Audi TT 1999 Problems

The recent introduction of the third generation Audi TT coupe and the imminent arrival of the open-top roadster has created quite a stir of publicity about the seriously stylish sportscar. To the extent that quite a few trade-ins are already appearing in the used-car yards. So here are some hints, tips and historical

Introduced to Australia in May 1999 about a year after it first created a huge stir in Europe, the Audi TT was a hit from day one. Originally sold as a fixed-roof coupe, a TT roadster was added to the local range just 12 months later, in May 2000.The dome-shaped styling is not only radical on the outside, but also the cabin, with its circular dial and vent theme works very well. It uses a lot of aluminium highlights as Audi is a big fan of this high-tech material.The overall look is great and even those who have no intention of ever driving hard love the sporting ambience created within the TT. Audi TT is great fun to drive but, at least in the front-drive models, feels more like a hot-hatch than a true sports car. Which shouldn’t surprise anyone, because underneath that gorgeous Audi skin there lurks a Volkswagen Golf GTI. While the Golf is a fine little hatch it’s not really a pure-bred sports model. There were several tragic cases of high-speed Audi TT crashes in Europe, principally in Germany, of the earliest models. These were blamed on aerodynamic flaws that were exacerbated by the very short wheelbase of the Audi TT. Later models were modified in their suspension and have a rear wing to push the tail to the road at speed. The wing takes away some of the purity of the original shape of the TT. There had been calls for it to be a lift-up wing in the manner of a Porsche unit. But Audi says this could have been too expensive. The all-new gen-two Audi TT of November 2006 sorted out the problem of the controversial addition of the rear wing, being hidden at lower speeds and raised at moderate speeds - that is at over 120 km/h, which is regarded as a moderate speed in more enlightened countries.This second generation Audi TT had the company’s trademark single-frame grille. A sleeker bonnet line carries into the car’s shoulders and tapers out towards the distinctive rear lights. Naturally, the domed roof, the most prominent feature of the first TT, has been retained. There are some that feel the TT lost its originality in the gen-two model, saying it had become generic rather than radical. Your call...The original Audi TT was offered with 1.8-litre four-cylinder engines, in either light-pressure or high-pressure turbocharged format, the latter coming with the traction advantage of quattro all-wheel drive. The capacity of the four-cylinder unit was increased to 2.0 litres using a turbocharged with the second generation TT.In December 2004, a 3.2-litre V6 was shoehorned under the bonnet of the Audi TT coupe, but not the roadster. With all the torque that entailed, the TT 3.2 has also needed Audi’s quattro all-wheel drive. A five-cylinder 2.5-litre RS engine with quattro was added to the range just in time for Christmas 2009.Straight-line performance is pretty good in even the smaller engined models due to the TT’s relatively light weight, so don’t automatically go for the higher powered units unless you are a full-on revhead. A six-speed was used in TT quattros from their introduction in October 1999. Front-drive cars had five-speed manual gearboxes until August 2005, when a six-speed manual was introduced.Because Audi saw the TT as being a pure sports car no automatic transmission was offered until March 2003, when a six-speed torque-converter auto was offered with the low-pressure engines. Good as it was this transmission has been somewhat upstaged in the technology stakes by the six-speed double-clutch - tagged the S tronic - used in the Audi TT 3.2 quattro.The automated double-clutch automated-manual transmission has all the labour-saving advantages of a conventional automatic, and none of the disadvantages of power loss and higher fuel consumption. However, its characteristics at very low speeds can be variable and irritating at times. Test drive one to see what you think.These are complex cars that should really only be worked on by professionals. However, good amateurs can tackle some of the routine maintenance work should they be so inclined. Spare parts prices aren't cheap, but are in keeping with others in this class. It’s much the same story with the cost of servicing and repairs.Check on insurance premiums before falling too deeply in love with one of these stunningly styled German cars as premiums vary quite a bit. Your local Audi dealer may be able to offer advice. WHAT TO LOOK FORLook for signs of previous crash repairs. A ripply finish in any of the panels, or a mismatch in paint colour from one section to the other are fairly easy to spot. If there's the slightest concern over crash repairs either get a full professional inspection, or skip that car and try to find another one.Look at the floor of a roadster for signs of water entry. If there's the slightest cause for concern get permission from the seller to lift the carpets. Check the roadster’s roof seals correctly when it is closed and that it doesn’t have any tears or cuts, especially around the stitching.Make sure the engine starts promptly, even when it’s stone cold. If there are any doubts try to arrange to come back first thing in the morning to have it completely cold. Gear changes should be reasonably light, but remember the gearbox is a long way from the shift lever, with a multitude of links connecting the two. This can give it a slightly spongy feel.CAR BUYING TIPWe hear of too many people buying used cars without even going for a test drive. Crazy if you ask us, but it’s their choice... 

