WHY I BOUGHT A MK1 AUDI TT | 225 | 8N | QUATTRO

Hot off the heels of my first impressions video here I give you the run down on why I personally decided to buy a mk1 Audi TT as my daily driver. Enjoy, don't forget to watch until the end for a special air cooled guest appearance!
If you're lucky enough to own a mk1 Audi TT or are thinking of buying one then join the rather excellent Facebook group here: / mk1tt
www.youtube.co...
PATREON
/ pedalloud
MERCHANDISE
SHOP: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
T-SHIRTS: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
PHONE CASES: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
STICKERS: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
MUGS: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
NOTEBOOKS: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
WATERBOTTLES: tiny.cc/PedalLo...
SOCIAL MEDIA
TWITTER: / pedalloud
INSTAGRAM: / pedal_loud
#mk1auditt #audittmk1 #mk1tt
0:09 - Purpose of Buying Audi TT
0:54 - Previous Car Experiences
1:18 - Porsche 944 Comparison
3:27 - Audi TT Qualities
4:07 - Engine and Performance Details
6:07 - Audi TT's Design Significance
7:23 - Manufacturing Insights
8:01 - Historical Perspective on Car Evolution
10:42 - Preference for Manual Transmission
12:13 - Audi TT Community Praise

[@JettaRedIII]

I've owned my 2004 TT 225 for over 11 years now and have added 210,000 miles since I bought it in 2006. It now has 240,000 miles and rides and runs as well as ever. I do my own maintenance and know my car as well as my wife! It's a great car with classic, timeless looks. It has held up incredible well and the paint is as good as when it was first applied 13 years ago. Certainly going to be in demand for years to come.

[@damos_cars]

That's brilliant!

[@studio-flash]

Thats funny..i do maintenance on your wife as well..haaaaa sorry had to say that..

[@camerarover7124]

This is one of the best cars ever, underrated and maligned by some at the time. If they drove one they would see it's a fantastic all rounder and unique.

[@damos_cars]

Indeed! and at the moment they represent such great value for money.

[@sorrygunsathome]

got one yesterday and i'm in absolute love with the little bastard haha

[@gilbertsanchez225]

Camera Rover I still own mk1 nimbus grey roadter 225. Since new. 145k. Its the best car i have ever had. Beside my mk2 Gti and mk1 New Beetle 2.0.

[@stephenferrett5733]

Excellent video! Have have owned several 3 series BMW but now have 2 MK 1 Audi TT's and I would never go back, Incredibly fun cars and timeless looks.

[@tnetroP]

I had two of these in 2001/2002 when they were new and the attention they got on the road was insane. I sold my second one (which I bought brand new) back to the dealer a year later for the same money because of the waiting list.

[@damos_cars]

Wow, nice! Yeh I remember viewing a house in 2000 and the owner had one of the first LHD versions in his garage. We all thought it looked incredible. One of my family also bought one new in 2002 and still has it to this day! Thanks for watching.

[@gregh7457]

Don't forget to change those timing belts. I brought one back to life after replacing every single valve that was bent. What a job

[@damos_cars]

Good tip, check out my A-Z video too. It gets a mention on there!

[@rivolinho]

What's the interval on that?

[@3O2MuStAnG]

I gotta say the TT showed me the definition of "perfection" when it comes to a daily driver. It´s fast, compact (which is a huge benefit when living in a crowded city), reliable, comfortable (at least for the driver and passenger haha), luxury (like half the interior is made from aluminium haha), has a huge trunk for a sports car, its short wheelbase allows for great turning radius and makes it easier to park the car in narrow parking lots and the design is AWESOME. I don´t understand why some people consider it the ugliest Audi of all time. The rear end looks like a squat ass - really wide and fine, the side profile looks like a tank due to the dome shaped top and the small windows and the front end still looks like an aerodynamic modern sports car. Personally I prefer the MK1 TTs design over the MK2 and MK3. The second generation of the TT looks somewhat feminine because of the headlights. And while the new Audi TT FV argueably has the most aggressive looking front end I somewhat miss the dome shaped side profile and the "squat-ass rear end". The new one looks like an ordinary sports car. The MK1 has one unique design which is why I´ll keep it forever. Actually I´m planning to buy a second Audi TT Mk1 - this time with the 3.2 VR6 engine and the dual clutch transmission. Best daily driver-sports car combination of all time!

