no-more-bimmers

This is my first post, so here's a brief introduction. My name is Alex, I live in Southern California, and as my name implies, I currently drive a BMW: 2004 E46 M3 with SMG. It's considered a sacrilege by most people to trade-in that basically track-ready car for anything Golf-based, but... here I am craving the new TT.

I'm thankful to Chris Bangle for ending my expensive addiction to Bimmers. And after my wife's Treg was in the shop for two days (a/c fans failed) driving a loaner GTI left me very impressed. Yes, it has annoying torque steer, and I can feel the unequal weight distribution during emergency braking/swerving, but otherwise it has the same German feel as M3. Unless taken to extremes, GTI felt the same way, only with less drama on bad roads (pretty much all of our SoCal freeways). One thing for sure Golf looks stale (even R32), just as A3: both in their last model. So I want a better sharper lighter Golf, which TT is. The primary reason I want a 165" Golf-class car is to fit five bikes and two cars into our standard two-car garage.

I get my kicks from bikes, so I'm not picky about raw power at all. I just need enough agility and power on demand to slice packs of freeway lane blockers, Southern Kalifornia is famous for. However coming from RWD, the torque steer is a concern. I test drove a 2.0 TT and it felt just like a lighter Golf. Not bad, but nothing spectacular. Compared to my M3 of course. Can you tell me about other combinations: primarily Quattro and Magnetic Ride?

1. 3.2 - how much power you really felt compared to 2.0? I don't care about 0-60 numbers, just the feel and sound.

2. AWD impressions? Is it really needed in dry climate? It doesn't eliminate the understeer from what I've read so far.

3. Opinions on Magnetic Ride. Useful option or the waste of money?

If the base 2.0 drives OK w/o magnetic suspension, I'd probably get it (with 18" wheels and Nav). Otherwise the price is unreasonably high IMO for such impractical car with low resale value.

TIA,
Alex

Razor1973

Must... resist... desire... to link this post... over at BimmerFest... or MWerks...

bi11r

for a variety of reasons but mostly just to settle on one car that did everything I wanted it to do reasonably well (normal driving, autox, some light track time) and handled the winters in New England with some more practicality. I really liked the M3, but I also really like the 3.2 Coupe I have now. I went with Quattro and the TT itself for the winters here. The M3 got around fine with snows on but always left you nervous if you had to stop/start on a hill. If you live in a climate where it is warm you should consider just getting the 2.0 as it still gets good reviews for handling and acceleration due to the lighter weight. You'll have to drive each for yourself to be sure. Definitely go with the mag ride. Coming from an M3 you will want the option of the sport setting that it offers IMO.

no-more-bimmers

LOL. Go ahead. I'll just laugh at all the flaming for "selling out". Brand loyalty is so overrated (if not just stupid). Designers come and go. Volvos look way better than Bimmers, Benzes, and yes, Audis. If only they drove like German cars.
Bimmers did look great 10 years ago, but Bangle just killed them. I don't care about their technical innovations. I will not drive a car that looks like a customized Hyundai. Actually modern Hyundais look better.

And considering it's a street car (meant for spiritied commute in style, how much performance you really need. I have a fully prepped track sportbike in addition to my street bike, so I really understand the difference. M3 is a track weapon. It's a shame to slowly kill it on the freeway.

Chef S.

Glad to see the convert. Just looking at Audi's sales numbers, there are more like yourself comming over from BMW or MB. You are not alone!

Anyway...

On pt 1....
IMO the 3.2 feels much quicker then the 2.0T, granted the 2.0T has a nice tunable platform, but the FWD sucks and I just cant do it. The sound and power delivery of the 3.2 is very smooth and linear. You would like it comming from the 3.2 in the M3. R&T recently got a 0-60 of 5.1 on a 3.2 COupe with S-Tronic (worlds better then SMG might I add)...I know 0-60 isnt that big of a deal, but nice to know.

2. I live in South Texas, like California, Snow and cold is most non existanst. A few torrential downpoors is the biggest worry. To me the handling is night a day diffrent...something you need to drive to appreciate.

3. Mag Ride...thats a point of disagreement on here...some love it and cant do with out it...others, like my self, while there is no doubt a diffrence over Stock Sport, its not 1100 bucks worth IMO and your better set to add a Stasis set up etc if you, like me, would keep it in sport mode the whole time anyway.

Razor1973

I couldn't agree more. But careful what you say about Volvos. I drive one. *LOL*

|everso!|

don't get the MK2! :>

|everso!|

no no. you mean the forum truth teller

JeffreyTT

We know you have anger issues, probably stemming from your hair loss, or that you can't afford the MK2. Whatever the reason, please go back to the Mk1 forum.

everso\\revolutionso with his bad comb-forward hair-do.

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53740/pdr_0039.jpg">

no-more-bimmers

I love modern Volvos and am in fact considering C30 as my second option. Don't laugh. I'd have to wait a year until it gets Getrag DCT.

I test drove one recently: a gray market Canadian version, as they're coming to the US mid-September. While it doesn't drive like a German car (e.g. GTI), nothing aftermarket suspension can't fix. If I even need it. Stylistically Volvo is a great example of a comeback, while BMW is another one: of a total loss.

Enough with other brands, let's talk about TT.