Rescuing an Imola yellow Audi TTS
Discussion
Trying to find an Audi TT 2.0TFSI to serve as a 2nd car / run-around / occasional trackday.
Looking for: manual, below average mileage, one that isn't front wheel drive, for less than £4k, ideally not silver or black
Hours of looking through Autotrader, eBay, Gumtree, FB marketplace unsuccessfully - I thought I was beaten.
Then... this appears...in budget!
2009 Audi TTS (272bhp) Manual
Imola Yellow
102k
Long MOT
All sounds well...however...
1. Advertised from a place that buys insurance write-offs and just sells them as is from a small back-alley style unit
...Usually a red flag, although in this instance the seller was 100% honest, genuine and generally a nice guy!
2. Cat N write off from damage to the front bumper, N/S front wing, and N/S door
...not normally terrible, but paint matching faded yellow might be interesting!
3. Previous owner replaced the wing with a grey one, then wrapped both front wings in fake carbon fibre wrap.
... again, not terrible, reversible if the paint on the yellow wing stays intact when removing...
4. No paperwork. At all. Not a single piece of service history
...Ah. no proof of cambelt, oil changes, nothing!
5. It's been modified (unknown remap / exhaust / suspension possibly, difficult to tell under the dirt but it doesn't sit like a stock car)
Only an idiot would surely consider buying a written off, modified 'performance' car, with zero history!
Well idiot did.
Looking for: manual, below average mileage, one that isn't front wheel drive, for less than £4k, ideally not silver or black
Hours of looking through Autotrader, eBay, Gumtree, FB marketplace unsuccessfully - I thought I was beaten.
Then... this appears...in budget!
2009 Audi TTS (272bhp) Manual
Imola Yellow
102k
Long MOT
All sounds well...however...
1. Advertised from a place that buys insurance write-offs and just sells them as is from a small back-alley style unit
...Usually a red flag, although in this instance the seller was 100% honest, genuine and generally a nice guy!
2. Cat N write off from damage to the front bumper, N/S front wing, and N/S door
...not normally terrible, but paint matching faded yellow might be interesting!
3. Previous owner replaced the wing with a grey one, then wrapped both front wings in fake carbon fibre wrap.
... again, not terrible, reversible if the paint on the yellow wing stays intact when removing...
4. No paperwork. At all. Not a single piece of service history
...Ah. no proof of cambelt, oil changes, nothing!
5. It's been modified (unknown remap / exhaust / suspension possibly, difficult to tell under the dirt but it doesn't sit like a stock car)
Only an idiot would surely consider buying a written off, modified 'performance' car, with zero history!
Well idiot did.
Edited by LEE337 on Friday 29th March 20:24
While searching for images of what an Imola yellow TTS should look like, I stumbled across a picture of this exact car (OE09 MLV) being driven on track
Not abnormal, so I followed the link to:
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-reviews/14201/ni...
Turns out, the car was used I assume as some sort of Audi press car by Auto Express in 2009
I keep looking for any other reviews of TTS' from 2009, but nothing else so far!
Not abnormal, so I followed the link to:
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/car-reviews/14201/ni...
Turns out, the car was used I assume as some sort of Audi press car by Auto Express in 2009
I keep looking for any other reviews of TTS' from 2009, but nothing else so far!
The last few hours since picking the car up have also thrown another bit of info my way, I'd say better than the review history..
Browsing Facebook for Imola yellow TTS' threw up a post from 2019:
so I follow the link again, and sure enough OE09 MLV makes another appearance
Along with a healthy looking pack of service history!
I have sent the original seller a message to see if they recall any of the dealerships that did the work so I could get duplicate invoices, but nothing so far.
Although at least if the post is to be believed, it had a cambelt in 2019 along with a full service, and Full service History up to that point.
Fingers crossed I hear back from them!
Browsing Facebook for Imola yellow TTS' threw up a post from 2019:
so I follow the link again, and sure enough OE09 MLV makes another appearance
Along with a healthy looking pack of service history!
I have sent the original seller a message to see if they recall any of the dealerships that did the work so I could get duplicate invoices, but nothing so far.
Although at least if the post is to be believed, it had a cambelt in 2019 along with a full service, and Full service History up to that point.
Fingers crossed I hear back from them!
Marcodude said:
Nice car. Quite like that colour, better than the boring greys Audi do so well.
The 0-60 seems optimistic. A stage 2 TTS was around 4.7 on a good day.
Thanks :-)The 0-60 seems optimistic. A stage 2 TTS was around 4.7 on a good day.
