MK1 Audi TT Opinions?

Rusty911

A2OC Donor
Anyone lived with one?

When they came out the reviews were very positive but as time went on you heard more and more negatives about them: dull steering, dull brakes, under-whelming driving experience etc. They seem to get 50/50 panned / loved on places like Pistonheads which probably is quite good for there.

Is it all forum talk, with reality being a nicely made and pretty sporting coup that covers the ground well without being too full on?

Wondering about back-to-backing one against my Smart Roadster Coupe. They seem to be dirt cheap now and I can't help but feel they've done their money and can't go much lower.

Does a nice one have a 'special' feel when you get in, or does it just feel like a squashed MK4 Golf? I like the Smart but don't really trust it (well known ECU gremlins), it's a bit light for motorway work and you do feel a bit vulnerable in it. On other hand, it's rare, very cheap to run, really good fun and I love the looks.

I'm aware of the higher tax than Smart, dash display and Haldex servicing requirements (plus the usual 2nd hand car stuff).

This is the Smart (I have a 4/2 as well which is utterly brilliant): B4's, poly's, 40mm drop (these really need this visually), Toyo Proxes, rebuilt engine: almost new everything in fact. The only car I've ever bought in 'done'.

P1010526sm.jpg
 
Mk1 TT is all about design for me - handling wise its not great - based on the mk4 golf platform which was the worst golf ever made.

If you love the design and can pickup a decent one then go for it. Watch out for bad instrument pods which seem to be very common.

I never picked up a TT until the mk2 but get it doesn't have the same iconic feel....drives much better though :)
 
'Golf in lingerie' pretty accurate description. I had a quattro sport version for a few years which was ok - needed a gearbox rebuild which was done under warranty but otherwise was reliable. OK to drive - tonnes of grip and decent acceleration but just became a bit dull after a while.

Simon.
 
Signs to tell if a car should be on your wishlist

Check it out as you walk past it then have another look back
Peer into the cabin to check colour and trim options again
Open a conversation with the owner if they happen to be around
Keep looking at the Owners Club web site
Check prices on Autotrader every day or two

How to tell if a car IS for you
Ignore everyone else's comments
Have a test drive

Cheers Spike
 
I had a golf mk4 4motion 2.8L same handex system, in fact when I broken it was replaced with a TT one. Made journeys a dream could cruise at high speed really nicely, was awful round corners and felt like it weighed too much, massive understeer followed by oversteer sometimes. I love it very much I did over a 100k miles it in. Great car shame about the chassis.


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Thanks all. Not quite the ringing endorsement you might hope for but reflective of what you often hear.

Spike: wise words indeed. Even now I can hear everyone telling me how hateful the B5.5 Passats were: terrible chassis, peaky engines with narrow powerband etc. I bought one anyway, years ago, still have it, still love it.

You're right: need to try one. Frankly I just fancy something with nice looks, nice build, a modicum of premium feel / 'treat' to it. The Roadster is great, I really like it, but it does feel like it was made with old lunch boxes by a toddler.
 
I had a golf mk4 4motion 2.8L same handex system, in fact when I broken it was replaced with a TT one. Made journeys a dream could cruise at high speed really nicely, was awful round corners and felt like it weighed too much, massive understeer followed by oversteer sometimes. I love it very much I did over a 100k miles it in. Great car shame about the chassis.


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I can imagine the six would have been (even) worse than the four cyl: even more weight up front. Sounded nice though!
 
If budget can stretch the mk2 prices are coming down. Maybe not quite as cheap as the mk1 yet but not far away. An early V6 might be worth a look
 
I can imagine the six would have been (even) worse than the four cyl: even more weight up front. Sounded nice though!

It sounded great it was easy to drive (was my first car at 23) honestly the best cruising car I’ve ever had. Haldex added 200kg the car a lot in the rear. Also gave it a smaller boot than a standard mk4 golf. The R32 with stiffer suspension cast arms and hard rear antiroll it was a better, still a lumbering beast however.


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If budget can stretch the mk2 prices are coming down. Maybe not quite as cheap as the mk1 yet but not far away. An early V6 might be worth a look

Do you know, I absolutely love love loved the MK2 when it came out. Now though I really don't like them at all I'm afraid. The MK3 even less (more? Which is it: me no likey anyway)) so.

Perhaps it's because the latter two are much more aggressive and thrusting than the MK1. I appreciate the chassis on a MK2 is night and day from a MK1 of course. I like smaller cars and the MK1 is visually more compact than the later cars.

Also, the design language matches the A2 which is where this all started: the dark blue Devon A2 alongside a dark blue TT on the drive? Compared to the A2 the TT is going to feel sufficiently sporting, low, quick etc. A2 brings the rediculously low running costs, the TT the whole Sunday best / blast to the boat thing. Well, that was the thought anyway.
 
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I've owned my 2005 FWD 190 Coupe for 3 years now. Don't know how many of the previous posters actually gave one, but, I suspect like the FSI detractors (I've got on of those too) not all of them speak from first hand (or even second hand) experience. Like the A2, they're a 20 year old design, and, also like the A2, a design classic. I love mine, it's fast, handles well, is reliable, and rides well. Oh, and it looks fantastic.
Try one, make up your own mind, ans buy it! Good luck.
Join the TT Forum, and get some feel from real owners.
Mac.

