project 2003 Audi TT Mk1 1.8T Quattro - Gone!

[cort16]

It's pro and a plus but there are so many for sale at so many different prices it's difficult to zoom in on a decent one.

I had a bit of a notion for a roadster and the selection was mind boggling. I fancied a base 150bhp FWD to minimize bork levels.

[DaveDorson]

3 hours ago, SteersWithThrottle said:

Well I'm fucked then, I own a TT and a Vauxhall...

The steering is full hydraulic afaik and has a pleasing weight to it, compared to my Insignia anyway. It grips quite well at the front, though the back end can be twitchy if you push it hard enough. A bootfull of throttle will pull it straight.

As with any turbo car, regular oil and filter changes are a good thing.

Don't bother with smoke testers; just replace all the hoses with silicone ones...

 

EDIT: Oh, and the gearing is surprisingly short, at least on the 225. I can be in 6th by 35mph, without upsetting the engine.

It's the little vac lines and the fractures in the plastic as well as weeping seals that a smoke tester will show.  It's always worth doing it 

[SiC]

7 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

It's the little vac lines and the fractures in the plastic as well as weeping seals that a smoke tester will show.  It's always worth doing it 

Is this the complete set?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264866211100

If so it doesn't seem a ridiculous cost to replace the set. 

[SiC]

Bit more googling suggests a bunch of different silicone hose sizes can do the same thing for much cheaper:

 

[DaveDorson]

I've had a few that have had full silicone hoses come in to find a mystery fault and it's been a boost or a vacuum leak, one even had a leaky intercooler end cap on its shiny new Chinese FMIC..

 I got a smoke tester as they don't lie and you're not second guessing stuff.   I'm not saying you should buy one just for the car, but find a friendly diagnostic place who has one and spend £50 or so getting them to tell you what you need before you go replacing anything, it's worth it for the piece of mind if nothing else.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, cort16 said:

It's pro and a plus but there are so many for sale at so many different prices it's difficult to zoom in on a decent one.

I had a bit of a notion for a roadster and the selection was mind boggling. I fancied a base 150bhp FWD to minimize bork levels.

Found this which details the differences quite well:

http://www.wak-tt.com/guides/ttc.pdf

225 is lower compression than the 180, presumably because more boost. Also a bit more complex with more charge coolers, after run pumps, secondary air systems and such. 225 changes from small Ko3 turbo to larger Ko4, extra (or larger?) intercoolers and different engine internals.

150 is fwd only

180 is fwd or quattro 

225 is quattro only and 6spd (5spd on others)

Traction control is only on fwd not quattro (maybe changes later?). Presumably because of needing to fix the aero fuck up and quattro too difficult to traction control (braking individual wheels screws up haldex?). Or perhaps the electronic locking diff does a similar job anyway as it actively transfers power rather than locking wheels to reduce power on a side.

Fwd is torsion beam on rear. Quattro is multi-link on rear.

Vented front only on 180, vented front+back on 225. Thus more expensive and probably only really useful on autobahn emergency stops.

Fwd is single tank with single pump. Quattro is saddle tank with dual pumps.

Only thing I can see different from 150 and 180 is map? Some say slightly different turbo but presumably just cheapened. 

[SiC]

225 is 98ron only

180 is 98ron recommend and 95ron reduced power

Not sure on 150 but maybe it's a 95ron map from the 180 with no 98ron??

I would prefer not to have another super unleaded only car like the Boxster is!

Oh and the smaller turbo on the 180 I'd prefer I think. Like the LPT versus HPT on the Saab 9-5, top end is reduced but bottom end livelier/less lag as less rotational mass to spin up. 

 

(I love to get into the nitty gritty details like this)

[DaveDorson]

1 minute ago, SiC said:

Found this which details the differences quite well:

http://www.wak-tt.com/guides/ttc.pdf

225 is lower compression than the 180, presumably because more boost. Also a bit more complex with more charge coolers, after run pumps and such. 225 changes from small Ko3 turbo to larger Ko4, extra (or larger?) intercoolers and different engine internals.

150 is fwd only

180 is fwd or quattro 

225 is quattro only and 6spd (5spd on others)

Traction control is only on fwd not quattro (maybe changes later?). Presumably because of needing to fix the aero fuck up and quattro too difficult to traction control (braking individual wheels screws up haldex?). Or perhaps the electronic locking diff does a similar job anyway as it actively transfers power rather than locking wheels to reduce power on a side.

Fwd is torsion beam on rear. Quattro is multi-link on rear.

Fwd is single tank with single pump. Quattro is saddle tank with dual pumps.

