Audi Owners - Input/Guidance

[Firestar_3x]

Keep an eye on the Audi approved used page and wait for one to pop up at around 14 - 15k.

The Mk2 TT is quite a good car, steering is direct enough just has little feel, you will never get anyone in the back so forget about that, boot is amazing in size and with the rear seats down you can carry lots of stuff.

 

[snips86x]

£17,000?

Yeah, lol - missed the 'K'.

Keep an eye on the Audi approved used page and wait for one to pop up at around 14 - 15k.

The Mk2 TT is quite a good car, steering is direct enough just has little feel, you will never get anyone in the back so forget about that, boot is amazing in size and with the rear seats down you can carry lots of stuff.

What kind of mileage though?

 

[Firestar_3x]

Under 70k, will have a full years Audi warranty with the option to extend should you wish.

 

[andybird123]

check if its direct injection - the early audi direct injections were absolutely terribad for coking up, losing power, head gaskets failing etc

I had an S6 that started to lose power so I traded it in and I later found out the next dealer had to do a full top end rebuild to be able to sell it on

 

[Xez]

check if its direct injection - the early audi direct injections were absolutely terribad for coking up, losing power, head gaskets failing etc

I had an S6 that started to lose power so I traded it in and I later found out the next dealer had to do a full top end rebuild to be able to sell it on

Early direct injection engines for this engine was 2006, the design barely changed in fact I don't think it did at all throughout it's life span.

 

[LiE]

Yeah, lol - missed the 'K'.

The budget seems to have escalated quickly. We've gone from £10,000 to £17,000.

 

[nas]

I've owned an 08 a3 for just over a year now - things to look out for:
DSG box - Mechatronic - I wouldn't risk this on a TTS without warranty
You'll go through a lot of oil
Coil packs - but these can be upgraded
Diverter valve typically needs replacing at some point
One major drawback is the interior - it'll be thereabouts the same as an a3 from 2003.

IMO if you can't stretch to a sub 60k model, I'd look elsewhere, too much of a liability.

 

[tom_nieto]

My only concern at the moment is the lack of rear seats. My brothers Mrs said "but what if you meet someone?". Well, there is some truth in that but should I be worrying about that now? I mean, the car I drove I fell in love with and would take it in a heart beat had she not mentioned "a future partner". Now I'm looking at the Coupé version but still undecided.

The roadster has 2 seats... plenty of room for a future partner

 

[snips86x]

I've owned an 08 a3 for just over a year now - things to look out for:
DSG box - Mechatronic - I wouldn't risk this on a TTS without warranty
You'll go through a lot of oil
Coil packs - but these can be upgraded
Diverter valve typically needs replacing at some point
One major drawback is the interior - it'll be thereabouts the same as an a3 from 2003.

IMO if you can't stretch to a sub 60k model, I'd look elsewhere, too much of a liability.

To be honest, I think I've settled on the one I mentioned above. I've got the monies for it and I think its about time I did something for myself. Going back for an extended test drive today, which should make my mind up. Saying that, I'm pretty dead set on it to be honest.

 

[snips86x]

The roadster has 2 seats... plenty of room for a future partner

Yeah, I didn't mention I have a son who stays with his mum. I have him every weekend.

 

[-VK-]

I've owned a TTS for the last 3 years and came from an S-Line A3. Mines an 08 plate, 70k miles (I've owned it since 50k) and it hasnt skipped a beat.

If you're interested in performance, a remap will transform the car.
For practicality, I've used mine as a daily driver - The rear seats when down will let you put a surprising amount into the back.
MPG I've averaged around 24 in the last 3 years - Predominantly around town / weekend fun and the odd motorway journey.

Don't worry too much about BOSE - It's a nice to have but it's not mindblowing. If you have one with an iPod dock then it's dead simple to get Bluetooth from your phone with a Viseeo Tune2air and the sound is decent enough (Convenient too)

Ride is a LOT less crashy than my A3 was (19s on the TT vs 19s on the A3 too) unless you put magnetic ride on. Magnetic ride's....largely irrelevant unless you like the odd track day.

S-Tronic is great - Look for one that's had the correct servicing schedules and you should be OK. Honestly, you can find some well looked after ones for £10-13k or so. I'd encourage you to join the TTForum for some advice too - Decent bunch, also some owners in the for sale.