[@damos_cars]

+OneTT completely agree. Had a mk3 TT behind me the other day and didn't even realise until it went past. The Mk1 really is a modern timeless classic.

[@ronrichardson3103]

If i were you id look a little longer and get a manual. its stronger . Lighter. and will be easier to sell on

[@daveallen3607]

hi my dad's 74 he is buying one next week for the summer and then I'm buying it off him! love the video perfect for me to see a real world review I've subbed! it's a 2001 225 bhp with a 100 k on it just had new Cambelt water pump and tensioner so hopefully should be ok, cheers for the video will join Facebook group once I've inheretided from my dad ha ha!

[@damos_cars]

Thank you. Great to hear your story I hope you end up with the car.

[@TrishaXuk]

Really enjoying your vids. Less magazine sounding - real opinions, based on a balance of experiences, and facts/knowledge. I hated the TT for years, until I started looking for options with 4 wheel drive coupe options (not many that aren't going to compare with a small house mortgage!). I ended up buying a 2nd hand import MK1 225 about 9 years ago, and have to say I fell in love with it on the test drive. The handling was incredible. The engineering and design of the interior was spectacular (for someone coming from Fords anyway). I've had a few expensive repairs along the way; and every so often, I wondered if it was just going to cost too much...maybe time to buy something newer? But whenever I tried other cars (that didn't cost at least 10x the money); they all felt very much inferior. I'm not saying a modded vehicle wouldn't improve characteristics considerably; but in stock form, few cars anywhere near this price bracket, seem to tick the same boxes...and if one learns from the excellent forums and experienced users; many of the repairs can be understaken by anyone with a little adventure in their blood. (I'm not a mechanic...in fact I work in IT! - yet I've done work that didn't require too much special or heavy tooling, myself at home). ...ok enough. I'm starting to sound like I'm obsessed!

[@damos_cars]

Trisha Xuk agree completely with everything you're saying! Great car that ticks so many boxes at such a good price.

[@ap6584]

Trisha Xuk what were the expensive repairs. if you don't mind me asking?

[@bartsimpsonhead2790]

Greetings from a fellow Mk1 Forum & Community member - the best TT group on the web ;) Nice little video fella, and nice to hear why a fellow owner went for their mk1.

[@damos_cars]

Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Cheers.

[@supermario1982171]

Do you have a link to the forum buddy.

[@Clodrock]

My 17 year old flipped his 2005 Mercedes C240 (bought it for cheap, fixed it up and made $1000 profit...he didn't literally flip it) and found a pristine 2001 TT Quattro Coupe with a rebuilt engine for only $3000. He lets me drive it to work once or twice a week. Love it.

[@damos_cars]

Cool story, love that. They do surprise you. Always always hated them! Now on my second and surprisingly successful across the channel. Not true out and out drivers cars for sure but so much other things going for them. They really do have a place in peoples hearts... Cheers.

[@Clodrock]

@@damos_cars Yeah, it's definitely a looker despite its age and definitely the best looking of the three generations, IMHO. To me it's a like concept car that one can daily drive that's relatively easy to maintain and parts OEM (new and used) and aftermarket are easy to obtain.

[@damos_cars]

I agree, they still look very very striking even today. Lovely cars.

[@tnetroP]

I've owned a couple of TT 225's in the past and a few years ago I went on the hunt for a 944 S2. I didn't end up buying one for several reasons. But I test drove many and almost did. But until you said the TT was a bit like the 944 it hadn't occurred to me. But it is. I see what you mean. (one of the reasons I didn't end up buying a 944 was that my Corrado VR6 was just as good and cheaper to run, so I kept it instead of getting a 944).

[@damos_cars]

Makes a lot of sense. If you’re not precious about RWD and let’s face it the Corrado is one the greatest FWD cars there is! Good choice 👍🏻

[@vanessamariscal7135]

8:14 is me almost most of the time when I see a sweet car.

