What do you know about Audi TT Quattros?

[Mide]

So the wife is looking for a new ride and has her eyes set on a TT. I've only owned Japanese cars so I've never experienced maintaining a VW, Audi, or BMW. I've heard that after the warranty period it is hell to keep up with everything but I'd like to hear more details if anyone has any.

1) So for the Audi brand I've only heard that there are electrical problems and that they are pricey to fix. Any way to alleviate this? Were there certain years to avoid?

2) For the TT itself, any years that were more problematic?

3) Any other advice? Note that in all the Hondas, Infinitis, and Toyotas I've ever owned the only thing to go out, outside of regular maintenance was a CV boot, AC system, and a Master brake cylinder. All under $200. Some of the repairs I've heard that Audis and BMWs needed were insanely expensive and that has gotten me concerned. Too bad the wife doesn't like the IS350 like every other wife out there it seems....

Background:
1) I'll be able maintain the car from the Oil/ATF/Differential/Filters/Plugs, etc...but anything major like belts and such will be up to a shop.
2) The wife doesn't drive much...only around 5K a year.
3) Looking for a used TT quattro coupe with under 80k

 

[alkemyst]

I sort of dig the TTRS. The main issues Audi has right now is their direct-injection engines lose about 10% WHP per year that is fixed with a $1200 maintenance.

There are 'fixes' people swear by, but AFAIK nothing is really validated.

I was seriously looking at S5's prior to buying my E46 M3. I am glad because I like different and my co-worker picked up the limited edition 2012 S5 model right after I bought the M3.

 

[Fenixgoon]

pretty sweet cars, although the quattro in the TT is FWD based (haldex differential), so power only transfers to the rear wheels once slip begins to occur, IIRC. the rest of the cars feature a RWD-biased torsen differential, if i'm not mistaken

 

[hans007]

at least the new TTs have the chain driven 2.0 t EA888 engine. dont get a belt driven one. i think thats 2009 and below.

the older ones the belts can snap and tend to around 75k miles. also V6 TTs do not have a spare tire... so keep that in mind.

i've got an A4 quattro which has the same engine.

lets see.... my A4 has 41500 miles on it. i bought it in 2010.

it burns a quart of oil ever 3000-3500 miles. my cousin also has a 2010 A4 that burns oil like this.

one of my fuel injectors started leaking at 9000 miles. my catalytic converter has failed probably from unburned oil getting in the exhaust (that happened 3 weeks ago).


other than that its been well ok i guess. no electrical issues. the TT interior is kind of old since they will be replacing it soon, and some of the ergonomics arent as great (like buttons are a bit too far from what i remember sitting in one).

its basically a golf platform with aluminum bits. i love how it looks, but i'm not exactly hailing audi as the most reliable car manufacturer... probably buying a BMW next year (already have a bmw CCA membership and waiting for it to get to 1 year for the rebate / put a few more miles on my A4)


oh the direct injection might cause carbon buildup which will need to be cleaned out around 50-60k miles from what i've heard, though i havent really had issues with this yet.

 

[cbrsurfr]

I sort of dig the TTRS. The main issues Audi has right now is their direct-injection engines lose about 10% WHP per year that is fixed with a $1200 maintenance.

There are 'fixes' people swear by, but AFAIK nothing is really validated.

I was seriously looking at S5's prior to buying my E46 M3. I am glad because I like different and my co-worker picked up the limited edition 2012 S5 model right after I bought the M3.

WTF are you talking about? 10% WHP loss per year? Since my car is 5 years old I guess it's only making 50% of the power it made new?

Yes there are problems with carbon buildup on the intake valves but your 10% per year claim is ridiculous.

I haven't heard of belts snapping at 75K, but as per the manual it should be inspected regularly. My interval (GTI) is 105K, I was planning on doing it around 90K due to driving style/track use. It was replaced under warranty at 40K because it made a chirping sound on cold starts so I figure I have till 130K before it needs to be done again provided it doesn't show any major wear signs before then.

 

[MixMasterTang]

WTF are you talking about? 10% WHP loss per year? Since my car is 5 years old I guess it's only making 50% of the power it made new?

Yes there are problems with carbon buildup on the intake valves but your 10% per year claim is ridiculous.

I haven't heard of belts snapping at 75K, but as per the manual it should be inspected regularly. My interval (GTI) is 105K, I was planning on doing it around 90K due to driving style/track use. It was replaced under warranty at 40K because it made a chirping sound on cold starts so I figure I have till 130K before it needs to be done again provided it doesn't show any major wear signs before then.

Not that I am agreeing with him, but 10% a year for 5 years does not equal 50%.

Start with 100 as an example

1 year - 10% drop = 90
2 year - 10% drop = 81
3 year - 10% drop = 72.9
4 year - 10% drop = 65.61
5 year - 10% drop = ~59 percent - so only a 41 percent drop overall

 

[Phanuel]

He's talking out of his ass, like most things. My A4 is 5 years old now and has probably lost 10-15% of its power total.

 

[NutBucket]

Based on your butt dyno?

Carbon buildup on intake valves is going to be an issue with any DI motor from any manufacturer. So far its about the only drawback to having a DI system I can gather.

 

[hans007]

WTF are you talking about? 10% WHP loss per year? Since my car is 5 years old I guess it's only making 50% of the power it made new?

