p912guy

The comments above by "Vegas-roadster" kind of sum up where I am at. I really like the TT Roadster and a TTS Roadster would be on my short list if available because the Quattro is important to me. That said both the 228i and the m235i are available in XDrive. The vehicle not mentioned that I am also looking at is a low-mileage CPO 981 Boxster. All fall into that $50K +or- range. If the 2 Series were 300 lbs or more lighter, I'd feel better about the BWM. As to resale, I am not convinced the BWM holds it's value any better than the TT. I am a "Porsche" guy, so the 981 is my first choice right now, but the cost of Porsche maintenance and repairs sends cold chills down my spine. When it finally becomes time to replace my MINI Cooper S, I will need to drive them all to see how I really feel about them and then let my brain make the choice and not my heart. First on the list though is replacing my wife's Mazda CX9. That short list includes Q5, F Pace, Macan, and MB GLC300 4Matic or GLE350 4Matic.

Gbob

The Audi Q7 got a great write up in the NYTimes.

To be honest, I never warmed to BMW's. The M series never looked all that special to me, and a sports car should show some style in addition to muscle.
As previous posters have said, Quattro is one of the best things about the TT/TTs. All my previous TTS's performed flawlessly in the snow and ice when I mounted performance winter tires.
I really like Porche's, too, but I need reliable performance in winter, so Audi gets my vote.

Fun101

I'm with you. I'm not sure about BMW resale for their standard models. The M2 is limited so that's the only reason I think it would hold it's value. We had a negative experience trading and trying to sell a 4 yr old loaded 335 xdrive. There were just too many for sale so they were a "dime a dozen".

To replace the CX9, I saw a really cool (don't laugh) Volvo V60 Polestar in that bright blue (not sure the official name but enthusiasts nickname it "Swedish racing green"). It had gorgeous leather seats with alcantara inserts and blue stitching and carbon fibre trim in the interior. I've also seen a similar polestar in black and it looked really sharp as well. I had a cross-country once upon a time and loved it. Hands down best car I ever drove in the winter.

Vegas-roadster

Your BMW had poor trade-in because sales were too good. The TT has poor resale because few folks want one (as evidenced by 2000/year sales in the US for most of the Mk 2 model years and last time I checked Mk 3 sales, they were only at a 3000/year annual rate). One thing for sure, like Las Vegas, the dealer always wins.

p912guy

Agree. I really like the V60 Polestar or even Audi Allroad or BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, but my wife likes the easier ingress/egress and road commanding view of the SUV so the wagon will be a tough sell, if I could convince her to test drive and consider one.

Can_Quattro

Firstly in my opinion the TTS competes with the M235i, not the M2.

Although a beautiful car with many fine attributes, Audi has seriously overpriced the Mk 3 TT.
Here is a little comparison between a TT S line quattro (Canadian Spec) and the 2017 BMW 230i M Sport xDrive.

BMW has a price Advantage of Approximately 5 K while offering significantly more features and equipment, such as:
Auto Dimming Exterior Mirrors (not available on TT)
Memory Feature on Exterior Mirrors (not available on TT)
Power Folding on Exterior Mirrors (not available on TT)
Sunroof (not available on TT)
BMW ConnectedDrive Services, (Audi Connect is not offered in Canada)
Collision Warning (not available on TT)
BMW Assist Emergency Call (not available on TT)
Electric Side Bolster Adjustment (not available on TT)
Memory Seats (not available on TT)
Heated Steering Wheel (not available on TT)
No-Charge Scheduled Maintenance (not available on TT)
Speed Limit Info (not available on TT)
Adjustable Suspension (not available on TT)
M Sport Brakes with Blue Calipers (Brakes with Red Calipers are not available on TT)
Availability of Red / Oyster / Terra Leather vs. Audi's Obsession with Black & Grey

That all said, after driving the M235i xDrive I was very let down.
The car feels heavy and unbalanced.
The Active Sound design system is very annoying and drones on all the time.
And I don't think I could live with the boring looks of the 2-series.

topgun77

I agreed with you. In Canada, the options are so limited in comparison to the U.S. I did pay for the pneumatic bolster and the red brakes calipers though. The color options in Canada is also very limited.

I can't believe they don't have heated steering or exterior dimming mirror.