[@damos_cars]

Me too! :-)

[@superbikeaborad]

MAKE SURE YOU DO A HPI CHECK ON USED TT'S I almost brought one that had been written off, stolen, plate transfers etc. Make sure you know the history!!!

[@damos_cars]

+Pabla Digital 👍🏻good point!

[@CORMAN2011]

this is great! my first car was a 1984 N/A 944 and my second is a 01' 225HP TT! both manuals of course. only down side on the porsche 944 was the constant replacing 30 year old parts (its a given) and no complaints with the TT except that damn gauge cluster issues which is more of a "when will it fail" instead of a "if"...I'm currently dealing with trying to reprogram a new one to have the right SKC for the immobilizer...uggg...anyways cheers!

[@damos_cars]

No worries. Loved my 944. Would have another but agree with you on the age of parts thing. Bit of a nightmare these days also they've gone up in value so are expensive to buy!

[@madturkey4985]

Amazing video and it made me so happy to see that i am not the only one who likes the way this car looks! :) Btw i have a question... would u recommend this car to 18yo who is going to use it mainly on special occasions? If yes i would like to know on what to look for when buying. Thanks in advance and keep up the good work :)

[@damos_cars]

Yes, would definitely recommend assuming insurance is affordable. Look for Haldex service, cambelt change, oil leaks, dash pixelation as well as the usual: brakes, tyres, wheels, sills for corrosion etc. Good luck!

[@madturkey4985]

Pedal Loud I am really looking forward to getting one. Thanks a lot :)

[@damos_cars]

Let us know how you get one! :)

[@spencerdurbin6823]

Own one and I'm 18 the best car for driving to school and crazy fun on the highway!

[@damos_cars]

Sounds good! Stay safe.

[@oldowl4290]

Thanks for your TT vids and opinions. I'm in socal usa and have always wanted one of these since they first came out. I've been trying to decide on the early 1.8 quattro vs the 225 quattro as from what I've learned a lot of people upgrade the original with a newer / larger turbo to get 225hp and greater. Also, are your seats dark blue leather or black? I've seen several blue ones with blue leather. I like the blue but would want a black interior.

[@damos_cars]

My seats are black leather, which are lovely, soft and smell gorgeous. I'm not a big fan of black interiors to be honest and prefer lighter/brighter colours. However, I did like the colour of the car (denim blue) which sold me on it. It's also possible to buy used interior quite cheaply should a change to interior colour really be needed. I wanted a 225 as I don't think a 180 would be enough for me (I also drive an M3 - see other vids!). However the 180 is a decent enough car and can be upgrade from what I understand although the 225 was loaded with more intercoolers, piperwork turbo etc so it's just a quicker car straight out of the box. Also aesthetically I can't agree with Audi's decision to omit one exhaust pipe on the 180 for me it really stands out and ruins the symmetry a bit.

[@LeeVai666]

the 225 comes with the bigger ko4 turbo, and forged pistons and rods. you also get dual intercoolers and a 6 speed gearbox. definitely worth the trouble to find over the base 180hp version. with a quick APR tune the 225 get pumped up to 270hp without any risk to the motor/turbo.

[@traymuse3810]

if you want to go big turbo it doesn't matter which one you get.

[@ark1766]

The rods on the 225 are not forged.

[@fdante87]

none of the stock 1.8ts have their rods forged.

[@boutch3r]

Just bought a mk1 TT too ! But grey and 3.2, pretty cheap, perfect condition and only 90 000 km !

[@damos_cars]

Brilliant. Enjoy it! :-)

[@jontheodore8450]

Had a lot of these and one thing I have found out 225 Audi TT is not a constant 4 wheel drive It’s only a passive 4 wheel drive so only kicks in when front wheel drive losses traction on slippery roads so most of the time you are just in front wheel drive. This means you are just carrying the extra weight of transfer box, rear diff, and the prop shaft, drive shafts around with no gain!! That’s why the 200hp two wheel drive is faster and lighter than the 225hp 4 wheel drive, so make your own mind up!! And never ever buy a MK1 TT with a DSG gearbox, It’s not if it goes, its when it goes 4k plus to replace!!