It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Audi unveiled its TT Coupe as a concept. It was a standout design at the time and remains so today.Four years later when it became a production reality it was a breath of fresh air at a time many carmakers were striking out in new and different directions as they attempted to reinvigorate their product offerings. The TT Coupe certainly brought renewed attention to the Audi brand, which at the time was noted for cars that were nice and neat rather than breathtaking.It was as though Audi’s management had given its designers a free rein to design a car with passion. If that were true they certainly achieved their aim.MODEL WATCHThe Audi TT Coupe was a head turner whichever way you looked at it. Its no nonsense lines could have been carved from granite, they were crisp and clean, a break from the then common styling practice of soft edges and rounded shapes.It was clearly meant to be an in-your-face statement of passion about the Audi brand, a sort of repositioning of the four-ringed badge as it tried to shake off a rather tired image and replace it with a new youthful image full of energy.Audi was quite clear in its marketing ambition for the TT Coupe, men below the age of 39 who were also car enthusiasts. They also belatedly claimed it was aimed at those women confident enough to enjoy “this man’s car”.The TT Coupe concept was of a functional car, sporty but without pretension. The result can be seen in the cleanliness of the shape and the purity of the interior execution in which there is nothing that isn’t needed. It’s bare, but it’s not basic.If you closed your eyes you could see the great Auto Union Grand Prix cars of the 1930s in the lines of the TT Coupe. Its rounded curves and powerful proportions are very reminiscent of the old racers.The TT Coupe’s body was fully galvanised steel, but aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid helped keep the 2+2 coupe’s weight down to a lean 1220 kg.While the TT Coupe’s body owed nothing to any other car, its mechanical package was derived from other Audi models.At first the TT Coupe was available in front-wheel drive form only, but a few months after the 1999 launch an all-wheel drive Quattro model joined the front driver.The TT Coupe was built on a sporting platform combining a short wheelbase and wide track with the wheels placed at each corner.At the front of both front and all-wheel drive models the suspension was a combination of MacPherson Struts and an anti-roll bar, but at the back the front-wheel drive model had a torsion-crank system while the Quattro had a more sophisticated combination of trailing and double lateral control arms. Brakes were discs all round with anti-skid protection standard.A concern about the handling arose shortly after the TT Coupe’s release. It tended to be a little too tail happy for some owners and Audi added a small spoiler to the boot lid to more effectively clamp the rear to the road.Audi used its considerable experience in turbocharging to great affect on the TT Coupe’s engines. The base engine was a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged unit with five valves per cylinder that developed 132 kW and 235 Nm over a broad band between 1950 and 5000 revs.The more powerful version had uprated pistons, connecting rods and big-end bearings to withstand the extra induction pressure of the bigger turbocharger needed to boost its output to 165 kW and 280 Nm which flowed from 2200 to 5500 revs.Performance of both was brisk, the front-wheel drive TT able to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 7.4 seconds while its Quattro cousin required a second less for the same sprint. Top speeds were in excess of 220 km/h.A five-speed gearbox was linked to the 132 kW engine, while the more powerful 165 kW engine was bolted to a six-speed unit.Inside, the TT Coupe was fully equipped with climate control air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, six-stacker CD sound, leather trim and remote central locking.IN THE SHOPThe earliest TT Coupes are fast approaching the time for a cam belt change so it’s crucial to check for a service record to confirm the belt service has been done on cars that have passed the 100,000 km mark.Regular servicing is important on any engine, but it’s more so today with the tight tolerances used by manufacturers. Missed oil changes can result in clogged oil galleries as sludge builds up, left long enough it can cause major internal damage when the oil can no longer get to where it’s meant to be.A service record can be reassuring that the correct servicing has been done, but it’s worth taking a look inside the oil filler cap to check for sludge.Make sure the clutch is smooth as you depress and release the pedal, and that the gearbox shifts smoothly without baulking when selecting gears.When driving the car listen intently for any clunks or noises when running over bumps or making turns. Investigate any noise observed on the road test.Also make the usual checks for body damage that might be a give away for crash repairs.IN A CRASHWith its sports car handling, particularly the Quattro with its all-wheel drive system, the TT Coupe is well equipped to avoid collisions.But if a crash is inevitable there is the considerable protection of dual front airbags and front side airbags for survival in side impacts.OWNERS SAYMonty Stephens likes Audis, but none more than the TT Coupe he’s owned since 2000. In that time he has done 60,000 km, mostly commuting around Melbourne, but he’s also taken it on a number of long distance interstate trips. He says that while he plans to keep it as long as he can it would be wrong to say that it has been trouble free. While in the warranty period one headlight blew twice, the battery died at six months, and the entire $2000 instrument pack died the day before the warranty expired. Since the warranty expired, there has only been one fault, the driver’s side power window failed: $600. He gets 9-10 litres/100 km around town, and averages around 7.5 litres/100 km on a trip. He says the seamless flow of torque without turbo lag from low speed still gives him a buzz.LOOK FOR• head-turning looks• smart handling• brisk turbocharged performance• rear accommodation minimalTHE BOTTOM LINEA fashion statement on wheels the TT Coupe is good looking, has good performance and handles well.RATING75/100

