12

Should you buy one?

If you can find a good one, yes. It’s getting more difficult these days. Higher-mileage examples are plentiful, but that’s to be expected given that the earliest Mk1 Audi TTs are now more than 30 years old. It’s more important to make sure your potential purchase has been well-maintained. A lot have passed through the hands of unloving buyers, who seem content with missing services and fitting poor quality parts.

Performance is still impressive today, with even the most basic 1.8-litre model offering and impressive blend of eagerness and economy. The 3.2-litre V6 models are even quicker, but they’re thirsty, expensive to service properly and costly in terms of insurance and road tax. If you’re on a shoe-string, go for the 1.8 – it’s even fairly straightforward to service yourself if you’ve a bit of experience and some basic tools.

Approach the market with a modicum of sensibility and you should be able to find a good example. Expect to find a couple of wear and tear items that need replacing and don’t be afraid of the odd paint blemish. As long as there isn’t a load of rust bubbling under the paintwork, you’ll be fine – the TT was made from solid German steel.

Beware of deals that look too good to be true. An overly cheap TT will likely be riddled with most of the problems outlined on the first page of this review, which will make it a very expensive car to keep on the road. Unless its a rolling project you’re looking for, just walk away.

Find a good one, and you’ll be rewarded with a car that’s fun, easy to drive, well-equipped and devilishly good-looking. Keep your purchase well-maintained, and you’ll also likely get back most of the money you used to buy it come sale time.