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Car for a teen?

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Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 3:56:34 PM

fr0st m0nkey

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I'm in the market for a different car and the audi TT is another car in my price range. I only drive like 7,000 miles a year, but I don't want this car to break down on me and have to pay $5000 in repairs. I've read that these cars are very poorly built, but their attractive styling and design keeps drawing me back to them. If I bought one with like 70-80 thousand miles (I want the AWD model) for like 10k-ish, how much money would I be looking to spend in repairs? I'd only have like $1500 in the bank put away for repairs.

Post #: 1

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 4:01:39 PM

cincyTT

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They are not poorly built, just some have issues and also since they are turbocharged, they have more moving parts. If you dont have the money or talent to work on cars, a higher milage audi/vw 1.8t isnt for you.

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197whp and 292wtq with no chip on stock ic, airbox and catback
AEG crank +Scat rods + 83mm Wiseco pistons = CincyTT Version 2.0T
For sale - 20mm wrist pin pistons and rods $175 + sh

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 4:28:55 PM

ericgl

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I think there is a potential issue with buying any performance/enthusiast used car as there is a good chance it was driven hard which stresses the mechanical systems.

Your safest bet is to find a well maintained car that one of your parent's friends is about to trade in.

(in reply to cincyTT)

Post #: 3

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 6:52:15 PM

fr0st m0nkey

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If they have issues isn't that basically the same as saying they're poorly built? Don't take it personally because you already own one, I was just asking as a potential buyer. So you guys are saying $1500 isn't enough to cover mechanical problems and they aren't very reliable? (aka don't buy one?)

(in reply to ericgl)

Post #: 4

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 6:59:58 PM

theTTkid

Posts: 3096
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From: Rochester, NY
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do take it personally but i think if you already have such a problem trusting a tt then maybe you shouldnt get one.

maybe you should get a honda or toyota thats cheap to fix

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2002 1.8T 180 quattro --> HKS BOV, Vmaxx coilovers, 3'' 42DD DP, Full K-Mac, O.CT Chip 93', ModShack VTDA, TurboXS MBC, AWE Vent Boost Gauge, 17'' Flik lexs', Black Tints [20%], Tinted Tails.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 7:02:29 PM

fr0st m0nkey

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I was actually looking at a 2003 C320 on black 19's, so I think I might just go that route. They seem to have better reliability.

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Post #: 6

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 7:02:47 PM

cincyTT

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I personally havent had any problems with mine except the a/c compressor went out. But like i said, some have problems. Its the same as all other cars, some people get a bad one or a problem that no one can figure out and it ruins the rep of the car. The thing is that the common problems like premature tb wear or clusters fading are about $800+ for a replacement. Not all have them, just some here and there. The TB can be changed early but if you get lazy and it fails, the engine is ruined.

But what i was getting at before is that if you dont know anything about cars and take it to someone, it can get really expensive. With an ageing car, vac lines, maf, o2's, and so on will go bad and if you dont know the symptoms or how to replace them, you will be paying an arm and a leg for it when you can fix some by simply cutting or replacing a $0.25 vac line. So again, if you cant or dont want to worry about something like this, the 1.8t isnt for you and you should look into a gti with a VR6 instead.

_____________________________

FACTS > followers
197whp and 292wtq with no chip on stock ic, airbox and catback
AEG crank +Scat rods + 83mm Wiseco pistons = CincyTT Version 2.0T
For sale - 20mm wrist pin pistons and rods $175 + sh

(in reply to fr0st m0nkey)

Post #: 7

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 7:05:06 PM

theTTkid

Posts: 3096
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From: Rochester, NY
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if black 19s on a mercedes is what gets you to buy a car... oh geez.

tt's are reliable. and if you have a bit of knowledge you can fix a lot on them.

...really? black 19s drew you into a "reliable" mercedes? wow

_____________________________

2002 1.8T 180 quattro --> HKS BOV, Vmaxx coilovers, 3'' 42DD DP, Full K-Mac, O.CT Chip 93', ModShack VTDA, TurboXS MBC, AWE Vent Boost Gauge, 17'' Flik lexs', Black Tints [20%], Tinted Tails.

(in reply to cincyTT)

Post #: 8

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 7:06:00 PM

cincyTT

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SOunds like he is a kid that is trying to impress people with a german car.

_____________________________

FACTS > followers
197whp and 292wtq with no chip on stock ic, airbox and catback
AEG crank +Scat rods + 83mm Wiseco pistons = CincyTT Version 2.0T
For sale - 20mm wrist pin pistons and rods $175 + sh

(in reply to theTTkid)

Post #: 9

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 7:08:10 PM

theTTkid

Posts: 3096
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From: Rochester, NY
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^ agreed. pff.. friggin kids

btw, im 18 frost and have the car. i dont have trouble with it either

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(in reply to cincyTT)

Post #: 10

RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 7:19:26 PM

exTTreme

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2 years 0 problems and I beat on my car like it owes me money but I never miss oil changes and always let it cool down for a few minutes after driving 2001 225Q 98k miles

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 8:47:06 PM

WishIWasRWD

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Agreed... I drive my car HARD.

