Yes I like that combination. I really wished I'd waited until next year to start looking!

Having gone from a coupe daily drive to a massively powerful / overpowered auto I can safely say that auto + grunt at the bottom is a very relaxing way to drive. I understand your point, a hot hatch / turbo'd car is such hard work, Rev, Rev, gearchange pointy here pointy there... Much better to have the bottom end and auto.

Have you looked at the a5 with a v6 /v8? Maybe that's where you should be looking??

Because of the rain I decided to go along and visit a local Audi-specialist, they also had a later TT-2 with really low mileage, so two birds as they say.

When I arrived I explained that I was really interested in the earlier TT but would like to look over the TT-2 he had for sale. I had a good look over the car and I'm not sure if it was just the weather but the car did nothing for me. It didn't feel special in any way. I expected a 34,000 mile car to look and smell much fresher but it didn't. It wasn't bad but the other day I sat in a metallic red one at another dealer which had over 80,000 on the clock, was over £2k cheaper and it seemed better!

Anyhow I went back to the office and explained how I preferred the classic look, which he fully understood and kind of agreed with me. However when I told him I was really interested in the 3.2, with a DSG his tone changed. He firstly explained all about the chain issues and suggested that far from being rare it should be expected if I planned to keep it for the longer term. He told me that replacement was an engine out of the car job, and to be aware that if the bottom crank pulley was shot it would add significantly to the already expensive job. He then moved onto the DSG. He did say that it is mostly the mechatronic unit that fails and that they can usually be repaired. But he stressed that if they can't it would be "silly Money."

I am not sure what the fellows job there was but he seemed to be doing a good job of trying to talk me out of buying. I did explain that I would be going into the purchase eyes wide open and fully aware that big bills may happen but this was again dismissed with a kind of there is no may about it!

To be honest he hasn't really put me off the car, he's just made me think that I had better go and speak to another Audi specialist

I expect you might have got a similar tale from some Fiat dealers about the Coupe back in the mists of time. Plus I'd imagine the world looks pretty grim from your point of view if you're a VAG dealer at the moment!
Get along to an independent TT specialist for the real story...

That was an independent - Audi specialist But just one guy, must have caught him on a bad day!

It hasn't curbed my enthusiasm though, well maybe slightly.

Yikes! He might be in the wrong job!

Or doing what a good indy should do and steering you away from a possible lemon!

Well yes, but surely they can't ALL be lemons, or he wouldn't specialise in them!

Dunno watching the vw saga unfold on TV....

Seriously though if an indy says the 3.2 and dsg boxes are likely to fail expensively I'd tend to listen and go 240 manual.

Can't argue with you there!

I think that's the way I'm tending to lean now......

Well yes and no!

People told me not to buy a Coupé because they are "Fragile"
People also told me not to buy an Alfa 166 for much the same reason, and when I said it fancied the Auto box version some thought I had gone totally mad

There seem to be loads of these 3.2 - DSG Quattro's for sale and I'm not sure if it is because they were really popular, or if people just want to get shot of them. If I could spend sub £5K on a good one I would still be tempted to take the risk. The other option is to blow the budget on a later, post 2006, 2.0 TFSi, possibly only 2wd, or something else completely.

I will have to do something soon because the 156 is not getting any better.

I know what you're saying Bob. I've had 3 coupes and at the time had the disposable income to maintain them. I won't have as much in the future with children at Uni and others about to go to Uni.

I have noticed a lot more 3.2 DSGs coming onto the market recently. Like you, I wonder why.....

Coincidentally, this local DSG TT has just popped up on eBay. It's done 168k! No idea if it's had problems with the box but does show they can take the miles....

And with just over half the miles, this one likes rather nice.

I've recently moved from over a decade of coupe ownership (3 different coupes) to a Golf R32 mk5 (manual).

Although the R32 does not feel as special or quick once moving as the plus's I used to drive (especially the 335bhp one!) the V6 is velvet smooth and has amazing grip due to the haldex. I'm not sure but I think moving from a coupe to a non V6 TT may feel like a bit of a step backwards in terms of 'that feeling' when driving even though there is little difference in outright pace vs the V6.

If you want advise on the V6 engine and DSG box Vag autocare services in lincoln seem to be held in the highest regard on the R32oc so might be worth a call.

http://www.r32oc.com/garage/vehicle/3257-vw-mkv-r32/page__tab__images

Above is a link to a photo of my R32 sat alongside my 2 old electric blue pluses (sadly gone but not forgotten).

