canzoomer

True enough, the stock 1.8ti is no faster than the RX-8
Nor is it slower.
It was exactly the same, in my experience.
Considering it is an 180HP engine (just like the RX-8), with more torque, that should not be surprising.

The same motor, but with more boost, and quite a few more changes is the 225HP version, is represented in the Audi TT
About the same power as we were *supposed* to get in the 8.

ECU kits for those are cheap and drop right in.
At $500 you get 265HP and 290ft/lb of torque.

And nearly 50% better gas mileage.

Made my mind up.

I put a deposit on a TT Quattro with the 225HP engine yesterday.
Same toys as the 8, HID, traction control, Bose, air, and so on.
The ORIGINAL round vents that rotate. The ones that Mazda dead copied for the RX-8

And no roasted feet. I am looking forward to turning on an air vent and not cooking my feet any longer.

pelucidor

That's funny - I remember several cars from the 1970's that had vents like these - particularly Alfa Romeos. Amazing how they copied the TT - must have used a time-machine.

Kev

I got rid of my TT Quattro over a year ago.

I have 2 kids, my eldest nine (then) years oldm was squashed in the back of the TT.

I would say that the level of finish was higher on the TT (but mine was black and it almost always looked crap).

The rear door and available load area in the TT is superior to the RX8.

With very few miles on the clock, my (Australian) RX8 seems much quicker that the TT was (the TT never seemed that quick and I think the 4wd must eat much more horsepower).

The RX8 seats four.

I love the way the rotary spins (The TT always seemed to be running out of revs). Plus it's NA, no lag.

The balance/handling of the RX8 feels right, the TT didn't feel like a "good" handling car in FWD format and the Quattro addressed this with more wheels under power.

Bottom line...

The RX8 is the most interesting and practical new car avaliable to me in Australia within a wide price window either side.

If I was single and without kids, I would probably still have the TT.

RobDickinson

I found the TT dull as ditchwater to drive, no feedback, and no skill required either.

Its even worse with the gadgets switched off - verging on unsafe - they've well and truly used the electronics to fix handling problems.

With the electronics on its point and go, not what I want (unles I buy a merc ...). Also doesnt let you know whats going on until the electronics cant keep you on the road, and then its way to late for you.

Kev

That's probably a fair comment on the handling, you tended to just "point" the TT.

Remembering the gripes I had with my particular car, there were two annoying rattles the never went away, two recalls, a stuff up with the turbo boost being lost and a poor fitting A pillar trim.

(I had one of the first Quattro's in Oz, so the gripes are probably just early manufacture issues).

BillK

I would have to vehemently disagree with this.

The TT is a bit of a pig, given its weight, with a tendency to understeer as with most FWD/AWD vehicles.

But it definitely handles well. It doesn't require skill to drive, which is one of its major benefits. You don't need to be SCCA-licensed to get the most out of a TT, electronics on or off. There are no performance problems the electronics cure, nor is it in any way unsafe at any speed resembling anything that should be approached on a public road. The TT feels wonderfully stable and competent at speeds up to at least 105 MPH, which is where I ran out of courage. Want to improve the handling? Aftermarket springs and shocks make a world of difference for the TT, and if you like a Neuspeed 19mm rear bar can be added that makes the TT so neutral it will even tend a bit towards oversteer.

IMHO, as a long time turbo fan, I think the TT has an excellent turbo. Sure, there's some lag, but when the turbo kicks in, it's like you hit the afterburner button. There's no need to keep revs up, but the turbo is there to give you an extra power boost if you need it. This also, BTW, means excellent fuel mileage unless you keep the turbo online.

Unfortunately, long term satisfaction with the TT is lacking. The biggest factor is the interior - it looks good, but there are rattles everywhere - doors, trim, glove compartment door, shelf under the glove compartment, interior light lenses and most especially, the trim around the rear hatch. I can't remember ever using so much stick-on weatherstrip foam to attempt to quiet rattles ina new car before. The glove compartment door handle is also fragile - several people I know had theirs break off in their hands.

