Hi Jazz et al, gotta Audi question.

Hi Jazz and other euro heads.

Looking at maybe purchasing a Mk1 Audi TT Quattro convertible 1.8T 6Sp Manual.

What to look for, what to avoid, how much to allow for a decent service to bring everything up to date, general comments etc.

Cheers!

As with everything yes $1500 to get the servicing up to spec, best to get a warranty with that type of car as things can get out of hand if they start packing up. Nice car, get a good car inspection done by a mechanic/garage.

Good combination with the Manual Gearbox. The mechanicals are excellent, engineering is superb, Body is galvanised, servicing shouldn't be any more than any Jap Drone Clone save for the specified fluids. Parts/ consumables are all very reasonable (as long as not sourced from agency dealerships) and are readily available from alternative parts suppliers. Wreckers also have a good supply of anything that may break through ham fistedness. If you genuinely like the car just go ahead and indulge yourself, life's to short to worry about what ifs. Either way it's going to be your car or some other punters.

msigg wrote:
As with everything yes $1500 to get the servicing up to spec, best to get a warranty with that type of car as things can get out of hand if they start packing up. Nice car, get a good car inspection done by a mechanic/garage.[/quote

Would like you to break down the $1500.00 service costs. Cant see how filters, oil, coolant etc plus labour comes out to $1.5k. As to things getting out of hand and packing up? There's a few of these sitting at my old wrecking yard (Ins RO) and the guys there are wishing that things would pack up so that they can move some parts.

Yea poppy I now see 6 speed/ though automatic box oil, also should do cam belt/tensioner too, reasonibly easy on those, + packaging.

Sounds good so far, pretty much as I thought. This would be a 'Sunday Car' to replace my last ragtop which I binned. As such it will do around 1000 k per year maybe, so it will lead a pretty easy life.

They are actually a pretty practical daily runner, so don't be afraid to use it a bit more, it would actually be very good for it. I seem to remember you saying you had a work truck or something though.

I agree with the above too, do the timing belt and absolutely make sure the water pump is changed out too. It's OK to use a plastic waterpump, that's what they are designed for, the new ones won't fly to bit's like the originals as they now use better plastic.

Make sure there are not signs of sludging as those engines liked full synthetic and regular changes. Make sure you change the oil annually even though you are not doing much milage, it deteriorates with age once it's in the engine and you have a turbo etc relying on excellent lubrication.

Just the normal things to check with those as far as I am aware, I don't have much experience with them though so there may be stuff I don't know about.

Don't forget to use the proper G13 coolant diluted with demineralised water, especially important given the low km's. Also make sure the brake fluid is flushed when you do the big service/cambelt/waterpump and do that every two years, again regardless of km's.

Other than that, enjoy, should be a great machine. Take car with the handling until you get a good feel for it, those early ones are supposed to be a bit wild at the limit from what I remember.

BTW, you are unlikely to get a reasonably priced/cost effective warranty on one of those, especially an early one. Also, it's highly unlikely you will get value out one anyway when you are only doing 1000km a year. So consider it VERY carefully if you decide to take the advice above.

Maintenance is your best warranty on something like that IMO.

Thanks Jazz, great info as always and I agree about the warranty. I doubt I will be anywhere near exploring the car's limits, my poor MG slid off the road more as a result of bad luck rather than bad management.

My work vehicle is a 540i which while a big heavy car for sure, isn't quite a truck I hope! (Perhaps you remember talking about our Mercedes Sprinter RV?)