Only problem i've had with the car was the clutch at 70k + miles... Which isn't bad for the original clutch.

I think there are a very small amount of these cars that actually have any major problems.
(Minor pain in the ass stuff and glitches are common though.)

A large amount of the people that are complaining are retards that are modifying them half-assed while ignoring routine maintenance.

Budget Ballers need not apply.

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quote:

ORIGINAL: .clipse
as for me, i'm more of a fan with black on black

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 8:54:12 PM

auditech79

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If you don't respect the car, the car won't respect you. IMO, if your talking about build quality i've worked on both mercedes and audi, and mercedes are far from better build quality.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 10:13:37 PM

fr0st m0nkey

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I'm not knocking Audi, I just read a review website and it was given a 1/10 by multiple people on reliability. The C320 scored fairly well in the reliability. I'm not even talking car manufacturers here, I'm talking specific vehicles, so quit comparing Audi to Mercedez. As far as reliability goes, my family owns a window tint/car stereo shop and we have an account with the local mercedez dealership-- meaning I won't get killed in repairs because we are on good terms with the faculty. I want a somewhat flashy car, and you can't tell me you guys don't want a flashy car either or else you wouldn't be driving a TT. If you really cared solely about performance, the TT would be the last on your list.

One thing that is going to really draw me away from the Audi TT is the lack of community support. I asked a question and you guys gathered around and flamed me for "bashing" your precious TT rather than answering. I would expect that from members, but a moderator? You're supposed be above that and prevent it from happening.

@exTTreme and WishIWasRWD: Thanks for actually contributing to the thread.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 11:36:20 PM

Murderface

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Rant time.

quote:

One thing that is going to really draw me away from the Audi TT is the lack of community support. I asked a question and you guys gathered around and flamed me for "bashing" your precious TT rather than answering. I would expect that from members, but a moderator? You're supposed be above that and prevent it from happening.

FFS, where did anybody accuse you of "bashing" the TT and flame you about it? They gave input as to why they feel your perception of its build quality is wrong. As for moderators, cincyTT gave you one of the most concise and accurate replies as the first reply to your thread just like you asked for. And he assumed you were trying to impress people with a German car which you just admitted to saying you "want a somewhat flashy car." How is that flaming?

And personally I think being attracted towards a Merc because "it has black 19's" is a pretty immature thing to base a car buying decision on...especially considering modified cars are generally WORSE and LESS RELIABLE to buy second hand. I don't blame people on here for criticizing you for it.
</rant>

Anyway, what cincy said kinda sums it up, if you don't know how to or don't want to work on cars, it's not a good idea to buy one of these. Your rents may have hookups to a Benz dealership but you'll probably still get ripped off way more than if you take your car to a local shop or do the work yourself. They're not built poorly...the engines/transmissions are solid and can take a lot more power than they come with and can take some abuse too. The interior quality is top notch and the exterior is excellent as well. The only thing that sucks in VW/Audi is the electrical.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/11/2008 11:54:37 PM

fr0st m0nkey

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I'm used to a very organized MR2 Spyder community with a whole forum dedicated solely to the car, not a subforum in a larger forum. While his first response did indeed answer my question, the reply (and those that followed) felt somewhat condescending because I'm a teenager. Just because I'm young doesn't automatically make me stupid, and "flashy" doesn't necessarily mean European. Also, why does everybody assume I was drawn to the C320 because of black rims? I mentioned it had black 19's on it, I didn't say "I'm going to buy this car because it has black 19s and I want to save money". I understand what you're saying about modded cars being less reliable from having been beaten on, but I don't feel as though very many people are going to beat on a C320... It's not exactly a sports car. I like the Audi TT (and it would be nice to have an AWD vehicle for making trips to the snow), but I'm assuming the general consensus for me buying a TT is a no due to high maintenance costs and electrical problems. If anybody has any objections, speak now or forever hold your peace. :p

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 12:24:38 AM

Murderface

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The C320 as far as I know is marketed as a sports sedan. Being beaten on isn't the only thing that triggers problems with modded cars, sometimes people mod stuff really half-assedly and just do a hack job all around, thinking they know what they're doing when they don't. A clean used car from someone who took their car to a dealer to do all the maintenance is a much safer bet.

You seem to be geared towards the C320 at this point, but I'd test drive both first. Driving a small, agile turbocharged car is a pretty convincing experience over a larger V6 sedan.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 3:43:04 AM

beachchair

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You are talking two different classifications of cars and owners. The C320 owner most likely can't change a tire, and may remember to take the car in for required service. The older TT owner most likely is a car enthsiast and drives the car harder, but does more than the required maintenance. Which you think is better is up to you. The Audi is not "unreliable and poorly built" you are just on a forum of knowledgeable enthusiasts, who work on their own cars and are sharing their experiences.

(in reply to fr0st m0nkey)

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 4:12:05 AM

achTTung

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quote:

The older TT owner most likely is a car enthsiast

Actually, in my experiences, most TT's are midlife crisis cars driven by middle aged men. They don't really drive it much harder than any other car, they just want something that looks nice. I bought mine off a guy just like that. Def. wasn't an enthusiast, as he destroyed the interior with coffee/dog.

