# Potential New TTS/TT owner, looking for some advice



## AMT (Apr 8, 2019)

Hi, I've just joined and hoping I can get some advice on buying,common faults etc for the MK3 TTS/TT.

I'm a previous Nissan 350Z (58' HR) owner of 5 years+, but sold this last year due to moving. Jumped into a 2015 Fiesta (yes I know..) for a year and now looking to get back into something with a little oompf!

I'll be honest I've never looked at the TT too much, especially earlier models but the MK3 from 2015 onwards is quite a nice looking car! Number of reasons I'm looking at the new TTS/TT; it's an auto with paddles (the old Z's clutch was a nightmare in traffic at times), quattro (hopefully ok for winter even on summer tyres, gotta be better than RWD), same power near enough as the Z but miles faster, with better fuel economy annnnnd it's small enough to fit in my small garage (or so the official sizes make me believe). So a general all rounder... hopefully.

I've been looking just now at the TTS but they are still a bit dear for me mid to high 20's, so I'm either going to look for one with slightly more miles (although I'd rather stick to 35K and below) or just wait a bit and put more towards the car. Having said that the reason I say TTS/TT, is I did test drive the 2.0 TT DSG quattro and wow... it felt good! I can fully believe the 5.3 to 60 being thrown around. I know that's not the b-all-and end-all, its more in gear acceleration I prefer and the Z excelled at this however the 2.0 with 'only' 227bhp seems to be doing 1/4 mile times the same as the Z...and it had 309 and a big V6. My how times have changed.

Anyway, I was part of the Z forums (still am) and it was tremendously useful through the years with info and even saving money on parts...The Z loved a good front arm bush, ball joint or ..four. I hope when looking to purchase a new TTS/TT I can find the same sort of community on here and looking to see if I can get some hints and tips on what to look for or common issues?

- I'm guessing the 2.0 T is chain driven, any issues with this or the engine itself, oil issues?
- Any gearbox quirks to look out for?
- Suspension and other common issues? (I'm aware there's some sort of window issue I keep reading about but unsure if that's just cos' its pillarless and winter...which I also had with the Z not opening or closing right at times.
- Any issues with the virtual cockpit?
- Real world mpg for both TTS and TT? (Anything is better than the 22mpg in the Z, both normal and spirited driving)
- anything else I should look for when buying used?
- Also in terms of the garage, apparently (I know its a weird one) the mk3 is no wider than a 2015 fiesta. I've had them next to one another when testing the normal 2.0 and body is wider but I note the mirrors are closer in to the body of the TT so it might actually be true....hmm. I suppose proof will be in the pudding when I find one to bring back - although may rent one if I could find one to do so lol

Thanks for any help! Much appreciated : )


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## no name (Feb 16, 2014)

Engines seem to be fairly oil thirsty.

DSG box has a mind of it's own and takes some getting used to so you can make it shift when you want and not when it wants.

Fuel consumption 30's for long journeys in economy, 18-20 in fun mode

Don't worry about freezing windows, it's just the car polishers whining :-D

Rear suspension / magride clonks a fair bit on bumpy roads, sounds broken but it's not

Other than that they're great cars, leagues better than your Z :mrgreen:


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## KevC (Jul 12, 2016)

I haven't noticed any oil issues yet (17,000 miles). My only fault has been the drivers side mirror heater dying (fixed under warranty).

I've had VAG auto boxes for the last 10 years now and don't find any problems. If you've never driven one before they can take a few days to get the hang of but I don't find it shifts when I don't want it to unless you catch it just at the wrong moment such as slowing for a roundabout and just as it's changing down a gear you've seen the view to your right is clear and accelerated.

I've had a couple of tiny glitches on the VC but nothing serious. Once the audio on all of the media refused to work. Got out, locked, unlocked, no dice, drove home, and when I got in the car the following morning it was all fine. Never happened before or since. Sometimes the star button on the steering wheel won't work but it's not a big deal (one in 50 times). I've sometimes not been able to get the map to show the current traffic but again, seems ok the next day (more likely a comms thing to the traffic database).

Long runs I get 32-35ish mpg. Daily driving more like 26.

All 4 tyres seem to be wearing about the same so be prepared that you might need to get the whole lot at once! Service costs are quite high. £250 for basically an oil change is a bit rich!

