Hey, looking at buying a audi tt DSG 3,2. Currently have a 1.8 180 bhp. Wantted something a little bit faster and thinking about swapping over new parts on the Audi Tt 180.

Could someone tell me if its worth getting the 3.2 V6 audi tt or are they are stay away area?

What areas should i check before handing over money?

what are they like to drive comparedto the audi 1.8?

Just give all that you know about these cars. The one i am looking at tomrrow is 2004, car engine has been completly rebuilt as it slipped a few teeth and caused damage so has done 25,000 miles since rebuild.

Thanks AC

 

Drove an 02 TT 1.8 twin turbo (225hp) and liked it. I thought quick hp with very little turbo lag. It was at a dealership a few weeks ago but have heard there were many issues with the earlier years (rattling etc) and with the history of early failure of the timing belts. With the dealers lack of maint. history I would have had to do an automatic $1k plus for a belt and all front items (hoses, water pump etc) replacement since it was at about 140k miles. It was also a kept outdoors car with lots of oxidation and paint issues. Radio didn't work either.

I found my 04 TT 3.2 S-Line (250hp) online, private party. About 123k miles, kept indoors and with a timing belt vs a chain. He had most of the service records and the pulley or pulley's, belts, water pump, hoses etc. had been chained recently. I guess with them, the pulley's will go first and if the belt were going to wear out, there is warning with the gear teeth noise etc. Something like that. Less or no unexpected failures. A few lights on the dash which I fixed last weekend, tires, half shaft, rear brakes and rotors with headlight polishing tomorrow and she'll basically feel like a new car to me. Gave him cash on the spot.

On the test drives though, the 04 3.2 did feel tighter and way less rattles.

Good luck in your decision. In all my research though, seems like there was a slight favoritism towards to 3.2 due to more dependability and exhaust sound...from my research only.

 

The 3.2 is a great engine with a unique sound. Most folks who have it love it. A car with the 3.2 has 150 more pounds on the nose as compared to the 1.8, so understeer is more pronounced than the 1.8. The 3.2 was introduced on the TT in the US for the 2004 MY and was paired with the also new DSG tranny. The tranny was a technical marvel at that time and contributed to smoking acceleration numbers when launched. However, the 2004 models experienced some premature failures of the DSG. Later years of the Mk 1 DSG also had issues if the "launch feature" was used often.