Cheap boosted fun

[seabod91]

With my shed focus mk1 needing a whole load of parts for its next MOT and general duty’s including a clutch / power steering pump / c.v joint / interior blower and a few other things it’s time for a new shed. My thinking is I may as well buy a shed that is more on the fun side that makes it more fun to fix / work on when things will go wrong. My wife has a car and I’m going to be getting a bike for work so not a massive problem if my car is out of action for a while.

I have narrowed it down to a mk1 Audi TT Quattro 225 or a Saab 9-5 2.0 aero. I like the looks of them both and the plan would be to spend some money getting the car turning well and a few mods. Both are 250-300bhp capable with a few bits done to them.

So which would you choose and why.

Saab as I love a quick saloon and think they look awesome.

TT for that more of a “sports car” feel and AWD.

Help me out.

[Lincsls1]

2 rather different cars. Both very nice in their own way.
I think I'd opt for the TT though. Probably feel a bit more special, and I would guess be much more 'fixable' seeing that Audi are still in business and the tuning/aftermarket scene for these be pretty big. Unlike the Saab.
If you want to be different though, get a Saab.
There's no wrong choice.

[J4CKO]

Do your research, old TTs are nightmare if you buy a ropey one.

Guess how I know 😉

And that was a good few years ago.

[seabod91]

Lincsls1 said:

2 rather different cars. Both very nice in their own way.
I think I'd opt for the TT though. Probably feel a bit more special, and I would guess be much more 'fixable' seeing that Audi are still in business and the tuning/aftermarket scene for these be pretty big. Unlike the Saab.
If you want to be different though, get a Saab.
There's no wrong choice.

I’m off to see the TT tomorrow.

[seabod91]

J4CKO said:

Do your research, old TTs are nightmare if you buy a ropey one.

Guess how I know ??

And that was a good few years ago.

I agree. I was in the trade a few years ago do I don’t mind getting my hands dirty.

I’m off to see one tomorrow. The mileage is high, very high well over 150k high. BUT it literally has every single stamp in the service book. Was owned for 15 years by an enthusiast and is totally standard.

[captain_cal]

Saabs are the cheapest "interesting" way into turbo fun I think - picked this up for 600 quid with 6 months test last summer.

Far from perfect and hardly the last word in dynamics, but will be even more fun with a Noobtune - provided it doesn't disgrace itself at the MOT next month!

[vaud]

Lincsls1 said:

2 rather different cars. Both very nice in their own way.
I think I'd opt for the TT though. Probably feel a bit more special, and I would guess be much more 'fixable' seeing that Audi are still in business and the tuning/aftermarket scene for these be pretty big. Unlike the Saab.
If you want to be different though, get a Saab.
There's no wrong choice.

Abbott racing are still going and know everything there is to know about Saabs.

[Jimmy No Hands]

Don't know your budget but I sold a MK2 TFSI TT for a snip over £2k recently. 120k miles but was practically mint bar a little ding or two. Had what I suspected was a stage 1 and would spin up in third if the road was even slightly damp. Was good fun and pretty cheap to maintain. Also looks better than an MK1 IMO.

[BricktopST205]

Megane 225, Golf V GTi and Astra VXR are all dirt cheap entry into a turbo but fun car.

[Hoofy]

Well, my mk1 TT is somewhat of an event to be in as you can imagine and feels a bit like a sports car because it's so low. It's a lot of fun on country roads and being small helps. Mine's the 2WD model and that's fine. One less thing to go wrong.

You can tune these up if you want but I'm happy with a pretty standard spec (it has a cone filter and has had the resonator removed... I mean "deleted"... well, I suppose I just pressed keys on the card reader but someone had to hack it off).

Since paying £1.5k, I've put about £4k into it, though, just to keep it going. They're 20 years old so it's to be expected. Rubber stuff stops doing what rubber stuff should and so it has leaked in various places.

Thing is, it's such a good car to drive that I may as well continue to throw money at it. Had it 2 years and am far from bored with it. When I wasn't sure if it would blow up or not (before I replaced the timing belt), I did consider getting a GT86 or older F-type but those two would cost £££s more to just get into the things plus require work doing.

Anyway, where it stands at the moment, I feel like it should take me through to the next MOT at the end of the year!

I might treat it to an aircon refill in summer.

[Baldchap]

For me the Saab all day. Much more interesting.

[vaud]

Baldchap said:

For me the Saab all day. Much more interesting.

I'd love a 9000 Aero with all Abbott mods...

[SAS Tom]

A TT owner here as well. Bought for £1500 and probably spent another 6 on it.

I like it and it’s getting to where I want it but there’s plenty that’s gone wrong. It’s not been a cheap car to run and there are lots of common problems. I think standard cars are a bit crap due to the understeery nature of them. There’s plenty of suspension bushes that wear out and all of them are like that now.

I’m impressed with how mine handles now, it has stupid amounts of grip even in the rain, it’s very neutral and is confidence inspiring all the time.

Engine wise, they’re a bit flat. Plenty of torque down low but breathless up top even with a remap. Would take a bit of work to make it a truly fun engine.

[blue_haddock]

If your buying a Saab just get the 2.3 hot rather than the 2.0 lpt and then get a noontime to 300ish bhp