RE: Audi TT (MkI): Catch It While You Can

[audidoody]

I ran one of the first 3.2V6 DSG's for 18 months. It was a looker a but just felt so 'lumpen" to drive. And the view out the front was like driving inside a Royal Mail letter box.

[R4PID]

Rattz said:

Interesting reading.

I bought my MK1 back in September, 116K all receipts from new including original invoices, 3 keys, shed loads of history, shed loads of servicing, 1 minor prang (not written off) and only 2 owners.

Paid 2K from an independent Audi service centre / specialist, apart from the awful non Bose stereo and some small pixelation issues on the dash I love mine. It makes a nice change from driving Transporter T5 daily.

Was bought as a weekend drive to reduce the mileage on the van but there's something about it I like. Everyone says I'm having a mid life at 44 years young this is a seriously lot of car for 2K.

Build quality still great, solid thumps when closing doors and boot. Bit noisy and raw but you cannot get that much car for the same cash. RX8 yes, big 3.0 Jags, Civic Type R with 200K. Sounds good, goes well, average mpg of 34mpg, tax £295 insurance £390.

If it goes for another 2 years its a throw away car. Like them or loathe it, its still a huge amount of car for next to nothing.

Edited by Rattz on Friday 3rd February 14:44

Brilliant! Your car is exactly the same as mine. Think we're on the same middle aged journey. Agree with everything you've said. I can't believe how much car you get for the money.

[dafeller]

audidoody said:

I ran one of the first 3.2V6 DSG's for 18 months. It was a looker a but just felt so 'lumpen" to drive. And the view out the front was like driving inside a Royal Mail letter box.

Horses for courses, obviously. I find the driving position/view to be a real strong point of the car. Side/three quarter vision could be better but the price of style . . .

I also have a V6 with DSG and, with cookbots and a fully-polybushed suspension, the handling is predictable and allows me to use most of the awesome grip in non-track driving. I don't need a WEC car for the commute or to have fun; with a non-res exhaust, the V6 is as visceral a drive as I can ask for a streetable car. I think it is at least as fun to drive, and a good deal safer, than my 1986 Carrera was. There's no thrill and wondering when the rear end is going to swap on you.

As for looks, again, there will always be disputes. I think it looks as original and fresh today as it did when the show car debuted.

[Motorrad]

I think they're undervalued given what they offer (the 225 TT at least).

Great all round package for a non-family owner. You can even fit a washing machine in the back.

Visibility and ergonomic issues much worse in RHD cars. They were LHD only imports at a premium into the UK at the start and without the crappy modifications that fked up the handling.

edit to add: I think they look better today than they did back then and the interiors are fantastic in terms of material quality.

Edited by Motorrad on Sunday 5th February 16:57

[BenLowden]

alorotom said:

Ive been seriously debating putting a QS away into storage for a few years but they are still dropping ... I think they have a little further to go before hitting rock bottom

I paid £9,000 for my QS in Nov 15 with 36k on the clock. Had it a year, put 10k on the clock and sold it for £10,750. Win! I'd say values are on the up.

[swisstoni]

At the time was an interesting design departure compared to its competitors. Now absolutely done to death.

[s m]

Motorrad said:

Visibility and ergonomic issues much worse in RHD cars. They were LHD only imports at a premium into the UK at the start and without the crappy modifications that fked up the handling.

Early rhd cars didn't have the mods did they? Weren't they an optional recall/after fix?

Edited by s m on Monday 6th February 11:17

[brushwood69]

I race one of these and as 1781 mentioned you can turn the understeer around. The early MK1s have a much better lower wishbone setup which can be replicated for small money.

Mine is a tuned engine and putting out 340bhp at the flywheel.

[Borroxs]

Wife had one, she loved it, very solid and steady drive, good shove from the turbo too.

Hit rid if it before the nipper grew too tall to sit in the back.

Just after we sold it, the lacquer peeled off the roof in one piece. Came off in one sheet. Very odd.

[Motorrad]

s m said:

Early rhd cars didn't have the mods did they? Weren't they an optional recall/after fix?

