Merlin93

Hey folks,

I'm considering purchasing an Audi TT roadster for use as my primary vehicle. I've never owned one before, so I'm not sure how ideal they are for daily use, particularly given its age. The car is a 2004 3.2L Quattro convertible in ebony on dolomite grey with 60k miles and a clean report from carfax. Had only owner for most of its life. The car seems to be in great shape and has very low mileage for its age so hopefully it'll have a few more years left in it. (Its being inspected at a local Audi dealer so I should know what issues it has, if any, soon.)

I really like the look of the TT, and you don't see the 3.2 quattro as much as the 1.8L FWD, so when I saw this come up, I contacted the dealership right away. However it is a bit of a hike to get to, and I won't be able to test drive it until Friday.

From what I've read, the AWD models are really great all season vehicles, and with the 3.2 they're actually quick enough to offset the extra AWD weight (which apparently the 1.8L has some lag issues with.) I want something that looks nice, is comfortable to drive (I have a 20 mile commute each way), but is still fun to drive on the weekends for touring and such. I don't plan to do any racing or anything, but I do like a car with some muscle behind it when necessary.

So, my question to those of you who currently own older TT's (particularly 3.2 quattro's), do you use them for your daily use car or just for weekend touring? How reliable are they, and what kind of issues should I be aware of before making the decision to pull the trigger on the purchase? Any other advice?

Thanks!

AudiMick

Actually I think the 180 and 225 Quattro 5/6 speed manuals are the most common.

If you want an automatic Quattro the 3.2 is the only option.

I don't have one, they had some issues with the DSG in the early cars (google mechatron). Audi extended the warranty on some model years but not all so check to see if this car is covered. If not be aware the DSG can really only be serviced by Audi, and replacements will exceed the value of the TT.

Merlin93

My understanding is that it is presently working fine, though I have no idea whether or not the DSG was replaced (I heard there was some kind of recall that expired in 2008?) if so, it wasn't listed on the CarFax report (in fact no service past 2007 is listed on there.) Hopefully they have been doing additional maintenance since then and there will be documentation on any other work that was done.

Based on what I've been reading even though this particular car looks like its almost new, in general the older audi's have a ton of mechanical issues, which can be quite expensive for someone who is not mechanically inclined, like me. I generally lease and keep up with regular maintenance so I don't have to worry about it. It sounds like this car will be expensive to maintain, and probably won't be the best daily driver. But then again each car is different, so who knows.

winchou

I am an owner of a Dolomite Grey 04 Roadster (amber baseball inside, tho) - about 43,000 miles, but it is my daily driver. I commuted for three years in Massachusetts, about 26m each way; now commute in Oakland, CA, 6mi each way.

I love this car. So I say yes - great choice.

OTOH, I did suffer the mechatronics failure and missed the warranty window. I had the DSG repaired for about $4000, but AoA covered half:

https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho....php?t=2788934

I would either confirm that the work was done, or invest in an additional warranty - cause I can assure you there's a very weak part in that mechatronics unit, and if it hasn't failed yet, chances are very high that it will soon.

Other than the mechatronics unit in the DSG, there was an ignition coil recall in Nov. 2009 - check that the recall service was done as well.

Aside from that, the car has been very reliable, very fun. Good luck to you. /w

Jdaniel343

We've had our 2001 TT QuattroRoadster for 2 years and drive it every day, rain or shine and in the snow. I put studded tires all around for winter driving and its like a little tank. You do have to be careful of snow drifts that may be to tall.
I have replaced a front half shaft, thermostat, brakes, service on the Haldex, all the bushings on the front end and added fluid to the reservoir for the convertible top.
The car had the timing belt replaced at 70,000 before I bought it. I would make sure this is done before buying any older TT. It can run $1000 to $1500 to have this work performed.
I do all my own work on my vehicles. Buy a Bentley manual for the year TT you buy. Invaluable referance.
Other than the things I've mentioned it has been rather trouble free. We bought ours with 86,000 and it now has 110,000 miles ont it. Good luck.

jakedesignATL

I have an 04 3.2 S-Line coupe and LOVE it. It is my daily driver with a commute longer than yours. I got it with 50k on the clock from Nalley in ATL and they had done the DSG service. There have been minor glitches with some sensors over the years but nothing big. I did get it with a warranty, so that helped. I get about 27 mpg on avg during highway driving which is really nice. Currently I need to get a CEL checked ( it always seems to go off right when I need to get my tags renewed) and that has to get repaired before they will issue the emissions sticker. This has been the best VAG car I have owned out of six or seven.