[@filippoplar]

It's haldex obviously.... Nothing new discovered here, and it does the job very well.

[@pheasantpluckersson2138]

Harry Sakala Semi automatic gearbox with paddle shift, found in the V6 engined TT

[@7302ab]

do you mean the 180bhp?

[@moncier77]

There are ways to get 50/50 rather cheap

[@damien7964]

What do you mean? thanks

[@thehunter333]

1.8 T best engine ever :) got b5 with 1.8 T 270 390 nm :)

[@damos_cars]

yeh, they are pretty good engines!

[@studio-flash]

Back seats are useless unless you are a small 6 year old or under. Lots of things go wrong or will go wrong..design is great interior retro style great . I have quattro 180hp. Silver with black interior. Stereo is great sound and not even bose speakers (which is an upgrade). Does anyone know what make they are?. I have a 2006 model which is last year for mark 1..only 35,000 original miles

[@houktanhdanhi2352]

studio7 reminds me of the Honda CRX model, back seats in those wern't all that flash

[@damos_cars]

Yeh, back seats are very tight! You do need to budget a little bit for maintenance.

[@edthatsit8035]

Got one, love it, still think it looks like a squashed VW Beetle

[@damos_cars]

You say that like it’s a bad thing?

[@944Tomcat]

Crazy...i still own a 944 S2 and will buy a TT 8N 225 during the next weeks :)

[@damos_cars]

Cool, loved my S2. Should never have sold it. Enjoy the TT!

[@joshken3118]

I have to be honest I also at first hated the Audi TT! until I test drove the 225 one also in denim blue with the 18 inch rs4 alloys and it was a surprise! needless to say I on the spot bought it! A year on and I'm still enjoying it! awesome in town and fun as on country roads! the understeer doesn't bother me as I'm not using it for track! as an everyday sports car it surpasses all expectations! the 225 is the one to get though my dad has the 180 and it feels slow and the single exhaust just doesn't look right! IMO. Good vid and fair points! I was between this and forking out 14 grand on a cayman S 3.4 and tbh I'm glad I've saved the money as the tt is fine for my needs

[@damos_cars]

Nice points, we're definitely on the same page!

[@JettaRedIII]

Neuspeed makes an upgraded rear anti-roll bar to help with the understeer. And Haldex has a sport controller that makes the front/rear balance quicker to engage. Stock is probably something like 80/20 and the rears only engage with there is front wheel slippage. The Haldex upgrade makes it more like 60/40 and much quicker to engage. There is even a "stage 2" Haldex controller that keeps the rear engaged almost full time, much like the Torson AWD in the A4, A6, etc. These cars are great to mod!

[@JettaRedIII]

I found this by HPA that lets you tune your Haldex controller. Not cheap, but cheaper than the Haldex sport controller, if you can find it. www.hpamotorsports.com/product_haldex.html

[@J4cko999]

Always wanted a MK1 TT, could have gone for a MK2 but though a nice car seems to miss something, loving mine, keep having a nosey at it out of the window, amazing how cheap they have got. Nice ones will be worth decent money, already are, loads of real heaps out there, got a few bits to sort on mine but the previous owner did all the hard stuff.

[@damos_cars]

+Mark Jackson yeh, they are cheap. Check out my values vid! 👍🏻

[@TheALTGaming]

My back seats are for insurance purposes, I barely fit in it myself haha. Nice video, I love my 225.

[@damos_cars]

Yeh, it is pretty tight in the back!

[@JettaRedIII]

Why are the steering wheels on the wrong side of the car in all the Audi TT vids? And the narrators have British accents?

[@damos_cars]

May be you need to fix that for us? :-)

[@JettaRedIII]

I'm guessing that jousting as a pastime went away with the Middle Ages. Not sure why you still insist driving on the left side of the road. For that matter, not sure why we drive on the right.