But anyway, consider this.... haldex maintenance is every 20K miles. It costs at a minimum ~$60. Thats for a filter the size of a plum, and 1qt of oil, if you do it yourself. They aren't cheap cars, and like mentioned, there are the occasional bad build. Just know this, and be prepared for the worst. $1500 could last you years maintaining the car, or it could last you months.

Not trying to turn you away, just making sure you know what you could be getting into.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 4:34:09 AM

beachchair

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quote:

ORIGINAL: achTTung

quote:

The older TT owner most likely is a car enthsiast

Actually, in my experiences, most TT's are midlife crisis cars driven by middle aged men.

I was actually referring to the car being older, but I see your point.

(in reply to achTTung)

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 5:22:20 AM

theTTkid

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quote:

@exTTreme and WishIWasRWD: Thanks for actually contributing to the thread.

your welcome.

_____________________________

2002 1.8T 180 quattro --> HKS BOV, Vmaxx coilovers, 3'' 42DD DP, Full K-Mac, O.CT Chip 93', ModShack VTDA, TurboXS MBC, AWE Vent Boost Gauge, 17'' Flik lexs', Black Tints [20%], Tinted Tails.

(in reply to beachchair)

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 6:48:59 AM

WishIWasRWD

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Haha... Thanks for taking care of that for me.

No problem man.

Trust us we see a lot of people come through asking if they should buy a TT, and with the reasons they give, the TT is not the car for 80% of the people who ask.

We know that if we reccommend a TT to someone who would be better suited to another car we'll be the ones hearing you guys whine about it

These other guys aren't really trying to bash you they are just trying to make a point. (with a touch of defense thrown in)

Except Cincy... He's just a jerk.

That's why he's our mod... We like the abuse

quote:

ORIGINAL: theTTkid

quote:

@exTTreme and WishIWasRWD: Thanks for actually contributing to the thread.

your welcome.

_____________________________

Stock://ConeFilter.EuroPlate.KeyRetrievalMod

quote:

ORIGINAL: .clipse
as for me, i'm more of a fan with black on black

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 7:33:55 AM

Mikefc626

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I'm at 60k miles, on a 2002 model. I have yet to have a single issue other than stupid mechanics at the crappy local dealership that don't know how to fix a radio. Mechanically, the car is fine.

You say you found a website giving a 1/10 for reliability. How many people voted? 1, 10, 100? Did you then go look for a site that rated it as a 10/10? Again, you would have to check how many people voted.

$1500 will likely not last you any significant amount of time, regardless of whether you choose the Mercedes or Audi. The second you walk in to a shop and ask for a repair quote, they will up the price when they get the answer to what kind of car you drive. How quickly can you replenish your savings account? If the car totally goes dead, do you have a backup money source?

Not to mention the upgrades you will almost be 100% likely to want. Trust me, you can't reasonably afford to do everything you, or we, would love to do to it. Otherwise, you would already own one w/out having to worry about asking us. You'll go broke trying.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 7:43:49 AM

joshuo

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quote:

ORIGINAL: fr0st m0nkey

One thing that is going to really draw me away from the Audi TT is the lack of community support. I asked a question and you guys gathered around and flamed me for "bashing" your precious TT rather than answering. I would expect that from members, but a moderator? You're supposed be above that and prevent it from happening.

@exTTreme and WishIWasRWD: Thanks for actually contributing to the thread.

look, I don't have any problems with young TT owners, since I'm 20, but I have my reservations about people that ask for help, and when presented with said help from a knowledgeable person, ignore it and interpret everything else said as "flaming".

As said before, seeing that 19's attract you more about a car than anything else, I myself find your thinking a little immature to be making a decision at this time. Do more research, get more sources, drive both cars and consider other options.

And for God's sake learn how to spell mercedes. If you did that on purpose I understand why people think you're immature.

Aside from my little rant here, I think the TT is not the car for you. If you don't do some stuff yourself it will cost you a lot.
If you're worried about the price of repairs, get a civic. You can put black 19's on those too.

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RE: Car for a teen? - 5/12/2008 8:21:48 AM

aalqadaffi

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When I was shopping for cars this time around, I knew I wanted a luxury vehicle. I had gotten a higher paying job, and had never had a really nice car. I was looking at Saabs, Merc's, Audi's, BMW's, and Infiniti's. You can't mention those car names w/o someone saying "oh repairs are gonna be an arm and a leg". If you want a cheap car to maintain, then buy a cheap car. Honda or Ford should be really good for that. But sometimes you gotta pay to play. Premium gas is almost $4/gal where I live. Oh well. I knew going in that I was going to have to buy premium. My timing belt and water pump took a crap on me. It cost me $1300 to have repaired. Sucked, but oh well. Again I knew that going in. If you aren't willing to come off some cash when something happens you should probably look elsewhere. And while it was a pain to shell out that much cash for a repair. I LOVE MY AUDI TT!!! I'm an Audi fan for life.

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