So is the TT a nice car? Sure it is. It's a wonderful GT. Is it better than the 8? Perhaps different, not better. It's certainly less sporty, and it doesn't have a rotary.

But it's certainly not a bad car, and most certainly not in any way unstable or dangerous...

RobDickinson

Its 90% of the time FWD car.


On public roads? You completly missed the horrible crash in German (public road) that caused a total recal, redesign of the rear suspension (ruining the cars handling) and fitting of that ugly rear spoiler?


Its certainly Not a dangerous car now, driven within its limits, but it never lets the driver know what those limits are, push it to far and when the DSC cant keep you on the road any longer you dont get any warning. I'll be the first to admit those limits are prety good, it does stick to the road quite well, bit I'd prefer some warning when aproaching the cars limits.

I'm supprised to hear about all the rattles, I thought they were screwed together properly(inside and engine)?

Apart from the ignition coil pack that is...

Chrisbert

Back on the HP issue. I wonder if those who are getting low HP and MPG have a problem in the air intake system. DAIS. It seems to be a complex beast, and likely would decrease performance if it was malfunctioning. My old CL-S had a secondary intake stage that changed the length of the intake runners, and when the actuator motor died so did the HP by about 20-25.

BRealistic

Not to mention that the first front wheel drive 626 (84?) had swinging vents- those swinging vents that are so 'new' nowdays. How quickly we forget.:p
And the TT- a nicely styled car- looks like one person sat down and designed the entire car at once -which is very rare is today's committee and focus group designed auto world. But I seriously doubt anybody will rememeber the TT fondly in ten years- except ex mechanics that paid several several boat payments trying to keep TTs running after the factory warranty was up.:p :D
And it is funny how people like to mention the mods to make another car faster. Two things- one: these mods void the warranty- and two: The RX-8 is all new- newer than any other vehicle in decades from a mechanical standpoint. Given enough time, the RX-8 will also have some great afetrmarket mods for boosted performance.

BillK

First of all, I like the rear spoiler - the TT has much too much of a "soap bar" look without it, IMHO. But the crash took place at speeds well above 130 MPH on a German road in the rain. I guess I'm being U.S.-centric by saying "public road" but in most areas of the world other than Germany you will never reach those speeds on a public road without rather excessively exceeding the speed limit, thus my comment.

All cars with ESP operate this way; that's one of the downsides of it, but at the same time the ESP light will be blinking like a Christmas tree on the dash when it's active to let you know it's trying to stop you from doing something stupid. That alone should be warning that you're exceeding the car's unassisted handling characteristics. You can, of course, shut off the ESP and then anything goes.

The general problem is German auto makers in my experience just don't care about rattles. I have another German car now and it has almost as many rattles as the TT.

The problem is design; perhaps German roads are smooth as ice, but when you add expansion cracks and potholes most German cars I've driven - Porsches, Audis, BMWs, VWs - become a cacophony of rattling plastic bits. In the TT, most of the bits that rattled/squeaked could not be quieted because there was no real way to silence them. A good example was the mini shelf running under the glove compartment; it's a long piece of plastic firmly attached to the dash but it itself can vibrate and make noise. There is no way to stop a large piece of plastic from resonating at certain frequencies, so the only fix was to wedge a piece of weatherstrip foam between the shelf and the center console stack. Not elegant, but...

Other stupid rattles were the radio cover door when up (more foam) and the light lens illuminating the storage cubby in the console (no way to quiet it as it was a plastic lens inserted into a plastic holder.)

It sounds stupid, but if you drive something like a Suburban that has what looks like miles of cheap plastic inside, none of it rattles even if you hit potholes the size of watermelons.

Finally, in reference to keeping a TT running after warranty, I have to say that despite all the rattles, I never had one driveability problem with my TT, including my coil packs and diverter valve...

kostas*

You really must be joking. I have driven 10 years old bmw, that rattles much less than 1 year old Japanese or Italian cars. You can say a lot of things about German cars BUT I thing poor interior quality (assembly of plastics) it something out of the question!