convt vs targa vs coupe

[85carrera]

ok folks, I'm in the market for a another 911. :-) the economy is down and we know what that means. cheap cars and desperate sellers. besides, I need to do my part by stimulating the american economy!!!

I have an 85 targa now. It handles pretty well, but I've heard targas don't handle as well as coupes. I've never owned a coupe nor driven a coupe as hard as my targa so i wouldn't know. Does it really make a difference unless you're taking the car to track? I've taken my targa pretty damn fast around corners (probably faster than I should) and it does pretty damn well.

Im looking at convertibles now too. Does those handle WORSE than a targa?

And howabout a 80 911SC vs a Carrera targa? how would that compare?

sorry for so many questions, but buying another car is a pretty big deal. i mean how often does the economy tank and you get a chance to buy another car???

David

[Joe Bob]

My convert handles well.....I've done what most coupe and targa owners do to upgrade the suspension and it is competitive in DEs and AX.

A 911 is most likely to handle more than the driver can unless YOU are an exceptional driver......the best upgrade is experience and seat time.

[efhughes3]

Originally Posted by mikez

A 911 is most likely to handle more than the driver can unless YOU are an exceptional driver......the best upgrade is experience and seat time.

Exactly!

[RSTarga]

85 Targa's are tighter than the older cars, if you have a Targa buy a coupe, there is a difference. I have a coupe, and a Targa which rarely has the top on. when the weather is nice I drive the Targa, when it's not the coupe.

[Zef]

Originally Posted by RSTarga

85 Targa's are tighter than the older cars, if you have a Targa buy a coupe, there is a difference. I have a coupe, and a Targa which rarely has the top on. when the weather is nice I drive the Targa, when it's not the coupe.

Ho yep...The best of both world...lucky man.

[BReyes]

My first 911 was 83 SC cab w SSI, 16 inch Pirellies. No, street cab will not handle worse than street targa (currently have 3.2 targa w chip, SSI, 16inch Pirellies, G50). The cab would hold the road well in high speed turns. It would brake strong, exit strong, good WOT stability.

I believe an 80SC coupe would be better than same year targa only if upgrading vehicle for competition (cage, coils, slicks et al). Though the look of the coupe earns it some points, especially a widebody. But can you experience topless driving?.

Have you driven newer 911s? My current 996 handles sccchweeeeeet at high speeds.

Good luck.

Regards,

[450knotOffice]

The Cab uses the Targa bodyshell, with additional stiffeners added strategically, so you should'nt notice any difference between the two.

My recommendation is to drive a Cab with the top down. It's a great experience, sure to put a HUGE smile on your face.

[the]

I've had all three. I wouldn't say the cornering or handling is any different for street driving (at a track, if you are measuring tenths of a seconds, I don't know).

Bur for sure, I could feel a lot more chassis flex in the cab. Not in a way that affects handling, but it affected, for me, the driving experience. You can mostly feel it when the road is a little uneven, or a little bumpy/rough (like a lot of roads are). It wasn't horrible, like the car was going to fall apart, but noticeable.

I've found the targa to be closer to the coupe in stiffness. It is really pretty solid for an open top car. I think the bar, and probably the glass, too, adds a lot of rigidity.

[450knotOffice]

Yea, it can be a bit jiggly on rough pavement, but it's worth it for me for those times when I have nothing but the blue sky above, the wind swirling around, and the unmuffled sound of that flat six behind me. I smile thinking about it.

(My roll bar and door bars eliminated that shaky, jiggley tendency, btw - but I track it too, so I deal with the slight inconvenience they cause)

[RSTarga]

There is nothing like top off driving, i too put up with a little jiggling to enjoy the sky.

[Mikey83835]

I seem to remember that back in "The Day", the late Mark Donahue said he preferred the handling of the Targa, I don't remember exactly why, but I think it was because of the more flexible feel.

Perhaps it gave more advance warning when it was at the limit?

[efhughes3]

Originally Posted by Mikey83835

I seem to remember that back in "The Day", the late Mark Donahue said he preferred the handling of the Targa, I don't remember exactly why, but I think it was because of the more flexible feel.

Perhaps it gave more advance warning when it was at the limit?

That is correct.

[robert walsh]

I drove all 3 with the intention of buying a coupe for the same reasons you mentioned, however I noticed no notable difference between them except the ture open air experience of the cab. I tell you it changes everything when the top is down, it's like your sitting on the engine, kill the radio enjoy the sun and that very unique sound that theses engines put out. I have never looked back at the decision.

[Joe Bob]

I have a cab for days like today.....100mph+ coming down the 101 freeway in the middle of winter with the top down......cabs rule, the rest drool....

So what if I flex more than the others....when I die, I'll still have owned a cab....

[bonkers]

There is nothing quite like the symphony of an air-cooled flat-6 on the open road with the top down. Mozart himself couldn't have done better.

The only difference the handling of my cabriolet made was to bring home just how much body roll my Subaru has.

[CRNT918]

Being a track regular, there was a time when you couldn't have given me an open car. However, I have seen the light(no pun intended), I will never own another Porsche unless it is a cab!

[GH85Carrera]

One of my friends has a very nice Targa. He rode in my car right after I bought it. He made me promise to never let his wife ride in my car. A Targa has built rattles and wind noise. He wants his wife to think all Porsche sound the same.

A coupe has a LOT less noise. How many day per year would you want the roof off in Dallas?

The single most amazing price I have ever seen on a Porsche 911 part is a new Targa top. Our host sells them for just OVER 20 grand. You can buy a used one and get a nice 911 attached for that much money.

It is your decision, if you don't mind rattles, lots of wind noise and regular water leaks get an open car.

That is only my opinion, I could be wrong.

[efhughes3]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

One of my friends has a very nice Targa. He rode in my car right after I bought it. He made me promise to never let his wife ride in my car. A Targa has built rattles and wind noise. He wants his wife to think all Porsche sound the same.

A coupe has a LOT less noise. How many day per year would you want the roof off in Dallas?

The single most amazing price I have ever seen on a Porsche 911 part is a new Targa top. Our host sells them for just OVER 20 grand. You can buy a used one and get a nice 911 attached for that much money.

It is your decision, if you don't mind rattles, lots of wind noise and regular water leaks get an open car.

That is only my opinion, I could be wrong.

Well, my opinion is that you are wrong:

1. I've been in Coupes with a lot of rattles-not sure that is the strict domain of Targas.

2. I just moved back to Calif last year, but spent 6 years with my Targa in Dallas. Basically, the ONLY days I had the top on were track days when it was required. I may've had it on twice besides that taking my wife to dinner. Nothing like the top off on a 30-something degree morning drive. That's how many days in Dallas you drive with the top off.

3. Water leaks? Didn't drive in the rain-drove when I wanted to enjoy the car.

I've not driven a cab, but I gotta believe the experience is similar. I think open top motoring is the basic essence of a sports car. (Not that I'd turn down a Ferrari 250/265/275 coupe....)

[86911cab]

In my opinion the Cab is the ONLY choice. I wouldn't want my Porsche any other way. My wife rides with the top down, and she doesn't even care about her hair.

Don't tell her I said that.

[Head416]

Every time I drive with the targa top off I know I made the right choice.