2003 Porsche 911 (996) Panoramic Sunroof

Finished in Arctic Silver, ‘CF03 XBX’ is a 2003 Porsche Carrera Targa with one of the best service histories of any car we’ve ever seen. 

The seller, who has spent approximately £12,000 on it since buying it two years ago, takes as much pleasure from getting his cars ‘just so’ as he does from driving them – and because he remembers driving the 966 when it was first launched, he’s a very clear idea of how they should feel.

His hard work has clearly paid off because he displayed it at Goodwood and Silverstone last year as part of Porsche’s 75th anniversary celebrations.

And yet, now he’s got it running, driving, and looking as good as it can, he can’t help but feel the time is right to turn his attentions to sorting out another classic, which means you get to benefit from all the heavy lifting he’s done. 

• All brake lines replaced, an expensive but common fault on old 996s.
• £1,500 recently spent on paint correction, ceramic glaze, corrosion treatment and undersealing (hot wax injections into cavities and so on) underneath. The view of the specialists was to sympathetically work with what there is instead of starting to re-spray, so hard to get right. 
• The vendor says, "In summary, I've tried to address all the big stuff that any old 996 is going to need sooner or later, in keeping with original OEM specs. There are some smaller items that remain on the to-do list, but they are all discretionary and can be carried forward as wished." 

The Arctic Silver (colour code L92U) is largely original, albeit lightly refreshed over the years. Still, when you combine meticulous curation with Porsche’s legendary build quality it’s not surprising that a 21-year-old car can look as good as this.

The flanks are free of ripples too, and the rest of the bodywork is clear of dents, dinks, and other damage. It really is a credit to the seller.

As for the Targa roof you might think you don’t want, the glass panel floods the cabin with light, and when it’s open – and you can do that on the move - you get all the benefits of driving a convertible with much less wind buffeting thanks, in part, to the small air deflector that pops up on the leading edge. 

It was cleaned and fettled in 2021 so opens and closes at the press of a button as it should. 

The 17-inch alloy wheels look terrific as they are free of kerbing marks and other damage. Their open design allows you to admire the black-painted brake calipers behind them too, and they’re even fitted with a matching set of Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres in 255/40R17 on the rear and 205/50R17 on the front. A recent wheel refurb with new coloured centre caps has been carried out, so the wheels are not only unmarked but freshly balanced - the car even went back to Centergravity for that process. 

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection but it does perhaps give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The lamp lenses, glazing and badges are all good, which means the only thing you might want to look at is the headlamp glass, which has yellowed a little.

The Topgear sports exhaust means that the originally fitted OEM sports exhaust 'button' is redundant, even though it lights up.

There are also a few light scuffs to the lower edge of the front bumper, but these aren’t visible unless you crawl underneath so could be ignored.

The centre console and seat backs were professionally repainted in 2022, replacing the “awful vinyl paint Porsche put on that fades”. This was a more involved job than it sounds but is one that goes straight to the heart of the seller’s attitude towards his cars: They have to work properly and to look right.

And this one does. The light grey leather seats are in a good condition overall and while the driver’s seat is a little worn (we’ll delve into that later) the rest are excellent. The front pair are heated too, which is something you’ll enjoy on a winter’s morning.

The rear seats fold down and being a Targa the 911 has a hatchback, which means you have access to a huge and hugely versatile space, the likes of which you rarely see in a sportscar of this type. It’s very clever and exponentially improves the 911’s practicality and everyday useability. 

The roof itself is a joy, with the owner waxing lyrical about its advantages over the alternatives: “One of the things I have always loved about it is the glasshouse effect, in rainy weather, when you can retract the blind while obviously keeping the roof itself shut. It's one of the really lovely things about the Targa because it brings in light and lifts everything.

“There is a mark to the passenger seat base that relates directly to the roof replacement found in the history - there was a minor ingress of water at one point when the rood evidently didn't seal. There is a bill for £2,800 for that and it all works perfectly the inner blind and the roof itself. I drove it up through very heavy rain on Friday and can vouch that it was 100% perfect, both in operation and sealing.” 

A replacement Pioneer headunit sits above a CD storage rack and plays through Bose speakers. The original headunit comes with the car, along with some CDs and a few Porsche magazines.

The grey trim colour extends to the dashboard and steering wheel. Both are in a good condition but then the 996 is known for its build quality, something the naysayers tend to forget to mention when they’re whining about the shape of the headlamps and the presence of a water-cooled engine…

This means flaws are few, and the only significant one is condition of the outer bolsters on the driver’s seat. The seat itself isn’t damaged but the foam has softened, and we can see the new owner will probably want to commission someone to strip it down and rebuild it with new stuffing. You could ask them to sort out the tilt function while they’re at it as it doesn’t work.

The handbrake is also a bit scruffy, as is the trim panel around the ignition key. The driver’s carpets is also a bit worn, and there’s some staining in the passenger footwell and the frunk. 

The history file shows the air-conditioning system being repaired in 2018 with new condensers and fresh refrigerant but it needs re-gassing now.

