I think they look terrible with the top up - and - they were impossible to keep in adjustment (which allowed rain water "in").

I've also owned a Targa ('70s 911) and I loved it

as an add : will go for a coupe this time..

 

I also needed an automatic due to traffic in my area, and went with a TIP because the price difference was huge between it and a PDK Targa, and especially because the latter don't show up used that often. I agree with Yrralis that there's no doubt the PDK is a much superior tranny and I look forward to getting one in my next 911, though I think the TIP is very enjoyable when using the buttons to shift instead of fully auto. I do disagree with the other comments however.

1. The open top feel of the Targa is a major plus for these cars, given the small cabins. I've driven the 997 coupe, and it felt claustrophobic in comparison. So why not just get a cab? For one, I live in the Northeast and drive year round. When you account for how many days in the summer are too hot for top down, it's a pretty short list of usable days. Second, the Targa can be comfortably driven top down at highway speeds, which the coupe cannot. I bought a 911 to drive it fast. I'm not comfortable doing that with the wind whipping in my face. Also, the Targa can be comfortably driven top down at freezing temperatures, with heated seats. To me, that's an amazing feeling, like being in a hottub in snowy mountains Lastly, and I know I may be inviting ridicule on this , I have long enough hair that when I step out of an open top cab, I look like the cavemen from the geico commercials -- not good!

2. Performance. The Targa has always gotten a bad rap for this, I think mostly undeserved. Re straight line acceleration -- the stats speak for themselves: it's 2/10 of second slower in 0-60. To me, the difference between 4.3 and 4.5 is fairly negligible. Now I'll admit that in the hard corners, the extra weight of the roof is a negative, but I also think that's been overstated for street use. And the 4WD makes up for some of the difference. For performance overall, unless your primary purpose is to track, I don't think you're giving up very much at all.

3. Cost/resale. I bought my 2007 T4S from a private party for $66K on a $105K sticker, 3900 miles. The massive depreciation works in your favor if you're the buyer at the right part of the depreciation curve. I watch T4S CPO prices regularly (lame hobby I know!) and trust me, these cars sell. I think its' contradictory and counterintuitive to say nobody wants to buy them, and the buyers overpay -- that would be a really inefficient market. If nobody wanted them, the prices would drop until people did. I agree it would be tougher to sell in a warm weather state for the reasons Yrrallis states, but I don't think that reasoning holds in the North.

At the end of the day, it comes down to the supply. At any given time, there are roughly 3-5 Tip Targas CPOs in the whole country, and maybe another 1-3 PDK. Compare that to any of the other 997's. It simply doesn't take that many people to like Targas to get them all sold.

To the OP -- I think you should test drive a Targa and a 4S and see if the glass roof is worth the extra coin to you.

 

Love my Targa, best of both worlds. I will never track it so weight argument means nothing to me. Roof open you can still talk on phone. I am bald so less wind keeps my head warm, lol. Range of temperatures that are comfortable with top open is amazing. Cost is still way below Turbo S. Negative is rear view with top open is somewhat compromised. Had mine at dealer the other day amongst Turbos, GT3's etc and guy walks in and asks "whose Targa is that"? I have never see another on the road in my area in the 6 months I have owned it. Not saying it is the right model for all, but certainly not deserving of a do not buy. Anyway I love mine and wish you luck in your purchase. To me owning any of the available 997.2 models is a dream come true the rest is just personal choice. Enjoy whatever you decide.

 

The only people that should knock Tiptronics are people that have or had them.
I had 993 Tip, 996 TT Tip, and now a 997 Tip.
THEY ARE GREAT!

 

Have an '09 Targa PDK (terrific transmission) so I can't comment on the Tip. But there are plenty of Tips to drive, so you should get a pretty good feel for it.
As for the Targa, I'm a big fan. Checks all of the boxes I need, and then some. Fun. Stunningly beautiful. Great to drive. Practical....yes, practical. Very few compromises for what I gain. Just me - I don't like the way the cabs look, nor what the car feels like with the top up. Lots of others feel differently. That's why they make cabs.
Never understood the 'neither fish nor fowl' argument about the Targa. It assumes the world's binary. Strange. At least to me.
Finally as far as the concept 'they're hard to sell because they command a premium price' - it's a free market. If people didn't want them the price would be less. Reminds me of Yogi Berra's rationale for not wanting to go to Ruggeri's restaurant "Nobody wants to go there any more. It's too crowded."
Have to agree with 72Offsuit, 'owning any of the available 997.2 models is a dream come true.' Absolutely. Go for what you love. You've got plenty of choices.
That itself is great good fortune.

 

I am looking to get a 997 targa 4s. Any advice?

 

Of the 40 Porsche's I have owned three were Targa's (my fav the 1979 SC Targa). No disrespect meant but until the 991 Targa came out for this old timer the other targa models were not really Targa's in my mind. The last time I drove a 911 with an automatic it had a sportmatic (I think that is what they called it) in it. If I remember correctly the automatic cars were specially turned for Porsche and were much better that the normal slush box (the 997TT was faster in auto). The PDK is probably better (I have it in my Panamera) and it is far better than the BMW SMG (I had a 2007 M6 and the only way it ever worked for me was in S6 mode). What I do think is that the targa has always been a WTF are they making that for car. Someone once said to me that coupes are drivers cars and cabs are look at me cars, not sure I totally agree with that statement, but over the year I have owned many of the same cars in both (when it comes to Ferrari and Lamborghini I would take the coupe without doubt) forms, and Porsche does in my opinion the best job at making all their cars drivers cars. I have always been a three pedal guy (which is why the 430 coupe would end up being my last Ferrari) but the world is changing and the time for old school manuals is coming to an end. I find these 7 manuals a bit too much (the 5 speed box in my Abarth works fine for me) and confusing. Either way it is not for me to judge anyone choice in cars, the way I see it, we all have our own reasons for what we choose, so good luck and I hope you find what you are looking for.

 

I really liked my 997.2 targa 4s. Test drive what you're interested in and get whatever car does it for you. I actually am a big fan of the 997.1 targas and may look for a 2008 in the future. Good luck on your search!

 

Thanks - price on those is pretty high - not to mention i can't even find a single one for sale! :-( any particular dealer or site you'd reccomend to search and buy one? I bought two cars from Landmark motors before.. had a terrible terrible experience which has made me a little afraid of dealers (or perhaps just that dealer...)

 

Could not agree more.

 

Interesting... why 997.1 instaed of 997.2? I thought it would be the other way around?

I dont see many 997 Targas for sale