Hi Everyone,
Does anyone have any experience with the Audi TT ? My girlfriend is dead set on buying one. I have not heard anything bad about the car. Any particular years to stay away from etc ? I have owned a few A6's and have always had great luck with them. I'm trying to get her to look at a 968 but she is stubborn ! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif[/img]
I think your GF will be much happier with the TT. Imho the feather light clutch and softer suspension is preferable to the 968.
I had a 1.8T Quatro coupe about 7 years ago, it was a great car. Stay away from the 3.2 V6, the big lump up front upsets the balance of the otherwise wonderfull chassis. The TT sticks to the road like carzy, but the steering is a little dead. I would also not buy anything without quatro, because then you can just as well buy a Golf coupe.
Is she looking for a Coupe or Convertible?
I have to say that I hate the lines of the TT, and think the A4 Convertible is really nice.
JMHO,
Jay
Jay,
She is looking at convertibles. I said the same thing about the A4 ! The newer TT lines are a little nicer than the old in my opinion but the cost is a factor..... btw she wants it to be red too [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/rolleyes.gif[/img]
Speaking from first hand experience, "TT" means Truly Terrible. Ours: 1.6 turbo-automatic. 66k miles - needs new transmission ($5500). Windows go up and down whenever they feel like it. Paint peeling. CV boots needed to be replaced at 45k (expensive). Honolulu Audi dealership has a big attitude problem. And I agree with Jay--it is butt ugly.
I had a 2001 1.8 Quattro High Output 225 with 6 speed transmission. It could lose the 968 in the turns and that is saying something. They handle .95G out of the box without any modifications and are very flickable. The 968 will edge it out in a straight line.....BUT The TT is VERY easy to modify to 280+ hp.
Regarding maintenance, it is a very hard motor to work on due to the very tight engine bay. If you pay someone else to do it, it's expensive. It is an interference motor like our 968s and so belt maintenance must be kept up on (every ~60k on this car is fine).
Regarding Audi dealerships, the gauge cluster was infamous for being defective on these cars. When they die, the car doesn't start. The dealerships were NOT standing behind their cars claiming that a cluster dieing at 30k miles can happen....and that it is a replaceable part. What a bunch of BS. 6 months later there was a recall reimbursing me for the $1k I had to spend on it.
Good luck with your purchase.
I had the exact same car as Rustech. Another negative on the TT is the blind spots. In the cab it is nearly impossible to see trafficon your left and right behind, and the coupe was not much better. In this area the 968 is way better.
But like rustech says, you can throw that car into any corner and it simply sticks, whereas with the 968 i have had a 180 in a corner.
For pure fun and thrills the 968 is better. I have exactly the same issue with the Cayman, it is all to remote for my liking. It's like you are aware of all the electronics numbing your imputs to keep it all safe.
I had a 02 TT coupe quatro turbo 1.8. Loved the handling, although a bit choppy on rough roads, loved the look and build quality. Engine responded well to spirited driving.
Two things bothered me.
1. The blind spots scared the heck out of me when driving this car in traffic. The visibility of the 968 is very good in my opinion and I find it hard to believe that visibility has taken such a backwards step in modern cars. I had quite a few OMG moments with my TT!!
2. Those convex mags only needed to see a curb and they commit self-harm. The mags stick out quite a bit from the tyre sidsewalls and, combined with the ridiculous visibility are simply dead meat for reverse parks.
In short. I really loved the car but couldn't wait to sell it when the time came. Replaced it with a 325i which sent me to sleep, then the 968 to wake me up again.
Hopefully, the new model has fixed the blind spots. I still love the look of these cars.
Peter
If your GF is interested in a convertable I'd have her check out an Audi A5 Cabrio. It is a stylish ride. A fun alternative is an A4 with the 1.8 turbo. I don't own a TT, I found the outward vision from the drivers seat to be way too restricted, but I have owned 3 other Audi's including my current 2000 A6 Avant Qauttro, and I have never experienced any significant componant failure beyond normal wear. The second one we owned went 267,000 miles in 11 years of driving and was destroyed in an accident that left my wife uninjured except for an airbag contusion on her cheek and bruises to her hands from the impact of the crash. The car saved her life.
Thanks everyone for the input ! I knew some people may have had some experience with this car ! I personally I think she should go for the A5 and A4 if I was going the convertible route.