2003 Audi TT 1.8T Quattro [225 BAM]: my first 'sports car'
Discussion
Hi everyone, I'm Resolutionary, and I have an Audi addiction.
My first foray, probably a decade ago, was with a battered B5 A4 Avant in 1.8T guise. That car will always, always have a special place for me, despite it's many foibles. Primarily due to the show / cruise scene which I was then unashamedly a part of.
Next I had a brief but hateful stint in a free (!) early A3, with a wholly agricultural 1.6 and a raft of issues which led to its rapid scrappage.
This was followed by a cherished Allroad 2.7T - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14...
And then a B7 A4 3.2QS - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...
And finally a D2 A8 2.8QS - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I still own the D2, but if you skim the above thread you'll eventually learn of its run in with a London bus; and subsequently - to be completely honest - I rather fell out of love with the old girl. Sure, she still polishes up well enough and gets plenty of looks being something of a rarity, but washes are rare nowadays, and I see her more as a barge with arthritis than the rakish cruiser she once was.
I digress. a recent career shift means I'm likely to be travelling a bit more than I'm used to, and with the D2 averaging 20mpg on a good day and costing me several pretty pennies just to set tyre within London's low emission zone, I started to think about a replacement. Initial requirements were:
- an Audi (obviously)
- at least 2000cc
- estate (or 'Avant' to us four-ringed types)
- Quattro
- petrol
- auto / tiptronic
- circa 100k miles max
I set out to find something like a B7 A4 Avant with the 2.0TFSI lump. Turns out, good ones are rarer than chicken molars. Plenty of diesels though, but I don't intend on ever owning one personally.
I turned to the C5 generation A6. Most are hideously long in the tooth now, and battle-scarred to prove it.
Options seemingly dwindling, I started using the search term "Audi quattro"; which yielded a plethora of A3s, S3s, diesels, high milers, spares or repairs cars etc, etc.. and an awful lot of TT's.
Now, here's the thing. This time a week ago, I pretty much shrugged them off. Not at all what I was 'after'. But the more they showed up in results, the more I learned of the specs and combinations; the more I grew to like the shape; the more I started to justify this small, bubble-bottomed.. thing.
Between then and today, I somehow crammed quite a lot of fastidious research (thanks in particular to The Parrot Bro's Youtube channel!) in amongst work, life, and play. And Coronavirus, natch.
Feeling confident in my ability to pick from the veritable rainbow of titties on offer, I started selecting private listings for first contact. Quickly I learned even more about them, either by the blatant lies being spouted as fact, or by digging too deeply and encouraging a seller to divulge crucial decision-making information. None of these early conversations ended in a viewing; heck, some of them never even began.
FYI, there are an awful lot of decisions to make concerning the 8n TT. Engines come in at least three 1.8 flavours; 150hp, 180hp and 225hp. Then there's pre and post facelift to consider. Interior and exterior colour. Wheel style. Modifications. Blimey. I settled, in theory, on the 225 'BAM' and soldiered on.
Today, this morning, I found a listing on Facebook marketplace. Having only ever used this platform once (to buy a potted plant locally), I was apprehensive but then figured "this must be a real person" which somehow negated any worry. Several messages and voice notes left me feeling rather enthused.
Photo from the advert:
The chap selling was doing so after only owning the car a matter of weeks, as his work situation had also changed and he now needed a diesel. Previous to him, the second owner was an Audi enthusiast (my kinda person) and really spared no expense. The MOT history as found online was a reassuring read and testament to this point.
Another potential buyer got in before me, and was lining up a viewing at 3:30pm. I said I would be happy to head down after, providing of course the first viewing didn't yield a sale.
A few hours later, the seller messaged me to say the first viewing fell through entirely, so I was now first in line. Off I went with a friend of mine, who funnily enough bought my 3.2 A4 off me years ago (nice to get back in that today!).
I'm sure you know where this is going, but to surmise what has become a lengthy mind-rant, I now own a 2003 Audi TT coupe. It's my first remotely sporty car, and so far, I bloody love it.
Coupling the facts that I've not really driven a car of this type before, and not rowed my own gears in some 8 years, the drive back was initially quite placid, but with a couple of country lanes and NSLs to wind through, I found myself not only keeping up with the 3.2 in front, but several times absolutely able to pass if I was so inclined. The engine is peppy and responsive in a very linear, almost N/A way. I don't know if they're all like that, but add in the turbo noises and I grinned all the way home.