I am surprised by the difference vs the stock figure of 5.1 - 5.4 0-60, but it was consistently getting the same figure using Dragy
Had a bit of progress over the weekend, first off I gave the car a full service, plugs / oil / brake fluid / filters etc including Haldex fluid change
A few discoveries on the modification side too
It retains the Mag-Ride dampers, but has H&R lowering springs
Looks to be at least a 3" down pipe and mid section
I also fitted a Xtrons android head unit with wireless carplay/android auto, which came with an insane amount of wiring to fit!
I am pretty impressed with it though, it even works perfectly with the BOSE sound system.
However not all good news...
Immediately after completing the service, the car suddenly started slipping the clutch really badly in every gear as soon as the boost comes in, I have tried bleeding the clutch incase it was related to having the brake fluid changed, but looks like a new clutch is needed
I'm still suspicious about how it failed so quickly, the drive to the workshop a hour earlier, it felt like the clutch was almost new, not a hint of slip despite repeated 'spirited' set offs, in gear pulls, and gear changes - but there isn't really any way to tell until it is all apart.
A few discoveries on the modification side too
It retains the Mag-Ride dampers, but has H&R lowering springs
Looks to be at least a 3" down pipe and mid section
I also fitted a Xtrons android head unit with wireless carplay/android auto, which came with an insane amount of wiring to fit!
I am pretty impressed with it though, it even works perfectly with the BOSE sound system.
However not all good news...
Immediately after completing the service, the car suddenly started slipping the clutch really badly in every gear as soon as the boost comes in, I have tried bleeding the clutch incase it was related to having the brake fluid changed, but looks like a new clutch is needed
I'm still suspicious about how it failed so quickly, the drive to the workshop a hour earlier, it felt like the clutch was almost new, not a hint of slip despite repeated 'spirited' set offs, in gear pulls, and gear changes - but there isn't really any way to tell until it is all apart.
Next up while waiting for the new clutch & SMF to arrive
Since going to view the car, it was suffering from a well known fault on this age TT, where the earth pin for the rear light fails in the connector, causing the car to think it has a bulb out when it doesn't.
Unplugging the light confirmed this was the case (the amount of trapped dirt here triggered me too!)
The common theory is that the earth wire is not capable for all the lights, but I'm skeptical, it looks to me more like water getting in and corroding the earth pin. The usual approach to 'fixing' this, is to add another earth wire into the light housing directly onto the 'blades', which someone has already had a go at, hence my scepticism with the fault still being present.
A spree on eBay later, and I had ordered the following:
- New OEM bulb holder (8J0945258A)
- New OEM JPT connector (1J0 973 733)
- VAG approved wiring repair crimp connectors
- 1.5mm automotive wire in brown (earth colour)
- eBay special connector pin removal tool
- TESA tape
- All new bulbs
New earth wire with new terminal added and connector ready to go
New bulb holder with no burn out pin
Starting to de-pin the original connector, plus also had a clean in here!
New earth added to the connector
Crimp connector added
And all taped up!
Aaaand, fault gone!
Since going to view the car, it was suffering from a well known fault on this age TT, where the earth pin for the rear light fails in the connector, causing the car to think it has a bulb out when it doesn't.
Unplugging the light confirmed this was the case (the amount of trapped dirt here triggered me too!)
The common theory is that the earth wire is not capable for all the lights, but I'm skeptical, it looks to me more like water getting in and corroding the earth pin. The usual approach to 'fixing' this, is to add another earth wire into the light housing directly onto the 'blades', which someone has already had a go at, hence my scepticism with the fault still being present.
A spree on eBay later, and I had ordered the following:
- New OEM bulb holder (8J0945258A)
- New OEM JPT connector (1J0 973 733)
- VAG approved wiring repair crimp connectors
- 1.5mm automotive wire in brown (earth colour)
- eBay special connector pin removal tool
- TESA tape
- All new bulbs
New earth wire with new terminal added and connector ready to go
New bulb holder with no burn out pin
Starting to de-pin the original connector, plus also had a clean in here!
New earth added to the connector
Crimp connector added
And all taped up!
Aaaand, fault gone!
Another small job completed, the bonnet pull level had snapped
Had to remove the kick panel to get the spline part of it out
It was pretty dirty, so gave it a thorough clean!
All back together!
Once it stops raining for more than 2 hours, it will be getting a deep clean inside and out, so until then it is still a bit dirty inside
Had to remove the kick panel to get the spline part of it out
It was pretty dirty, so gave it a thorough clean!
All back together!
Once it stops raining for more than 2 hours, it will be getting a deep clean inside and out, so until then it is still a bit dirty inside
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