Yes there are problems with carbon buildup on the intake valves but your 10% per year claim is ridiculous.

I haven't heard of belts snapping at 75K, but as per the manual it should be inspected regularly. My interval (GTI) is 105K, I was planning on doing it around 90K due to driving style/track use. It was replaced under warranty at 40K because it made a chirping sound on cold starts so I figure I have till 130K before it needs to be done again provided it doesn't show any major wear signs before then.

the 10% loss per year thing is a bit ridiculous.

20% over 5 years i can buy and then you basically would have to clean it ou. i've heard , if it gets bad enough to clean you'll get CELs. friend of mine had same issue with a mazda that had DI so its not really an audi issue anyway.

the belt thing i just remember reading about when i got my car happenign in B7 A4s. they used the EA113 which a lot of TTs and golfs use. golf - r and TT-s still use it so its probably not that bad an issue but i've heard of it happen. just know it doesnt happen on the EA888 cars with timing chains, one less possible issue.

 

[Phanuel]

Based on your butt dyno?

Carbon buildup on intake valves is going to be an issue with any DI motor from any manufacturer. So far its about the only drawback to having a DI system I can gather.

From just randomly half assed timing 0-60 runs. Lost maybe a couple tenths over the years, oh noes someone is stealing mah horsepowers!

 

[KIAman]

Carbon build up acts like intake restrictors but there is no way that enough carbon can bring the restrictions high enough to bring down 10% per year.

I bet there is no conclusive study on this and that claim is on anecdotal evidence.

 

[Mide]

So I'm hearing belt replacement at 75k and fuel injection problems? Is alkemyst correct with the fuel injection problem costing around $1200? How about the belt?

 

[hans007]

So I'm hearing belt replacement at 75k and fuel injection problems? Is alkemyst correct with the fuel injection problem costing around $1200? How about the belt?

Ive heard its more like 500-600 to get cleaned out.

 

[Mide]

Ive heard its more like 500-600 to get cleaned out.

Is this a one time deal like a recall defect type thing or is it a design problem where regular interval cleanings are required?

 

[Throckmorton]

It handles like a FWD car because that's basically what it is. Look elsewhere for true sportscars

 

[NutBucket]

Is this a one time deal like a recall defect type thing or is it a design problem where regular interval cleanings are required?

It would need to be done regularly. Haven't heard of any recommendations from GM regarding the DI engine our SUV though.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Mide]

It would need to be done regularly. Haven't heard of any recommendations from GM regarding the DI engine our SUV though.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Well that sucks...how often would such a cleaning need to be done? I doubt a $15 "techron fuel injector cleaning" would be good enough hu?

 

[NutBucket]

No, it won't do much of anything for the intake valves since the techron would never pass by them.

 

[ballmode]

have her drive it personally, i drove the fwd turbo and was not impressed

base cayman?

Z4 coupe?

SLK?

 

[acx]

Carbon buildup pic thread. Happens to many DI engines. Except maybe Toyotas that have dual injection systems?

http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?/topic/39598-what-the-gtr-really-needs/#entry541700

 

[hans007]

Carbon buildup pic thread. Happens to many DI engines. Except maybe Toyotas that have dual injection systems?

http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?/topic/39598-what-the-gtr-really-needs/#entry541700

Mercedes and Lexus have port injection too which washes the carbon out

 

[xapo99]

On some of the forums they are saying make sure you use VPower....dunno if you have this in the states or an equiv..its a high octane shell Petrol with basically more cleaners in it. Over time...your car would be less susceptible to losing power from being 'dirty'. There is also a VPower diesel. The Petrol is about 98 octane I think....stock 'gas' is 95 here.

VW/Audi are a bit conservative with their power figures anyway, 200 bhp quoted usually gets you 208 or so on the older Golf's, similar to Japanese makers, they underquote, they take 10 engines and dyno them and quote the lowest figure.

Unlike French firms like Renault etc who lie about power figures, such as the Clio 182 which didn't have anything near it. My partners clio she had was a 197 and had 170 bhp....at 20000 miles.

 

[NutBucket]

Shell VPower is basically premium here. It still won't do anything for carbon buildup unless the car has some form of port injection.

Maybe a regular seafoam treatment will help?

 

[JCH13]

Shell VPower is basically premium here. It still won't do anything for carbon buildup unless the car has some form of port injection.

Maybe a regular seafoam treatment will help?

That's the prevailing theory in the MS3 world. I do a seafoam intake treatment every 6mo on mine. Also, adding a PCV oil catch tank helps prevent oil and carbon from getting into the intake in the first place.

 

[alkemyst]

He's talking out of his ass, like most things. My A4 is 5 years old now and has probably lost 10-15% of its power total.

No, you are the one talking out your ass. Your A4 is not as affected as the newer S5 is. When I mentioned 10% per year, I meant that from new to after getting it fixed in a year and that is what many are reporting in Audi forums.

It's quite possible though to majorly down in power after half a decade indeed with this setup, but most buying a car in this $70k+ range don't find it that unbearable to plop down $1200 a year to clean the head out (or roughly 10-12k miles).

This was one of the things that really swayed me from the Audi DI engines ATM. There are several 'fixes' from always using VPOWER to someone swearing by a fuel additive.

As others people have backed up my words I meantioned above, know WTF you are talking about before throwing out insults noob.