To rattle off some factory specifications:
- facelift model
- denim blue body
- silver leather interior
- heated seats
- 17" 'fat five' alloy wheels
- xenon headlights
- 6 speed manual
Added to this, there were a choice of modifications made by what looks like a very enthusiastic previous owner (prior to the one I bought it off, anyway):
- coilovers (will find out the brand tomorrow, weather permitting)
- Milltek cat-back system
- square-bottomed Audi steering wheel
- armrest with matching leather padding
- Alpine headunit with some basic connectivity
- short shifter
- recirculating valve + lots of aftermarket hoses
Good points:
- huge, complete file crammed with history and documentation (best I've seen)
- 2 keys
- incredibly clean for 130k miles, in and out
- matching tyres all round
- no dead pixels in dash cluster (very common fault)
- all trim present and correct
- engine idle, rev and drive is spot on
- suspension feels great, no knocks or other noises
- no rust on outer bodywork, bar very minor bubbling on front arches
- bootful of spares including wipers, spark plugs, hoses and misc bits / bobs
Bad points:
- parcel shelf clip snapped on one side
- headlight lenses need restoring
- chrome / exhaust needs polishing
- front nearside brake squeaks a little bit
- leather is pretty discoloured in places, but not torn / scuffed
Anyway, it's late and I have gone on for far too long. I am certainly excited about the downsize and prospect of ownership. This car represents a big saving (nearly half) on insurance among other things. Even consumables - going from buying 20" tyres to 17" ought to feel good on the wallet too.
Tomorrow I plan to get up nice and early so I can give the new toy a ruddy good clean, in and out, so expect some artsy pics to follow. I said to myself I'd enjoy it for a year or so, but honestly - considering I initially planned to buy another estate, anything is possible. Still, feels good to be in something so different to my norm, and the friends of mine who have seen it so far are shocked / pleased in equal measure.
Here are a couple more photos from the listing in the meantime.
My first foray, probably a decade ago, was with a battered B5 A4 Avant in 1.8T guise. That car will always, always have a special place for me, despite it's many foibles. Primarily due to the show / cruise scene which I was then unashamedly a part of.
Next I had a brief but hateful stint in a free (!) early A3, with a wholly agricultural 1.6 and a raft of issues which led to its rapid scrappage.
This was followed by a cherished Allroad 2.7T - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=14...
And then a B7 A4 3.2QS - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...
And finally a D2 A8 2.8QS - thread here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I still own the D2, but if you skim the above thread you'll eventually learn of its run in with a London bus; and subsequently - to be completely honest - I rather fell out of love with the old girl. Sure, she still polishes up well enough and gets plenty of looks being something of a rarity, but washes are rare nowadays, and I see her more as a barge with arthritis than the rakish cruiser she once was.
I digress. a recent career shift means I'm likely to be travelling a bit more than I'm used to, and with the D2 averaging 20mpg on a good day and costing me several pretty pennies just to set tyre within London's low emission zone, I started to think about a replacement. Initial requirements were:
- an Audi (obviously)
- at least 2000cc
- estate (or 'Avant' to us four-ringed types)
- Quattro
- petrol
- auto / tiptronic
- circa 100k miles max
I set out to find something like a B7 A4 Avant with the 2.0TFSI lump. Turns out, good ones are rarer than chicken molars. Plenty of diesels though, but I don't intend on ever owning one personally.
I turned to the C5 generation A6. Most are hideously long in the tooth now, and battle-scarred to prove it.
Options seemingly dwindling, I started using the search term "Audi quattro"; which yielded a plethora of A3s, S3s, diesels, high milers, spares or repairs cars etc, etc.. and an awful lot of TT's.
Now, here's the thing. This time a week ago, I pretty much shrugged them off. Not at all what I was 'after'. But the more they showed up in results, the more I learned of the specs and combinations; the more I grew to like the shape; the more I started to justify this small, bubble-bottomed.. thing.
Between then and today, I somehow crammed quite a lot of fastidious research (thanks in particular to The Parrot Bro's Youtube channel!) in amongst work, life, and play. And Coronavirus, natch.
Feeling confident in my ability to pick from the veritable rainbow of titties on offer, I started selecting private listings for first contact. Quickly I learned even more about them, either by the blatant lies being spouted as fact, or by digging too deeply and encouraging a seller to divulge crucial decision-making information. None of these early conversations ended in a viewing; heck, some of them never even began.
FYI, there are an awful lot of decisions to make concerning the 8n TT. Engines come in at least three 1.8 flavours; 150hp, 180hp and 225hp. Then there's pre and post facelift to consider. Interior and exterior colour. Wheel style. Modifications. Blimey. I settled, in theory, on the 225 'BAM' and soldiered on.
Today, this morning, I found a listing on Facebook marketplace. Having only ever used this platform once (to buy a potted plant locally), I was apprehensive but then figured "this must be a real person" which somehow negated any worry. Several messages and voice notes left me feeling rather enthused.
Photo from the advert:
The chap selling was doing so after only owning the car a matter of weeks, as his work situation had also changed and he now needed a diesel. Previous to him, the second owner was an Audi enthusiast (my kinda person) and really spared no expense. The MOT history as found online was a reassuring read and testament to this point.
Another potential buyer got in before me, and was lining up a viewing at 3:30pm. I said I would be happy to head down after, providing of course the first viewing didn't yield a sale.
A few hours later, the seller messaged me to say the first viewing fell through entirely, so I was now first in line. Off I went with a friend of mine, who funnily enough bought my 3.2 A4 off me years ago (nice to get back in that today!).