Window regulators are a PITA (£400 fix from Audi, or £40ish DIY) and there are guides on the forum. It's not a terrible job to do yourself.
Seat sagging is a real problem, particularly on the drivers seat - A reupholstered unit from Audi is about £200, though you may be able to get a repair cheaper locally of course.
I'd recommend getting it scanned with a diagnostic tool if you can - Never hurts.

 

[nas]

To be honest, I think I've settled on the one I mentioned above. I've got the monies for it and I think its about time I did something for myself. Going back for an extended test drive today, which should make my mind up. Saying that, I'm pretty dead set on it to be honest.

by all means buy one, I just advise to buy one where you can be covered by warranty at the lower premium; the main requirement being less than 60k and Full audi service history (in line with the recommended schedule), can be specialist, but must have used original parts.

 

[Xez]

by all means buy one, I just advise to buy one where you can be covered by warranty at the lower premium; the main requirement being less than 60k and Full audi service history (in line with the recommended schedule), can be specialist, but must have used original parts.

personally unless the warranty is very cheap I wouldn't bother. They aren't expensive cars to maintain, I've had my S3 for four years and it's barely cost me anything apart from general servicing.

 

[Jokester]

Mine is coming upto 5 years old and has done just shy of 60K.

Issues I've had:-
Rear left brake light failure (sorted itself and never played up again in the years since).
Rear right suspension damper seized - I drive with the Magni ride turned switched to hard as I find the ride and steering just to loose when set to soft so it might have had something to do with that - 50/50 as the car was out of warranty.
Haldex hydraulic pump failure (replaced under warranty - otherwise a ~£1500 bill I believe).
Rear centre brake LED cluster had several failed LEDs though I believe this was caused during a rear end shunt and it was replaced as part of that repair. I've seen other TTs with random LEDs not lit on the road. It's something like £200 to replace if I remember correctly.
Drivers door dropped a 2-3mm - done this a couple of times.
Paint (Daytona Grey) has started to bubble on both doors in a few places - this seems to be a general Audi issue and is apparently contamination under the paint rather than a corrosion issue but I'm going to see if Audi will cover it when I'm in for an MOT in a couple of weeks.
BOSE Amp indicated a failure when in for a service - I was quoted £400 to replace it if I remember correctly, even though it was working fine - no further action was taken and it's still working fine 4 years later.
The bloody wheels are prone to collecting grit and other small road debris in the corners of the spokes unbalancing the wheels which then makes for rough driving and oddly rough gear changes. Keeping the wheels clean resolves it
The auto dimming on the wing mirrors seems to have failed on the passenger side, need to investigate this more.

Other issues in general I'm aware of but I've not experienced:-
Stronic boxes are known to be a concern on the MkII TTS with high failure rates. Something like £1500 to replace at the dealer I believe. It's thought to be caused by low speed driving (<5mph, so traffic jam sort of stuff) cooking the boxes
Window regulators, similar to the A5 are prone to failure due to the shunt up and down everytime you open/close the doors.
Saggy bottomed seats

My timing belt is due for replacement, been quoted £550 at the dealer I think it was, including replacement of the water pump and also free MOTs for the life of the car.

 

[James J]

I've got a mk2 TT with 122k on the clock and it's had quite a bit of work done to it to keep it in good condition. Engine tends to go through oil more quickly than most but then again that's also due to age and mileage too.

Issues with mine that's been fixed:

- new thermostat which was a nightmare to fit. Cheap part, expensive labour
- new passenger side door card due to handle not working, fairly cheap fix
- new plugs and coils due to misfires. Early coils had no insulation down the shaft whilst the newer ones used in the late mk2s onwards do. Good coils and plugs cost around £150 for a complete rip out and replace jobby
- licence plate Light contacts had corroded. £10 replacement job to go to good LEDs with no cambus errors

Ongoing issues:

- spoiler likes to get stuck when lowered for no reason. I've had two different garages look at this with no avail. Very intermittent and annoying issue.

Stuff that was done before I bought it:

- cambelt and water pump
- headlight and fog light bulb changes
- new brushes and suspension overhaul
- new antiroll bar
- clutch

Mines the manual transmission with full leather seats and they definitely suffer from sagging sadly. Seats are very comfy though. I'm 6'4" and the two back seats are basically a glorified parcel shelf as far as I'm concerned. My mum is 5'2" and even she couldn't sit in the back comofrtably lol. It's an extremely easy car to drive and has just the right amount of power to be fun. The mk3 has vastly better fuel efficiency which for me now, would be a big selling point.

