So I'm looking at an 01 TT...

Coupe, black, 6 speed, 1.8t, quattro, 130,000 miles. They want 7k for it. Went for a test drive and I liked it a lot. Very nice interior and well maintained. The closed in feeling didn't bother me much but it was a short test drive (20 mins). Is 130,000 high mileage for the 1.8 vw engine? Any long time owners here that can offer wisdom?

Here's the link http://motorayautos.com/vehicledetails.aspx?VID=107740098

Edit: I didn't even realize it was the "HO" 1.8t with 225hp....even more tempting.

Can't help you much factually speaking but I have always liked the TT and the turbo/quattro combination only sweeten the pot.

I want to do a Northstar conversion to a TT

Well I checked Consumer Reports ratings and the 01-02 engines seems to be problematic. This concerns me and may keep me away from this car. WRX maybe......

I wouldn't call the problematic, they are good engines, but the first thing on your list is gonna be a water pump and timing belt change, 2nd might be a turbo, depending on how it feels. The 225hp ones is deff the one to look out for, I'm told they have a different tune and a slightly different port and polished head, but I'm not exactly sure beyond that. if you check out vwvortex.com I believe there is a write up on there on the difference.

Andrew

According to Motor Trend the extra power comes from a larger turbo, twin intercoolers, higher compression, dual exhaust, performance camshaft and a tune.

I've known quite a few people with 1.8 Jettas and A4s and I haven't heard an abundance of complaining.

I remember GRM had a buyers guide in one of the recent issues but I can't seem to find it amongst the magazine mess in the throne room. Anyone know what issue? What was on the cover?

I think that the TT is one of the most beautiful cars ever made, the exterior, interior, everything. Unfortunately, an absolutely horrible experience with a Passat, 1.8T, 5-spd, that I bought new will likely prevent me from ever actually buying a beautiful TT.

given the fact that a full 34% of the cars at the shop right now are 99-04 VWs and Audis, you couldn't pay me to own one - expensive proprietary parts, complex and difficult to diagnose/work on, and an electrical nightmare. Your first CEL will be for secondary air injection. The cheap, brittle hoses that feed the air will have broken, and since they are specially molded pieces with specific fittings, they have to be ordered from VW and cost about $180 for a 30-cent piece of plastic tubing, and with 180k on it, chances are its already been done a couple times.

Your next light will probably be ABS accompanied with low oil pressure. Don't ask why they show up together, they just sometimes do. You can't install an aftermarket stereo without a special (expensive) harness, otherwise you'll get a perpetual CEL that can't be cleared because it provides constant 12v to the pin that gets grounded for communication.

Suspension bushings are notoriously terrible and not servicable. You have to replace the entire arm; and some have 3 or 4 front control arms PER SIDE.

I could rant for hours but I won't. Just run.

I don't think mechanics like cars...

93celicaGT2 wrote: I don't think mechanics like cars...

At least not the ones they get paid to work on. Except maybe BMW guys.

+1 for timing belt and water pump. Many of the 1.8T's have an issue with sludge, but the TT's seem to be better. The oils lines run a different way that in the A4 and don't seem to get cooked as bad. Turbo could become an issue, as are the cat's. $$$. Use Synthetic oil! 5w-40 is the latest spec from Audi. All the 1.8's use it now, they had regular oil earlier. The 225hp engine does have it's own head. If you're gonna go for it, this is the one. Do a little price shopping first though.

Everytime I see one of those for sale, I wonder "why would anyone buy that? Its gotta be a headache for the entire ownership" And then I click on the link, see the gorgeous shape, see the interior shots, and think... I have some Tylenol, I can deal with a headache....

curtis73 wrote: given the fact that a full 34% of the cars at the shop right now are 99-04 VWs and Audis, you couldn't pay me to own one - expensive proprietary parts, complex and difficult to diagnose/work on, and an electrical nightmare. Your first CEL will be for secondary air injection. The cheap, brittle hoses that feed the air will have broken, and since they are specially molded pieces with specific fittings, they have to be ordered from VW and cost about $180 for a 30-cent piece of plastic tubing, and with 180k on it, chances are its already been done a couple times. Your next light will probably be ABS accompanied with low oil pressure. Don't ask why they show up together, they just sometimes do. You can't install an aftermarket stereo without a special (expensive) harness, otherwise you'll get a perpetual CEL that can't be cleared because it provides constant 12v to the pin that gets grounded for communication. Suspension bushings are notoriously terrible and not servicable. You have to replace the entire arm; and some have 3 or 4 front control arms PER SIDE. I could rant for hours but I won't. Just run.

