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

[twoblacklines]

I wonder how you do this?

[s m]

Pumpsmynads said:

How does the performance and handling compare to a Golf GTi? If they're similar under the clothing are they similar to drive?

I always read that the Golf's a great hot hatch, all rounder, etc.. but the TT poor handler, soft, under steering etc...


I know they're in different markets but there must be a lot of pre conceived ideas by reviewers no?

Autocar and CAR mag both included the original TT in their Best Handling Top Ten for 1998

[bassett]

I had a v6 3.2 dsg a couple of years back and really don't miss it to be honest, the dsg box just annoyed me even though it ran faultlessly I didn't find it enjoyable. If I had the chance for another it would be a 1.8t 225 with that tuneable engine and nicely weighted manual shift that worked so well in my Leon Cupra R but with coupe looks and bespoke interior.

[R4PID]

Just put 1900 of my money into a lovely denim blue 1999 225 model. 125k miles but it really does feel like 30k. The thing is ridiculously well built and has a stack of history, cambelts, water pumps, haldex service etc. All MOT advisories only ever appearing once etc. Totally unmolested solid original.

It was languishing on eBay with little or no interest possibly due to the time of year. To say I'm delighted would be an understatement. It's nippy, nice gear change, big boot and the kids just about get in it.

I never liked them when they came out largely as I allowed myself to be swayed by the press and I scoffed at it's Golf underpinnings. Now I love the thing, respect it's originality and the Golf underpinnings means it's solid and parts are cheap.

Oversupply is the problem. They built so bloody many of them! There are stories of some folks scrapping perfectly fine working examples as they are worth more in parts than as a whole. Looking at 'how many left' though the decline in numbers has slowed over the last of couple of years. I think it will be a good while longer before values begin to turn.

[s m]

R4PID said:

Just put 1900 of my money into a lovely denim blue 1999 225 model. 125k miles but it really does feel like 30k. The thing is ridiculously well built and has a stack of history, cambelts, water pumps, haldex service etc. All MOT advisories only ever appearing once etc. Totally unmolested solid original.

It was languishing on eBay with little or no interest possibly due to the time of year. To say I'm delighted would be an understatement. It's nippy, nice gear change, big boot and the kids just about get in it.

I never liked them when they came out largely as I allowed myself to be swayed by the press and I scoffed at it's Golf underpinnings. Now I love the thing, respect it's originality and the Golf underpinnings means it's solid and parts are cheap.

Oversupply is the problem. They built so bloody many of them! There are stories of some folks scrapping perfectly fine working examples as they are worth more in parts than as a whole. Looking at 'how many left' though the decline in numbers has slowed over the last of couple of years. I think it will be a good while longer before values begin to turn.

They got very good reviews initially
Then people started crashing them and Audi tried to sanitize them

Porsche or Ferrari would have got away without doing anything drastic

[Alex_225]

The TT is not a car I'd buy, just doesn't do much for me rather than it not being 'pure' enough or whatever.

But I do admire the fact that when it came out, nothing new at the time looked remotely similar. It's actually a well proportioned car and even though it's design is nearly 20 years old, it still looks modern! That's quite something as most cars within a few years look, 'of that era' but the TT simply doesn't!

[Ultrafunkula]

twoblacklines said:

I wonder how you do this?

You hit a kerb doing >40mph at the right angle. The same thing happened to us when I was a child, The first thing I knew about it was when I was being carried down the stairs by my neighbour and I saw the living room wall bulging in. A mk1 Cortina driven back from the pub by four lads had come down the hill in front of our house too fast in the snow, hit the kerb at the front and flown through our living room window.

As I was carried round the front I saw my dad talking to a newspaper guy and the police, the back end of the Cortina sticking out of the front room window like that Audi! It had cut the sapling on the front garden in half at about a height of 1.5 metres, my dad was more angry about that than the fact that him and my mum had been watching TV in the front room 10mins before it happened...

Edit. on topic, I'm actually looking at TT RS mk2's now, never liked the MK1 personally.

[speedking31]

MrHooky said:

I owned a 2004 V6 from 2009 to 2016 ... Lowered on Eibach springs (V6 rode higher due to sump clearance issues),

That sounds like a sensible mod. Model of car has a potential issue which manufacturer addresses by raising the ride height, owner mods the car to lower ride height back into the danger zone I suppose you never had a problem, maybe no speed bumps round your way

[Rattz]

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

[SuperchargedVR6]

speedking31 said:

MrHooky said:

I owned a 2004 V6 from 2009 to 2016 ... Lowered on Eibach springs (V6 rode higher due to sump clearance issues),

That sounds like a sensible mod. Model of car has a potential issue which manufacturer addresses by raising the ride height, owner mods the car to lower ride height back into the danger zone I suppose you never had a problem, maybe no speed bumps round your way

VW got around that one in the R32 by fitting a shallower sump It will fit the TT engine as well, but you need the corresponding oil pump as well. It gives a good couple more inches of clearance, and what man doesn't need a couple more inches?

And this is the beauty of platform sharing.

[willisit]

I had a 225... I managed a year; never really gelled with it if I'm brutally honest but I don't know why. It ticked every box, looked special - but it was dull and had a habit of breaking month by month. In just a year it had exhaust work, brakes, suspension.. yada yada. All wear and tear to some degree - a seized caliper, an exhaust flange - but enough to tar the experience and I lost interest.

However, it did force me to buy something new, and I bought a Mustang. So.. you know.. silver linings.

[JD2329]

I ran an 04 MY 3.2 DSG for a couple of years. Although I was spoiled by it being the newest car I'd owned (ex demo, six months old) it remains in my memory as something a bit special. Beautifully built, lovely interior, great soundtrack.
I never fully gelled with the DSG - going up through the box was usually seamless, but it could be jerky coming down, and the handling was understeer or more understeer. Choppy ride, too. It undeniably had a sense of occasion though, and as stylish, swift all weather transport it got me home safe every time.
It may not have had the final bit of dynamic polish, but - most of the time - it didn't really matter.

[wjb]

Had mine since November, I've always been interested in the TT from launch, but never tried one, glad I have now though.

It's a 2002 180 quattro coupe. I was after a 225 originally, but was struggling to find a well looked after black 225 coupe without my budget creeping up to 3k. So I went for this 180 with a map & plenty of work done for £2k.

I've had quite a few cars over the years and although the TT may not be the most powerful, best handling or most practical car I've owned, it's excellent all rounder. It looks great, goes well and does everything without fuss or faff. For me it's the best coupe in this price bracket.

Admittedly it let me down once when the starter motor died, but it has been plain sailing since it was replaced. Just passed it's MOT last week too

[rtz62]

Had a ride in one that the owner had fitted an Haldex controller to, and although it was no rwd tail-wagging handler, it was a lot more planted and positive than when he adjusted the torque split to nearer its OEM setting.
Not sure where people are looking at prices, but I've seen a couple slide through BCA for well under £2k, and also the odd one on SWAPZ or local FB groups at not much over £1200

[J4CKO]

rtz62 said:

Had a ride in one that the owner had fitted an Haldex controller to, and although it was no rwd tail-wagging handler, it was a lot more planted and positive than when he adjusted the torque split to nearer its OEM setting.
Not sure where people are looking at prices, but I've seen a couple slide through BCA for well under £2k, and also the odd one on SWAPZ or local FB groups at not much over £1200

£1200, a lot of pretty special motor for that money, think over time they will dwindle and then go daft, after all UR quatro's, great but look where they went, ok they sold a lot more TT's but could go somewhere in that direction, I still have an urge for an Audi 200 or 90, they made some really good cars back then, new ones are good but so numerous these old ones are comparatively rare.

[1781cc]

I've run one as a dedicated track car for two years, the chasis comes alive when you get some of the excess weight out, done nothing on the power yet but she's properly quick around a circuit, everything bar the engine has been modified though!

Edited by 1781cc on Friday 3rd February 21:03

Edited by 1781cc on Friday 3rd February 21:05

[2gins]

Now, I like that.

[docter fox]

I really didn't like the look of these when they were new but they've definitely grown on me to the point I quite fancy one!

What have you done to it to use as a track car? And how do you think it would stack up to a clio 182 for example?

I run a 182 as a daily that I use on track and have a 3.0 Z4 that I use when the weather is good. I much prefer the TT coupe over the roadster but want to keep a convertible and something to use on track... I need a bigger garage!

[1781cc]

It's easier for me to direct you to my build thread then list it all here, and she's far from complete at the moment. Pace wise, I am quicker than a 996 C4S, a new M4 for sure, also lapped Bedford GT with a new AMG C63 that would always catch me up on the back straight but I would leave for dust in corners, he never did pass.

Thread:
http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&a...

Videos from Rockingham, Donnington, Bedford:
https://www.youtube.com/user/leewhiteheadmma

Any specific questions, I'm happy to help.

My daily is a V10 S8, I think it would be slower than the TT round a circuit and probably not much in it off the line. If you are near Northampton, I'll happily take you for a spin

[1781cc]

Oh, meant to say, pluses of a TT as a track car...

Different
Hugely tunable forged engine (bar rods)
Permanent 4WD (with a power track insert) means even in brutal rain you can still play

We have a track and motorsport section as well specifically for the TT improvements, there is a guy called madmax who has a 415hp roadster as a dedicated track car, it's an amazing bit of kit

Edited by 1781cc on Saturday 4th February 12:17