I'm sure you know where this is going, but to surmise what has become a lengthy mind-rant, I now own a 2003 Audi TT coupe. It's my first remotely sporty car, and so far, I bloody love it.
Coupling the facts that I've not really driven a car of this type before, and not rowed my own gears in some 8 years, the drive back was initially quite placid, but with a couple of country lanes and NSLs to wind through, I found myself not only keeping up with the 3.2 in front, but several times absolutely able to pass if I was so inclined. The engine is peppy and responsive in a very linear, almost N/A way. I don't know if they're all like that, but add in the turbo noises and I grinned all the way home.
To rattle off some factory specifications:
- facelift model
- denim blue body
- silver leather interior
- heated seats
- 17" 'fat five' alloy wheels
- xenon headlights
- 6 speed manual
Added to this, there were a choice of modifications made by what looks like a very enthusiastic previous owner (prior to the one I bought it off, anyway):
- coilovers (will find out the brand tomorrow, weather permitting)
- Milltek cat-back system
- square-bottomed Audi steering wheel
- armrest with matching leather padding
- Alpine headunit with some basic connectivity
- short shifter
- recirculating valve + lots of aftermarket hoses
Good points:
- huge, complete file crammed with history and documentation (best I've seen)
- 2 keys
- incredibly clean for 130k miles, in and out
- matching tyres all round
- no dead pixels in dash cluster (very common fault)
- all trim present and correct
- engine idle, rev and drive is spot on
- suspension feels great, no knocks or other noises
- no rust on outer bodywork, bar very minor bubbling on front arches
- bootful of spares including wipers, spark plugs, hoses and misc bits / bobs
Bad points:
- parcel shelf clip snapped on one side
- headlight lenses need restoring
- chrome / exhaust needs polishing
- front nearside brake squeaks a little bit
- leather is pretty discoloured in places, but not torn / scuffed
Anyway, it's late and I have gone on for far too long. I am certainly excited about the downsize and prospect of ownership. This car represents a big saving (nearly half) on insurance among other things. Even consumables - going from buying 20" tyres to 17" ought to feel good on the wallet too.
Tomorrow I plan to get up nice and early so I can give the new toy a ruddy good clean, in and out, so expect some artsy pics to follow. I said to myself I'd enjoy it for a year or so, but honestly - considering I initially planned to buy another estate, anything is possible. Still, feels good to be in something so different to my norm, and the friends of mine who have seen it so far are shocked / pleased in equal measure.
Here are a couple more photos from the listing in the meantime.
Looks well.... how recent is the cam belt? If unknown change it and the water pump and tensioner as a matter of preventative maintenance.
With the mods done I’d be surprised if it’s not been remapped.
A good condition 225 will certainly not lose any money now..... but then I am biased lol
With the mods done I’d be surprised if it’s not been remapped.
A good condition 225 will certainly not lose any money now..... but then I am biased lol
89forever said:
Looks well.... how recent is the cam belt? If unknown change it and the water pump and tensioner as a matter of preventative maintenance.
With the mods done I’d be surprised if it’s not been remapped.
A good condition 225 will certainly not lose any money now..... but then I am biased lol
Acccording to the paperwork it was all done in one fell swoop 19k ago so nice and recent. With the mods done I’d be surprised if it’s not been remapped.
A good condition 225 will certainly not lose any money now..... but then I am biased lol
It certainly feels much faster than a standard 225. The guy I bought it off couldn't verify either way so something for me to look into.
Forgot to mention, it has a boost gauge in place of the middle-right air vent, and what look like 10mm spacers all round.
I'm genuinely smitten, just about to start giving it a thorough going over so I will try and get some proper snaps - although the weather is looking a bit.. British.
Just peeped your garage, you sir are a man of impeccable taste
Its a great car and very undervalued. However I am certain prices will skyrocket over the next 10 years.
You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
I purchased a 2001 225 Quattro Coupe for £500 a year ago for my brother in law. Zero Rust, black with a grey interior. Yes £500. I have even seen cheaper ones.
A set of brakes £200, a dash repair by ACTronics £150 , Replacement windscreen for £200, a service with cam-belt a water pump £300 and it is now perfect and stands him in at next to nothing.
Air con, power steering, electric windows electric seats, phlip lock.
Goes like a rocket, reliable, frugal, distinctive and good looking. Handles very well indeed and a hatchback too.
Has to be the best bargain purchase at the moment.
You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
I purchased a 2001 225 Quattro Coupe for £500 a year ago for my brother in law. Zero Rust, black with a grey interior. Yes £500. I have even seen cheaper ones.
A set of brakes £200, a dash repair by ACTronics £150 , Replacement windscreen for £200, a service with cam-belt a water pump £300 and it is now perfect and stands him in at next to nothing.
Air con, power steering, electric windows electric seats, phlip lock.
Goes like a rocket, reliable, frugal, distinctive and good looking. Handles very well indeed and a hatchback too.
