I found a 2001 Audi TT 225 quattro with 84k miles for $9500 recently. I like the look of TT's, and so I thought; "Hey, I wonder if I could buy that?"

So, armed with the knowledge that according to NADA the car is worth about $12,825, I set about finding out what is wrong with it. Turns out, the dealership selling it got it for cheap from another dealership and really doesn't know or care much about it, thus the low sticker price. So I looked closely at it. It's missing the owner's manual and has a few nagging little cosmetic issues in the interior, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. It has H&R springs and Neuspeed shocks, but no other immediately apparent mods. I gave the VIN to the local Audi dealer and they confirmed that they have in fact serviced it; they apparently replaced a catalytic converter, shift linkage, and an O2 sensor. So I'm thinking, hey; give it an oil change and fix up the little cosmetics, and change the timing belt some time in the next few months, and it's a sweet ride for a sweet price!

Then today, I test drove it.

I don't know if maybe my A4 is just more my style, but DAMN. I can now officially tell you that I do not like TT's at all. You can't see sh*t in the rearview mirror, the interior trim and controls all feel cheaper than those in my A4, it doesn't have a power driver's seat, and the seatbelt is awkward to reach when you're trying to get buckled in. Plus, this was the first time I've ever driven a car with a turbocharger. Oh. My. GOD. Turbo lag can go f*ck itself. Seriously. Keine danke.

 

Was the car chipped?

I never felt turbo lag when the car was stock.

 

A guy i used to work with bought a TT and I've driven it a few times and I have to agree with everything you said. Maybe because its more of a "sports car" than our A4s?

 

A4 is more luxury, TT is more sport.

Power seats? really? you need those? I adjusted my seat the day I brought my car home, and it hasn't moved since.

To each his own I guess. I used to drive a 2.8L A4, then I bought a TT, then I bought another TT after the first got totaled. I liked the A4, but I wouldn't say one was better than the other, they're different cars.

Oh, if it had a stock turbo, you had issues, because lag is almost non-existent on a turbo that small.

 

I don't know... if that thing was chipped, somebody paid too much. It had no get-up-and-go whatsoever until at least 2000-2500 RPM, and then it just kind of scooted along up to redline. Nothing too impressive, really. My butt-dyno estimates that based on the performance of my A4 with 172hp and the knowledge that the TT has 225hp stock, the difference felt like about like what you would expect from an extra 58hp and a minor weight difference. I really don't think it was chipped.

I guess I was mostly just disappointed that it wasn't what I was expecting, which was a sporty little coupe with some pep and a reasonable amount of fit and finish; and what I found was a ho-hum driving experience with most of its interior parts borrowed from VW. Honestly, if I could afford to have it as a second car, and build it up for taking to the track on the weekends, it'd suit that purpose just fine. But definitely not a daily driver.

Anyway, my point is mostly that I was REALLY disappointed... I've always liked TT's, but now that I've driven one (a MKI, anyway), I wouldn't look twice. I guess it's like that saying about "never meet your heroes".

 

Well, it sucks you feel that way, or, as a TT driver, I think it sucks, but hey, you could always try an R8. I hear thats a sporty coupe.