The paint seems good and thick. No stone chips, scratches or dinks yet for me. As above on the icy windows. I don't really have an issue with it but I was used to a similar thing when I owned a scirocco.

Nothing else to report from mine. It's monstrously fast, comfy, quiet-ish, economical-ish and very well made.


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## Blade Runner (Feb 16, 2018)

You ask about "common faults", but I don't think there really are any. Boring but true. The TT is a Golf underneath after all, so the mechanicals are pretty solid. I have had my TTS for nearly a year and not had a single problem. Everything just works. Ok, the window froze on one occasion in January, but it was cured by a pint of warm water. As other have said, this problem is not specific to the TT and will happen (in very particular conditions) in all cars with frame-less windows.

Second hand TTs seem very thin on the ground at the moment. I could only find one TTS in your (approx) price range on 'motors' (2015 reg, 29k miles, s-tronic, quattro, £26k), but if the entry level TT is power enough for you then why pay more?

One small point. If it is going to be tight getting in and out of your garage, try to find one with electric wing mirrors. Believe it or not, this has always been an option. Apart from the convenience factor, the mirrors auto fold when you lock the car so you can look back from a distance and check if the car is locked or not.


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## winrya (Feb 22, 2014)

Wife's we've had from new and 3.5 years and 41k later it's been pretty faultless. Boot catch replaced at around 12 months under warranty as alarm kept going off. All 4 tyres were replaced at 27k (rears wore marginally quicker than the fronts but only half a mm in it. Does 40-43mpg on a run, mid 30's ok shorter fun runs. Doing 5mpg more on Goodyear f1's Than it averaged on factory hankooks. Uses no oil. Apart from the need to spend a lot on options that should be standard I can't really fault it. I have a 6 month old 310bhp s3 and performance wise there isn't a massive amount it it unless at the top of the Rev range. The tt feels quicker under normal driving as it has less turbo lag than the more powerful engine. 7 speed in s3 is much better than the 6 speed dsg but only facelift tt gets that box I believe


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## 90TJM (Sep 30, 2013)

First time I have MOTd a car for years as I cant find a reason to get rid of the TT.Only been back to dealer for service in over 3 years.


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## KevC (Jul 12, 2016)

Blade Runner said:


> One small point. If it is going to be tight getting in and out of your garage, try to find one with electric wing mirrors. Believe it or not, this has always been an option. Apart from the convenience factor, the mirrors auto fold when you lock the car so you can look back from a distance and check if the car is locked or not.


Tied to that as well, the doors are *really* long so if getting it open far enough in a garage is tricky you can always hold the lock or unlock for several seconds and the windows will drop/raise too. It's much easier to get in and out with the window down in a tight space cos you can then lean over the door and reverse your arse in


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## moro anis (May 27, 2010)

I had a Mk3 TTS for 2 years. Never skipped a beat. Absolutely gorgeous and most enjoyable.


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## cliveju (Jun 27, 2018)

The only issue with the TT's virtual cockpit is that it's in front of the driver so the driver has to do everything. In most cars the passenger can be the chief sat navigator and radio tuner but Audi opted on a single integrated display for the TT. I had a new A3 courtesy car to try recently and it had all the mmi features of the TT plus a central screen.


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## minsTTerman (Aug 5, 2003)

My 2015 TT has just about done 60k miles without any major hiccups. Water pump replaced under warranty and an annoying squeaking seat that took them a while to sort, but other than that absolutely spot on.

Longest I've ever kept a car (4+ years) and have a new one on order. Current one is FWD Manual, so going for the Quattro DSG this time.


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## kennowaybino (Feb 7, 2015)

Have the dealers given you any indication of a delivery date ?


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## kennowaybino (Feb 7, 2015)

Have the dealers given you any indication of a delivery date ?


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## jabiqq (Apr 24, 2016)

minsTTerman said:


> My 2015 TT has just about done 60k miles without any major hiccups. Water pump replaced under warranty and an annoying squeaking seat that took them a while to sort, but other than that absolutely spot on.


What was the reason for replacing water pump? Symptoms?