Has to be the best bargain purchase at the moment.
That looks lovely, I had those ‘tt comps” on my 225 bam too, best wheels for the car imho.
Nippy cars in standard form but so much tuning potential if thats your thing. I would recommend a remap to about 280bhp, transforms them and brings the 0-60 to down to just over 5 seconds. The bam can take a bit of extra tuning due to having a few forged internal parts, prob wouldn’t want to go higher than that without upgrading other components first.
Enjoy, such a classic marmite design, I like marmite.
Nippy cars in standard form but so much tuning potential if thats your thing. I would recommend a remap to about 280bhp, transforms them and brings the 0-60 to down to just over 5 seconds. The bam can take a bit of extra tuning due to having a few forged internal parts, prob wouldn’t want to go higher than that without upgrading other components first.
Enjoy, such a classic marmite design, I like marmite.
politeperson said:
Its a great car and very undervalued. However I am certain prices will skyrocket over the next 10 years.
You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
While I believe that good ones will start to gently appreciate, I think you're miles off on your comparisons and the "skyrocket" point.You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
The E-Type and 356 were unaffordable to Joe Average when they were launched, whereas any old Tom, Dick or Harry could wander into an Audi dealership and finance a mk1 TT for 20-something grand.
Audi made almost twice as many mk1 TTs as Jaguar and Porsche made 356s and E-types combined. When you consider that modern construction methods mean that the TT isn't likely to rust into a pile of dust before its 10th birthday, you're dealing with a much different proposition.
Either way, it's an exceptionally handsome car, that only seems to get better with age. It makes a lot of sense as a small (if not necessarily light) sporty GT/2+2, and is probably a lovely place to spend a long drive.
Cracking car, OP.
Resolutionary said:
Acccording to the paperwork it was all done in one fell swoop 19k ago so nice and recent.
It certainly feels much faster than a standard 225. The guy I bought it off couldn't verify either way so something for me to look into.
Forgot to mention, it has a boost gauge in place of the middle-right air vent, and what look like 10mm spacers all round.
I'm genuinely smitten, just about to start giving it a thorough going over so I will try and get some proper snaps - although the weather is looking a bit.. British.
Just peeped your garage, you sir are a man of impeccable taste
How many years ago was that 19k? I go by every 5 years/60k miles for a 1.8T cambelt interval (others would advise longer).It certainly feels much faster than a standard 225. The guy I bought it off couldn't verify either way so something for me to look into.
Forgot to mention, it has a boost gauge in place of the middle-right air vent, and what look like 10mm spacers all round.
I'm genuinely smitten, just about to start giving it a thorough going over so I will try and get some proper snaps - although the weather is looking a bit.. British.
Just peeped your garage, you sir are a man of impeccable taste
Your’s also has the V6 rear honeycomb valance which is a nice addition.
Glad you like my garage lol.... I wish I still had some of the long gones lol
You also have a V6 rear valance/bumper insert, which I think improve the shape of the backside a bit. Not a cheap part now.
Looks very nice. I like to round gearknob they came with - that doesn’t look quite so tactile.
You’ve done your research so I won’t bore you with the fault lists. Some reckon the BAM is the holy grail - it’s got wideband oxygen sensors, variable cam timing via a little solenoid (to delete the SAI pump on the APX) but is the same inside from everything I’ve seen. Same compression ratio, valve sizes and rods.
A good remap transforms them, having owned standard and remapped ones. The quality of the remap matters. A FMIC, Badger5 TIP, Forge recirc diverter valve, better downpipe, and a modded airbox will also deliver gains. Deleting the vacuum pipework and N75 etc is IMO not worth doing - just fix the leaks.
They’re hard on suspension components, as they’re heavy and firm. You can improve handling with numerous mods like adjusting camber, ARB size etc. It’ll always be more a GT-light, so no point trying to make it into a Cayman. The steering racks like to fail and empty PAS fluid out of the end.
If you’re into your audio, no factory solution, including Bose, is much cop. You can improve it with half decent aftermarket parts, without spoiling the interior.
If you’re looking for parts, we’re in that narrow window in a car’s lifetime where you can buy an entire car to strip, for less than the cost of a set of tyres. This won’t last, despite the number of TTs about!
Looks very nice. I like to round gearknob they came with - that doesn’t look quite so tactile.
You’ve done your research so I won’t bore you with the fault lists. Some reckon the BAM is the holy grail - it’s got wideband oxygen sensors, variable cam timing via a little solenoid (to delete the SAI pump on the APX) but is the same inside from everything I’ve seen. Same compression ratio, valve sizes and rods.
A good remap transforms them, having owned standard and remapped ones. The quality of the remap matters. A FMIC, Badger5 TIP, Forge recirc diverter valve, better downpipe, and a modded airbox will also deliver gains. Deleting the vacuum pipework and N75 etc is IMO not worth doing - just fix the leaks.