Edited by s m on Monday 6th February 11:17

I reckon so, all I remember is that I wanted a LHD car as I was living between France and the UK at the time.

Visibility and ergonomics much worse in the RHD cars due to the usual compromises converting cars for use on the sceptic isles.

[tomic]

So for us London residents, it's worth noting that a V6 is Euro 4 compliant whereas a 225 is only Euro 3. If the proposed Low emissions zone extension to the South/North circular goes through then the only ones that won't incur the charge are 05 on V6's 180's and 190's.

V6 for me I think


http://www.parkers.co.uk/audi/tt/coupe-1999/specs/

[s m]

Motorrad said:

s m said:

Early rhd cars didn't have the mods did they? Weren't they an optional recall/after fix?

Edited by s m on Monday 6th February 11:17

I reckon so, all I remember is that I wanted a LHD car as I was living between France and the UK at the time.

Visibility and ergonomics much worse in the RHD cars due to the usual compromises converting cars for use on the sceptic isles.

Visibility affected by wipers on rhd? Or other things such as seat position?

[Lorne]

Many years ago I bought my wife a Mk 1 TT. She’d got herself one of those stupid A-class Mercedes when our first child was born and after a couple of years, and another baby, had learned to appreciate what a pos the A-class really was. The TT was ideal for toddlers /small children as the rear seats are class something or other child seats, a buggy fits in the boot, it had an auto box and of course was far more stylish than any of the other school run cars.

After a few years the kids were getting a bit big for the back so she moved onto something else and rather than sell the TT I inherited it as a commuter car.

I’ve still got it and still use it. 80k miles, never been outside the M25, 13 mph average speed reading, 26 mpg average fuel consumption. It’s comfortable, has heated seats and despite every review saying it’s based on a Mk 4 golf and therefore rubbish I find it is just about the best city commuter car around. It sits quite low and secure, but not low enough that you lose traffic awareness, as was the case with a 911 commuter-mobile, is compact and fast enough to take advantage of situations, is inoffensive and unnoticeable (unlike the 911 no one has gobbed on it). Reliability isn’t the greatest as there’s generally a £500 or 1k fix of something every year or two, the latest being the fuel pump, and the stupid petrol gauge shows half full when it’s actually on fumes (a common problem due to the needle whipping back to zero too quickly and banging on the stop). The heater fan is really annoying though as it likes to turn itself up in a slow and inconspicuous way until it’s on full blast. Turn it back down and 5 minutes later it starts doing the same thing.

The kids are now reaching the age at which they’ll start driving themselves and I think it’ll be an excellent car to teach them in. If you’re thinking ’17-year old, insurance’ then all I can say is, ‘a lot less than you think, and don’t mess up dad’s no-claims discount’.

[slipstream 1985]

Lorne said:

Many years ago I bought my wife a Mk 1 TT. She’d got herself one of those stupid A-class Mercedes when our first child was born and after a couple of years, and another baby, had learned to appreciate what a pos the A-class really was. The TT was ideal for toddlers /small children as the rear seats are class something or other child seats, a buggy fits in the boot, it had an auto box and of course was far more stylish than any of the other school run cars.

After a few years the kids were getting a bit big for the back so she moved onto something else and rather than sell the TT I inherited it as a commuter car.

I’ve still got it and still use it. 80k miles, never been outside the M25, 13 mph average speed reading, 26 mpg average fuel consumption. It’s comfortable, has heated seats and despite every review saying it’s based on a Mk 4 golf and therefore rubbish I find it is just about the best city commuter car around. It sits quite low and secure, but not low enough that you lose traffic awareness, as was the case with a 911 commuter-mobile, is compact and fast enough to take advantage of situations, is inoffensive and unnoticeable (unlike the 911 no one has gobbed on it). Reliability isn’t the greatest as there’s generally a £500 or 1k fix of something every year or two, the latest being the fuel pump, and the stupid petrol gauge shows half full when it’s actually on fumes (a common problem due to the needle whipping back to zero too quickly and banging on the stop). The heater fan is really annoying though as it likes to turn itself up in a slow and inconspicuous way until it’s on full blast. Turn it back down and 5 minutes later it starts doing the same thing.