Oh, and the FWD is Euro 4 (as is the V6). Quattros are Euro 3.
 
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Thanks all. Not quite the ringing endorsement you might hope for but reflective of what you often hear.

Spike: wise words indeed. Even now I can hear everyone telling me how hateful the B5.5 Passats were: terrible chassis, peaky engines with narrow powerband etc. I bought one anyway, years ago, still have it, still love it.

You're right: need to try one. Frankly I just fancy something with nice looks, nice build, a modicum of premium feel / 'treat' to it. The Roadster is great, I really like it, but it does feel like it was made with old lunch boxes by a toddler.
I had a B5.5 Passat prior to my first A2, I’ve never been so disappointed about a car before. Such a shame because it was in beautiful condition with all the spec I had ever wanted, but it was the most spectacularly dull car I’ve ever driven. It paid back my disappointment by developing a water ingress issue which fried the CCU. We parted company after that!

I always wanted a Smart Roadster too until I borrowed one from a friend for a week. Not quite as disappointing as the Passat but pretty close, it seemed to be built out of Lego and was just about the most unpractical car possible for a 6’4” chap.
 
Like the MGF I just bought and sold within 6 weeks, it was an itch I really had to scratch and luckily cars like this are so cheap that if you buy right you won’t lose any money in buying one.

Go for it. They must have been pretty good otherwise they wouldn’t have sold as well as they have.
 
I had a B5.5 Passat prior to my first A2, I’ve never been so disappointed about a car before. Such a shame because it was in beautiful condition with all the spec I had ever wanted, but it was the most spectacularly dull car I’ve ever driven. It paid back my disappointment by developing a water ingress issue which fried the CCU. We parted company after that!

I always wanted a Smart Roadster too until I borrowed one from a friend for a week. Not quite as disappointing as the Passat but pretty close, it seemed to be built out of Lego and was just about the most unpractical car possible for a 6’4” chap.

I think your post suggests I must have particularly low standards of car requirement, which is true, plus not being able to draw myself up much higher than 5' 9" also helps keep car choices open ? Other particular favourites of mine include a £175 106 diesel (this was quite recent: loved that car), a Cappuccino (kept for five years) and my current 4/2 cabrio. And I'm straight despite these.

I can see a Passat saloon B5.5 would be a pretty hateful thing but the character suits the estate well and mine's a 130 Sport Estate on B4's and new everything. I think this is year six here.
 
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Like the MGF I just bought and sold within 6 weeks, it was an itch I really had to scratch and luckily cars like this are so cheap that if you buy right you won’t lose any money in buying one.

Go for it. They must have been pretty good otherwise they wouldn’t have sold as well as they have.

Both excellent points!
 
I driven a MK1 and liked it however not for its handling prowess, more looks and quality and it did retain the concept car looks. I did however buy a MK2 convertible and kept it for 6 years, I really loved that and it handled really well (2.0 TFSI and not Quattro) and it felt like a well appointed executive car in a compact sporty body. I’d seriously stretch to a MK2 if you can as it handling was miles ahead of the first one.
 
I bought a 225 TT, I can't believe it but that was 18 years ago.

I thought they were simply stunning when they came out and looked so ahead of their time, I just had to have one.

I test drove 225 quattro roadster and coupe demonstraters at my local Audi dealership and settled on the coupe as it just felt more solid, obviously in the only colour to have, Aluminium silver.

They had a brand new one in stock that was apparently a cancelled order but it had the 17" 5 spoke (diamond cut) competition alloys on which, although I liked imo didn't look any nicer than the standard 17" 6 spokes that I thought at the time, and still think, really suited the car (like the standard SE 6 spokes suit the A2) but it wasn't a deal breaker until they told me it would cost me an extra £1000 more. I said I wouldn't pay over list and asked if they could include the wheels or put a set of the 6 spokes on, they wouldn't, so I didn't buy it.

Luckily for me I dropped on an as new, unblemished 225 quattro coupe in silver with black leather and with bose, 6 CD and the 6 spokes I slightly preferred. It had done just 4k miles and was 8 months old and used as a third car. Additionally it had a full Eibach Pro-kit fitted (also came with the original like new springs in the Eibach box) along with wheel spacers all round which just made it look the best looking TT on the road, still looking standard but just a fraction lower and wider and simply looked perfect.

I remember buying it driving home feeling like a movie star and the luckiest guy in the world.... very fond memories indeed.

I kept it for 3 1/2 years which at the time was unheard of for me as I used to change cars, like my golf clubs, very frequently indeed.

My only criticism of driving it would be if you needed to pull away a bit quick from stand still, on a roundabout for example, it would feel a bit flat/you would get a bit of lag until the turbo kicked in but that was it.

Other than that it was great and I couldn't fault it but tbh it had only done around 20k when I sold it.

I do agree that a TT on the drive alongside an A2 would look fabulous as they are both a style icon, a very clever design and both ahead of their time and I'm sure many people must have both.

For me no other TT has looked anything close to the original and just like A2 still looks great now.

My advice would be to go for it ?
 
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