Mike Ritter

Thinking of getting a TT and never had one before. It would be a second "fun car", as I live in Southern California and a roadster would fit nicely. My girlfriend loves the cars.

Just looking, I have seen four 2008 models that look nice and are at a reasonable price. I believe I saw that 2007 or 2008 was a new model year.

Anyhow, is there anything specific to Audis that I need to look out for? Any tips from you guys when shopping?

Thanks. Mike

tonywinga

I got a new to me 2012 TT back in February. It had 27k miles then and I have almost 32k miles now. So I got mine just as a major service was due. I had the dealer do the fluid changes on the transmission and AWD system. It was not cheap but not a whole lot more than for my son's Saturn some years back. I did the oil and spark plug changes myself. These were things I would have done regardless.
The car is fun to drive and so far seems reliable. I don't like how the transmission shifts in normal mode. It shifts up too soon and is slow to downshift. In sport mode it has a completely different character. I use Shell premium gas but in this hot weather the engine has some occasional light spark knock around 40mph because the transmission up shifts too soon and lugs the engine. So I will flip the paddles in city traffic to downshift sooner for more throttle response and up shift later if I'm tired and not in a mood for the very peppy sport mode. I miss having a manual. I'm trying to use the paddles more but just not natural yet.
I had a Miata years ago- fun but I yearned for more power. The car ran and ran. I never had to do anything to it. I then got a Z4. It was fun and had gobs of powers but I was continually fixing something. Too soon for me to tell if the TT has solid reliability or not.

Vegas-roadster

REad this FAQ and you will understand why I highly recommend the 2011+ MY unless you want the 3.2 engine with a manual tranny.

Fourtitude.com - MK2 TT a5 FAQ

Mike Ritter

Thanks.

tonywinga

That's some good info Vegas-roadster. Only 2226 MY12 TT's sold in the US. These cars are about as rare as some supercars. Good thing for us that they share a lot of parts with their more common siblings. I'm also glad to see my engine has a timing chain vs. a belt. I was always partial to an inline six cylinder but this 2.0L 4 cylinder is an impressive engine. It has a great sound too.
These are special cars. I'm glad to own one.

Dhynes

I had a bought new 2004 mk1 3.2L Quattro Convertible S-line DSG, Sahara silver on black upgraded leather with a black top. I sold it after 6 years in 2010 with 50k miles on it, looked new then too. Damn, I miss that car. I feel like I was one of the lucky few that had zero issues with the top, dashboard or electrical system. My recommendation is buy something more recent from the last 5-6 years. Better reliability. They're all expensive to service at the dealer, find a good mechanic. Good luck with the search.

SwissJetPilot

Couple of things to consider, first is engine size. You can go with the 3.2 (V6) which has a timing chain or go with the more fuel efficient 4-cylinder turbocharged version which has a timing belt. Belts have to be replaced sooner than chains and when turbo's fail, bad things happen. I have a 3.2 Quattro. For me, less is better.


Automatic or stick: depends on the traffic you expect to encounter. Sitting in a traffic jam sucks with a stick.


Roadster Top: Early Mk2's have problems with the side flap motors/sensors which Audi had to recall and sort out. Make sure whatever you buy has had any top issues resolved. Also, check the tools under the trunk floor. Under the air compressor on the right side is a tool used to manually open the top if it fails. Know how to use it!


Wheels/Tires: 19" low profile look great an are excellent for high speeds. But given you Yanks can't drive faster than 75, they're a bit pointless. 17's or 18's will give you a much smoother ride over all especially on rough roads, potholes, etc. Trust me on this. I drive German autobahns all the time and cruising speed here is in excess of 125mph where low profile tires makes sense.


RNS-E: The stock RNS-E navigation system is pretty much crap, so spending extra for it doesn't really bring you much. But having said that, check for CD changer in the glove box and an AUX plug for your iPhone. They don't all come as standard features so you'll have to look for it. There are good after market units, just make sure they communicate with the Drivers Information Screen located between the tach and spedo.


Electric Mirrors: Some have the option of folding mirrors.


Manual vs. Electric seat control: Check to see which the car comes with.


Quattto: The Haldex all wheel drive needs service. Check the maintenance records to see that it's been done.


As with any car, check the maintenance records and see if any recalls were performed. While older Mk2's are getting cheaper, the cost of ownership remains high because you have to deal with Audi.

SwissJetPilot

With regards to the transmission, the S-tronic is a great way to go since you can run with the slap/shift or paddle shifters if you want to go "manual" or if you get into heavy traffic and want to save your clutch foot, leave it in automatic. Plus the sport mode has a very nice tune.

Vegas-roadster

So all TTs are automatic except for the 3.2 which had a manual option.

The 2L 4 cylinder engine in the base TT in the US switched to a timing chain during the 2009 MY.