Only thing I can see different from 150 and 180 is map?

They're all very similar engines.  180bhp tend to be fly by wire, the mega early AGU code 150 is traditional throttle cable.  You want the 180 really, you can do more with the ECU, it's got better supporting ancillaries should you want it electronically enhanced.

The BAM code 225 has different pistons, injectors, turbo nd stuff but if you're chasing power you will need to buy rods, a different turbo and different injectors anyone so get the 180 and bolt on bits and have someone like Jamie at EST performance or Chris Roylance at Volksmagic tweak it to see silly power.

Or, just leave it be, and look after and service it.

[SiC]

8 minutes ago, DaveDorson said:

They're all very similar engines.  180bhp tend to be fly by wire, the mega early AGU code 150 is traditional throttle cable.  You want the 180 really, you can do more with the ECU, it's got better supporting ancillaries should you want it electronically enhanced.

The BAM code 225 has different pistons, injectors, turbo nd stuff but if you're chasing power you will need to buy rods, a different turbo and different injectors anyone so get the 180 and bolt on bits and have someone like Jamie at EST performance or Chris Roylance at Volksmagic tweak it to see silly power.

Or, just leave it be, and look after and service it.

I couldn't find any evidence but I did wonder if the 150 is cable throttle. Useful to know as Cruise is a must and thus a 180. Also 150 is probably too old as needs to be CAZ compliant.

As mentioned earlier, power I'll be leaving it be tbh. Cba for even more unreliability and more insurance hassle. Plus I want to run 95ron really.

I think I have been sold to get quattro. It'll be used year round and while snow is rare, it's nice to have that backup. Plus wet weather stability performance too. 

[AndyIggs]

33 minutes ago, SiC said:

Bit more googling suggests a bunch of different silicone hose sizes can do the same thing for much cheaper:

 

https://cloude9customs.com/product/1-8-turbo-catch-can-kits/

 

You can do it even cheaper buying everything separately. 

[SiC]

I kinda love the colour on this one. Quite far from me though and I don't really want the 225.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224940445584

[SiC]

Wanted to go see this one and phone up tomorrow about it as local to that area tomorrow (Shrewsbury) but it's fuggin' disappeared off Autotrader. Presumably sold.

 

[Asimo]

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/594402612114305

[Cookiesouwest]

Mrs CSW had a 180 4wd with a 6 sp box.

The quattro was impressive.

I liked it a lot.

She hated it, as it span her round into the path of an HGV, when a sensor failed and quattro switched off.

I surprisingly, really liked it. Lovely place to sit, the 180 was plenty quick enough.

I echo the above comments re vacuum leaks. They were a pita. Along with the usual vag issues of that era, that you are familiar with.

I agree. They will be cheap for awhile. They made loads of them. 

When I was looking, a few years back, the convertibles were cheaper. No idea if that's the case now. 

 

[SiC]

2 hours ago, Asimo said:

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/594402612114305

I did see that but didn't link it here as didn't want to attract interest to it before I get a chance to 😄

1 hour ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Mrs CSW had a 180 4wd with a 6 sp box.

The quattro was impressive.

I liked it a lot.

She hated it, as it span her round into the path of an HGV, when a sensor failed and quattro switched off.

I surprisingly, really liked it. Lovely place to sit, the 180 was plenty quick enough.

I echo the above comments re vacuum leaks. They were a pita. Along with the usual vag issues of that era, that you are familiar with.

I agree. They will be cheap for awhile. They made loads of them. 

When I was looking, a few years back, the convertibles were cheaper. No idea if that's the case now. 

I think they're all at the price now that everything is pretty much the same price. Especially at this end of the market. Fwd 180 are very rare. Likely it'll be a 180 Quattro coupé that I'll end up with. Definitely don't want a roadster though.

Also found that 225 isn't CAZ compliant (except maybe later). 180 is right from the start of the CO2 tax VED change.

[cort16]

Anyone I've known who's had a cheapish one has been driven mental by loads of niggly faults,. ABS, window regulators, weird electrical faults, rust wings  etc

It's just the sheer volume of shit ones that make finding a good one so difficult unless your prepared to go and see a load of them.

 

[SiC]

6 hours ago, cort16 said:

 loads of niggly faults,. ABS, window regulators, weird electrical faults, rust wings  etc

Sounds like fun! 

[SiC]

I can't decide this is a good one or not. One owner and generally well serviced up till the last few years. Looks like it was let go over covid. But then the MOT expired Dec last year. Surely not sat on their forecourt all that time?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/203943983752

Condition is roughly what I'd want it to be too. 