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## macaddict111 (Jun 13, 2018)

Hey man welcome to the forum! My last car was a 370Z (7 speed auto) so I have a lot of experience with those as well as the difference between the two. I think you've made a great comparison, they're very similar cars even though just the numbers on the Z suggest it might have an advantage (it doesn't). I got a TTS and worried about how much I was paying vs it having lower specs than the Z (less than 300 HP, etc). It completely blows my Z away in every aspect and I've never looked back. It's WAY faster (0.5-1 second 0-60 faster), the auto box is literally no comparison (Stronic/DSG is simply the best out there), it has AWD, and the interior/instruments are again no comparison, night and day. The engine is also WAYYY more refined, I remember the Z sounded like it was going to blow at redline. Fuel economy is better, but nothing crazy. Quick drives around town in no traffic get 22-23, highway is 30+, but stop and go I can get 18-19, so depends, but better than Z.

The only thing that will be "worse" is maintenance on the TT. The Z if I remember correctly needed oil every 5k miles and plugs after 100,000 miles, and I think that's really it? Almost zero maintenance. The TT needs (super specific) oil every 10,000 miles, but also needs spark plugs and transmission fluid every 40,000, brake fluid every 2 years, and AWD fluid every 3 years, and all of those are super important. German cars are engineered to get the most out of less, but maintenance is critical. But all of this besides transmission fluid I do (easily) myself, and it's literally not even worth a thought, it's so worth it.

The overall powertrain and car is very reliable, but because there's so few of them made and they have so many unique parts, I think most people will have at least one warranty trip. Issues I had which are very common issues are the sport seat seprataion issue and slow coolant leak from thermostat housing, both fixed with revised parts. I also had a random steering rack failure, but meh?

Virtual cockpit is simply the best system out there, if you're OK with a _driver_ focused system. Aka it's simple, easy to use, and no it's not going to play Atari games *glares at Elon Musk*. There's really little I'd change about it. Only quirks frankly have been related to iPhone integration, and it's always happened when Apple updates things, but nothing is dysfunctional whatsoever.

Engine is chain driven, gearbox is probably the best and most reliable DCT on the market, in fact VAG is one of the few automakers to use a DCT successfully on a full line of their cars for over 10 years now where most others have failed. I live in LA so obviously no windows freezing here. Only thing I'd be absolutely insane about when buying, especially higher mileage, is maintenance. If someone's gone 15,000 miles with no oil change, I wouldn't buy it. If it has 50,000 miles and no transmission, plugs, and/or AWD service don't buy. Other than that, you'll love it.


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## macaddict111 (Jun 13, 2018)

jabiqq said:


> minsTTerman said:
> 
> 
> > My 2015 TT has just about done 60k miles without any major hiccups. Water pump replaced under warranty and an annoying squeaking seat that took them a while to sort, but other than that absolutely spot on.
> ...


The housing on old revision parts leaked coolant slow but steady. I had mine replaced with a new version under warranty and no issues now.


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## minsTTerman (Aug 5, 2003)

> jabiqq wrote:
> minsTTerman wrote:
> My 2015 TT has just about done 60k miles without any major hiccups. Water pump replaced under warranty and an annoying squeaking seat that took them a while to sort, but other than that absolutely spot on.
> 
> What was the reason for replacing water pump? Symptoms?


To be honest there weren't any! They did it under warranty when it was in for a service - they said it had been leaking but I hadn't noticed and I park it in the garage every night. There was some liquid under the car on occasion but you wouldn't know if it was just rainwater off the car.


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## AMT (Apr 8, 2019)

Thank you everyone who's posted, wasn't expecting such a good response from the get go, looks like a good community on here!

As mentioned yeah it will be leagues above the old Z, having driven the new 227 TT, I can get that it won't be as much fun (but tbh who flys around public roads?) and the sound even on the TTS will not be a patch on the V6 (had a scorpion/cobra set up) however times move on, trends change and its all about smaller engines and turbos. I was def blown away with the pace and gearbox in the normal TT so I can't imagine what a TTS will be like.

Is that what the service schedule is for UK cars 10K? I'll need to search but I'm assuming theres a service schedule list on here somewhere to check out. I did get a discount as I took the old Z for servicing at Infiniti Glasgow (shame there shifting out from the UK) but the Audi' costs I'm guessing will be quite dear, I may look for specialists, especially since the cars I'll likely buy will be 3-4 yrs old.

Ah heres a question....tax. The old Z was £535...so anythings better, but I know this new tax law thing for cars over 40K? Is it £450? Is it for the first 4 years only? I'll end up getting one with the tail end of it or just past it depending... is it really only £140 yearly after that? (cos' that would be amazing for the performance!)

