Remove the roof from a coupe and make it into a cabriolet and you immediately add weight and reduce body rigidity, both the sworn enemy of the sports car. But in the case of the Audi TT it’s still the cabriolet that provides the most driving fun.

 

Launched in February 1999 it was the TT coupe that hit the market first, the cabriolet following a full 6 months later. Both cars were powered by Audi’s 1.8 litre turbo charged engine and drivers had the choice of 180 or 225 bhp sent to all four wheels via the Audi quattro drive train.

 

Despite the cars relatively small engine the addition of a turbo charger endows it with good performance and even in 180bhp guise the car is capable of nearly twice the national speed limit. But if your budget will allow then the 225bhp model is a better bet, 0-60mph in 6.9 seconds and nearly 150mph top speed gives the car real performance credentials. 

 

If the outside of the TT looks good then the inside will not disappoint. The soft blue lighting contrasts with the orange of the dial to make the cabin feel distinctly special. Faultless build quality banishes rattles and used buyers should accept nothing less regardless of the cars age and mileage.

 

Early TT’s were hit by much publicised concerns about high speed handling characteristics but a factory recall that involved the fitting of a rear spoiler and ESP (stability control system) solved the problem. If you are worried about the car your looking to buy then a call to Audi will provide the answer.

 

Standard equipment on both the TT Coupe and Roadster is good with leather upholstery, alloy wheels and climate control on all models. Roadsters come with a fully electric roof operation and when up the levels of refinement is virtually identical to that of the Coupe. Used examples of the more powerful 225bhp cars will cost you an extra £2,500 but as well as more power buyers also gets you larger alloys and excellent xenon headlights.

 

Despite its compact dimensions the driver and passenger seats are generous and supportive and the wide cabin will accommodate 2/3^rd of the England Front. All models come with a space saver spare tyre and Coupe models have a pair of small rear seats, fine if your 8 years old but not much more. Roadsters lose out due to the space required for the electric roof mechanism and the absence of a rear seat.

 

Until recently all TT’s have come with a manual gearbox, the 180bhp model gaining an extra ratio late in 2000. With tall gearing from the 6 speed gearbox and a torquey engine fuel economy is good and drivers can easily achieve 30mpg plus on a run.

 

Servicing your TT will depend on its age. Early 1999/2000 TT’s need servicing every 10,000 miles and you’ll pay about £180 for a minor service and £280 for the larger 20,000mile service, but watch out for the major service at 40,000 miles which will cost about £450.  On later cars the service interval is 20,000 miles, to confirm which your car qualifies for the longer service interval check the chassis number, if it starts ‘NY10’ then you’ll be seeing your dealer less frequently.

 

With plenty of used TT’s now for sale buyers should be ultra fussy before parting with their cash. It’s best to avoid non UK supplied cars, LHD models or cars with no quattro four wheel drive system (they will be front wheel drive only) even if they appear cheap. Cars with multiple owners (4 or 5) can also prove difficult to resell and walk away from cars with a patchy or suspicious service history.

 

 

     

 

Check the following

 

• Wheels – 225bhp cars distinguished by larger 17 inch alloys

• Screen – Glass rear screen helps visibility

• Climate control – digital system standard on all models

• Quattro – four wheel drive system standard on all proper UK cars, but some imports are 2wheel drive only

• Rear Spoiler – Avoid a car with no rear spoiler, the factory recall may not have been carried out, check with Audi if in doubt

• Rear hub carrier ball joint – prone to seizing and corrosion on cars prior to March 2000

• Roof – replacement soft top very expensive to replace, allow £4,000

• Gear box – 6 speed on all 225 bhp models, 180bhp cars had 5 speed until September 2000

• Imports - early LHD cars may be 2wheel drive only

• Headlamps – 225bhp cars have ultra powerful Xenon headlamps as standard

• Upholstery – leather standard but optional Base ball seat stitching not everyone’s taste

• Insurance – Group 18, many insurance companies will charge the same for a roadster as a coupe

• Spare Wheel – space saver

• Colour – metallic silver common but suits the car extremely well

 

The one to buy 

 

• Audi TT Roadster 225 bhp

• 2000 ‘W’ with 30,000 miles

• Pay £19,495 at a dealer with a 12 month warranty    £18,000 privately