Sadly THESE are starting to look more tempting

Even though you said the TT-2 didn't feel special?
Come on Bob, you can't settle for something that doesn't make you look back at it, even a bit...!

Now, I know this is a little over budget, but you can't argue with the bhp/£ ratio...

Still a bargain.

Or what about this...?

Same number of seats and cylinders as a 3.2 TT

Bob, the 2ltr TFSI is a cracking engine. Having just sold a Scirocco R which I believe is the same lump, it really is a lovely unit.
I think the newer shape TT-2 is also a vast improvement on the older shape but that's just my opinion.

Maybe try a test drive in another TT-2, that might have just been a bad one.

Cracking unit??

audi sport

Maybe some are better than others but given all the issues with vag I'd probably go with the 350 / 370z.

Hmmm, after some googling, it would seem the Scirocco had the EA113 TFSI where the TT uses the EA888.

A friend in the UK has the 2ltr TFSI in an Audi A5, he's just had the rings replaced for excessive oil consumption, it was all done gratis from Audi. My Scirocco didn't need a top up between 15000km servicings and it was driven relatively hard at stage 2+.

Have you looked at the scirocco R Bob? It's a great little car.

I have looked at the Scirocco R but they are just a bit outside my pre-pension lump sum budget

I started off looking at reasonably cheap Mk1 TT's which would have been a cash purchase and left me with some reserve to tinker. this thread has got me fretting about buying cheap and I've now visited the bank. So for the first time in some 20 years I'm considering borrowing money to buy a blooming car! my son is happy to tell me I've sold out on my principles I am though a tight arse at heart so I won't be going mad. I am considering upping the budget to about £14K ish, possibly

The thing is I really do hate banks. They will happily lend me money at 6.8% APR which was approved in the branch. But are being difficult in giving me the 3.6% deal they offered me in an e-mail, so we'll wait and see.

There is a lot more choice in this price region....

Golf GTi

A Scirocco Main dealer car

A very low mileage FOCUS ST

A two year old Fiesta ST

Or an older TT - Audi approved = low miles but quite a low spec list.. General dealer - higher specification but higher miles or moderate condition. Private seems to offer the nicest looking and specified cars.

Fiesta is probably the best car of the bunch for fun, especially in mountune spec. The scirocco r I assume would retain the most value over your time with the car.
Please don't get a golf, every other car is a golf and I can't see how one can ever give a wow factor.

Bob.With a loan it's got to be a Z4m coupe mate. Or a very very nice Z4 coupe.

My neighbor has a TT soft top on a 04 plate. Gill drove it from the uk to Belgium then home to France. She enjoyed it but it was tiny inside due to the soft top needing space when folded down.
Oh and the boot was soaking wet due to being outside full time.
Good luck with the search.

Serious running costs on an m car though!

well said on the Z4M coupe Ive got Just the 3.0L Z4 coupe and its a blast to drive for a daily and ive driven a few M models now and it is brilliant. As for running cost there lower than people think.

On the mk2 TT front I was loaned The 3.2 dsg model for about 4 months while on course and the coupe was rugged up in the garage. I must say i was abit let down by it, I thought it was going to be alot more fun than it was. It felt heavy and lacked pace even in sport mode etc. Coming off the line just didnt seem that fast even with the 4X4. As for living with it i found it lacked space for the passengers in the rear so unless the driver is 5 foot tall you cant get people behind you.

to compare the 2 cars id still go for the BMW due to being more fun to drive and even though it only being a 2 seater its still easier to live with due to the feel of more space and a bigger boot.

good luck in choosing

14K also buys a nice 987 Boxster

Box

or how about an SLK

SLK

I saw a really nice Metallic blue SLK at a local dealer last week. Despite loving the Mustang in the states I don't think I could live with a soft top in the UK, especially as the daily driver.

Had a look over the outside of a Black 2010 Audi A3 "Black edition" today. It was at the local Audi dealers, who were closed, so I couldn't take a proper look. It seem quite nice but just a bit expensive, £13K for 43,000 miles but it is an Audi approved car so I suspect it comes with the usual Audi dealer extras.

Frustratingly all my chatting and looking has had my colleagues looking at cars too... Today one of them popped out and bought a Volvo C30 SE sport edition for his wife, one that we saw for sale yesterday. So I'm now getting accused of dithering, it is going to be a LONG night shift