It's hard to believe it's 10 years since Audi unveiled its TT Coupe as a concept.  It remains a standout design.MODEL WATCHThe Audi TT Coupe's no-nonsense lines could have been carved from granite. Crisp and clean, they were a break from the then common soft edges and rounded shapes.The TT Coupe's body was fully galvanised steel, though aluminium doors, bonnet and boot lid helped keep down the weight of the 2+2 coupes to a lean 1220kg.  At first the TT Coupe was available only in front-wheel-drive, joined a few months after its 1999 launch by an all-wheel drive Quattro. Audi used its considerable experience in turbocharging to great affect on the TT Coupe's engines. The base engine was a 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged unit with five valves per cylinder, which developed 132kW and 235Nm over a broad band between 1950 and 5000 revs.The more powerful version had uprated pistons, connecting rods and big-end bearings to withstand the extra induction pressure of the bigger turbocharger needed to boost its output to 165kW and 280Nm, which flowed from 2200 to 5500 revs.Performance of both was brisk, the front-wheel-drive TT able to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 7.4 seconds, while its Quattro cousin required a second less for the same sprint. Top speeds were more than 220km/h.  A five-speed gearbox was linked to the 132kW engine; the more powerful 165kW engine was backed by a six-speed unit.Inside, the TT Coupe was equipped with climate-control air-conditioning, power windows and mirrors, six-stacker CD, leather trim and remote central locking.IN THE SHOPThe earliest TT Coupes are fast approaching the time for a cam-belt change, so it's crucial to check for a service record to confirm the belt service has been done on cars that have done more than 100,000km.Regular servicing is important on any engine, but even more so today with the tight tolerances manufacturers use. Missed oil changes can result in clogged oil galleries as sludge builds up. Left long enough, it can cause major internal damage when the oil can no longer get to where it's meant to be.  A service record can be reassuring that the correct servicing has been done, but it's worth looking inside the oil cap to check for sludge.Make sure the clutch is smooth as you depress and release the pedal, and that the gearbox shifts smoothly.  When driving, listen intently for any clunks or noises going over bumps or when making turns, and investigate any noise.CRUNCH TIMEWith its sports-car handling, the TT Coupe is well equipped to avoid collisions, particularly the Quattro, with its all-wheel-drive system. It has the considerable protection of dual front airbags and front side airbags.OWNER'S VIEWMonty Stephens' TT Coupe has done 60,000km. During the warranty period one headlight blew twice, the battery died at six months and the entire $2000 instrument pack died the day before the warranty expired. Since then the driver's-side power window has failed ($600 to fix). He gets 9-10 litres per 100km around town and averages around 7.5 litres per 100km on a trip.RATING15/20 The TT Coupe is a fashion statement on wheels. It's good looking, has good performance and handles well.

The Audi TT was launched to a startled world in 1998 with an ultra rounded shape based around its fascinating wheelarches.