This is a 20 year old car which has had 19 services, with the next one not due until October 2024.Delivered on the 23 April 2003, the 911 has been serviced every single year bar one:

• 31.03.2004 and 7,826 miles – service by Porsche Centre Solihull
• 29.06.2005 and 14,546 miles – service by Porsche Centre Solihull
• 05.06.2007 and 22,633 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by Nick Whale Sportscars
• 14.11.2008 and 31,367 miles – service by PCT Cars, independent Porsche specialist
• 04.11.2009 and 35,811 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by PCT Cars, independent Porsche specialist
• 03.11.2010 and 40,258 miles – service by PCT Cars, independent Porsche specialist
• 18.10.2011 and 45,153 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by PCT Cars, independent Porsche specialist
• 09.11.2012 and 51,282 miles – service by TWG Sport
• 19.10.2013 and 58,815 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by TWG Sport
• 25.10.2014 and 65,677 miles – service by TWG Sport
• 24.10.2015 and 70,287 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by TWG Sport
• 27.10.2016 and 75,192 miles – service by TWG Sport
• 24.10.2017 and 79,795 miles – service and fresh brake fluid
• by TWG Sport 
• 29.10.2018 and 82,995 miles – service by TWG Sport
• 11.07.2019 and 84,901 miles – intermediate bearing upgrade and new crankshaft oil seal by eporsch at a cost of more than £1,400
• 21.11.2019 and 86,627 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by eporsch
• 25.11.2020 and 88,925 miles – service by eporsch
• 30.11.2021 and 91,197 miles – service and fresh brake fluid by eporsch
• 11.10.2022 and 93,894 miles – service and fresh brake fluid and gearbox oil plus miscellaneous fettling by AMS Porsche including four new Bilstein dampers at a cost of £6,229
• 03.10.2023 and 96,687 miles – service by AMS Porsche

Center Gravity also racked up a four-figure bill in 2022 for sorting out the suspension. We know their work well, and we’re sure the 911 drives all the better after their ministrations, especially when you also factor in the four new Bilstein dampers that were fitted later that year.

A GT3 master cylinder and braided hoses have been fitted at great cost, which proves to be unobtrusively transformational. It now stops really well. This was the advice of Angus at AMS who also supervised the decision to go from 18" back to 17" wheels, with huge benefits to ride, feel and let's face it defence in the face of the pot holes that litter the land. A purist driving decision instead of a fashion statement, and one that the seller stands by. If you want 24 inch wheels with liquorice rubber and a trolley jack ride, don't buy this car. 

The seller drove it here and told us he “had every confidence” in his beloved car. He went on to rave about the handling; as a motoring journalist he’s driven an awful lot of sportscars and says only the Lotus Evora comes close to having the steering feel of a well-sorted 996.

He was also keen to point out the exhaust, which TopGear of Bridport supplied. Slightly fruitier than usual, it says it’s “more audible, totally linear but with no droning” going on to chuckle about opening the targa roof before flooring it in second gear through any tunnels he happened to come across...

It’s also the last of the narrow-bodied 911s, something that helps you thread it along narrow country lanes with impunity.

There is much, much more on file and we can’t remember ever seeing a better service and maintenance record, which is just what you want to see when you’re thinking of buying a Porsche 911.

As you can see, it starts well and idles perfectly with good oil pressure and a healthy charge to the battery. 

The engine bay is a little grubby, so you may want to invest a few pounds in detailing that to bring it up to the same high standard as the rest of the car. 

The underside could do with tidying up too as there is some surface rust here and there that needs arresting before it turns into a bigger problem. It appears some restorative work may have been undertaken to the front offside and nearside after the 2021 MoT as the corrosion wasn’t mentioned in later years.

The 911’s MoT certificate is valid until February 2025 and it, like the one before, was issued with no advisories. 

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Porsche comes with two keys, the stamped service history booklet, the Porsche book pack, and a thick bunch of expired MoT certificates and old invoices.

The Porsche 996 might still be underappreciated compared to the earlier cars but if you can look past the slightly awkward front end you’re in for a treat because they’re as brilliant to drive and own as every other iteration – and *whispers* better than some of the more obvious choices.

Wonderfully easy to potter around in, they make the air-cooled cars sound and feel somewhat agricultural - and yet, for all their practicality, the 996 runs with the best of ‘em being lithe and nimble and as powerful as any sensible driver needs. 

(With 170mph on tap, may we politely suggest you invest in driver training before spending money on tuning bits if you find the performance lacking?)

Of course, this comes with the caveat that you buy the right one. 

Like this one. Unflashy and, on the face of it, conservative please don’t be misled because it’s had the right money spent at the right intervals with the right people; we can’t remember seeing a better maintained one, which makes it the antithesis of the bargain basements you see limping from one MoT to another.

He’s got sufficient faith in his car to be happy offering it with a guide price of between £15,000 and £18,000 but no reserve.

That’s right. For all its very many virtues, it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Well, what are you waiting for?

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’.