Thanks again for the replies and any more welcome! I'll be keeping an eye out on the threads for info as time goes on.


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## macaddict111 (Jun 13, 2018)

I think the TTS sounds wayyyy better than the VQR V6 in my Z. I guess I'm saying that based more on what I hear inside, it's obviously not going to be louder on the outside. Wayyyy smoother and more refined. Plus TTS has a dual-mode exhaust that opens up under acceleration (hence 4 tailpipes).

Keep in mind I'm stating 10,000 *miles*, I can't for the life of me figure out what you Brits use to measure things. Just when I think you use the (very superior) metric for everything, someone will tell me they're feet and inches tall, or they drive 25 miles to something... I'm sure the maintenance is nearly identical worldwide.


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## Blade Runner (Feb 16, 2018)

macaddict111 said:


> Keep in mind I'm stating 10,000 *miles*, I can't for the life of me figure out what you Brits use to measure things. Just when I think you use the (very superior) metric for everything, someone will tell me they're feet and inches tall, or they drive 25 miles to something... I'm sure the maintenance is nearly identical worldwide.


Bit off topic, but you did ask. And you are right to be confused...

The UK officially adopted the metric (SI) system in the 1960's but most people quietly ignored it for decades.

The situation is now (roughly) as follows:

*Car related.*
Fuel is priced per litre (you probably wouldn't believe how much we have to pay!), but car manufacturers still quote fuel economy in miles per gallon (mpg) .. because.. all road signage in the UK is still in miles (no dual signage). 
UK car speedometers are therefore set up to display miles per hour (mph) by default, but will also display in km/hr .. in case you take your car over to mainland Europe.
Just to add to the confusion, a UK (imperial) gallon = 1.2 US gallons, so bear in mind when folk are quoting mpg figures.
Tyre pressure is (still) usually quoted as pounds per square inch (psi), but gauges are also calibrated in Bar. 
In the user manual for the UK, Audi quote both.
I am not even going to start on horsepower!
Strangely, engine capacity has always been quoted in litres or cubic centimeters (cc), even back to the 1960's

*General*
Nearly all packaged liquids (e.g. milk, canned soft drinks, washing up liquid, motor oil) are sold per litre or per ml.
The notable exception is draft beer, which is still sold in pints if hand-pulled in a pub (8 pints = 1 gallon).
Yes, most of us (certainly those of us over 40) still tend to quote our body weight in stones and pounds (14 pounds = 1 stone), so an average sized guy would be "12 stone 5" for example.
I have never heard anyone quote their height in meters; always feet and inches, as in the US.
Stuff like carpet and floor covering is all sold per square meter (used to be square feet or square yards) but that has only become the norm in the last 15-20 years.

*Work *
The big difference is in science (especially lab and medical science) and where meters, litres and grams are used universally and have been for the last 40 years.

There are many more anomalies caused by this 'pick and choose' approach to units, but you get the general idea.
Progress has been incredibly slow and will probably take another 20-30 years for the SI system to become the norm.
However, as we will soon be out of the EU we may go back to chains and furlongs :lol: .

In summary, a right dog's breakfast..


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

Great summary of Imperial vs SI. But you missed the quirkiest one of all - tyres. Width of tread measured in mm and wheel diameter in inches. 
Is it the same in Europe?


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## pcbbc (Sep 4, 2009)

Blade Runner said:


> Nearly all packaged liquids (e.g. milk, canned soft drinks, washing up liquid, motor oil) are sold per litre or per ml.


Err.... Milk, like beer, is still in pints also!

So the usual supermarket measures are:
1 pint (568ml)
2 pint (1.13L)
4 pint (2.27L)
6 pint (3.4L)
But never quarts or gallons.

Another notable exception is that pizza is almost universally advertised by the inch (6"/8"/12" pizza) and never in metric.
The interesting thing there is that there isn't an offical exemption for it, unlike beer or milk.

Packaged goods: weights and measures regulations


> Imperial units are permitted to be used for the trade of the:
> 
> pint for draught beer and cider
> pint for bottled milk
> troy ounce for precious metals


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## bhoy78 (Oct 30, 2014)

What age/mileage is the s tronic fluid and haldex change due at? anyone had haldex issues yet? they became rife in the mk2.

Have you seen any decent TTS's for sale around Glasgow AMT? other than Glasgow Audi as I don't really rate them.

