Mk1 TT or ...........

[BENH13]

Evening all

I need a 2nd car for my journey to the station and back for work.

I’ve got a 340i touring on the drive that my wife uses. We have a 4yr old daughter and a pet Rottweiler so it’s super handy to have the space needed to cart all the associated bits around that you need for family life and it’s fast enough to be somewhat entertaining when I drive it.

I want to spend about £5k on my station runner, and as the mileage I’m going to do is so small I can pick up a decent low miles Audi TT and hopefully not lose too much money on it???

I drove a rough one the other day and was surprised by how well it’s aged, and even on a rough high mileage one I was impressed with how well it drove too.

I’ve found a 60k miles one ear me, decent spec, very well looked after, complete suspension refresh, unmarked paint and wheels, decent colour Combo and a nice Milltek SS exhaust.

My question is, should I be considering anything else?

My requirements are:

• Low depreciation
• be able to afford a decent example for £5k or less, don’t want anything high mileage or to be scraping to bottom of the barrel
• fun (ish) I know the TT wasn’t renowned for being super exciting, but a 225bhp remapped with SS exhaust shouldn't be too bad

I was thinking a Boxster, but I’m pretty much bottom of the market with my budget.

Am I over looking anything?

[SFTWend]

I bought a nice 70k miles 225 Mk1 2 years ago for £3k and sold it last year with 80k miles for 4 and a bit. So a really good one with low mileage like the example you highlight is probably not unreasonably priced. Just be careful its just an exhaust upgrade and not too much else as modified cars are generally worth less than standard cars once you get into the "modern classics" arena.

When new these cars were criticised a bit in the press for dull steering etc but compared to modern machinery I found it good fun on the backroads. Plenty of bits can need replacing but most items not too expensive. As reliable as anything else for the money I guess.

[BENH13]

Thanks, that’s good to know. I’ve bought and sold a fair few cars in my time, learned from a lot of mistakes along the way 😂 usually from buying the first one I see. But I’ve been sensible on this one and done proper due dil. The guy sounds genuine and it’s had all the usual niggles addressed and has a fsh. It’s at the top end for a TT as well, I could get a mk2 for less

Anything else comparable? I was thinning civic type r ep3, or 350z but I don’t know what represents a better all round package.

Totally agree with you on the drive too. I genuinely found it to be a good laugh. The 4wd offers a different kind of Chuckability, which is a novelty as I’ve had nothing but rwd for 20yrs+

[SFTWend]

I had a 350Z many years ago and thought about getting another one this year as a stop gap car. Certainly beats the TT as a drivers car imo but you wont find one worth having for anything like £5k.

You might just get lucky with an Alfa GTV 3.0 for the money. Also had one of these back in the day and they are lovely if you can find one that has had money spent on it in the right places.

Mk 2 MR2s are still cheap and I understand are starting to rise. Find a nice one with solid sills and you could do well.

[stedaley]

I'm another for the mk1 TT.

Bought mine with 124k with some bits for £2200. (Stage 1)

Probably one of the most reliable cars i've had.
average about 28mpg over all driving but i love it!

Parts are cheap and aplenty and you can work on them easily.

Id highly recommend.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you can find a good UK spec 350Z then that's where my 5k would go:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...


otherwise it would be a TT but the 3.2:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[Mr Tidy]

Just a thought, but you ought to be able to find a BMW Z4 3.0Si Roadster within your budget complete with 265 PS and RWD!

[aka_kerrly]

^£5k is more likely to get you a e9x 325i but there have been a few early z4 coupes around the 5-6 area, I've been tempted. The Nissan 350z/skyline 350gt is also a very good car at the current price range, another car I need to spend some time with!!

Would a tidy 330ci clubsport, manual, blue or purple appeal?

On the TT front, they are good cars regardless of the old Clarkson comments and there are some really good spec ones with bold colours as well as millions of silver ones. The 3.2vr6 is a wonderful engine with a good punch and a lovely soundtrack. The 225 1.8t is easy to extract a bit more power out of but with none of the buzz that a vr gives. With a few simple upgrades the tt handling can be hugely improved and surprising quick.

However, with 5k there are mk2 2.0 tsfi TTs available. The dilemma is the mk1 has more classic styling with a particularly smart interior but the mk2 drives much better, the 2.0t engine a good upgrade , the haldex being more advance and the chassis is improved.

[Mr Tidy]

My E90 330i cost me just under £3.5K complete with a set of 17" wheels fitted with Hankook winter tyres, and 258bhp!

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 19th November 01:59

It replaced my E91 325i in April this year which was very disappointing.

Edited by Mr Tidy on Tuesday 19th November 02:04

[BENH13]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you can find a good UK spec 350Z then that's where my 5k would go:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...


otherwise it would be a TT but the 3.2:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

From what I’ve read the 3.2 is the less desirable from a running costs and maintenance perspective. I do prefer a 6 over a 4 any day of the week but trying to look forward over 3yrs of ownership and the less chance of a big bill would outweigh the sound track. Also, my 340i has the ZF 8 speed and I really did quite fancy a manual.

