Audi TT. Why so cheap?

[Digby]

Looking around for cheap AWD / 4x4 stuff again and noticed that £1500 to 2k can pick you up a rather well looked after, really rather nice (if you like that type of thing) TT quattro. Even the bigger BHP models and roadsters fall into that budget. Not all with high miles, either.

Having never looked at the price of any of them, would paying that price for one on say an 04 / 05 plate and slapping some Winter rubber on be a good idea, or do they self-destruct at some point?

I notice some hit the higher tax brackets compared to other models, but I was really rather surprised with what you can get for the money.

Last weekend, I was about to pick up a Jimny, so I'm not really fussed what I end up with, as I say, I was just surprised as several came up during 'awd' type searches.

[Plate spinner]

Decent heated seats as well. Optional I think, buy worth looking out for on a winter hack.

[sparks_190e]

Oil consumption issues. Effectively wrote my sister's 07 plate, off although she sold it rather quickly.

[GC8]

Suzuki use a transfer box and are real 4WD. The TT is a Golf platform with Haldex '4WD', which they call Quattro, but all it has in common with that is the name. Not necessarily bad, but not great either.

[anonymous-user]

It's cheap because it's 15+ years old, common, no longer fashionable or in posession of even the slightest bit of cachet (a big part of it's initial appeal), not practical enough to appeal to many buyers of cheap old cars, and reasonably likely to chuck up some mid sized bills. HTH.

In ten years, once the rotten ones are gone, they'll be a bonafide classic IMHO.

[PurpleTurtle]

They also sold in bucketloads, so there is a plentiful supply of cheap ones. Galvanised body means they don’t suffer rust.

I had a 3.2DSG from new, great engine but a so so gearbox, wish I’d gone manual, although it sounds like that engine stores a big camchain bill.

https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/reviews/class...

Edited by PurpleTurtle on Friday 16th August 00:18

[Second Best]

Coincidentally I was talking to one of the girls at work who's just bought herself a tidy Mk2 TT for about £4k. She compared the TT to an iPhone - for someone who just wants something that does what it does, you can get an iPhone 4 or an early TT pretty cheap. However, the phones (and cars) tend to be lifestyle choices, so the market's full of older models that people have bought and then traded up. I can't fault her logic, to be fair.

[Rick101]

Purchased a 2003 2.0 225bhp Quattro around 6 months ago for little over 3K.
Nice tidy car with servicing well in excess of the standard.

I've never had a road focused 4WD so quite fancied one
Cheap enough and turbo engine is great for short sharp bursts
Pretty solid, no worries about pushing it a bit
2 seats is all I need these days
Nice design, the Mk1 certainly stands the test of time
Love how the console dials are never offset. All revert to vertical or are push button. Very tidy.

Downsides
Suspension compression is awful over speed bumps. Going to try soft Rainsport tyres next.
Gearing is way too short, 3K+ in top at motorway speeds
MPG is pretty poor but not much of a concern to me
Boot space is woefully poor

Overall a really great buy, especially for runabout money.

Edited by Rick101 on Friday 16th August 07:32

[Dog Star]

I think they're a bargain for the looks/performance that you get. I'm sorely tempted next car change to not bother leasing and get a TT about 8 years old and save a pot of cash.

They are a strange one though - we ended up buying an SLK last year for Mrs DS and you could buy a similar age and condition TT for about 40% of the price.

[Weekendrebuild]

Had 2 purely to pinch the engines out off bam 225s The cars are solid but there heavy slow an have an awful ride quality. My mums got a mk2 even bloody slower !!

[Mr Tidy]

I don't think the motoring press thought too much of their handling, but for a good looking 2 seater they do seem to be quite a bargain.

[Digby]

Thanks all. Always nice to hear some first hand experiences and general opinions. Much appreciated.

[Mikebentley]

There’s a Mk1 parks in Worcester which is in a dull dark green with a tan leather interior. I see hundreds of cars daily but this car is really appealing.I remember looking at them at the NEC when they were released and thinking wow. The design has really stood up well like the A2.

[Mikebentley]

There’s a Mk1 parks in Worcester which is in a dull dark green with a tan leather interior. I see hundreds of cars daily but this car is really appealing.I remember looking at them at the NEC when they were released and thinking wow. The design has really stood up well like the A2.

[s m]

Mr Tidy said:

I don't think the motoring press thought too much of their handling, but for a good looking 2 seater they do seem to be quite a bargain.

Hmm, the press thought the early ones were excellent if you read the reviews ( CAR magazine awarding it Best Handling Car 1999 in their sub 50k section , Autocar said “Audi have finally built a Drivers’ car, EVO had it lapping faster than the old Quattro, Integrale and 2 different Skylines in a 4wd Test in the early days of the mag, etc etc )








Then there were some high speed accidents in Germany ( all at 3-figure speeds ) and the press there clamoured for action leading to Audi to “fix” the handling after 40,000 cars had been sold worldwide. Interestingly there were no handling complaints at the time from the usually litigious U.S. or even here. ( Contrast that with the later Porsche Carrera GT situation and the different images the 2 makers hold also bearing in mind accidents per cars sold )

Audi offered some mods to existing customers ( not a recall though ) and also shortly after fitting a stability system, rear spoiler and suspension mods.

The later cars were the ones the press over here thought weren’t so great handling

Edited by s m on Sunday 18th August 09:51

[Oilchange]

[quote=s m]


Hmm, the press thought the early ones were excellent if you read the reviews ( CAR magazine awarding it Best Handling Car 1999 in their sub 50k section , Autocar said “Audi have finally built a Drivers’ car, etc etc )


Sounds to me like lots of journos were influenced by whether they would get invited back for launch parties.

[s m]

Oilchange said:

s m said:

Hmm, the press thought the early ones were excellent if you read the reviews ( CAR magazine awarding it Best Handling Car 1999 in their sub 50k section , Autocar said “Audi have finally built a Drivers’ car, etc etc )

Sounds to me like lots of journos were influenced by whether they would get invited back for launch parties.

Surely you could say that about any car that has good reviews at launch? I don’t think they were that positive about other Audis before or since

CAR even wrote an article after the updated car was sampled to say Audi had ruined the handling

Interestingly, many TT owners now looking to improve the handling of the later cars look to install some of the early suspension parts

Edited by s m on Sunday 18th August 10:17

Edited by s m on Sunday 18th August 10:18

[Pyrolysis]

Rick101 said:

Purchased a 2003 2.0 225bhp Quattro around 6 months ago for little over 3K.

Edited by Rick101 on Friday 16th August 07:32

I thought the 225 was a 1.8T not a 2.0?

[jonwm]

Sold my father in laws 2003 225 convertible start of last year. It was that nice silvery blue with black leather loads of options fitted inc bose and full audi service history and had done 80k. Had little interest at £2.5k eventually the phone rang and they came and took it away for £2.3k.

It was a lovely car. Wish I'd kept it. Thought it would sell with ease.

[Mr Tidy]

Pyrolysis said:

Rick101 said:

Purchased a 2003 2.0 225bhp Quattro around 6 months ago for little over 3K.

Edited by Rick101 on Friday 16th August 07:32

I thought the 225 was a 1.8T not a 2.0?

Yes, a 2003 225bhp TT would have been a Quattro with the 1.8T - basically the same engine as fitted to all sorts of VAG products of that era in varying states of tune.