They’re hard on suspension components, as they’re heavy and firm. You can improve handling with numerous mods like adjusting camber, ARB size etc. It’ll always be more a GT-light, so no point trying to make it into a Cayman. The steering racks like to fail and empty PAS fluid out of the end.
If you’re into your audio, no factory solution, including Bose, is much cop. You can improve it with half decent aftermarket parts, without spoiling the interior.
If you’re looking for parts, we’re in that narrow window in a car’s lifetime where you can buy an entire car to strip, for less than the cost of a set of tyres. This won’t last, despite the number of TTs about!
C70R said:
politeperson said:
Its a great car and very undervalued. However I am certain prices will skyrocket over the next 10 years.
You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
While I believe that good ones will start to gently appreciate, I think you're miles off on your comparisons and the "skyrocket" point.You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
The E-Type and 356 were unaffordable to Joe Average when they were launched, whereas any old Tom, Dick or Harry could wander into an Audi dealership and finance a mk1 TT for 20-something grand.
Audi made almost twice as many mk1 TTs as Jaguar and Porsche made 356s and E-types combined. When you consider that modern construction methods mean that the TT isn't likely to rust into a pile of dust before its 10th birthday, you're dealing with a much different proposition.
Either way, it's an exceptionally handsome car, that only seems to get better with age. It makes a lot of sense as a small (if not necessarily light) sporty GT/2+2, and is probably a lovely place to spend a long drive.
Cracking car, OP.
Since 2010 9,000 225 tts have been scrapped in the UK. Only 13,000 or less are left out of 22,000 in 2010! At than rate in 10 years time the numbers will be tiny.
politeperson said:
C70R said:
politeperson said:
Its a great car and very undervalued. However I am certain prices will skyrocket over the next 10 years.
You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
While I believe that good ones will start to gently appreciate, I think you're miles off on your comparisons and the "skyrocket" point.You can tell the market has just started rising because the first stage of car value appreciation is underway. Owners are starting to undo the work of 15 years of chavs and put them back to factory spec.
People are literally throwing them away at the moment like they did old Porsche 356s and Series 1 Jaguar E types in 1979. They were worth nothing then and a fortune now.
The E-Type and 356 were unaffordable to Joe Average when they were launched, whereas any old Tom, Dick or Harry could wander into an Audi dealership and finance a mk1 TT for 20-something grand.
Audi made almost twice as many mk1 TTs as Jaguar and Porsche made 356s and E-types combined. When you consider that modern construction methods mean that the TT isn't likely to rust into a pile of dust before its 10th birthday, you're dealing with a much different proposition.
Either way, it's an exceptionally handsome car, that only seems to get better with age. It makes a lot of sense as a small (if not necessarily light) sporty GT/2+2, and is probably a lovely place to spend a long drive.
Cracking car, OP.
Since 2010 9,000 225 tts have been scrapped in the UK. Only 13,000 or less are left out of 22,000 in 2010! At than rate in 10 years time the numbers will be tiny.
Your comparison just doesn't stack up. The E-Type and 356 were absolute one-offs. They weren't a variant in a range. That's one of the many reasons why their prices went on the trajectory they did.
This isn't like the Mk1-2 Escort comparison either. Their top of the range models were highly desirable because they were icons with huge motorsport heritage. Young kids weren't lining up at Sweet Lamb Hafran to watch 225 TTs go past.
If anything, the TTs to watch will be the manual V6s and the Quattro Sports. They were built in really small numbers, and have a real point of difference to the 10s of thousands of 180/190 models. Their prices are already on the trajectory you're describing.
All of this makes it sound as if I don't like the mk1 TT, which isn't true. I've come close to buying one on a number of occasions. And while prices will undoubtedly firm up, I just don't think they are going to appreciate anything like you're hoping.
C70R said:
Your comparison just doesn't stack up. The E-Type and 356 were absolute one-offs. They weren't a variant in a range.
There were many variants of both the E-Type and 356, all having different values than each other.E-Type series 1 thru 3, drop top and coupe and engines of straight six to v12
356 A, B and C, coupe, drop top and Speedster.
A 356 Speedster is considerably more valuable than a Coupe.
No different than the TT mk1 variants and how enthusiasts view them, some prefer a Roadster, some prefer the Coupe..... values will reflect in time which are the more desirable....!
At the end of the day something is only worth what someone is willing to pay, anything else is mere speculation
Edited by 89forever on Sunday 11th April 10:28
i got mine by accident almost - it was local and cheap and i was looking for a replacement daily car in a bit of a rush. Previously, i had no interest in the model.
