KOAO

So, I have a few questions about restoring a somewhat abused Audi TT that I received for free (Yes, somehow by the power of the Baby Jesus I managed to get one for free). However, with that said, mechanically the car runs but there is White Smoke. Which smells like the engine is burning coolant.

What I want to know, in terms of Money, how much would I be looking at spending to bring it up to near mint condition by taking it to a shop? I have some money to spend on this project, and I don't expect this to be cheap so I am prepared but I would like a rough estimate at least for the mechanical components first. Later on I want to do the cosmetic stuff like dents and a repaint, and then the interior.

The car has 130K miles on it, and it drives reasonably well with the issue I mentioned before.

So yeah, any help with this is appreciated!

dh53

Impossible to estimate without knowing what car you have and what you want done to it. Are you looking for a mechanic to diagnose the white smoke? Or ready to buy a new engine from the dealer? Does mechanicals mean you are fixing the problem with the engine only or does that include updating suspension components and brakes? How are the transmission, transfer case, and differential if you have them?

The thread below is very thorough on replacing a motor and gives a dealer estimate of $11,500 for a new engine and differential installed on an 03 AWD with a rough breakdown on parts and labor. The same thread shows a used engine price of $1600 and the labor it takes for DIY but does not break down the cost of pizza for keeping those helpers smiling.

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/tt-...story-2901563/

For absolute starters you should look at the oil and the coolant to see if there is any contamination and get a compression test done.

xeontis

You can follow my thread, I'm in the process of "restoring" an 02 with 160K - Well actually not restoring but making it MUCH better than new.

installing a "Built" motor with forged rods and pistons
upgrading the head
installing custom turbo
completely rebuilding the suspension from front to back
upgrading to after market coil overs
replacing countless bushings, bearings, seals, gaskets and anything that can be worn out.

I've not even thought about touching the interior yet.

I'll probably be in the 10-15K range when i'm done. Going back to stock would be a different $$ amount. I would fear the labor charges having a shop do all the work, if you can do the work your self you would save thousands. That being said, I don't think it would be worth it restoring to factory. You could re power it with a lower mileage used motor($700-$2000 + labor) and freshen up the under carriage ($1500 - $2000 = labor) for MUCH less cash. I'm building a weekend track car which is the same as tossing cash in the trash but much more fun.