I don’t think my budget would get me into a 3.2 with manual box. However, all that said, that one you’ve just sent with the BBS wheels is very nice....

Hmmmm........

[BENH13]

SFTWend said:

I had a 350Z many years ago and thought about getting another one this year as a stop gap car. Certainly beats the TT as a drivers car imo but you wont find one worth having for anything like £5k.

You might just get lucky with an Alfa GTV 3.0 for the money. Also had one of these back in the day and they are lovely if you can find one that has had money spent on it in the right places.

Mk 2 MR2s are still cheap and I understand are starting to rise. Find a nice one with solid sills and you could do well.

Yes, having a look I think I’d be buying in at the bottom of the market for 5k on the 350z. The interior isn’t as nice as a TT either.

[BENH13]

aka_kerrly said:

^£5k is more likely to get you a e9x 325i but there have been a few early z4 coupes around the 5-6 area, I've been tempted. The Nissan 350z/skyline 350gt is also a very good car at the current price range, another car I need to spend some time with!!

Would a tidy 330ci clubsport, manual, blue or purple appeal?

On the TT front, they are good cars regardless of the old Clarkson comments and there are some really good spec ones with bold colours as well as millions of silver ones. The 3.2vr6 is a wonderful engine with a good punch and a lovely soundtrack. The 225 1.8t is easy to extract a bit more power out of but with none of the buzz that a vr gives. With a few simple upgrades the tt handling can be hugely improved and surprising quick.

However, with 5k there are mk2 2.0 tsfi TTs available. The dilemma is the mk1 has more classic styling with a particularly smart interior but the mk2 drives much better, the 2.0t engine a good upgrade , the haldex being more advance and the chassis is improved.

I did have a look at a couple of 330i’s but I’ve had nothing but BMWs for 20yrs now and having had the e46 m3 a couple of times the thought of it just didn’t float my boat. That said a CS might tempt me.... do you have one for sale?

On the TTs, I only really like the mk1 to look at. I think they’ve made it less and less attractive with every new iteration. Are the mk2s a marked step up then? The interior seems to have lost some of its character from the original

[TTOBES]

BENH13 said:

I don’t think my budget would get me into a 3.2 with manual box. However, all that said, that one you’ve just sent with the BBS wheels is very nice....

Hmmmm........

I bought a manual 3.2 in March for £4,200. 94k miles, good condition, although I got £250 knocked off as my car has the pixelated DIS and dodgy fuel gauge that I've still to get done.

Have since spent £700 on a service, fluids change and brake caliper AND I will have the clutch done in the next year which isn't a cheap job, but it eases my pain if I'm giving the work to a specialist over a dealer!

If you'd like any more info, send a message.

[ZX10R NIN]

BENH13 said:

From what I’ve read the 3.2 is the less desirable from a running costs and maintenance perspective. I do prefer a 6 over a 4 any day of the week but trying to look forward over 3yrs of ownership and the less chance of a big bill would outweigh the sound track. Also, my 340i has the ZF 8 speed and I really did quite fancy a manual.

I don’t think my budget would get me into a 3.2 with manual box. However, all that said, that one you’ve just sent with the BBS wheels is very nice....

Hmmmm........

Manual (but it does mean a MK2) 3.2:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[BENH13]

Mr Tidy said:

Just a thought, but you ought to be able to find a BMW Z4 3.0Si Roadster within your budget complete with 265 PS and RWD!

I did consider them, but I’d miss the tiny back seats of the TT I think, I know they’re not for an adult of any description but my 4yr old could fit if we needed her to for a short time. Which would undoubtedly come in handy at some point.

[BENH13]

Right. Thanks all. It’s done. Black mk1 TT on the drive for tomorrow AM

[ZX10R NIN]

What engine did you go for?

[s m]

SFTWend said:

I bought a nice 70k miles 225 Mk1 2 years ago for £3k and sold it last year with 80k miles for 4 and a bit. So a really good one with low mileage like the example you highlight is probably not unreasonably priced. Just be careful its just an exhaust upgrade and not too much else as modified cars are generally worth less than standard cars once you get into the "modern classics" arena.

When new these cars were criticised a bit in the press for dull steering etc but compared to modern machinery I found it good fun on the backroads. Plenty of bits can need replacing but most items not too expensive. As reliable as anything else for the money I guess.

I always thought they liked the steering - seemed to be what impressed them most in this review



Plus mentioned in this one

[SFTWend]

That's a very early production model without the rear spoiler. Mods soon made to make them safer on the limit, which dulled the handling a bit.

[Mr Tidy]

BENH13 said:

Right. Thanks all. It’s done. Black mk1 TT on the drive for tomorrow AM

Good result then - enjoy. :thumbsup: