DumpTTruck

Did you guys in the states get ESP as part of the recall? Mine had the recall but no ESP. If it was a recall is it something that can be added?

GeTT da NeTT

Why? Mine doesn't have it and I don't miss it. It's just something else to fail.

no cell

spoiler etc. The ESP was a seperate program at the time and involved a cost of something like $500 as I recall (pun intended) and involved shipping your car to Texas. That program expired years ago and I don't believe there were many takers.

fredfromny

A spoiler was added to the 2001 cars. That model year was introduced in April 2000 before ESP could be implemented. To cover themselves from liability Audi set up a factory in Texas from Sept to November of 2000 to retrofit ESP for a charge of $500. Many dealers rescinded the charge as a matter of good will. Adding it yourself would not be cost effective.

Not too many takers:

Copyright 2000 Crain Communications Inc.
Automotive News

November 6, 2000, Monday

SECTION: Pg. 18

LENGTH: 458 words

HEADLINE: Few demand Audi TT retrofit

BYLINE: RALPH KISIEL

BODY:
AVON, Colo. - Audi of America Inc. has begun retrofitting electronic stabilization systems on TT Coupes and TT Roadsters sold in the United States and Canada, but the makeshift assembly line in Houston will not get much work.

No more than 700 TT owners - 12,000 were eligible - have accepted the company's offer for the retrofit, said Len Hunt, vice president of Audi of America.

Most TT owners in Germany have had the retrofit. But in the United States, the reaction has been indifference.

''It's really not a safety issue here,'' said Hunt, here for the launch of Audi's 2001 allroad quattro hybrid vehicle. ''Those TT owners who are asking for the retrofit want it mostly as a performance additive for their car. They want the latest technology.''

FATAL CRASHES

Audi of America is following the lead of its parent company, Audi AG, which in early February offered to install the electronic stabilization program, or ESP, to quell mounting concerns in Germany over the car's stability at high speeds.

The TT's stability came into question after five people died in high-speed crashes in Germany late last year. Audi investigated and determined the car was safe but offered the retrofit anyway.

Hunt wanted TT owners in the United States and Canada to have the same opportunity. He settled on a facility at Audi's port in Houston, one of five ports where Audis arrive from Europe and are shipped to dealers.

Audi's electronic stabilization program senses and corrects oversteer or understeer by regulating engine power and brakes.

Since TT owners never clamored for the electronic stability program in the United States, Hunt estimated that only 10 percent would take Audi up on its offer. But not even 6 percent have done so.

Audi dealer Adolf Stammler, who owns Stammler Imports Inc. in Boulder, Colo., said there has been no rush of customers wanting the retrofit.

GONE TO HOUSTON

''So far, I've only had five takers, and we've already sent those cars off to Houston,'' said Stammler, a member of the Audi National Dealers Council. We have different driving conditions in this country. We don't routinely drive 120 mph here.''

Some equipment that was used to retrofit the electronic stabilization program on cars in Germany was shipped to Houston. About 30 people, mostly from Germany, are working in the Houston facility.

Audi of America has told TT owners about the retrofit. The owners are told to contact a call center at Audi of America's headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., to schedule a date for the retrofit. Owners leave the vehicle at their dealership and get a free loaner there.

The dealerships, Stammler said, fill out an inspection report and then put it on a truck bound for Houston.



GRAPHIC: No more than 700 of the 12,000 eligible TT owners in th eUnited states and Canada have accepted Audi America's offer for retrofitting stabilization systems on TT Coupes and Roadsters. Shown is the TT Coupe.

LOAD-DATE: November 09, 2000

RoberTT-WWCD

you drive the car to the dealer, Audi would transport it to their facilities in Texas. All recall items (suspension and spoiler) would then be installed and the car shipped back to the dealer. Audi dwould lend you an Audi to drive while the car is being retro fit.

I chose not to do this.

TTBella

^^^^^^^^REBEL!!!!!!^^^^^^^^^^^^^

CWK_Marin

the car was supposed to be sent to Texas where special technicians sent over by Audi were to do the install for tha special option price. IIRC very few 2000 TT owners signed up for the recall. I remember that I had signed up for mine, but cancelled sending the car because I was concerned that the extensive work to wiring might cause future problems. Instead I had the control arms and spoiler done by the selling dealer. IIRC, the Service Manager there is the person who told me that Audi had very few takers on the ESP retro installation offer.

DumpTTruck

Cool, thanks guys

ezxiTT

i had it done ... no regrets ...prefer it ON vs. OFF ... no problems to date ...

VorsprungTT

I remember reading that they offered an upgrade to esp for a price. an audi price. need i say more, haha

damn you audi