[AndyIggs]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/297688077941351/permalink/803503407359813/?sale_post_id=803503407359813

 

[Spurious]

They're tremendously good looking cars, classy late 90s Bauhaus Audi styling. Aged incredibly well. MK2 just looks 'generic' Audi, nothing special.

My sister had a 225, went well, nice to drive. I found the central 'tunnel' thing annoying with tall legs. She's is only 5'5" so managed fine. 

Watched a girl on YT, can't remember her name, she bought a semi-fucked one in the US. It looked an absolute pig to work in, no room really in the engine bay. 

That kinda put me off, couldn't be fucked battling with another car in the cold and wet. 

Suspect parts supply and spares are common, the 1.8t was in everything.  I'd buy one now, they're going to modern classic before long. 

 

[SiC]

1 hour ago, AndyIggs said:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/297688077941351/permalink/803503407359813/?sale_post_id=803503407359813

 

Looks alright that! Not going to get time to think about looking at it this week and weekend though 😕 

This is tempting ...

 

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Spurious said:

They're tremendously good looking cars, classy late 90s Bauhaus Audi styling. Aged incredibly well. MK2 just looks 'generic' Audi, nothing special.

The novelty of them now is what makes me really fancy one. Even if it's going to cost a lot more than something much more "practical". 

[SiC]

What gets me on these is their total inability to sell. I know they can be money pits but are they deeply unfashionable now too? I keep seeing them being heavily reduced in value after not selling after a few weeks on the market. 

It does mean though whichever I get, I'll probably be stuck with as resale won't be an option!

E.g. one example of many

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1611221692578231/

[Spurious]

There was a sbump in value of them during lockdown, remember seeing a very low milage (like 3-4k, mint showroom condition) advertised for 12k. Whether is sold or not is a different story. 

I think that was the general price of used cars during the lockdown, things seemed to have settled in the last 6-8 months back towards normal. 

 

[SteersWithThrottle]

1 hour ago, Spurious said:

They're tremendously good looking cars, classy late 90s Bauhaus Audi styling. Aged incredibly well. MK2 just looks 'generic' Audi, nothing special.

My sister had a 225, went well, nice to drive. I found the central 'tunnel' thing annoying with tall legs. She's is only 5'5" so managed fine. 

Watched a girl on YT, can't remember her name, she bought a semi-fucked one in the US. It looked an absolute pig to work in, no room really in the engine bay. 

That kinda put me off, couldn't be fucked battling with another car in the cold and wet. 

Suspect parts supply and spares are common, the 1.8t was in everything.  I'd buy one now, they're going to modern classic before long. 

 

Sarah N Tuned I expect the YT channel is called. A work colleague of mine is a VAG botherer (70 plate pcp A5 and owns an old Boxster) and waffles on about her all the time, the dirty old man. She does have nice legs...

[SiC]

There still the ridiculous prices ones about. When I saw them, I couldn't help but think and wonder who on earth would buy them. Makes others that people think are low mileage (i.e. sub 60k) and special worth more.

While I agree the market does appear to be cooling off and especially with classics, cheap stuff is still shifting. Except these. I guess the average buyer of cheap cars don't want £360 annual tax, higher insurance and reasonably thirsty engines. 

[Spurious]

10 minutes ago, SteersWithThrottle said:

Sarah N Tuned

That's it.  I think she got mentioned on some other regular shite car YT channels where I took a look.

She does seem to be not afraid of actually doing actual work as opposed to a lot of insta/tiktok "influencers"

[AndyIggs]

It's supply and demand mate. There's still thousands on the road which I think is a testament to how well they were put together (despite the niggles). Add to that there's not much demand so they are still dirt cheap. 

[SiC]

Been away so not had a chance to look at anything. But then not really found much yet that takes my interest. There have been a few but most take the profile as a Baz from Methyr that has run it on a shoestring or someone wanting higher TT money for a 180FWD.

I've made up my mind that I want a Quattro. No point going for the maintenance hassle of a TT if you don't have a powertrain to suit. If I don't, I'll always wish I did. Not least I've never had a 4wd vehicle. Ideally 180bhp but I'd take a 225bhp for the right price and one that is CAZ compliant. 225 would be the balls deep for the complexity stakes. 

Any colour but silver. I really can't do silver cars! Unless it was cheap.

I did want to spend £1.5k but I think I'll up it to (ideally) get something with more stuff already fixed. Probably £2k and a smidge more if it's a bit more desirable like a 225 and in a nice colour. 

The search is fully on!

[SiC]

And for a laugh I did an insurance quote.

✅ Man maths test passed