[@petreeuk4439]

Because everyone used to drive on the left since roman times till napoleon came around and started being a knob. Its to do with having your sword arm free thats why originally

[@bmwimmy4874]

Great review. I'm looking for an everyday sports car to drive, I'm in a similar situation too you, I drive my BMW Z4M coupe summer time, the cars very firm and gearbox clunky and clutch/steering very heavy requiring 100% attention at all time so not a good daily driver. But need something for most days come rain or shine and cheap.

[@damos_cars]

The Audi TT should work perfectly for you! :-)

[@williamchow7533]

Don't blame you for choosing this car. The 944 also had an Audi engine.

[@damos_cars]

Cheers.

[@kevinvanner1161]

I have owned a mk1 2004 180bhp.. and a mk2 2007 .. thinking about picking up a mk1 again but dont know if should go for 3.2 or 1.8 225 bhp.. any ideas or thoughts

[@houktanhdanhi2352]

go for the 2018 TTS

[@AJTalks]

The 225 is lighter and much more customizable/moddable

[@mallydawg479]

Ive driven both and bought the 3.2 n love it

[@damos_cars]

3.2s sound great, 225s also go well. What did you go for in the end?

[@pistonpoweruk]

I also have an e92 M3, and have just bought a 225 TT!

[@damos_cars]

Ha HA brilliant! Funny how we move through cars. I never ever thought I'd own a TT and now I'm on my second..!

[@robnemily]

how has the reliability been since you've made this video? I'm considering a 225tt with 80k miles.

[@damos_cars]

Hi, don't have the car anymore but during my ownership it was super reliable. Cheers

[@jboblk]

I bought one at 120,000 miles and have driven it to 140,000 with no problems.

[@cmillar849]

Great video. I own a 225 TT and a 2.7 Boxter...... I'm selling the Boxter, I think that. says it all..... Keep your videos coming my friend.... Jack.

[@damos_cars]

+Jack Dean thank you! 😀👍🏻

[@virgilrytaar9083]

Yes, I'm late to the game. These really remind me of the Porsche 924 turbo to drive........which is a GOOD thing

[@damos_cars]

Ha Ha yeh, I think it must be the VAG dna that permeates through...

[@termicrx]

Nice videos :) how much miles has your tt now?

[@damos_cars]

+Martin Walz Test Drive coming up to 130k

[@7302ab]

driving it as a 90mile commuter car is it recommended as a daily and how much mpg should you get

[@DavidBanks69]

I’ve been driving my 2002 MK1 TT 180bhp convertible for a 90mile day commute over the last 4 months and mpg is between 28/34 depending on traffic and foot down. However very comfy and lovely drive. Only things I miss are cup holder and bluetooth. I’m buying these options at the moment. Go for it...

[@damos_cars]

Yeh, I managed 40 UK MPG once when hypermiling it. Usual MPG was around 26 UK MPG. Do you own one?

[@virgilrytaar9083]

thats it....I want 1 now!

[@damos_cars]

Do it!! ;-)

[@virgilrytaar9083]

checking out a really cheap 225 today!

[@damos_cars]

Great, as well as the obvious check for: both keys, history, haldex service, cambelt change, wheel arch rust

[@supermario1982171]

Ok guys thinking of buying one on the fence a bit looking at 2003 9000 miles on it looks clean what should i look for help would be great

[@danielchristow5616]

If it's the manual 225 version, buy it yesterday. These cars are a blast to drive and own, and are going up in value.

[@studio-flash]

Cam belts need replacing early about 30,000 miles. High mileage ones can have many things thst dont work..nice car tho.

[@damos_cars]

Did you get one in the end?

[@supermario1982171]

@@damos_cars ya I got loved it

[@ambitionsskyyyy]

These tt’s are going up in price now

[@damos_cars]

I'm not so sure, did you see my other vid on values? kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2aYoWmegM2KmK8

[@Cupat1]

No they're not

[@andytalbot6719]

Whose is that VW Brasilia at '9.02'??

[@MrAndreCoutinho]

That's not a Brasilia, it's a Variant 1600, derived from the Typ 3.

[@damos_cars]

Mmm not sure, cool though right!

[@Darkman28113]

Tdu feelings over here

[@damos_cars]

Indeed