Previous owner had serviced it fanatically - but only annually or when something broke, no preventative maintenance or restorative work. But the belts were in schedule, a long MoT and he delivered it. somewhere around 190k when i took it over but didnt really look it. i think its a 2001 but he left his own plate on it and its now just rolled over 220k.
i'd normally have changed it when the MoT came around but Covid put pay to that so i still have it after 18 months.
observations/impressions are that its very competent and it wears its age well. A myriad of faults have presented themselves and been dealt with as and when. given that i'd be unexpectedly keeping it, i refreshed brakes and suspension, gave it better tyres, added a couple of "facelift" updates etc. remaining faults are niggly rather than problems.
oil consumption seems high (to me) on this one but owners handbook tells me its within acceptable ranges. genuine parts can be staggeringly pricey but widely available. used parts are surprsingly economical and thousands listed on the bay of dreams. one or two OE "options" are silly prices used and can easily be done without (rear seat delete for example). there's plenty or received wisdom on the TT forum/owners club about when a genuine part should be used (eg, thermostat) and when to go aftermarket or used.
electrical "issues" abound - this car has more than my elderly Alfa and Fiat combined but it remains perfectly usable. I've just learned that a replacement OS door locking mechanism has come down in price (now £114) so that's next on the list (and will restore autodrop/door open warnings etc), then brake pedal switch (£16). A rather worrying "no communication" has popped up within the haldex but the controller can be refurbed for not a lot of money at all. However, I suspect that this is related to the aformentioned brake pedal switch so shouldnt be too pricey and it drives just fine without it anyway.
it was below "shed" money but with my spending it now appears to have cost me what a "better" one would now be priced at and the work ive done has still cost me less (just about) than i'd have spent replacing it.
on balance, a good buy !!
Previous owner had serviced it fanatically - but only annually or when something broke, no preventative maintenance or restorative work. But the belts were in schedule, a long MoT and he delivered it. somewhere around 190k when i took it over but didnt really look it. i think its a 2001 but he left his own plate on it and its now just rolled over 220k.
i'd normally have changed it when the MoT came around but Covid put pay to that so i still have it after 18 months.
observations/impressions are that its very competent and it wears its age well. A myriad of faults have presented themselves and been dealt with as and when. given that i'd be unexpectedly keeping it, i refreshed brakes and suspension, gave it better tyres, added a couple of "facelift" updates etc. remaining faults are niggly rather than problems.
oil consumption seems high (to me) on this one but owners handbook tells me its within acceptable ranges. genuine parts can be staggeringly pricey but widely available. used parts are surprsingly economical and thousands listed on the bay of dreams. one or two OE "options" are silly prices used and can easily be done without (rear seat delete for example). there's plenty or received wisdom on the TT forum/owners club about when a genuine part should be used (eg, thermostat) and when to go aftermarket or used.
electrical "issues" abound - this car has more than my elderly Alfa and Fiat combined but it remains perfectly usable. I've just learned that a replacement OS door locking mechanism has come down in price (now £114) so that's next on the list (and will restore autodrop/door open warnings etc), then brake pedal switch (£16). A rather worrying "no communication" has popped up within the haldex but the controller can be refurbed for not a lot of money at all. However, I suspect that this is related to the aformentioned brake pedal switch so shouldnt be too pricey and it drives just fine without it anyway.
it was below "shed" money but with my spending it now appears to have cost me what a "better" one would now be priced at and the work ive done has still cost me less (just about) than i'd have spent replacing it.
on balance, a good buy !!
MightyBadger said:
That looks lovely, I had those ‘tt comps” on my 225 bam too, best wheels for the car imho.
Nippy cars in standard form but so much tuning potential if thats your thing. I would recommend a remap to about 280bhp, transforms them and brings the 0-60 to down to just over 5 seconds. The bam can take a bit of extra tuning due to having a few forged internal parts, prob wouldn’t want to go higher than that without upgrading other components first.
Enjoy, such a classic marmite design, I like marmite.
That's the name of them! I mixed these up with the larger 'fat fives' which I actually kinda want to get - but I must admit the sidewall comfort is lovely.Nippy cars in standard form but so much tuning potential if thats your thing. I would recommend a remap to about 280bhp, transforms them and brings the 0-60 to down to just over 5 seconds. The bam can take a bit of extra tuning due to having a few forged internal parts, prob wouldn’t want to go higher than that without upgrading other components first.
Enjoy, such a classic marmite design, I like marmite.
It turns out it has been remapped, so a reserved estimate of circa 250 seems right. Honestly though I bought it for relative economy, and so far it's averaged 25mpg which is already comparatively frugal to the A8!
andy97 said:
Looks excellent, do you mind sharing how much you paid as I am sort of looking for one and it’s all good info!
Not at all! Paid just over £2k, which seems to sit it sort of in the middle of the price range for a goodun. My research led me to believe anywhere between £1,400 and £2,800 could yield a puntable car, the higher being likely more cosmetically sound, but not necessarily any better mileage-wise.There are stories of people paying a few hundred quid and getting a decent example. But, there are more who paid the same and got a munter..! There's definitely a reputation around used TT's because of the myriad of specs, conditions, ownerships etc.
89forever said:
How many years ago was that 19k? I go by every 5 years/60k miles for a 1.8T cambelt interval (others would advise longer).
Your’s also has the V6 rear honeycomb valance which is a nice addition.