The kids are now reaching the age at which they’ll start driving themselves and I think it’ll be an excellent car to teach them in. If you’re thinking ’17-year old, insurance’ then all I can say is, ‘a lot less than you think, and don’t mess up dad’s no-claims discount’.

Ha do you and I share the same car? Mine has all the same faults.

[Lorne]

Josh_Mk1TT said:

I bought a mk1 225 two months ago as my first car (I'm 19) and it's the best decision I've ever made.

It took me 5 months to find the one I really wanted. It had to be a Desert Pearl Green 225 with black interior... seems to be a very niche combination. even more so when you want one that's been looked after. Mine was owned my a mechanic who had known the car for 11 years.

It has done 93k, has FSH and had just had the full cambelt kit replaced. I only paid £2300 but have now spent over £4000 on it to get it how I want it (this includes a major service and haldex service)

At this moment in time, an investment is exactly what this isn't but I know that it will always retain it's value to a large degree. Plus it sounds fantastic, makes loads of stupid turbo noise and pulls like a train!

Insurance is another matter...

Edited by Josh_Mk1TT on Thursday 2nd February 10:45

I applaud your reasoning! Never ever buy a car as an 'investment', only ever buy one because you like it and want to use it. Speaking as someone moving toward the other side of the motoring age spectrum I also applaud you for buying a sports car when young and not using the money for a deposit on a flat or ring for the girlfriend. Such things should be put off as long as possible and will result in a better decision when you do decide to do them (25 yrs of happy marriage).

The insurance problem I understand. Bought my first 911 at 23 and insured it as 3rd party, locked in a garage at my mum's house in Devon, hardly ever used, basis. The rules of life are for idiots to follow and wise men to use as guidance only.

[Lorne]

slipstream 1985 said:

Ha do you and I share the same car? Mine has all the same faults.

I'm thinking about joining a TT owners club, not so I can talk about the faults every TT has, but so I can nick the plastic cover on someones fan speed controller as after 12 years of constantly turning the damn thing down the woggle switch is falling apart!

[s m]

brushwood69 said:

I race one of these and as 1781 mentioned you can turn the understeer around. The early MK1s have a much better lower wishbone setup which can be replicated for small money.

Even up to early 2000 they still got great reviews for handling.

From the CAR giant handling test that year - same journos picked a GT3 in the sports car selection

Interesting how they are remembered though......after the 'mods' were done to sort them

[Bogracer]

Good value, great car now. Back in the day I drove one, it's was really nothing more than dullard Golf in drag, an exercise – albeit a successful one, in style over substance. The choice of the estate agent. Brought a Z3M Coupe instead, howlingly great fun, cooler and more quirky.

[s m]

Bogracer said:

Good value, great car now. Back in the day I drove one, it's was really nothing more than dullard Golf in drag, an exercise – albeit a successful one, in style over substance. The choice of the estate agent. Brought a Z3M Coupe instead, howlingly great fun, cooler and more quirky.

Interesting how much higher than the ordinary Golf GTi and 4wd version they placed it in a driving/handling test though - opposite ends of the spectrum ( before the TT had the "safety mods" applied ). -AUDI TT 1st, Golf last and second from last

It's like the guy that did the 205 Gti chassis said at the launch of the 206 Gti 180 - they, at Peugeot, just wouldn't be allowed to make a car that handled like the 205 Gti any more.....at least not without a raft of DSC/ESP/CBC present to get it signed off,
I guess some manufacturers are happy/get away with pushing the boundaries of what's considered safe in handling response etc depending on how they are viewed in the market

Edited by s m on Saturday 11th February 11:40

[fivepointnine]

I am genuinely amazed these cars are not worth more. A Leon Cupra R with the same engine is worth more, as is the S3 with the same drivetrain. Great cars, look good and the engine is probably one of the best VAG has produced (225 BAM).