2002 Porsche 996 Targa

Highly successful though the new 996 was, it had a fatal flaw. Inside the guts of the fabulous new liquid-cooled flat six engine, lives an intermediate shaft (IMS) supported by a bearing. This bearing was incorrectly specced for a number of years and as a result can fail, leading to very expensive engine damage. 

So it’s vital when considering any 996 that you check this bearing has been replaced with an uprated part.

This car has had its IMS bearing replaced, which means you don’t need to worry about it. Buying a 996 (or indeed a Boxster of similar vintage) without proof that this issue has been addressed is a gamble. But you’re on to a safe bet with this particular car. 

The 996’s looks were a fairly radical departure from traditional 911 styling, but although this sparked some controversy among enthusiasts back in the day, today the car looks futuristic and elegant.

The distinctive front end with large oval headlights and that rounded front bumper is starting to look very slightly tired on this one. The paintwork is generally very good, there is a scuff to the NSF bumper corner and some grazing to the top of the spoiler, but we think a professional mop and polish would improve its appearance no end.

The headlights, whose shape upset some Porsche enthusiasts, are in good condition, and the curved bonnet has tight, even panel gaps. 

The original spec multi-spoke Porsche alloy wheels are in pretty good shape, although the odd bit of kerb rash is present – always a threat when the tyres are of such a low profile. 

The car comes with two keys, one of which works remotely.

Black leather is a welcome change from tan in this 911. Black cars are often delivered with a light coloured interior by way of contrast, but we think this Porsche looks much better with a matching colour scheme inside and out.

The driver’s seat is showing some signs of its age and the mileage the car has covered, but it’s still in presentable condition, with no rips or tears. However, there is a major fault with this car, in that the Targa roof doesn’t work properly.

If you try to open it, it will very slowly retract, and it’s then a pain to get it to shut properly. The owner says he just thinks of the car as having a fixed panoramic roof. He estimates that to get a Porsche specialist to fix the problem would be around £2500, once all the motors and control cables have been replaced. 

Having said all this, with the roof shut, there are no water leaks. And the interior itself is in very good shape, with everything reportedly working as it should. one of the keys will need reprogramming to the car and the boot strut is weak (a very easy fix). the was driven 70 miles to us by the vendor.

This 3.6-litre flat six doesn’t sound like an engine that’s covered 151,000 miles, and that’s because when the IMS bearing was replaced, the entire engine was also rebuilt, with new pistons, by Porsche Specialists, Portiacraft,  in 2012. 

This was around the 81,000 mile mark, so this engine has actually only covered around 70,000 miles since being rebuilt, meaning this really should be about as bomb-proof a 996 as you’ll find.

The exhaust has a lovely rasp to it reminiscent of earlier air-cooled 911s. What it doesn’t have is the mechanical clatter associated with the earlier cars – this is a much more modern, refined flat six engine.

The engine bay cover has a weak strut that struggles to hold it open – an easy, cheap fix. The engine bay itself looks very tidy with no evidence of any fluid leaks.

The owner reports no known faults other than the roof, and of course, you also get the peace of mind knowing that the troublesome IMS bearing issue has been sorted on this car.

This 911 comes with a full service history, all at either Porsche main dealers or specialists. There is also a large stack of historic invoices for work carried out over the years, including that engine rebuild and IMS fix by Portiacraft, recognised Porsche specialists.

The car has a current MoT, and also comes with its original handbooks. The current owner says he’s used the car daily but now that his kids are growing up it’s time for a change. He says:

‘I am selling the 996 so that I can devote my time to a classic car that I bought from Bonhams at an MPH Auction in Bicester a couple of years ago. Also, the pesky kids have grown legs so it’s no longer feasible to fold them into the rear seats.

‘The Porsche has been maintained by specialists (bar the covid period when it went to a local garage, where the owner had a 996). Everything works bar the Targa roof.

‘It also makes a very satisfying noise. I suspect the exhaust was changed by a previous owner but I have no evidence for this. It pulls really well.

‘The rear window opens, which is extremely practical and only a feature on the Targas. It means you can load a large suitcase for a weekend away, cricket bags or golf clubs.

‘I’ve used it regularly throughout my ownership, as you can see from the MoT mileage, and only fuelled it with super unleaded, although the garage said there is no issue to give it standard E10. The maintenance costs are very reasonable (see bills) and it’s ULEZ compliant.’

We agree with the owner that a black car with a black interior makes a nice change from all the silver 996s you see. But what makes this car especially appealing is the rebuilt engine and uprated IMS bearing. 

While it would be fairly expensive to get the non-working Targa roof fixed by a Porsche specialist, an enterprising new owner could reduce the cost of the work by using a smaller workshop to repair the issue, or even tackle the job themselves. Or just do as the current owner does, and treat it as a fixed head coupé.

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £7,000 - £11,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.