Glad you like my garage lol.... I wish I still had some of the long gones lol
Good question, paperwork suggests 4 years ago and I've visually inspected things today, all looks (and sounds) very right indeed. Regardless, it'll be going to my favoured VAG specialist pretty soon for a health check and some advice.Your’s also has the V6 rear honeycomb valance which is a nice addition.
Glad you like my garage lol.... I wish I still had some of the long gones lol
J4CKO said:
Love these, wish the one I had was as nice as that and not neglected.
When I was telling friends I was considering getting one for a grand, they immediately said 'double it' to find the sweet spot. They weren't wrong! Lots of snotters out there sadly, and you never really know until you find out. Wish me luck 
bangerhoarder said:
You also have a V6 rear valance/bumper insert, which I think improve the shape of the backside a bit. Not a cheap part now.
Looks very nice. I like to round gearknob they came with - that doesn’t look quite so tactile.
You’ve done your research so I won’t bore you with the fault lists. Some reckon the BAM is the holy grail - it’s got wideband oxygen sensors, variable cam timing via a little solenoid (to delete the SAI pump on the APX) but is the same inside from everything I’ve seen. Same compression ratio, valve sizes and rods.
A good remap transforms them, having owned standard and remapped ones. The quality of the remap matters. A FMIC, Badger5 TIP, Forge recirc diverter valve, better downpipe, and a modded airbox will also deliver gains. Deleting the vacuum pipework and N75 etc is IMO not worth doing - just fix the leaks.
They’re hard on suspension components, as they’re heavy and firm. You can improve handling with numerous mods like adjusting camber, ARB size etc. It’ll always be more a GT-light, so no point trying to make it into a Cayman. The steering racks like to fail and empty PAS fluid out of the end.
If you’re into your audio, no factory solution, including Bose, is much cop. You can improve it with half decent aftermarket parts, without spoiling the interior.
If you’re looking for parts, we’re in that narrow window in a car’s lifetime where you can buy an entire car to strip, for less than the cost of a set of tyres. This won’t last, despite the number of TTs about!
Great reply, thank you for the detail here!Looks very nice. I like to round gearknob they came with - that doesn’t look quite so tactile.
You’ve done your research so I won’t bore you with the fault lists. Some reckon the BAM is the holy grail - it’s got wideband oxygen sensors, variable cam timing via a little solenoid (to delete the SAI pump on the APX) but is the same inside from everything I’ve seen. Same compression ratio, valve sizes and rods.
A good remap transforms them, having owned standard and remapped ones. The quality of the remap matters. A FMIC, Badger5 TIP, Forge recirc diverter valve, better downpipe, and a modded airbox will also deliver gains. Deleting the vacuum pipework and N75 etc is IMO not worth doing - just fix the leaks.
They’re hard on suspension components, as they’re heavy and firm. You can improve handling with numerous mods like adjusting camber, ARB size etc. It’ll always be more a GT-light, so no point trying to make it into a Cayman. The steering racks like to fail and empty PAS fluid out of the end.
If you’re into your audio, no factory solution, including Bose, is much cop. You can improve it with half decent aftermarket parts, without spoiling the interior.
If you’re looking for parts, we’re in that narrow window in a car’s lifetime where you can buy an entire car to strip, for less than the cost of a set of tyres. This won’t last, despite the number of TTs about!
Yes, it has the valance, also forgot to mention I found spacers fitted all rount (10mm front, 15/20mm rear) - and there's a boost gauge fitted inside the middle right air vent which appears a very common mod.
Funnily enough, I really didn't like the original gearknob and I really get on with the one I now have - works very well in practice with the box in question.
I have done a fair bit of research, not in any great deal mind you - as mentioned in an earlier response of mine I don't intend to do much other than keep it tidy and enjoy it. Full disclosure; I got some points on my license a year or so ago and this works out a cheaper way into a nice Audi overall, so while I intend to enjoy it responsibly I don't really want to spend more than it needs. I'm sure that'll change though
Things I am strongly considering doing during ownership:
- thin / short front splitter (for subtlety, just to sharpen the front a bit)
- similar style side skirt extensions (seen a couple examples online, generic parts cut to size for a subtle change)
- removal of rear seats*
- changing the front seats for S3 Recaros from the same vintage
- double din unit with carplay (I've seen a specially produced unit which replaces the position of the air module)
- wider wheels (like the 17s, but they follow tramlines quite badly so maybe look for 17" x 8.5J)
- the rear seats. 'Seats'. I am anything but tall, but I tried to have a sit in there and it was impossible. They're absolutely coming out.
gary71 said:
Nice spec, particularly those wheels.
I’m considering (and have also been researching) roughly the same age/model for a few weeks. Will be interested to see how you get on.
The wheels are immaculate, truly. I like them a lot, and I feel like the bigger rubber is a revelation. Will be sticking to 17"s on this car no matter what. I’m considering (and have also been researching) roughly the same age/model for a few weeks. Will be interested to see how you get on.