 

[snips86x]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll keep those items in mind. I've never been so excited to get a new car before, I really think this will be good for me given how the last 2 years have panned out. Finance is all sorted, should be collecting Thursday. It's available anytime though so may move to 1600-1700 Wednesday instead. The only thing I will miss will be the heated windscreen but I can live with that.

Bring on the summer of fun

 

[DB_SamX]

Guys, thread bump, because after a good couple of years of thinking about a GT86, I had a viewing today which made me realise how cramped and basic the interior is, even compared to my Celica. So, I may be willing to sacrifice the GT86's "fun" for the niceties of an Audi TT mk 2, probably 2010-2013, £12-15k, manual, petrol. Snips, you must have done all the research recently?

Now, I've never looked into TT until this evening and coming up a bit confused.
1. Is the spec/trim order like this, in terms of desirability? http://www.parkers.co.uk/audi/tt/coupe-2006/specs/
standard
s line
sport
tts
black
tts black
(I find it odd that the black edition would have a better spec than a TTS - is that right?)
2. Are all TTS quattros?
3. I haven't quite figured out which versions come with 17/18/19" wheels - any best for comfort? I could tell 18/19 look better as they feel the wheel arch more.
4. Does the black edition still say S-line on the back of the seats?

I need Bluetooth for streaming music.
I would like rear parking sensors, cruise, and heated seats, but they are not essentials.

Any advice welcome; this dealer nearby has loads of various TT for sale and I'm keen to find out more before going to have a look. https://www.essentialcars.co.uk/audi-tt-specialist

 

[paradigm]

1) The problem here is comparing "basic equipment levels" between the various different trim levels. The TTS and TTS Black are the top of the pack, for the engine alone. MK2 TT's weren't particularly spec heavy even when fully optioned up (and most can be retrofitted pretty easily), so focusing on getting the better car is IMO more important than equipment levels.

"Black Editions" across the Audi range typically change any chrome styling to black, change the wheels, and usually add a better audio option.

I'd probably list them in this order:

Sport
S-Line
S-Line "Black Edition"
TTS
TTS "Black Edition"
TTRS

2) Yes, TTS are all quattro.
3) No idea, though I'd imagine that if an "S Line" comes with 18s its likely that a "Black Edition" comes with 19s
4) Yes.

As for your bluetooth bits and bobs, retrofitting RNS-E and it's extras is very easy, so I wouldn't get hung up finding one with bluetooth, you can get the bits from eBay easily enough. Parking sensors are also an easy retrofit, again the same with cruise. Heated seats however you'd be far better off finding a car with them to begin with.

 

[DB_SamX]

1) The problem here is comparing "basic equipment levels" between the various different trim levels. The TTS and TTS Black are the top of the pack, for the engine alone. MK2 TT's weren't particularly spec heavy even when fully optioned up (and most can be retrofitted pretty easily), so focusing on getting the better car is IMO more important than equipment levels.

"Black Editions" across the Audi range typically change any chrome styling to black, change the wheels, and usually add a better audio option.

I'd probably list them in this order:

Sport
S-Line
S-Line "Black Edition"
TTS
TTS "Black Edition"
TTRS

2) Yes, TTS are all quattro.
3) No idea, though I'd imagine that if an "S Line" comes with 18s its likely that a "Black Edition" comes with 19s
4) Yes.

As for your bluetooth bits and bobs, retrofitting RNS-E and it's extras is very easy, so I wouldn't get hung up finding one with bluetooth, you can get the bits from eBay easily enough. Parking sensors are also an easy retrofit, again the same with cruise. Heated seats however you'd be far better off finding a car with them to begin with.

Thank you.

I've now found a better guide to equipment of TTforums actually. and yeah with regards to bluetooth I could even get a separate bit of kit anyway from Amazon.

This appears to be the holy grail of spec for me, but it's out of my budget! Other TTS without that many extras are £1-2k less. http://www.sytner.co.uk/car-search/7225402-audi-tt-2.0-t-fsi-quattro-tts-2dr-2011/