Audi captured the imagination of the world with the launch of the Audi TT. First unveiled as twin concept cars at the 1995 Frankfurt motor show, the TT looked like no other car.  When the production cars hit the streets in 1998 it looked every inch as stunning as the concept, having had only minor changes to make it road legal and economically viable to build.

The Audi TT was a head turner and even appeared as a chase car on Mission impossible before Cruise went bonkers! The TT’s supercar looks were deceiving, as underneath the sweeping body sat the rather more mundane chassis and drive train of the Mk4 VW Golf.

The TT was available initially with two body styles; the swish coupe and the beautiful roadster. The coupe added a modicum of practically to the car as it featured two small rear seats, whilst the roadster puts the soft top mechanism in place of the rear seats.

"Possibly the most annoying problem on these cars is that the central dot matrix screen. This seems to fail on just about every TT that reaches three years old"

The new Audi initially offered two engine choices. These were both 1.8-litre turbos with either 180bhp or 225bhp. The former was available in the Middle East in front wheel drive form and the latter benefited from the Audi Quattro four-wheel drive system. In other markets you could chose any combination of 180bhp or 225bhp in two or four-wheel drive formats in either coupe or Roadster.

The interior of the Audi is almost as swish as the outside featuring an aluminium radio cover as the cabins centrepiece, surrounded by stylish round air vents and metallic cup holders.

Despite it humble underpinnings the Audi was a capable drive featuring brisk performance from both models. The lesser 180bhp model made do with the familiar VW/Audi five-speed manual gearbox, whilst the more powerful 225bhp had a six-speed transmission. No automatic was available at launch. This was remedied in 2003 MY when the 180bhp car debuted the new Audi S tronic Tiptronic gearbox featuring a full automatic transmission with a fingertip gearshift as well as a stick. This proved a sharp move in a region where the preference is for automatic sports cars.

Upon launch the car was lauded for its super sharp handling and its race car poise This admiration soon changed after a few high speed fatalities and criticism for its absolute on the limit characteristics like the dreaded lift off oversteer.

Audi, being the responsible types recalled all the early models and retro fitted the now familiar rear lip wing for added downforce, changed the suspension settings, fitted smaller front tyres and added traction/stability control designed to induce mild understeer rather than the snap oversteer that the early cars had now become infamous for.

As a result of these changes the car became much friendlier for the average driver and possibly kept Audi out of court. Despite these teething problems the Audi became a huge success and resulted in long waiting lists and big demand on the used market

In 2003 Audi conducted a minor facelift on the TT resulting in a mild restyle of the front grills and rear spoiler. They also added the 3.2-litre V6 250bhp model option.

As an option for the 2004 MY Audi added the brand new DSG dual clutch gearbox system and upgraded the suspension for a firmer more sporty ride and better handling capabilities on the 3.2-litre models.

The final production models of the original coupes in this region (2006MY) came with a two tone effect featuring the top of the car painted black and the lower portion in your chosen colour and an extra 7bhp on the 180bhp cars. This run out model continued until the launch of the all-new and bigger 2007 MY car.

Checkpoints
When considering purchasing a used TT there are several factors to look out for. These are a prime example of a car needing a dedicated ‘Gulf Specification’. If you consider an imported car, be very sure you know what you are purchasing. As all the Gulf Spec cars were either 180bhp front drivers or 225bhp quattro cars, you must be aware that this does not apply to the Euro spec cars. A lack of diligence can see you with a 180bhp quattro coupe that you paid the price of a 225bhp for.  The other issue here for the imported cars is that they have seemed to really struggle in the desert climate, overheating, cracking water tanks and general headaches seem to have followed the Euro cars from home.

Engines
The early TTs had 1800cc turbo engines with no real issues other than normal wear and tear and fairly rare turbo issues. These are normally from the turbo pipes and are relatively easy and inexpensive to replace at $ 100, but as with any turbocharged car, should the turbo go then you can look forward to a large and painful repair bill of approximately $ 2500.

Gearbox
The manual version has been excellent apart from the odd syncromesh issue in second gear on high mileage or abused cars. Clearly this will be a gearbox replacement or overhaul job and will cost thousands. It is known for the torque converter to fail on the Tiptonic; $ 2500 to fix.

Suspension
Bushings are a known issue on this car and will cause a loud clunk when driving over any imperfections in the road or any speed humps. These are again relatively inexpensive to change but if unchanged can cause damage to the shocks and suspension arms..

Brakes
Have a look through the wheels at the brakes to check condition. They can rust quickly if left unused outside for long periods. If this is evident it’s likely that they will squeal horribly on the test drive, but regular heavy braking to scrub off the rust should solve the problem. Pads and discs tend to wear at the same rate, and it’s common for the rears to wear out at around the same time as the fronts, usually at around 32,000 to 40,000 kilometres. As it will cost around $ 1000 to get the whole lot replaced, it pays to either ensure it’s been done recently or negotiate a discount.

Bodywork/interior
Check for accident damage as usual, but also check that all the panels line up correctly. If the TT has sustained even a minor knock then it can be difficult to realign the one-piece front and rear bumpers thus leaving a suspect looking car for just a minor issue.
Possibly the most annoying problem on these cars is that of the central dot matrix screen. This seems to fail on just about every TT that reaches three years old. This will prove an annoyance as it houses all the warning messages and will cost at least $ 1250 to replace and normally has to be sent from Germany. Again why the rubber paint? The switchgear and window controls are covered in this and again it is guaranteed to peel off.

Values
For the very earliest 1999MY Audi TT  180bhp coupe with average mileage will go for as little as $ 11,000 for 225bhp models with average mileage and in good condition expect to pay $ 12500 to $ 13,000. For the Roadster of a 2000 vintage you will pay $ 13,000 for the 180bhp. At this age the 225bhp roadster is fairly rare and will cost $ 1500 to $ 2000 more like for like.

A 2003 TT Tiptronic coupe 180bhp will sell for around $ 18,000 with low mileage. Should you want a newer car you can expect to pay $ 25,850 for the very latest 2006 black roofed 180bhp coupe with the balance of dealer warranty.

What WE said at the time
‘Progressive, convincing brakes and feelsome steering further bolster your confidence, and you end up driving it as you would a well-sorted hot hatch.’ - Brett Fraser, evo, January 2006

Parts Price

Brake pads, front (axle set)	$ 104
Brake pads, rear (axle set)	$ 77
Dampers, front	$ 748
Dampers, rear	$ 709
Starter motor	$ 448
Air filter	$ 25
Oil filter	$ 62
Windscreen (tinted)	$ 358
Headlight unit (left)	$ 1443

Servicing

15,000 kilometres	$ 132
40,000 kilometres	$ 506
Annual service	$ 132
Spark plug change	$ 143

 Special thanks to Mohamed for the loan his immaculate TT