Tempted to sell my M235i and get a mk3. Have only driven the 2.0 quattro and been in an RS in the showroom. Does the TTS have the same seats as the RS? I had a couple of mk2 TTS's in the past, is the mk3 a major jump or just the dash makes it more special?


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## ZephyR2 (Feb 20, 2013)

And UK beer barrel sizes are still quantified in gallons. Firkin confusing. :lol:


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## chelspeed (May 6, 2017)

If you do lots of miles you can choose long life oil change (button on the dash). Then the car will not tell you it wants an oil service until something like 15,000 miles.


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## bhoy78 (Oct 30, 2014)

Further question I assume there's no service history book with the mk3 but are services recorded on the car like in the Beemers?


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## Dogbower (Nov 6, 2018)

We have had our TT for around 6 months, and I think it sounds like I went through a similar thought process as you.
Wanted a TTS, had a budget of 25K, and you could just get one for this budget, but they always had higher miles or not the right spec. Some were downright rough.
Test drove a TT 2.0 quattro s line and liked it a lot , so went back to the drawing board as to what was important to us. The big problem is we liked the super sport seats from the TTS, limited colours we liked, and had to have all the toys, oh and I really liked the look of the 20" wheels. 
With that list completed really focused on ones that fitted our criteria, found one with only 18K miles perfect spec, yes I could of got a TTS for my budget but with twice the mileage and would probably had to compromise on something. Had to pull the trigger as soon as I saw it and one long train journey later it was mine.









So should I have bought the TTS?
Well mine is fast enough for me, red callipers would be nice(shallow I know), 2 exhausts are enough :lol: , and I have got over the disappointment of not being able to move the rev counter to the centre of the display. Yes I know there are lots of real differences between them, but in the real world its still a great car.

Now a caveat, as I said its a great car, capable of transporting you in comfort and pace on any journey.
But its more a means of transport than a car I love to drive. 
I don't know if its because it doesn't have any faults, it just does its job.
I know that sounds a bit silly, the cars too good?
We came from an old Porsche boxster, this was used daily and was very good but a bit dull when not being driven hard, but when you did want to behave like an idiot it really delivered.
The TT is the opposite, great day to day, but for a b road jaunt the boxster was more fun.(but not faster)
Luckily we have this for that.








Good luck with your search.


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## macaddict111 (Jun 13, 2018)

Blade Runner said:


> Bit off topic, but you did ask. And you are right to be confused...
> 
> The UK officially adopted the metric (SI) system in the 1960's but most people quietly ignored it for decades.
> 
> ...


*goes into fetal position and rocks back and forth*
We use metric for everything work (engineering) related. Imperial units are absolutely stupid to work with for technical aspects. Thanks for the summary, I never knew all that! Basically everything packaged in the us has a metric label (16 fl oz or whatever that is in ml, 1 lb and so many grams), I assume that's because a lot of those products also go to Canada and Mexico. I think most young people in the US hate imperial.


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## AMT (Apr 8, 2019)

Thanks for the reply Dogbower! Yeah I'm looking at them and I'm like... I could just get a normal 2.0 TT S-Line and just keep an eye out for a well optioned one or... wait til' further in the year and go for a TTS, but I doubt they'll drop much. There's not a huge difference, I mean even at around 30K miles I keep seeing about £4K of a diff at times between the TT and TTS. I'm wondering if I should just put the money by and throw it towards the deposit to be higher tbh.

It's a fair whack of money £20K+ so I just feel I'd like something special as such. The Z was very special daily, I'd like the TT but I think with the money I'd want the extra...the leather the 4 exhausts lol. The PERFORMANCE.

Although I do have a question, are cruise control and the in-dial temp controls on seperate packages or could you option them as individual items? I keep seeing cars with either ...one or the other but barely both!! I'm like...who on earth is speccing these cars, it can't be that much more surely... (Audi seem to be a bit stingy with the cruise control, surely that should be standard on an item like the TTS...and the dials!)

I can't seem to find much wrong with either of them in terms of reliability - both seem to be able to get 30ish mpg, can't find issues with the virtual cockpit. Someone said it uses oil but I can't find any other examples or mention of this. The Z never used any between 10K services so I would hope the 2.0 unit wouldn't either.

Only item I seem to find is a common fault with the rear suspension or bushing, people had under warranty? (is this all cars or only certain years?)

Thanks for the help again! much appreciated.


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