I will keep this updated as much as possible. After a couple of days ownership I am very much glad with my choice, and I'll post some photos up shortly of todays little shoot after a proper deep clean.
paulmakin said:
i got mine by accident almost - it was local and cheap and i was looking for a replacement daily car in a bit of a rush. Previously, i had no interest in the model.
Previous owner had serviced it fanatically - but only annually or when something broke, no preventative maintenance or restorative work. But the belts were in schedule, a long MoT and he delivered it. somewhere around 190k when i took it over but didnt really look it. i think its a 2001 but he left his own plate on it and its now just rolled over 220k.
i'd normally have changed it when the MoT came around but Covid put pay to that so i still have it after 18 months.
observations/impressions are that its very competent and it wears its age well. A myriad of faults have presented themselves and been dealt with as and when. given that i'd be unexpectedly keeping it, i refreshed brakes and suspension, gave it better tyres, added a couple of "facelift" updates etc. remaining faults are niggly rather than problems.
oil consumption seems high (to me) on this one but owners handbook tells me its within acceptable ranges. genuine parts can be staggeringly pricey but widely available. used parts are surprsingly economical and thousands listed on the bay of dreams. one or two OE "options" are silly prices used and can easily be done without (rear seat delete for example). there's plenty or received wisdom on the TT forum/owners club about when a genuine part should be used (eg, thermostat) and when to go aftermarket or used.
electrical "issues" abound - this car has more than my elderly Alfa and Fiat combined but it remains perfectly usable. I've just learned that a replacement OS door locking mechanism has come down in price (now £114) so that's next on the list (and will restore autodrop/door open warnings etc), then brake pedal switch (£16). A rather worrying "no communication" has popped up within the haldex but the controller can be refurbed for not a lot of money at all. However, I suspect that this is related to the aformentioned brake pedal switch so shouldnt be too pricey and it drives just fine without it anyway.
it was below "shed" money but with my spending it now appears to have cost me what a "better" one would now be priced at and the work ive done has still cost me less (just about) than i'd have spent replacing it.
on balance, a good buy !!
Very interesting post! Must agree, very competent cars and definitely wear age well. I have a couple of little gremline too, namely a somewhat unruly passenger window which sometimes decides not to go up, couple of clicks prompt it back into action. Also I have an intermittent battery light which the seller told me about, apparently the car is detecting lower-than-usual voltage but it seems so slight I think it's just a 'thing to do, eventually'. Previous owner had serviced it fanatically - but only annually or when something broke, no preventative maintenance or restorative work. But the belts were in schedule, a long MoT and he delivered it. somewhere around 190k when i took it over but didnt really look it. i think its a 2001 but he left his own plate on it and its now just rolled over 220k.
i'd normally have changed it when the MoT came around but Covid put pay to that so i still have it after 18 months.
observations/impressions are that its very competent and it wears its age well. A myriad of faults have presented themselves and been dealt with as and when. given that i'd be unexpectedly keeping it, i refreshed brakes and suspension, gave it better tyres, added a couple of "facelift" updates etc. remaining faults are niggly rather than problems.
oil consumption seems high (to me) on this one but owners handbook tells me its within acceptable ranges. genuine parts can be staggeringly pricey but widely available. used parts are surprsingly economical and thousands listed on the bay of dreams. one or two OE "options" are silly prices used and can easily be done without (rear seat delete for example). there's plenty or received wisdom on the TT forum/owners club about when a genuine part should be used (eg, thermostat) and when to go aftermarket or used.
electrical "issues" abound - this car has more than my elderly Alfa and Fiat combined but it remains perfectly usable. I've just learned that a replacement OS door locking mechanism has come down in price (now £114) so that's next on the list (and will restore autodrop/door open warnings etc), then brake pedal switch (£16). A rather worrying "no communication" has popped up within the haldex but the controller can be refurbed for not a lot of money at all. However, I suspect that this is related to the aformentioned brake pedal switch so shouldnt be too pricey and it drives just fine without it anyway.
it was below "shed" money but with my spending it now appears to have cost me what a "better" one would now be priced at and the work ive done has still cost me less (just about) than i'd have spent replacing it.
on balance, a good buy !!
The good thing for us TT owners is, as you say, the veritable goldmine of second hand parts - and actually a hugely accessible aftermarket. Certainly there's more available for these than any of my previous cars, so I feel genuinely relaxed about basics like switches, localised corrosion, consumables etc.
That's the balance isn't it - I could have bought a stock one, but I'd have ended up spending double to get it to where this one is so I feel like I found a real bargain (to my tastes anyway).
shalmaneser said:
Awesome car. Probably the smartest value for money modern classic at the moment, prices for good ones will firm up no doubt. Supposed to be better handling hidden in there with some new arbs and suspension bushes.
Absolutely going to look into this, as I do find it to be just a tad wayward at times - never in an alarming way, more in a 'that could be improved' way. I'm considering removing the rear seats and sticking a brace in the boot; that alongside some ARBs and a bush refresh (fnar) should work a treat.
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