I have to beg to differ on this one having worked for Audi for 6 years and currently owning my own independent porsche, audi, vw shop, The 225 TT are the least problematic of the cars suspension bushes - they use a conventional Mc Pherson strut nothing more than strut bearings @ about 30-40 bucks rear axle is semi trailing arm that may need to have the rear springs replaced due to rot just like e-46 BMWs less than 150 $ for parts from a salvage yard rear diff fluid needs to be changed every 20k along with the filter that you need a special wrench for, An no even the dealers did not do this job as they are all flatrate mechanics if the car does not have a full service record be wary as they may have been abused and the turbo's wont deal with non oil changing owners also full synthetic is needed for a nice longlife.

All that being said if the owner has some records and they look legit it is a tough tough car looks awesome too. if you have any questions feel free to PM me and I can answer any you may have.

Timing belt should be done every 105 k w factory or factory equivalant parts along w water pump etc.

And for those of you that wish to bash the VW Audi line please keep going it keeps some really great cars nice and cheap, So I can buy them

as for the suspension bushes mentioned earlier yes the B, C, and D chassis cars are prone to front control arm wear, (for the layman that is B= A4's C= A6's, and D=A8's)
But they are no more prone to failure/wear than BMW and Mercedes are in there front bushings and BMW's win the contest in the rear suspension bushings (anyone tried to do E39 rear axle stuff yet WOOHOO that job sucks ASS but the cars drive real nice once it is done)

So really there is no perfect car just what your willing to put up with

check for recalls / service actions. These cars have several.

Cool! An Asian canoe!

I must be the only person who thinks the TT is an overstyled art-deco New Beetle.

Seriously, I fail to see it's appeal.

Gearheadotaku wrote: +1 for timing belt and water pump. Many of the 1.8T's have an issue with sludge, but the TT's seem to be better. The oils lines run a different way that in the A4 and don't seem to get cooked as bad. Turbo could become an issue, as are the cat's. $$$. Use Synthetic oil! 5w-40 is the latest spec from Audi. All the 1.8's use it now, they had regular oil earlier. The 225hp engine does have it's own head. If you're gonna go for it, this is the one. Do a little price shopping first though.

I think a lot of that has to do with maintenance. Any old schmo can buy a used Jetta, and half of them won't keep up on oil changes and/or use crappy oil. Someone who shells out the money for a TT is probably going to have it serviced regularly and use synthetic oil. The 225hp 1.8t is a great engine as long as you service it regularly and change the timing belt on occasion.

If it was maintained well and you're looking at it as a 2nd, toy car I'd say $7K is a good price. I'd be tempted... As a dialy driver you have to count on? eh... maybe not so much...

+3 on the TB and WP... and VW turbos can be picky about the oil they're fed.

I wouldn't consider them any harder to diagnose than any other modern car.

My cousin still goes into fits when someone says TT around him. It was a bigger POS and spent more time in the shop than his early 93 E36.

Well someone bought it a few hours after I left ...I actually had a dream about owning it that night too.

Thanks for all the words of wisdom and ranting. I'll keep looking but gosh darnit that was the one (in retrospect)! At least now I know I want a black coupe with the 225.

I also checked out a Saab 9-2x Aero from a private seller. 90,212 miles. Black. 17inch wheels with new ES100s and 3" DRS exhaust. I walked away because the owner said hes only had it for 3 months after buying from the auction. I had a snoop around the glove box on the test drive and found the title. Said it was purchased from damagedcars.com in FL (I'm in CA) and there was a printed picture of an instrument cluster on eBay folded up in there as well. The mileage on the title claimed he purchased it at (iirc) 90,032 miles...so that means he put around 150-200 miles in 3 months. Carfax returned a spotless record. The whole situation made me uncomfortable so I told him I'd think about it. Real nice guy (invited me inside to get out of the rain and watch football while my brother checked out the car) and had the nicest house on the block. I may go back and ask him about the place of purchase and instrument cluster.

How in the world did a car purchased from damagedcars.com have a clean Carfax record?

And that Audi, though really pretty, had an automatic. Ruins it for me.